New Computer thread X2 (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

I'm thinking of going with HP for a new machine.... if only because I like the look of their new case. All the bare bones cases I See for sale look too far removed from the classic computer case that they look ugly in comparison. Is HP in better s hape than Dell is in terms of warranty support, features, and customer support? I've heard HP keeps all support local, but who knows if they are any more apt than Dell...

I was toying around with this machine. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1156607399829
But it only has 4 Expansion slots. I only need three now, but you never know what may come out in the future . I'm also wondering how good the HP TV Tuner with FM is. Better, or worse than ATI?


Oh, and another question, hopefully for someone who has this machine. When you don't use any cables for the DVD Drives audio, are you automatically getting 'Digital Audio'? I don't know how else to explain it, but in the olden days(Re:5 years ago or more), you needed to hook up an audio connection from the DVD Drive to the sound card to get sound. Now that dosen't seem to be neccesary. So am I getting full digital audio this way, or would I need to buy a 2 pin connector that goes from my DVD Drive to my sound card?

 

[Ken Chan]

That was an analog connection, just like the headphone on the front of the drive. The sound card has a dedicated CD input, and it would mix any sound that happened to come from there with the system's regular digital "Wave" audio (as long as you didn't mute the input or turn the mixer all the way down in the volume control panel). So if the drive has Play and track control buttons, you don't need a program at all.

But nowadays, I don't even bother with that wire. The data connection is digital. The audio program will request the data, and then "make the sounds", just like when the system decides to beep at you; that's all digital. (Note that the "CD Player" that used to be under Accessories | Entertainment but is not included with XP tells the CD to play through the analog connection, while stuff like Windows Media Player and iTunes does it the current digital way.)

No opinion on HP vs. Dell.

 

[DeathStar1]

Ahh, Ok. dunno why they still make the connection stlll, but it's nice to have I guess ..


I think I've decided to go the build PC route again. And this is what I have so far.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131025
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115002
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145527


and this for the case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811133165

I keep on seeing that I'll save if I go to New egg. But if you want top of the line stuff, it more or less all comes out to the same price. Especailly since now New Egg has to charge tax for NJ users....ugh. They'd be a perfect ordering service if it where not for that.

Oh, and like Ron, I don't want any hangups on this system, since again I'll be using it for HD Editing and viewing and audio/3D work. Will this configuration last me a good 3 years?

 

[DeathStar1]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811209026

Decided on a case..but now I have a problem deciding on a motherboard. Some of the New Egg reviews are scaring me away from what could otherwise be a problem with only their equipment.

I need a MB that is HDMI/HDCP and Vista compatible. Will work with the widest possible memory sticks, 2 PCI 16 slots, Optical In, works out of the box without needing to do anything like my A8n Premium did.

Any recomendations are helpful.

oh, and must work with this chip brand and speed... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115003

Thanks!

 

[BrianB]

Neil, are you comfortable building your own computer & being your own support service when it breaks?

 

[DeathStar1]

Yup, been doing that for the past 1.5 years. Had to replace one faulty graphics card that made loud fan whirring noises constantly, and two faulty DVD drives. Plus one power supply upgrade when I upgraded the graphics card.

The only thing I haven't had to replace yet was the motherboard and chip/fan once it was installed. But I know how to do everything else .

 

[Ken Chan]

HDCP depends on the video card, not the motherboard. As far as Vista Premium, the main reason the motherboard would be an issue is if you're going to use the onboard video or audio. It seems unlikely that you'd rely on most onboard video (if there is any), while most onboard audio for recent boards would be compliant. Wherever it is, the video has to not suck, have a few specific capabilities, with the right kind of drivers ("WDDM"); and the audio has to have the right kind of drivers ("UAA").

There's also TPM, which is required for Vista Ultimate's BitLocker to operate transparently, and maybe in the future used for strict DRM. In that case, motherboard manufacturers don't seem to be too forthcoming about which boards have them, although it seems that they are quietly becoming standard.

 

[DeathStar1]

Hmm, I don't like that. Sounds evil. I don't mind them protecting their own content, but when it potentially comes to stalling my system or invading it, nuts to that. I'll stop upgrading if that becomes a priority..or at the very least just stop buying electronics that use it .


OK, for some reason I seem to remember reading that a motherboard needed to be Vista Compatible, but I guess that was dropped or just rumored.

What's a good MB company to go with that has relatively painless motherboards to install so I can continue searching with a bit more precision? . My asus a8n premium worked great right off the bat. If it where compatible with a Core 2 Duo and see a speed increase with it, I'd just stick with that one.

 

[Ken Chan]

There are some minimum requirements, but many recent motherboards would qualify -- more if you ignore their onboard video because you're not going to use it -- so it's turned into more of a marketing thing: "You need a new motherboard to run Vista well, and guess what, we have some!"

Since experiences with motherboards are kinda hit and miss, if you've had good luck with Asus, they're pretty reputable, so you might as well stick with them. They even have a list.