Search found 33 matches

by Traciatim
Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:20 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: SPCR's Holiday ATX Gaming Build Guide
Replies: 76
Views: 71802

Re: SPCR's Holiday ATX Gaming Build Guide

What's the advantage of the multi-rail design on the PSU you picked? I've run in to a few issues previously with lower powered units where an upgrade of one piece would be very questionable even though the entire unit would be able to handle the load I was unsure if any single rail would be highly o...
by Traciatim
Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:12 am
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000 2TB 5940RPM Hard Drive
Replies: 16
Views: 13376

Re: Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000 2TB 5940RPM Hard Drive

"A Windows 7 image loaded with our test suite was cloned to a 50GB partition at the beginning of each drive" First let me say that I understand short stroking. Why do you still do this? If you image a drive, isn't all the data at the start anyway? With technologies like Ultimate Defrag do you really...
by Traciatim
Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:41 pm
Forum: SPCR Article Discussion
Topic: Logic Supply SolidLogic Montivina Fanless Mini-ITX System
Replies: 14
Views: 10032

Thermal Compound?

Are you really supposed to put thermal compound on with a trowel like that?
by Traciatim
Sun Sep 13, 2009 6:32 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Transform 'Cuda 7200.11 1.5tb into Velociraptor Killer
Replies: 78
Views: 82932

Terje, this is exactly the reason that I use Ultimate Defrag (free edition) to put my drives in order. It's much easier than partitioning, since you never have to worry about space considerations. You just add more directories in the order that you want them in to your defrag pattern and voila, shor...
by Traciatim
Thu Jul 23, 2009 10:15 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Transform 'Cuda 7200.11 1.5tb into Velociraptor Killer
Replies: 78
Views: 82932

As others have already mentioned, if you had the cash to buy the raptor you could simply buy 2 of the 1.5TB drives and: 1) 300GB for OS/Speedy Apps + 1200GB for Data and then the second drive you do 8GB for swap (or however much you think is more than you'll ever need) and 1492GB for Data. 2) Use Di...
by Traciatim
Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:46 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Where the ... is that global [climate change] warming?
Replies: 223
Views: 87736

I just thought I would chime in on topic. I live on the east coast of Canada, within walking distance (if you're up for a hike, it's a nicer drive) of the Bay of Fundy. Due to the proximity of the ocean we usually have fairly low snowfall and fairly mild winters. To put it in to perspective, it's Ca...
by Traciatim
Thu Jan 03, 2008 4:21 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: 2gb ddr400 or 3gb ddr333?
Replies: 4
Views: 2540

I think this one only comes down to one question: Do you think you will really be doing lots of stuff that regularly uses up all of your 2GB of RAM? If the answer to that is yes, then more will be more useful than less and faster.
by Traciatim
Wed Dec 26, 2007 9:29 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Surge protector do i need one?
Replies: 12
Views: 9252

I second Matija's #3. Just get a descent (Not $29.99) UPS. You'll be glad you did when you're doing something and the power sags and your PC doesn't switch off. Get one with Voltage regulation from a respectable source (That's read: Not Walmart). Like insurance or seat belts a good UPS is just a was...
by Traciatim
Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:41 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Hissing speakers
Replies: 9
Views: 4824

You just need to turn them down. Unless it's actually interference from something. Do they hiss if you plug another audio source in to them, do they still hiss if you turn the volume all the way down? If not turn them all teh way down, then turn them up until you notice hiss, then turn them down sli...
by Traciatim
Mon Oct 01, 2007 3:18 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: 2.1 speakers
Replies: 8
Views: 4475

I don't know what kind of prices you are getting for your other speakers, but I picked up a set of Logitech Z-2300 refurbed for around 85 bucks CDN. http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/product_spec.php?pcode=LO2300 (Still available here, I got mine from canadacomputers.com). Many people stay away fr...
by Traciatim
Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:28 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New System. $3-4k CND - Help me not waste money! :)
Replies: 8
Views: 3984

I would seriously recommend you use two physical drives for your Systems / Data. If you ever decide to switch up to go to XP64 and forget which partition is which and hit the wrong button and all your data is gone. Plus, you could just use a small drive like a 160 or a 320 to do you're OS's and then...
by Traciatim
Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:53 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: quick network question
Replies: 10
Views: 4595

I could be mistaken, but the onboard LAN is connected using the PCI bus, too, I think. If so, then the point is moot. http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2631&p=1 It really depends on the motherboard and mostly chipset. In this example from 2005 it shows the Intel Pro/1000 as an extension of th...
by Traciatim
Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:03 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: Small scale ionic breeze?
Replies: 4
Views: 4462

I was tempted a while back to build a whole case around the ionic breeze theory. I was dissuaded by someone who told me that negative ions will stick to things causing dust build up and possibly damaging sensitive electronic equipment. I'm not sure how based on fact it actually was, but it was from ...
by Traciatim
Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:50 pm
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: How to put Artic Silver 5
Replies: 5
Views: 2907

Way back in the day, when I cared and used AS3, I put a small amount on the processor and spread it thin with a straight edge. So thin in fact you can tell it covers everything and can't see through. If you can see through it, it's too little, if you notice it higher that the top of the CPU it's too...
by Traciatim
Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:01 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Need help choosing an Lcd
Replies: 15
Views: 6969

Two of these monitors run in 1280x1024 and one in 1600x1200. That's a no-brainer to me since the each 19" display will have 1310720 pixels and the 20"'er will have 1920000, that's something like 45% more screen space. I don't know about you, but I run on a 21" CRT that can do 2048x1536 in a pinch an...
by Traciatim
Wed Jun 06, 2007 11:17 am
Forum: Newcomers Briefing Room
Topic: How hot is too hot?
Replies: 4
Views: 4390

If your worried, consider this. I just upgraded from a P4 1.6 to a P4 2.4 to get another year out of my PC before I replace it. It uses the stick intel fan. While playing games my CPU temp hit 62C. I wasn't worried in the least. It hovers around 49-51 while idling/general use. It's a little higher t...
by Traciatim
Sat Jun 02, 2007 6:43 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Silent System for AutoCAD/Photoshop/Gaming
Replies: 25
Views: 11036

How high resolution images are you talking? You shouldn't be seeing a performance problem in Photoshop unless it's running out of memory or something. Throw windows taking about 180MB, Photoshop takes 70, a few apps running like messenger and junk you get another 50. So you've taken up 300 MB of RAM...
by Traciatim
Tue May 15, 2007 2:11 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: What was your first computer?
Replies: 65
Views: 37555

The first computer that was ever actually mine and in my room was way back when I was just a wee one and it was a TRS Model III. Though I had no clue about anything at the time, these sported a 2.03 MHz Z-80 processor. My dad had programmed me some math games and and ASCII Ski style game. My first P...
by Traciatim
Mon May 07, 2007 5:42 pm
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: What is your carbon footprint?
Replies: 16
Views: 9359

Why bother with CO2? Why not just target methane or nitrous oxide?. Over the past 250 years or so Methane in the atmosphere has doubled and CO2 is up about 30 percent. Methane is something near 21 times more effective at aiding global warming. Though, I guess I shouldn't trust all the stuff I read a...
by Traciatim
Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:52 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Home fileserver - quiet,cheap and low power usage
Replies: 23
Views: 10390

Is it really just going to be a file server? Why not get yourself a passively cooled P-III 500E or 500EB? They have a thermalk design of liek 15 Watts or so if I remember correctly. Also, the P-III will probably be only a few bucks on e-bay. Throw a little RAM in there and a RAID card (for RAID1+0, ...
by Traciatim
Sun Dec 31, 2006 7:47 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: LCD Monitor at 2048x1280?
Replies: 11
Views: 9078

URL Please? Plus, if that was really the case it would probably still be a crapy fixed resolution panel. I would like to read up on the technology though.
by Traciatim
Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:14 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: LCD Monitor at 2048x1280?
Replies: 11
Views: 9078

The problem with the 244T and 214T is that I was really looking forward to having the two side monitors in portrait mode so that they would actually be 3:4 rather than 4:3, so I need to find monitors with the same horizontal resolution as I would the vertical resolution of my 'main' monitor. This wa...
by Traciatim
Thu Dec 28, 2006 5:18 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: LCD Monitor at 2048x1280?
Replies: 11
Views: 9078

I have no clue why they wouldn't have made the 1920x1200 panels as 2048x1280 considering then you would be able to exactly fit two 1024 wide windows on the screen. With 960 x 2 you can fit two 800 pixel wide windows with extra wasted space, but you can't quite fit two 1024 wide ones, making some web...
by Traciatim
Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:33 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: LCD Monitor at 2048x1280?
Replies: 11
Views: 9078

LCD Monitor at 2048x1280?

I'm trying to track down if anyone makes an LCD monitor that is a widescreen and runs 2048x1280? I would really like to make something myself like the http://www.digitaltigers.com/zenview-powertrio24x.shtml but I would prefer to have the two 1280x1024 portrait panels to have the same vertical resolu...
by Traciatim
Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:43 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Recommend a Silent Mouse and Keyboard?
Replies: 481
Views: 824543

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/8193/ I sure hope you can turn off the simulated click noise. I would think that something like: http://www.homeworkhelp.com/estore/product.php?productid=40 or http://www.supergooddeal.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=KR%2D6170E&PhotoNumber=3#largerphoto Woul...
by Traciatim
Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:23 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: nVidia passive vs ATI passive
Replies: 5
Views: 5193

Actually, the human eye sees fluid motion at 24FPS in a movie theatre because of a phenomenon known as Persistance of Vision, where the contrast of the surrounding area is so great that the image is almost burned in to your eye just long enough for the next frame. On a TV things are translated and s...
by Traciatim
Sun Sep 03, 2006 4:13 pm
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: nVidia passive vs ATI passive
Replies: 5
Views: 5193

Hmmm, if you don't care about FPS number then why was performance listed as the first item you requested? Since 2D really doesn't matter in the performance world and even the 6200LE does dual link why compare the 7600 and 1650? Running at 2560x1600 does need around 16MB of RAM available, but any 32M...
by Traciatim
Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:09 am
Forum: Video Cards & Monitors
Topic: nVidia passive vs ATI passive
Replies: 5
Views: 5193

Anand Tech has a nice review of silent cards published just recently. The only thing this proved to me is that most cards that are silent are pretty useless at resolutions above 1024x768. Taking in to account that most LCD panels run at 1280x1024 (A 1.25 aspect ratio, the stupidest thing on the pla...
by Traciatim
Wed Mar 08, 2006 3:00 pm
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Gigabyte's RAM drive card w/battery backup...
Replies: 348
Views: 214211

Toms Hardware in their recent HTPC articles mentioned this as having an 8GB max limit using 2GB DIMMS, but most other sources I see say it's limit is 4GB, could somone who has one comment?
by Traciatim
Thu Jan 19, 2006 6:22 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Gigabyte's RAM drive card w/battery backup...
Replies: 348
Views: 214211