Help me build my new PC

[DanAdamKOF]

I think it's too late for me to order now. Anyway, how much would such a futureproof card cost?

BTW my friend recommends against it, but Newegg has the card I want for $120 and $127 as open box items. The thing is, I have no freaking idea what the difference between the two are:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102688R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102512R

 

[kernow]

whats the dot pitch on your monitor dan?

I bet its terrible, how old is the CRT?

a new monitor benefits a PC just as much as any other hardware does

 

[DanAdamKOF]

It's a Hitachi CM801U. I'll look up the dot pitch, but it's really fine.

I think the dot pitch is .22mm. It's a great monitor with a very vivid picture. I might add that I got it for free when a local company was throwing out their old CRTs to replace them with flatpanel monitors. They had at least 30 of these lined up to be taken to the trash; I wish I took another one (STUPID!! They said I could take as many as I wanted), as a dual screen setup with two 21" CRTs would look sweet.

 

[eek]

Rumor has it that AMD is having major price drops when Intel ships Conroe AMD price drop (new prices in link)

So you might want to wait on that. With the price drop an AMD X2 3800+ wont be out of the question.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

Rumor has it that AMD is having major price drops when Intel ships Conroe AMD price drop (new prices in link)

So you might want to wait on that. With the price drop an AMD X2 3800+ wont be out of the question.

Yeah I can't wait for that, I'm waiting for sure.

 

[norton9478]

My $00.02:

Are you living on campus?

If so, I can't stress enough getting a Cheap TV (input) card.

Space is such a premium in college. You can save alot of space via the TV card.

And your roomie isn't lkely to mess with it.

You might want to use an old VCR+remove to change channels.

Depending on your lifestyle, you might not end up watching much TV in college anyways. There is so much else to do.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

My $00.02:

Are you living on campus?

If so, I can't stress enough getting a Cheap TV (input) card.

Space is such a premium in college. You can save alot of space via the TV card.

And your roomie isn't lkely to mess with it.

You might want to use an old VCR+remove to change channels.

Depending on your lifestyle, you might not end up watching much TV in college anyways. There is so much else to do.

Yeah I've planned on having one from the beginning, but I'm not sure how fancy of a card I want. We have a Hauppague ImpactVCB (we paid about 1/10 of what it usually costs ) at home, which we use with the PS2 and supergun. I'm probably gonna just end up scouring eBay for a cheap Hauppague card with a tuner (preferably with stereo sound from the tuner).

 

[Magnaflux]

I might add that I got it for free

This explains everything.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

STFU small hands

This explains everything.

DOES ANYONE HAVE A BRAND NEW COMPUTER THAT I CAN BUY FOR CHEAP OR HAVE FOR FREE?

 

[norton9478]

Yeah I've planned on having one from the beginning, but I'm not sure how fancy of a card I want. We have a Hauppague ImpactVCB (we paid about 1/10 of what it usually costs ) at home, which we use with the PS2 and supergun. I'm probably gonna just end up scouring eBay for a cheap Hauppague card with a tuner (preferably with stereo sound from the tuner).

I've always wanted to try one of these also...

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=53&products_id=4233

It should look pretty nice for xbox/GCN/PSII since there is no Upscanning involved...

Anybody try it?

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I've always wanted to try one of these also...

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=53&products_id=4233

It should look pretty nice for xbox/GCN/PSII since there is no Upscanning involved...

Anybody try it?

You can't take screenshots with that though since the signal doesn't pass through your PC at all. That's half the fun of having a capture card.

 

[norton9478]

You can't take screenshots with that though since the signal doesn't pass through your PC at all. That's half the fun of having a capture card.

Yeah,

I understand that....

Do the new Cards accept HDTV Component Signals?

I haven't changed cards since Xmas 1997

 

[Borman]

HD Component cards are extremely expensive still.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

Here's an update. So far I've bought these parts:
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA2 Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer
BenQ 16X DVD+-RW
Sapphire Radeon X850XT
Thermaltake 430W PSU
PQI 2GB (2x1GB) Dual Channel DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) RAM
Chaintech AV-710 Sound Card
Internal Card Reader

I guess it's too late to ask this, but what do y'all think of what I bought?

All I have left to buy is the case (I'll take a good look at what's in the $45 range at Fry's and CompUSA) and CPU+mobo (I'm waiting for the price drop on AMD's dual cores). I don't think I'll put a floppy drive in my new PC, and if I ever do end up needing to use a floppy drive, I can just use someone else's and email myself the contents.

 

[kernow]

Benq, chaintech, AVOID

who are PQI too?

why all these noname or low quality brands?

 

[DanAdamKOF]

Benq, chaintech, AVOID

who are PQI too?

why all these noname or low quality brands?

That BenQ burner is really well regarded, look it up. The Chaintech card is also really good in that it offers very clear output due to using sophisticated DACs (I think it's the DACs that everyone says is so good...), and it seems to be popular with audiophiles. PQI is known for their memory, and I do own a PQI 2GB SD card that works fine, so that's a good sign.

Dude did you even look at the reviews?

 

[kernow]

I dont need to look at the reviews, I know those brands are not of the highest quality. I've been building pc's since I was 16.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I dont need to look at the reviews, I know those brands are not of the highest quality. I've been building pc's since I was 16.

Well, they're already ordered. We'll see, kern.

 

[DanAdamKOF]

I'm thinking of getting this case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16811209022 I'm actually getting it at Directron.com since I can pick it up personally and save on shipping.

Do those fan ducts on the side of the case usually line up well with the CPU's fan?

 

[EVIL NICK]

Here's an update. So far I've bought these parts:
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320GB SATA2 Hard Drive w/16MB Buffer
BenQ 16X DVD+-RW
Sapphire Radeon X850XT
Thermaltake 430W PSU
PQI 2GB (2x1GB) Dual Channel DDR2 533 (PC2 4200) RAM
Chaintech AV-710 Sound Card
Internal Card Reader

I guess it's too late to ask this, but what do y'all think of what I bought?

All I have left to buy is the case (I'll take a good look at what's in the $45 range at Fry's and CompUSA) and CPU+mobo (I'm waiting for the price drop on AMD's dual cores). I don't think I'll put a floppy drive in my new PC, and if I ever do end up needing to use a floppy drive, I can just use someone else's and email myself the contents.

Are you going AM2 socket? Because otherwise, the RAM won't work.

I agree with kernow, personally I would have gotten at least NEC for the burner ( Pioneer/Plextor preferred ), and Corsair ValueRam for the RAM ( G.Skill or OCZ preferred ).

The best case for the money is still the Antec VLK3000B Solution , IMHO, should be around US$50 at newegg.

 

[ulasamosa]

I would go with Plextor or Lite On for your optical drive. RAM I'd go Kingston HyperX or OCZ Titanium. What mobo are you going with socket 939? If your going 939 with an AGP video card, I'd go with an ASUS A8V Deluxe. Best 939 mobo out there feature and stability wise. Good luck with your new machine.

 

[EVIL NICK]

I would go with Plextor or Lite On for your optical drive. RAM I'd go Kingston HyperX or OCZ Titanium. What mobo are you going with socket 939? If your going 939 with an AGP video card, I'd go with an ASUS A8V Deluxe. Best 939 mobo out there feature and stability wise. Good luck with your new machine.

He bought the PCIe vid card already, so the A8V is out of the question...

The mobo of choice would be one of the A8N-E boards, really good price/performance ratio... That is if he is going for 939

Lite On is the same level as Benq, but I agree on the Plextor ( although it might be too expensive for this application ).

And I hope he's going AM2, otherwise he bought the wrong RAM...

 

[ulasamosa]

He bought the PCIe vid card already, so the A8V is out of the question...

The mobo of choice would be one of the A8N-E boards, really good price/performance ratio... That is if he is going for 939

Lite On is the same level as Benq, but I agree on the Plextor ( although it might be too expensive for this application ).

And I hope he's going AM2, otherwise he bought the wrong RAM...

they released the X850 in PCIe? huh. So in that case, yeah, definatly go with the ASUS A8N....as said above, awesome performace and rock solid stability. I stand by my decision on RAM. I only say Lite-On for my optical drives cause I have NEVER had 1 problem over the course of the last few years with their stuff. Do you at least know if your gonna go AMD or Intel?

 

[gamejunkie]

Do you at least know if your gonna go AMD or Intel?

This was supposed to be a low cost gaming computer, do you even have to ask?

PS: I'm playing Outrun 2006 Coast to Coast on my media center's 9800 pro at 1920x1080 without any problems.
:chimp:

 

[DanAdamKOF]

Are you going AM2 socket? Because otherwise, the RAM won't work.

I agree with kernow, personally I would have gotten at least NEC for the burner ( Pioneer/Plextor preferred ), and Corsair ValueRam for the RAM ( G.Skill or OCZ preferred ).

The best case for the money is still the Antec VLK3000B Solution , IMHO, should be around US$50 at newegg.

Of course I'm going AM2! PQI makes good memory ya know. And the BenQ burner has a lot of good reviews. If it ends up being a dud I can always RMA it.

I'll see if Directron has that case; I really would rather avoid shipping. The case I want is about $42 after tax. If the case you recommended is free after shipping I'd definitely consider it.