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  1. K

    17" LCD recommendation

    I'm about to take the leap into LCD, from my current 19" Samsung SyncMaster 955DF. I'm also thinking about going dual-display. My vid card is a GeForce fx 5900, which supports DVI. The Eizo L568 looks to be a superb monitor, but they sure don't give them away. The Dell seems nearly as good...
  2. K

    What to do with extra HDD?

    I just received a replacement drive for the defective Seagate SATA I bought last year. The original drive was DOA but, by the time I built my new rig, it was too late to return the drive to the store. Since I couldn't wait for Seagate's RMA, I bought a WD 120GB ATA 100 drive on sale at Fry's...
  3. K

    Question for SCSI fans

    I want to add a second HDD to my new rig. I'm thinking of replacing the IDE drive that's there now with two SCSI drives. One would be boot drive/programs, the other storage, video editing, etc. Games could go on either. Should I get two of the 36.7 GB 15K RPM refurbs from Hypermicro, or would I...
  4. K

    173P or 1800FP?

    I've narrowed my LCD monitor choices to these two. I'm interested in opinions from anyone who has had a chance to work with both. Gaming performance is secondary to clear text. I do like the pivot on the Samsung. There's a rebate on the Samsung through 2/28, which still leaves it $150 more than...
  5. K

    New rig's finished...for now

    First, I would like to thank everyone who gave me the benefit of their knowledge and experience over the past few months. I completed work on my new rig today. What came to pass: Athlon 64 3000+ Thermaltake Silent Boost K8 HSF; Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound AOpen AK86-L motherboard 1GB...
  6. K

    AMD prices going up, not down...

    ...at NewEgg, anyway. Just did a spot check of A64 3200+ and XP 2500+. Both are up a buck from Monday's prices. Just got my AOpen AK86-L and Thermaltake Silent Boost HSF from mwave. Now awaiting delivery of remaining parts from NewEgg. Could have got the entire bundle at once from mwave and...
  7. K

    MPEG-2 encoding software under $100

    What's the best MPEG-2 encoding software under $100. Pinnacle Studio seems more popular among magazine editors than it does among end users. I'm a newbie, so any and all input is appreciated.
  8. K

    Dell 1800FP really that good?

    Not a challenge, just a real, buying-decision type question. I see a lot of satisfied 1800FP users here. Looking at the current Dell sale, the price is tempting. Response rate, brightness, contrast seem somewhat dated by comparison with newer, more expensive units. But I don't buy a monitor to...
  9. K

    Which A64 mobo - nForce3 150 or VIA?

    Ok, just when I'd settled on the Albatron K8X800 ProII, up pops the AOpen AK89 MAX and on sale, too. Since the crippled nForce Hypertransport seems to be fixed, is the VIA still the better board? Envy hardware sound is better on the Albatron. Do I understand correctly that the Silicon Image...
  10. K

    New rig almost built. Last questions.

    I just added a BFG Asylum GeForce 5900 to my parts pile. I also got a Belkin 1200VA UPS ($99.99 at Fry's, on sale and after rebate). This will be my main rig. Uses will be academic (web and office apps), video encoding, and gaming, in that order. Rock-solid reliability is the primary...
  11. K

    Still a few BFG FX 5900/CoD bundles at Fry's

    I just picked up a BFG Asylum FX 5900 video card, bundled with Call of Duty, for $199.99. There seem to be just a few of these bundles remaining. They have RMA's, some with CoD, for $189.05. With unscrupulous idiots RMA'ing 5900 cards they've killed trying to flash the BIOS to 5950, I figured...
  12. K

    Belkin 1200VA UPS $99.99 at Fry's

    Fry's have this unit on sale for $129.99. Regular price is 159.99. In addition, there's a $30 mail-in rebate, bringing total cost to $99.99. I just bought one. For those of us who rely on PG&E, occasional purveyors of electricity, this is an especially tempting deal. Sale and rebate both end...
  13. K

    Onboard v. PCI Firewire - Any difference?

    Hi all, I'm shopping for a motherboard. For video editing, from my Sony TRV-350 Digital 8 camcorder, would I notice much or any performance difference between onboard Firewire and a PCI Firewire card? Am I correct in thinking that the transfer rate, in either case, is limited by the HDD...
  14. K

    Best Ti4200 card?

    Is there a "best" Ti4200, or are they all pretty much the same? I'm looking to buy a 128MB card. Thanks for your help.
  15. K

    Kreton RAM any good?

    Hi all, Newegg currently have 512MB sticks of Kreton brand PC3200 for $71. Is this stuff any good? For the price, as long as it's stable, I don't care (too much) if it OC's well. TIA, Daryl
  16. K

    Please help fill the box

    I need a new system. I had planned to wait until mid-2004, but it looks like I may have to pull the trigger in 2-3 weeks. Budget is tight but I've already acquired some parts and can recycle others. I use this box for law school (online) as well as normal email and web surfing. I'll also need...