what other things can I use my pc power for

[Naer]

I don't game

so?

 

[lehtv]

What specs?

 

[Ken g6]

Do you want this thread moved to the Distributed Computing forum? :sneaky:

 

[mindless1]

I used to use mine for posting on the internet but I don't do that any longer. :whiste:

 

[ascalice]

Do you want this thread moved to the Distributed Computing forum? :sneaky:

x2

 

[lehtv]

I used to use mine for posting on the internet but I don't do that any longer. :whiste:

That's not using "PC power". That's just using the PC.

 

[mindless1]

^ So is anything.

 

[lehtv]

^ So is anything.

You're simply wrong. Plenty of things put a PC's performance to proper use. What you said, doesn't, unless you're using a desktop PC from 10+ years ago.

 

[mindless1]

^ Define proper. Sorry but no, if there was no legitimate need which precludes the initial question then us suggesting things to do isn't "proper use" it's just wasting power.

There is no inherent need to load a computer to 100% capacity. The correct answer is using it for what it was meant for, but I digress because you totally missed the irony of what I initially wrote as a joke, posting that I used to post but don't any longer, in a POST.

 

[lehtv]

^ Define proper.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/proper
"1. Characterized by appropriateness or suitability; fitting:". In this case, the context is the PC's performance.

Sorry but no, if there was no legitimate need which precludes the initial question then us suggesting things to do isn't "proper use" it's just wasting power.

He asked what he could use the PC's power (read: performance) for other than gaming. Whether it would be worth it is completely and utterly irrelevant.

There is no inherent need to load a computer to 100% capacity.

I agree. Also not relevant.

The correct answer is using it for what it was meant for

That's the correct answer to a different question

but I digress because you totally missed the irony of what I initially wrote as a joke, posting that I used to post but don't any longer, in a POST.

I didn't miss the joke, I thought it was a moderately funny one. It was still out of place, and I wanted to make sure you didn't simply misunderstand the OP's question.

 

[mindless1]

I didn't miss the joke, I thought it was a moderately funny one. It was still out of place, and I wanted to make sure you didn't simply misunderstand the OP's question.

I don't feel that it was out of place. It is an example of using a system for what I wanted to and deliberately omitting any suggestion to try to load it to 100% without cause. Sometimes it is better to not give someone bad ideas even if they ask for them.

If there had been a cause my answer would be different.

 

[Ken g6]

*Sigh* Yep, shoulda moved this thread to DC. It's a kinder, gentler forum. ()

Anyway, another thing I do with my computer is I use it as a high-def DVD recorder. I record TV shows with an antenna and tuner. Next, I remove commercials with comskip. Finally, I encode the shows with Handbrake in 720p so that 8 can fit on one DVD. It's like recording at the lowest quality on a DVD recorder, except with Handbrake on high quality settings the result is much, much better. (And it can only be played on a computer or blu-ray player, but that's fine with me.)

With the settings I'm using, including bob deinterlacing to go from 1080i to 720p, encoding a ~42-minute video on my Core 2 Q9400 takes about 5 hours. So that takes a lot of PC power.

 

[JackMDS]

This can be very useful for many that have extra PC Power.

http://www.lumosity.com/

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

Online banking
Virtual Machines
Opening Google Chrome with 15 tabs
Video chatting (skype)
watching online TV/Movies
running 7zip on system backup images

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Re-encode all of your "special movies" at 1080p.

 

[bbhaag]

*Sigh* Yep, shoulda moved this thread to DC. It's a kinder, gentler forum. ()

Anyway, another thing I do with my computer is I use it as a high-def DVD recorder. I record TV shows with an antenna and tuner. Next, I remove commercials with comskip. Finally, I encode the shows with Handbrake in 720p so that 8 can fit on one DVD. It's like recording at the lowest quality on a DVD recorder, except with Handbrake on high quality settings the result is much, much better. (And it can only be played on a computer or blu-ray player, but that's fine with me.)

With the settings I'm using, including bob deinterlacing to go from 1080i to 720p, encoding a ~42-minute video on my Core 2 Q9400 takes about 5 hours. So that takes a lot of PC power.

I have really wanted to do this for several years now. What tuner do you use in your PC? I don't have cable but I want to record OTA shows with an antenna like you. Also thanks for mentioning comskip. I've been looking for software like this but didn't know where to start. I also like that there is a Linux version available.

 

[mfenn]

Online banking

????

Unless by "banking" you mean "cryptocoin mining".

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

Nope.. Just normal web based access to banking/bill paying web sites. It is "THE" critical household function that I use for my main Core i7-3770, 16 gigs ram on a SSD. :awe: Can't forget my Quicken database with 25 years of transactions!

He did say "his PC power for". he did not say what an new i5/i7 would do that an older Core 2 could not do.

 

[Ken g6]

I have really wanted to do this for several years now. What tuner do you use in your PC? I don't have cable but I want to record OTA shows with an antenna like you. Also thanks for mentioning comskip. I've been looking for software like this but didn't know where to start. I also like that there is a Linux version available.

Yep, I do all of it in Linux. I should post some of my custom scripts I use. One of which puts together comskip and dvbcut: I call it comcut.

I actually use two tuners: a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR950 hooked to my desktop and rabbit ears, and a HDHomeRun Dual hooked to a laptop and the same antenna I watch stuff on directly. The latter is less finicky, but may not receive some stuff as well - whether because the tuner's bad or the laptop is slow I'm not sure. I save the best recording of the two.

 

[lehtv]

He did say "his PC power for". he did not say what an new i5/i7 would do that an older Core 2 could not do.

That's not using the PC's power though, that's just using the PC. Online banking does not utilize a modern PC's power in any significant or meaningful way.

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

That's not using the PC's power though, that's just using the PC. Online banking does not utilize a modern PC's power in any significant or meaningful way.

That is not what I told my wife! :whiste:

 

[mfenn]

That is not what I told my wife! :whiste:

I suppose that last hitting in Dota 2 is kind of like banking now that I think about it.

 

[MongGrel]

Folding, Seti, etc.

 

[HeXen]

The power of mine goes unused, but it's a laptop so I care more about battery life than maxing out its power all the time. However nice to know if it's needed by something I'm working with then it's there.

 

[BUnit1701]

That's not using "PC power". That's just using the PC.

^ So is anything.

Honestly, when I read the thread title, I thought the OP was looking for accessories to plug into his PSU.