Hardware Questions

[DrMobius]

How long do you have to work on this paper? I have some issues with some of the information provided above (although most of Liam Wolff's information is reliable) and would like to help, but I'm tired and going to bed very soon.

I'm supposed to have my research done by Tuesday but the actual paper isn't due until the 11th and I'm sure that the teacher will allow me to keep researching extra things if I run into dead ends with the information I get.

Also, Tape, the OS is Windows if that's what you were wondering.

[Ad Bot]

[TapeDeck]

Also, Tape, the OS is Windows if that's what you were wondering.

Cool I've always wanted a brand new computer that ran windows 95

[DrMobius]

Cool I've always wanted a brand new computer that ran windows 95

me too.  But XP or 7... 

[Starcraftman]

Another thing you could include would be choosing parts based on your budget, for example, choosing AMD and ATI processors/graphics cards if you are trying to spend a small ammount of money or buying Intel and NVIDIA processors/graphic cards if money is not an issue and you are going for maximum performance.

[Righteous One]

Yeah, like everybody said there is ALOT more to it then what I stated. Instead of writing a 1200 line report for you I'll leave it to the other guys.

[DrMobius]

Another thing you could include would be choosing parts based on your budget, for example, choosing AMD and ATI processors/graphics cards if you are trying to spend a small ammount of money or buying Intel and NVIDIA processors/graphic cards if money is not an issue and you are going for maximum performance.

Of course.  I figure that I can find that information easily on the internet.  I'm here to get primary sources and figure out what people would recommend for hardware.

[DrMobius]

bump

[General Nick]

Also your mobo has to support SLI and/or crossfire.  Some only support one or the other

Doesn't HAVE to. If you're not going for the best of the best you can just go with a single PCI-Express motherboard.

Also Blu-Ray drives are NOT necessary unless its a media center PC.

[Visage]

If this is a research paper why are you asking for help on here anyway? Are you going to cite blockland as a reliable source of information, and quote us in your essay?

Also are you sure your research paper is on how people build computers for a hobby? It sounds like you should be writing and researching on how computers are made from the factory. Like how they actually make the pieces.

[DrMobius]

If this is a research paper why are you asking for help on here anyway? Are you going to cite blockland as a reliable source of information, and quote us in your essay?

Also are you sure your research paper is on how people build computers for a hobby? It sounds like you should be writing and researching on how computers are made from the factory. Like how they actually make the pieces.

I am required to have primary sources.  Considering the number of topics I see where people had posted their computer specs, I assume that a number of you guys know a good amount about this.

I'm coming here to get a feel for what brands are good for price or quality and what specs are considered good.  This is only part of the research.  I'm doing the actual construction with secondary sources.

[Visage]

I am required to have primary sources.  Considering the number of topics I see where people had posted their computer specs, I assume that a number of you guys know a good amount about this.

Is it possible to have a primary source on this subject? I could've sworn primary sources needed some kind of time line to be a primary source, IE a history event the primary sources would be documents during the time, and secondary sources would be the sources like your history book written well after.

[DrMobius]

Is it possible to have a primary source on this subject? I could've sworn primary sources needed some kind of time line to be a primary source, IE a history event the primary sources would be documents during the time, and secondary sources would be the sources like your history book written well after.

A primary is anyone with direct experience or anything that person may have written on the subject.  For example, any of us could be primary sources if someone asked how to behave on forums.

[Righteous One]

A primary is anyone with direct experience or anything that person may have written on the subject.  For example, any of us could be primary sources if someone asked how to behave on forums.

This is very confusing.
I think that Visage just wants to know if and how we will be credited.

[Visage]

This is very confusing.
I think that Visage just wants to know if and how we will be credited.

No I don't I am saying we are not valid sources.

[JD]

Now I wish I'd looked more into sound cards, instead of just equipment.
I'm going to assume when you say "equipment," you mean like speakers or headphones and whatnot.
If you're into music making, then you're going to have to buy whatever suits your needs, I can't tell you what to get there. I do know that it's best to have a sound card that supports 5.1 channel (5 speakers 1 subwoofer) speakers, subwoofers are bass units. For a good subwoofer, you want to have at least (and this suits my needs fine, but that's just me, again) a 30-watt, 9 inch subwoofer. This is enough to shake floors without distortion. (:D)
Speakers, I don't look into too much, but size does matter. Material does, too, due to acoustics, reverberation, etc. Basically, the bigger the better. I've never had "good" small speakers. But, building them is an option. Building a speaker is like taking a box (for acoustics) and placing the speaker unit inside of the box, among other things (I've never built a speaker, I trust companies. :P)
For sound cards? You're going to want it to at least deliver 190000 Hz, at 5.1 channel sound. (surround)
But, that's for my case. I doubt you're into in-depth audio design. 41000Hz works fine for most people, but that's usually if you aren't into the kind of stuff I am. (that's like, CD quality as opposed to studio quality)
Then there's the matter of headphones and possibly microphones... Microphones? I don't record live/sing, so don't ask me on this one. Headphones are the same deal as speakers, if I were to buy headphones at a great price for great quality, I'd get Sennheiser HD-280Pro headphones. They have 3 models, I think "Pro" is the best deal for the best price. More 'bang for your buck.' They're around $170 if you can get them on sale. ;3

To sum it up, sound cards and speakers work like monitors and computers. You want options, therefore you want high quality stuff. More hz=higher quality, but for speakers, you'd have to look up an equation to find quality, especially for bass. I have a 12-inch, 200 watt subwoofer which a lot of people think is a bit much, but hey, it works for me. Your sound card should also have at least 2 audio inputs/outputs. (Mic is input, speaker is output)

Then again, there's google.