Understanding Transistor Data And Replacement

Writen by Jestine Yong

If, for some reason, you can't get an exact replacement for the transistor that you want to replace, you can refer to one of the transistor substitution guides or book, and try to identify a "near replacement". Beware, however. A substitution guide will sometimes list a replacement for your part, even though the two parts are not very similar. The most commonly used transistor substitution guides is the Philips ECG semiconductors Master Replacement Guide. Selecting the right transistor parameters or specifications for the equipment you repair will avoid callbacks from customers. Callbacks or repeated repairs due to wrong transistor substitution will cost you extra money and a waste of time.

Some important transistor parameters are:

Maximum collector-to-base voltage (VCBO) – The replacement part should have a VCBO rating equal to or higher than the original.

Maximum collector-to-emitter voltage (VCEO) – The replacement part should have a VCEO rating equal to or higher than the original.

Maximum emitter-to-base voltage (VEBO) – The replacement part should have a VEBO rating equal to or greater than the original.

Maximum collector current (IC) – The replacement part should be able to handle as much (or more) collector current as the original.

Power dissipation (PD Watts) – The replacement part should be able to dissipate as much (or more) power as the original part.

Gain (hFE) – The replacement should have a gain equal to or better than the original and it should be as close to the original specification as possible.

Gain-bandwidth (fT) – the replacement should have a transition frequency equal to or faster than the original and it should be as close to the original specification as possible.

Below is a table of application requirement and important specification that you can use for guidelines when comes to transistor substitution.

Application Requirement and Important Specifications

1. General purpose low level amplifier and switching transistors. Spec- hFE, IC (max), fT, VCEO

2. Power switching applications. Spec- VCEO, VCBO, hFE, IC (max), PD (max)

3. Low level IF/RF amplification. Spec- IC (max), fT, VCEO

4. Audio amplification. Spec- IC (max), PD (max), hFE, VCEO

5. High voltage transistors. Spec- VCEO, VCBO, IC (max), fT

Remember, the replacement transistor should not run hot and if problem still persist, try another replacement number or get the original number if possible. Do not overlook that the surrounding components also may caused the transistor to run hot even if original number is used.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and writer. For more information about electronic repair please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com

Flash Your Ati Video Cards Bios

Writen by Jason Barrett

Flash your ATI video card BIOS.

You will need the following:

1. 1.44MB FDD (floppy)

2. FLASHROM utility copy

3. Compatible BIOS file for your video card. (search the manufactures website for bios details)

4. Required Drivers. (check manufactures website)

Alright now

First make an ATI BIOS flash boot disk.

-Bios flash operations for video must be performed in DOS.

-You will need a DOS boot disk, you can obtain one if you do not already ahve one at bootdisk.com, download there dr DOS image file after that run the .exe file that comes with it. Which will create a clean DOS boot disk. (if any problems folow instruction son the website)

-If you need other ways of obtaining a boot disk just post in a related thread.

Now that you have a DOS boot disk, copy the BIOS file you downloaded and the FLASHROM.exe file onto the disk.

Second
Make a backup of your ATI video card BIOS

Make a backup of your current video card BIOS before flashing the bios, incase of problems. (better safe than sorry)

-boot your computer with the boot flash-disk you had created in the first step.

-during the "A:\" prompt type "flashrom.exe -s 0 backup.rom" ENTER

-now the utlity FLASHROM will make a backup of your video's bios onto the bios flash disk (called backup.rom)

-Just in case, if we have to go back to the original bios.

Third
Flash your ATI video card's bios

-at the A:\ prompt type the following to flash your video bios

-"flashbios -p 0 (name of new bios file you downloaded including the extention) hit ENTER (no brackets around the name of your new bios file)

-Flashrom will overwrite your odl bios with your new bios.

-if any errors ocured do not restart; consult troubleshooting.

-if there is a pause in the procedure, for say the bios types do not match you may use a "-f" switch to force the operation (force if certian the bios suits your video card)

Forcing the BIOS flash type:

During the thrid section instead of typing -"flashbios -p 0 (name of new bios file you downloaded including the extention)

Type

-"flashrom -f -p 0 (name of new bios file you downloaded including the extention)

-If you had made it this far without any errors and everything seems to have gone correctly, than restart your system.

-monitor the post screen for the video card info

-double check that your procedure worked and your bios has worked correctly.

-also watch to see if your OS boots correctly

-plz keep in mind that your new bios may need new up to date drivers.

Hooray! Congrats! You have successfully changed your video card's BIOS.

Jason Barrett
http://www.computing-forums.com

Video Projectors Advice On Choosing The Right Model For Home Or Business

Writen by Steve Jones

As video projectors become more affordable then more people are using them both at work and at home. You might be thinking that projectors are all alike and the more you spend the better it will be. Well this is not strictly true. The more expensive projectors will be of a higher standard, but you might not experience any benefit if you do not choose the correct model. This is why we have written this article to try and guide you and help you choose the model most suited to you.

Before any purchase it is important to have a think about what you will be using it for and in what kind of environment. The business user will have very different requirements to someone wanting to set up a home cinema. Companies are now marketing hybrid projectors that claim to be able to be used for both home cinema and business. These two environments are very different though and will need projectors designed specifically to be able to handle these two very different uses. As you read the rest of the article you will begin to understand what you need to look out for when purchasing your video projector.

LCD or DLP

Both are excellent formats and which you choose will depend on your use. The business user will be more suited to an LCD projector due to the increased brightness. The home user on the other hand would be better to opt for a DLP projector as these will give a more cinematic experience.

Brightness

Think about the level of ambient light in the room where you will be using your projector. In the home cinema you will hopefully have control of the level of light so this will not be an issue. If you are using a room at home that has ambient light then you will need to opt for a brighter projector. In the business arena you are likely to be presenting in very bright rooms with standard office lighting and windows. A good projector for business use will need to have a high brightness level.

Brightness is measured in ANSI lumens. For home cinema you should be looking at projectors that have around 700 ANSI lumens brightness and for business projectors you will need between 1000 and 1500.

Color

The color, gray-scale performance, and video playback, are only really important to the home user as they will give more natural and detailed videos.

Contrast

There is no point spending money on a high contrast video projector for business use or use in a room at home that has significant ambient light as your eyes will not notice the benefit. If you have a dedicated cinema room at home then it will be worth looking at projectors with contrast ratios of 400:1 or higher. If you are looking for a projector for business use then there is no point by one with a ratio of higher than 400:1

Portability

This will probably only be an issue for a business user. If you travel around a lot and take your projector with you then the more compact and light the better. It is possible to buy extremely light projectors.

The home user may not be concerned too much with size and weight, but it is worth considering how you will set your projector up at home. Will it be fixed to the ceiling or on a stand? If you have it on the ceiling you should look for a projector which comes with a remote control as this will make adjusting settings a lot easier.

We hope that this look at the differences with video projectors will help you make your decision.

Find more articles by Steve Jones at http://www.a1-lcdprojectors.com.

Noise Cancelling Versus Noise Reduction The Difference When It Comes To Headphones

Writen by Shell Harris

Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) states, "noise cancelling is a method for preventing unwanted sound. Sound consists of vibrations in the air, which can be represented as a wave. If a speaker emits a sound whose wave has the same amplitude and the exact opposite polarity to the original sound, the waves cancel out and the result is no sound at all."

While this seems rather technical here is a more simple explanation: sound waves are created by the noise cancelling headphones to counter and eliminate the unwanted sound waves outside of the headphones or speakers. A digital signal processor determines what sound wave is needed to cancel the outside sound wave and it produces that sound and amplifies it through the headphones.

This method differs from noise-reduction headphones which are designed to reduce the noise you hear by physically blocking the sound from reaching your eardrum. This is the same passive, unpowered method that is used by insulation or sound-absorbing ceiling tiles in your home.

Noise canceling headphones tend to work best for constant sounds like lawn mowers and appliances but they allow in intermittent sounds, such as conversation or a ringing phone, so you are not totally isolated. They are also known to be more comfortable than noise-reduction headphones since they are lighter weight and generally smaller in size than noise-reduction headphones.

Some of advantages of noise cancelling methods compared to noise-reduction methods are:
• They can be more effective at low frequencies
• They can be less bulky
• They can be selective in that they can block noise (e.g. from an engine) but not useful sounds (e.g. voices).

Some of disadvantages of noise cancelling methods compared to noise-reduction methods are:
• They consume power, usually supplied by batteries that must be replaced. If the batteries die the noise cancellation stops working; and if you are using the headphones to listen to music, in many models, the music stops as well.
• They may introduce additional noise, usually in the form of high-frequency hiss. Noise cancellation headphones attempt to block sound by sampling the outside sound and then producing an equal but opposite sound – sometimes the approximation of sound can be difficult.

Whatever method of noise reduction you choose, it can help prevent hearing loss. By using headphones when listening to music, you can hear the music at much lower volumes because you are not trying to drown out background sounds. And those around you won't have to listen to your music; it can be contained in the headphones.

Lee Blue is an avid musician, composer, and home studio recording artist. He uses Extreme Isolation Noise Reduction Headphones (http://www.quietheadphones.com) in his recording studio as well as his office during work to block out distractions.

Discount Ink Cartridge Toner Cartridge

Writen by Kwan Lo

Discount ink cartridges and toner cartridges are in great demand these days. Due to the drop in price, many families and small business owners can buy an inkjet / photo printer for under $100 and a discount laser printer for under $200. Increased number of printer ownership means that there is a larger aftermarket for printing supplies.

Nevertheless, consumers who bought a cheap printer would soon find out that their spending did not end there, but rather have just begun. For examples, many OEM laser toners are selling at $100 a piece, the same price of an inkjet printer or one-half of that for a discount laser printer. A family who print a lot of color photos with their photo printer can easily spend more than $100 on OEM ink cartridges in several months. Think about this, it is absurd that one would spend more on replacement cartridges than on the printer itself in such a short period of time. As a result, many consumers are looking for economical alternatives to expensive OEM cartridges.

There are two main groups of discount ink cartridges and toner cartridges in the market these days: compatible cartridges and remanufactured cartridges. Compatible cartridges are also called generic cartridges. They are manufactured with the same specification of name brand cartridges but without the brand name. These cartridges are offered at one-half or one-third of the price of OEM cartridges.

On the other hand, remanufactured cartridges are name brand cartridges which have been through one cycle of service. They are usually disassembled, cleaned, repaired and refilled before releasing to the market again. Consumers who buy remanufactured cartridges are not only concerned about the price, but their benefit to the environment as well. One consumer was quoted saying "I buy the remanufactured cartridges because it is good for the environment. The lower price is just a bonus".

It is a well known fact that printer manufacturers cut price in printers but maintain a very high profit margin from cartridge sales. Instead of lowering the price of OEM cartridges to make them more competitive, they use different tactics to ban the use of compatible and remanufactured cartridges from third-party manufacturers. For examples, printer manufacturers may install software in your computer that warns you of the use of compatible cartridges as if they could damage your printers. Some manufacturers incorporate smart chips into their cartridges so that consumers cannot refill or recycle their cartridges. Others have sued the third-party manufacturers of printer cartridges or smart chips claiming that they have violated patent technology.

Consumer advocates have pointed that that these tactics only serve to protect the profits of printer manufacturers but provide no benefits to the consumers at all. In fact, consumers should have the freedom to choose the replacement cartridges they use.

There are many compatible and remanufactured cartridges in the market today. Be a smart consumer, you should always compare an apple with an apple. For example, some manufacturers produce compatible cartridges without the smart chips. These cartridges are usually cheaper than 100% compatible cartridges with new replacement chips. However, compatible cartridge without new replacement chip may have problem communicating with the computer as the latter would think that the cartridge is always low in ink. It is also wise to shop only with vendors who can provide a good refund policy and extended warranty.

To learn more about different types of printer cartridges and to see if they are available for your printer model, please visit http://inkjets.4reviews.net.

Kwan H Lo is the owner of http://inkjets.4reviews.net, an online review site, which promotes discount ink cartridge / toner cartridge for all major brands, including hard to find Sharp Toner and Samsung Toner Cartridge.

Building A Computer Picking Components

Writen by Chris Silop

Picking the parts for your computer is one of the most important things in building a computer, because you cant assemble a computer without the parts! Picking parts for computers has become much easier than before, because things have been standardized, however, you need to make sure everything will fit. The first thing to think about when choosing the components for your computer is what you are going to be using it for. If you are creating a computer for just checking your eMail and using word, you are going to need much diffrent parts than a computer that you are going to be using for gaming.

CPU

The first thing you should pick out about your computer is what CPU you are going to use, because it determines what motherboard you are going to get, which determines what other components you get. There are two main CPU manufactruers, Intel and AMD. Both have their Pros and Cons, but they are pretty similar. I would suggest using AMD, because they give you a little more bang for the buck.

Here is a brief overview of the diffrent Intel and AMD CPUs:
Budget: AMD: Sempron
Intel: Celeron D

Midrange: AMD: Athlon 64>br> Intel: Pentium 4

High End: AMD: Athlon64 X2
Intel: Pentium D

If you are spending below $500, I would suggest a budget proccesor, Between $500 and $1000, midrange and $1000 and above I would suggest a high end proccessor.

Motherboard
Choosing the right motherboard is vital to building your computer. First, make sure you find a motherboard that has the right socket type for your CPU. Then, check the diffrent features of the motherboards you are looking at. If you arent going to buy a video or sound card, make sure your motherboard has onboard video and/or sound. Other things to check for on your motherboard are the hard drive interface, graphics card interface, expansion slots, the memory size and speed. Also, check for the chipset. There are too many to talk about, but generally Intel and nVidia chipsets are better than the other ones. Now that you picked out your motherboard, you know what to look for in your other components.

RAM
Getting the right speed and amount of RAM is vital to the speed and stability of your system. If you are running XP, you will probably need at least 256 or 512Mb of RAM. If you are going to be doing anything memory intensive, gaming, rendering or just want a faster computer, you should get 1Gb. Make sure your motherboard has enough DIMMs and the right type of DIMMs for your RAM. Also, be sure to check the speed and CAS Latency.

Hard Drive
Now its time to pick your hard drive. There are few variables in picking a hard drive. The first, and most important is size, 120Gb is usually enough for most people unless, you are going to be storing alot of pictures and video. Also, make sure you get an HD with the right interace that fits your motherboard. Almost all motherboards have IDE, but some have SATA (Serial ATA) Which is a much faster hard drive interface and uses a thinner cable which helps with airflow in your case. There is even SATAII now, which is twice as fast. Also look at speed, almost all desktop HDs are 7200RPM and Cache, most are 8Mb, dont buy a HD below those standards. If you want to spend some money, you can get 2 HDs and run them in RAID which increases performance.

Video Cards
If you are going to be doing any gaming, be sure to buy a video card, if youre not, onboard video is fine. The first thing to check for is the interface, most are AGP or PCI-E. I personally like nVidia cards better. If you are going to be doing graphic intensive games, I would suggest at least a 6600. If you have alot to spend, go with a 7800.

Optical/Floppy drives
Another thing you are going to is a CD drive, most are IDE. Get a DVD Burner if you are going to use it. Also, you should get a floppy drive, they are only $10ish and you might need it to install drivers when building your computer.

Case and Power Supply
Make sure you have a sufficient power supply!! If you have a high end computer, you should get a 450W PSU. Otherwise, 350W should be fine for most people. Most cases are ATX, but make sure it is the same type as your motherboard (ATX, MicroATX, BTX, etc...).

Be sure to make sure all your components are compatible!

Chris Silop, owner and admin of

http://www.syschat.com/ Go there for more articles and forums on computer hardware

Types Of Monitors

Writen by Ihab Sarsour

A cathode ray tube or CRT, is traditionally used in most computer monitors and the advent of plasma screens, LCD , DLP, OLED displays, and other technologies. As a result of CRT technology, computer monitors continue to be referred to as "The Tube".A CRT works by moving an electron beam back and forth across the back of the screen. Each time the beam makes a pass across the screen, it lights up phosphor dots on the inside of the glass tube, thereby illuminating the active portions of the screen. By drawing many such lines from the top to the bottom of the screen, it creates an entire screenful of images.

A Liquid crystal display (LCD) is a thin, flat display device made up of any number of color or monochrome pixels arrayed in front of a light source or reflector. It uses very small amounts of electric power, and is therefore suitable for use in battery-powered electronic devices.

A plasma display is an emissive flat panel display where light is created by phosphors excited by a plasma discharge between two flat panels of glass. The gas discharge contains no mercury a mixture of noble gases (neon and xenon) is used instead. This gas mixture is inert and entirely harmless.

The glass panels seem to be vacuum sealed, because when they are broken the plasma breaks up, seemingly from the addition of air to the space.

Surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED) is a flat-panel, high-resolution display. Some SEDs have a diagonal measurement exceeding one meter (approximately 40 inches). The SED consists of an array of electron emitters and a layer of phosphor, separated by a small space from which all the air has been evacuated. Each electron emitter represents one pixel. The SED requires no electron-beam focusing, and operates at a much lower voltage than a CRT. The brightness and contrast compare favorably with high-end CRTs. Prototype electron emitters have been developed with diameters of a few nanometers. SED technology can offer unprecedented image resolution.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) is a technology used in projectors and video projectors. In DLP projectors, the image is created by microscopically small mirrors laid out in a matrix on a semiconductor chip, known as a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). Each mirror represents one pixel in the projected image. The number of mirrors corresponds to the resolution of the projected image: 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, and 1920x1080 (HDTV) matrices are some common DMD sizes. These mirrors can be repositioned rapidly to reflect light either through the lens or on to a heat sink .

An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) is a thin-film light-emitting diode(LED) in which the emissive layer is an organic compound OLED technology is intended primarily as picture elements in practical display devices. These devices promise to be much less costly to fabricate than traditional LCD displays. When the emissive electroluminescent layer is polymeric, varying amounts of OLEDs can be deposited in rows and columns on a screen using simple "printing" methods to create a graphical color display, for use as computer displays, portable system screens, and in advertising and information board applications. OLED may also be used in lighting devices. OLEDs are available as distributed sources while the inorganic LEDs are point sources of light.

Ihab Sarsour Want to know more about computer hardware? Check it out at: Computer Hardware

http://www.easycomputerway.com

The Dos And Donts To Protect Your Custom Built Computers

Writen by Azhar Iqbal

1. You must download and install Spyware program as it helps your PC perform better and better, some stupid viruses can cause a huge damage to your performing PC. Download the Beta Spyware from Microsoft, this utility from Microsoft has produced brilliant results, it runs in the back drop and helps to destroy and keep your PC free of Spyware.

2. Buy or Download an Antivirus utility such as NORTON or MACCAFE, You are connected to the internet you may get a Virus through Junk E-mail, website etc and you will unknowingly be scattering them to others. AVG by Grisoft has a free antivirus download. Get it right now, and as I've told you I've always loved the commercial program Norton Antivirus by Symantec.

3. Running broadband connection can cause some further dilemmas, run a software firewall. I like Zonealarm by Zonelabs. They provide a free version. If you are fractional to Microsoft, then go ahead and exploit the one included with XP.

4. Study has shown Mozilla Firefox works better than Internet Explorer, Opera and Netscape when it is about scanning the internet viruses, run the Firefox web browser; it's a lot better than Internet Explorer with some great features. And even if you like Explorer better, it doesn't hurt to have two browsers at same time.

5. Defrag once every three months—sooner if you run anything moreover Windows 2000/XP.

6. Do run WPA (rather preferred) or WEP encryption on router and wireless network. It's easy and simple additionally would protect your data from snoops that can snatch it out of thin air.

7. Always keep the backup of your precious data. There's no worse feeling in the world than losing everything. Utilize another hard drive—internal or external. If your data is not huge then you may also keep it in multiple CDs and USB drives. Network PCs and transfer backups from one to the other. But what if your house burns down? Ponder keeping the data off site as well; keep the disk at a family member's home.

8. Press CTRL + D on our homepage http://www.arbico.co.uk we are computer retailers in London and never mind providing technical help on sophisticated issues.

Don'ts….. Always applied Don'ts...

1. Be extra cautious when opening the Email attachments since you are not sure with that—even if they come from a known family member or friend's Email account. Viruses broadcast by infecting a PC and emailing themselves to everyone in the infected computer's address book. Ponder a code word to exploit in the subject line of Emails. Your friends and family would know the particular keyword (maybe mango etc.) and would comprise this in the subject when attaching a file. A bad keyword may be Viagra.

2. Never provide your REAL email address when signing up for anything online until that site gets trusted through some sort of scan. It will fall it into enemy hands and you would spend most of your time sifting through trash when looking for real email. Ponder using the service at (www dot dodgeit dot com). You can create fake Email addresses here for free.

Azhar Iqbal is an SEO (marketing research analyst), promote rankings in major SEs including Google, Yahoo and Msn. Simply white hat techniques are employed to get relevant traffic to boost your online marketing efforts of selling products or services

Definition Of Ram

Writen by Ken Marlborough

RAM, or 'random access memory,' can be defined as a type of memory where the data is stored in a computer and can be accessed randomly in contrast to other electronic data that has to be accessed in a fixed order. A videocassette or tape can only be accessed in a fixed arrangement according to the revolutions of the electromagnetic tape. RAM can also be defined as a type of memory that is not sequential in nature and can be accessed in any manner, even while the computer is on.

All the storage locations in RAM are equally accessible at the same time. However, there is another type of memory called ROM, or 'read only memory,' which is also randomly accessible but can only be read and not changed. This is not true with RAM since it can be accessed and changed to suit the requirements of the user.

Another important feature of RAM is that accessibility does not affect the speed of the system itself. Random access memory is the amount of data that the computer can process and store temporarily. It can be lost if the power is turned off before saving the data to the hard drive. There are two types of RAM, namely static RAM and dynamic RAM. Dynamic RAM is the most common type of RAM in the market and is widely used.

The dynamic RAM chip is made up of a millions of tiny capacitors and transistors that have small bits of data stored in them. The memory controller automatically refreshes this RAM constantly so that the information in the capacitor is not lost. The capacitor, which acts as storage area for information, has a permanent leak, thus the need for continuous refreshment and, consequently, this is how it earns the name 'dynamic.' Static RAM is another type of memory that uses completely different technology and does not need constant refreshing.

RAM differs according to its type, make, advancements, and upgrades as and when they occur, but the basic definition mentioned above remains the same.

RAM provides detailed information on RAM, RAM Memory, DVD RAM, DDR RAM and more. RAM is affiliated with Linux Mail Servers.

The Chemistry Of Laptop Batteries Explained

Writen by Mansi Aggarwal

Laptop batteries come in all shapes and sizes also differ in their chemical composition. The chemistry of a battery refers to the chemical make-up of the cells inside the outer casing. The most common chemistries used in laptop batteries are:

NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) This is the oldest technology and is the least commonly used nowadays. NiCad batteries are prone to the "Memory effect" and are heavier than the newer technologies. NiCad is not environmentally friendly chemistry as it contains heavy metals, which cannot be disposed of in landfill sites. Most manufacturers have stopped producing batteries of this type chemistry. As an end user it will be increasingly difficult to source these batteries. The best alternative is external battery packs.

NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) these batteries are less likely to be prone to the memory effect and have a much better power to weight ratio than NiCad. This is a commonly used chemistry. These batteries are also being phased out by most manufacturers. However, many have lithium-ion versions that are compatible. Always consult the manufacturer or a reputable laptop battery supplier.

Li-Ion (Lithium Ion) - This is becoming the dominant technology due to its excellent power to weight ratio. Such considerations are becoming more important as mobile devices become smaller and lighter and battery weight becomes significant. Another plus point for Li-Ion is that it doesn't suffer the memory effect at all. These batteries do have a tendency to lose charge quickly towards the end of their effective life span. If this starts to happen the battery must be replaced.

These three technologies are quite different in the way they charge and therefore should not be substituted unless the device has been designed to take different chemistries. The owner's manual will describe which batteries are suitable.

Mansi aggarwal writes about Lithium Ion laptop batteries

How Do Printers Compare

Writen by John Gibb

If you plan to go shopping for a new printer, there are several key features you want to consider before making your purchase.

Inkjet or Laserjet?

The two most popular types of printer technology are inkjet and laser. Whether you buy online or walk into a store, immediately you'll notice a difference in price. Laser printers are usually more than inkjet printers, sometimes several times as much. In an office environment, you can easily pay $1,000 for a laser printer. In a home office, you can easily pay $100 for an inkjet, even less. However, not all laser printers are that expensive, and not all inkjet printers are that cheap. I'm going to tell you the things to look for that will help you decide what you need.

Speed

If speed is your chief concern, the laser printer will win hands down, every time. There are laser printers that can handle in excess of 34ppm (Pages Per Minute) and 22-24 is pretty much the minimum in today's world. That's not to say that inkjet's aren't plenty fast, some can approach 30ppm in draft mode. I've found most people don't actually use draft mode though, so you're going to get more like 5-10ppm in normal operation.

Connectivity

Something often over looked is, how will you plug in? I have seen people that don't even know what a USB port is, go out and buy a printer that only has USB support. They return home and end up making a call to find out that their computer doesn't have a USB port. There's nothing wrong with printers that only support USB, but make sure your computer supports what the printer supports. Also, don't get a super short cable, pay attention to where you'll be locating your new printer, and get a cable plenty long enough.

John Gibb manages http://www.computer-and-printer-reviews.com The site dedicated to computers and printers.

Inkjet Printer Ink

Writen by Seth Miller

Inkjet Printers are the most common type of printer, used in millions of homes and small offices across the world. An inkjet printer offers many advantages to its users. It is relatively inexpensive, but it produces high quality and finely detailed print output. Also, compared to earlier printers, ink jets are much quieter in operation, and they are fairly easy to operate.

However, inkjet printers also have its disadvantages. In terms of quality, the output of inkjet printers is not as accurate and fine as that of laser printers. Another common issue with inkjet printers is the ink and the ink cartridges. Ink cartridges clog easily. If your ink cartridge breaks or when you run out of ink, you will need to buy a new cartridge, often at steep prices. An original ink cartridge can cost as much as $20 to $30.

Ink cartridges from original equipment manufacturers are certainly expensive. To save on ink costs, there are some practical tips you can follow. For instance, set your printer options to draft print before printing the final document. Another way to save on ink is to turn to some less expensive alternatives whenever you need ink for your printer.

You can now buy generic ink cartridges that are compatible with your inkjet printer. A number of trustworthy manufacturers now offer high-quality ink cartridges that meet the same standards as those of the original manufacturers but cost much less. You can also buy ink refilling kits and remanufactured ink cartridges; you can even refill an ink cartridge ten times.

Non-branded ink cartridges are readily available from various printing supply stores. Buying these cheaper cartridges will help you save money. However, you should pick only high-quality cartridges from reputable manufacturers. For convenient shopping, you can look for high-quality replacement ink cartridges online.

Inkjet Printers provides detailed information on Inkjet Printers, Inkjet Printer Ink, Inkjet Printer Cartridges, CD Inkjet Printers and more. Inkjet Printers is affiliated with Inkjet Printers.

Buying A Harddrive How Much Space Do You Need

Writen by Teve Torbes

For novice buyers of computers or of a separate hard drive, it's often hard to tell exactly how big you should go. Many people don't even have a good idea of what a "gigabyte" is or how much space there files will take up. How exactly do you figure out how much storage space you'll need?

If you already have a computer, this is actually an extremely easy thing to figure out. Right-click on your C: drive under the My Computer option, and select "Properties." This will bring up a little pie chart that tells you how much space you have and how much you are using. It will tell you in "gigabytes" or "GB", a unit of storage space. Once you've found out how much you're currently using, you should make sure that you get a hard drive that has at least a little more – you'll want at least 20-25% more than what you're currently using, just to allow yourself room to grow. If you're on the low end (under 20 gigabytes), you should get even more, mainly because newer programs will take up more and more space. What if you don't already have computer space to measure? It depends on what you're doing with it. If you're just using your computer for basic business functions (e-mail, typing, etc.) then you only need 20-40 gigabytes. If you're using it for games, you'll want as much as you can get. If you have more advanced business functions (such as graphics design), then go for at least 100 gigabytes or so. The most important thing is that you don't want to run out – if you do, you'll have to delete something or buy a whole new drive.

Teve Torbes has interesting opinions on the subject of air purifier things, and he has produced a forklifts web site. He has also managed a wonderful air bed thing.

In Search Of The Fabled Cheap Computer Systems

Writen by Nick P Bentley

What kind of cyberspace machine do you prefer? Oh, you mean that's not what they're called? But they do take you on a trip through cyberspace. Therefore it just makes sense to call them cyber machines. Kind of like the way a time machine allows you to travel through time. Nobody ever called them a computer or a PC. However, for clarity reasons I will use the term personal computer.

Which company do you usually turn to when searching for cheap computer systems? There is always Tandy. And there's always Mac. Now, I'm not referring to the cosmetic line here, ladies. Mac was a kind of computer first. You've heard of Apples, right? When it comes to Macs, there are a few different options at hand. Anything from desktop computers, to ibooks, to PowerBooks can be attained. All are amazing products and do virtually everything.

What do you use your PC primarily for? I can honestly say that I use mine for two major things. One of them being writing and the other being time travel. Oops, I meant cyber travel. I like to surf the web and search around for new stuff. It's hard not to when there is just so much cool stuff to out there to find. Even great deals on computers themselves can be found online. What cheap computer systems have you managed to find lately?

You can get a number of cheap computer systems when browsing through the Dell market. If you are on the lookout for a fine PC, this is a prudent way to go. Hop online and check out Dell's website. Talk about cheap computer systems, I don't think any quality competitor can vie with some of the Dell desktop deals. I'm talking as low as a few hundred bucks for the whole motherload. Computer, monitor, keyboard, and even a free printer are often included in Dell's cheap computer systems.

And then there are the specials. There are so many competitors these days that even Sony is getting in on the game. So get plugged into the World-Wide-Web today and rummage through the numerous cheap computer systems from the privacy of your own home. Upgrade as high as you want to. With today's technology, the sky's the limit.

For the latest in news, reviews and articles on free only paid surveys and technology related information.

Athlon 64 Processors

Writen by Sezer Bozkurt

For a long time Intel has been leading the market in processor sales and popularity but AMD is finally putting a stop to that. With the release of their Athlon 64 processor, with 64 bit computing capabilities, they have been slowly but surely regaining the market back from Intel.

The Athlon 64 processors have been around for a while now and they have proven themselves the market leaders in processing power. As we know AMD processor run at a lot slower speeds than Intel processors making them cooler to run. This has eliminated the need for expensive cooling equipment and opened the doorway for overclocking.

Although AMD hit the target by releasing their 64 bit processor long before Intel did, they are not standing still. They have been constantly upgrading their line up to increase speed and efficiency. This is apparent with their fx series processors and their dual core processors.

The fx series processor are the king of the hill at AMD. They are the most powerful processor that is available. They show blistering speeds for CPU intensive functions such video encoding and gaming. They also show great performance in database driven work and most other aspects of computing.

The dual-core line of processor are the ultimate in multi-tasking. They provide the power of two processor running in unison while still being able to fit in a single processor motherboard. Although these processors are essentially two processors in one, they are rather pricy and may not be everyones cup of tea.

Intel is trying to fight back by forming an alliance with Apple. All macs are now available with Intel processors. Whether this will be profitable for Intel only time will tell.

With competition growing stronger from AMD this can only mean increased benefits for the consumer. As the war between Intel and AMD intensifies, the consumer will benefit from lowered prices, and increased quality in their processors.

For more great technology related articles and reviews please visit the links below http://www.technologyslice.com/Articles.htm http://www.technologyslice.com/Reviews.htm http://www.technologyslice.com

Cheap Ram

Writen by Ken Marlborough

The cheapest type of RAM is dynamic RAM because it uses traditional technology as opposed to static RAM, which is expensive and uses advanced methods to store and retrieve temporary information. Dynamic RAM has capacitors that act like vessels that store temporary information for the CPU to use as and when required. This makes them cheaper as compared to static RAM that is expensive because it does not use the same technology as a dynamic RAM.

RAM chips are available in the market within a price range of $4 to $400, depending on its make, brand, upgrade, and type. The modern computer usually uses dynamic RAM that is at least 128 MB in size. This RAM race started in the 1990s when 2MB of RAM were used. However, technology has improved in leaps and bounds since then, and today using less than 128 RAM would be not advisable, as the speed and efficiency of the computer will be dramatically affected.

SIMM RAM is the oldest and cheapest of them all but can only be used with old machines and is not compatible with newer ones. It is available for less as $5 and can be bought on the Internet. A memory upgrade is the most cost effective method of improving a PC's performance, and memory upgrades are very simple to install and require no configuring at all.

A 4 MB 30pin 60ns 3-chip SIMM RAM with a tin lead and a 2-piece 2 MB x 8 chip and logic parity is priced at $7 to $8, whereas a Cisco 16 MB Catalyst 8000 Flash SIMM can cost up to $89. The price of a RAM chip depends upon the number of nanoseconds, the brand, type, megabytes, and other such factors. The price of RAM also depends upon the type of computer that a person uses. This is because an older computer will usually use a 2 to 8 MB RAM, but a newly bought computer will need a 128 MB RAM in order to function efficiently.

RAM provides detailed information on RAM, RAM Memory, DVD RAM, DDR RAM and more. RAM is affiliated with Linux Mail Servers.

Where To Buy A Good Inkjet Cartridge

Writen by Michael Russell

If you own a printer then you are already familiar with the high costs of inkjet cartridges. These cartridges are, of course, essential for printing, but they don't have to break your bank. Yet, in the search for inkjet cartridges, you may be left wondering where you can buy inexpensive ones. Let's take a look at some of your shopping options.

First, you can purchase inkjet cartridges from your local department store. If your department store is having a sale, or if you have a coupon and your department store accepts coupons, you may want to purchase a few inkjet cartridges and stock up on them while the price is relatively low.

Alternatively, you can purchase inkjet cartridges at office supply stores. Nevertheless, be sure to compare the prices offered at office supply stores with that of prices in nearby department stores. Sometimes you will find that the cost of cartridges is cheaper at office supply stores and sometimes you will find the less expensive inkjet cartridges at department stores within the area. It always pays to shop around.

On the other hand, you may want to shop for inkjet cartridges on the Internet if you have access to the web. Shopping for cartridges on the Internet provides you with the opportunity to check prices at a number of places and thereby find the most inexpensive inkjet cartridges available. Plus, when shopping from the Internet for, you will have the unique benefit of shopping from home.

Conversely, inkjet cartridges purchased off the Internet can give a good deal only if the entire deal is good - in other words, if you get your cartridges really cheap but you have to pay ridiculous shipping and handling charges, then you are really not getting a good deal at all. Also, when ordering inkjet cartridges remember that you will not have them. In fact, it can take a few weeks to receive your order and if you require your cartridges immediately to produce a project or paper, you may want to visit your local department store or office supply store instead.

Finally, when purchasing inkjet cartridges, if you purchase generic brands it is important to read the packaging before completing your purchase. Don't purchase inkjet cartridges that look like they will work with your computer based on the picture on the front of the packaging. Rather, read the packaging to make sure that the generic cartridges you have selected will actually work with the printer you own. In doing so, you will successfully avoid the hassle associated with having to return the purchase to the dealer, whether they were bought from the store, or from an Internet distributor.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Inkjet Cartridges
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Is A Laser Printer Right For Me

Writen by Bill Smith

The average home computer user definitely does not need a laser printer. Sure laser printer prices have fallen considerably in the last couple of years. But have you look at the cost of laser toner? The average laser toner cartridge sells for over $100. The cost of replacement ink can really ad up on you. Cost of ink should not be the only factor that deters you from buying this kind of printer though.

Unless you are printing hundreds of pages each day you really don't need a laser printer. Today's inkjet printers have incredible print resolution, are very affordable, and replacement ink cartridges do not cost a lot. If it's print quality that you're concerned about, consider that you can't even tell the difference between a laser printout and an inkjet printout.

Another thing to consider is the size of the printer. Generally laser printers dwarf the smaller inkjet printer. So if you're looking for something compact, then a laser printer is definitely not right for you. It's not going to fit on your desk at home.

If print speed is one of your main concerns, than a laser printer might be right for you. Most laser printers can print many more pages per minute than the average inkjet printer. The last consideration should be maintenance and or replacement costs. The parts used in laser printers are more expensive than those used in inkjet printers. So if something breaks, it going to cost a bundle to fix. I generally look at inkjet printers as easily replaced. Because they are so inexpensive to begin with, if something breaks, you can just start all over with a new printer.

Bill Smith is an expert on printers and ink cartridges. Visit his site, http://www.buythebestbuy.com, for additional information about printers.

Cd Printing

Writen by Josh Riverside

CD printing is a feature used by large and small production houses to print information on a CD. It is a labeling technique that helps to identify compact discs. Compact disc printing is essentially a process used to print full color, high-resolution graphics onto a compact disc. CD printing is done with the help of an offset printer. A technique called silk-screen printing may be used. This method has only two colors and little or no tonal scaling. Offset printing is better suited to produce clear and small fonts.

There are specialized companies that undertake the work of compact disc printing. They usually require original artwork with specific guidelines. For an additional fee, graphic services can design the artwork for the customer. Once the artwork is submitted, plates are made using paper or aluminum. Aluminum is the preferred material, as it produces excellent results. It is costlier than paper plates. In printing, there are four basic colors that make up the innumerable colors in the final product. They are black, red, blue and yellow. Each color uses a separate plate. Paint is applied on the plates with the help of rollers and the plates transfer the ink onto a 'rubber blanket.' The rubber blanket transports ink to the disc in order to facilitate printing. The results are highly professional. In addition to the disc, CD printing services also provide a matching case wrap. This includes a standard CD case or a custom made case.

CD offset printing is not an easily available option for low disc quantities. CD printing can be used to commemorate any special occasion. Family pictures and movies can be put on to a CD and sent for printing. This makes for a a unique gift.

CD provides detailed information on CD, CD Duplication, CD Covers, CD Mastering and more. CD is affiliated with MP3 Download Software.

Discount Laptop Batteries

Writen by Jimmy Sturo

After buying the latest, top-of-the-line refurbished laptop, it is suggested to buy a quality laptop computer battery that will ensure that the investment performs at maximum capacity. A built-in 7600mAH Lithium-polymer battery can extend the laptop battery life up to 5~8 hours. There are laptop computer batteries on the market for all of the top brand-name laptop manufacturers, as well as the harder to find models.

Several websites offer a wide variety of laptop batteries for all major manufacturers, including Dell, Apple and HP. Many of these websites sell the laptop batteries at great discounts.

There are a few things to be considered when buying a discount laptop battery. First, protection circuit can prevent the battery from over-charging or short-circuit. Also, try to opt for a self-switching battery output voltage, 14 -24 V that is automatically switch based on different laptop model.

Some companies, like Laptop Batteries 4 All, provide a huge database of laptop batteries using the company name, series of the laptop, or the laptop battery part number. They offer great deals and discounts on laptop batteries. On this site, they provide major brands like Dell Laptop Batteries, Gateway Laptop Batteries, Sony Laptop Batteries, Toshiba Laptop Batteries, IBM Laptop Batteries, Apple Laptop Batteries, Compaq Laptop Batteries, and HP Laptop Batteries.

Another company, Lion Battery distributes products that meet the highest quality standards and specifications. Each product is tested for appropriate performance by the manufacturer and rechecked prior to shipping to the customer. They place a high priority on prompt deliveries. Routine orders will be shipped in 48 hours or less, and also respond to an emergency need by providing an immediate solution.

BatteryValues.com is an online store that provides laptop and notebook computer batteries.

Discount Laptops provides detailed information about discount laptops, discount laptop batteries, and more. Discount Laptops is affiliated with Live Spy Cam.

Purchasing An Inexpensive Pc

Writen by Rob Pirozzi

Personal computers have become relatively inexpensive, at least as compared to what they used to cost. There are now many sources for inexpensive PCs. This article will provide you with information on sources for low-cost personal computers, computer peripherals, and accessories.

The average home computer user does not necessarily need the latest and greatest technology. Most simply need a PC with a relatively new Intel processor, or equivalent; a reasonable amount of memory - 256MB or more; a reasonable amount of disk space - 20GB or more; a CD, DVD or CDRW; and a modem and networking capability. It is only individuals with demanding needs such as intensive gaming, or video or image manipulation that really need more. Individuals who store large libraries of picture or graphics files, music files, or video files will require substantially more disk space.

Before shopping, you need to get a clear idea of what your PC needs are and in what timeframe you are going to need a new PC. If your need for a PC is immediate, then you must try to find the best deal from a local electronics retailer. In addition, if you need or must have the latest, most "cutting-edge" technology, you can expect to pay handsomely. While in either case you may be able to find a relatively good deal, you will have probably paid more than if you can wait five plus business days for shipping and give up a little on the technology curve.

For individuals who do not need a PC immediately, and who are not looking for the "latest and greatest" technology, there are many excellent sources for inexpensive PCs, peripherals, and computer accessories. In many cases, PCs can be found for under $400, and even under $300. Sources for low-cost PCs include:

• On-Line Retailers
• On-Line Refurbished Equipment and Outlet Stores
• On-Line Auctions

On-Line Retailers

There are many excellent on-line retailers such as TigerDirect (www.TigerDirect.com) and TechDepot (www.TechDepot.com) who can provide substantial savings on PCs, peripherals, and accessories. On-line retailers also typically have huge inventories including components, and consumer electronic items such as digital cameras, PDAs, and MP3 players. The lowest cost PCs may be factory close-outs (PCs being replaced by more current technology) or reconditioned/refurbished (good as new, but not new). They will work fine and be more than adequate for most average home-computing needs.

On-Line Refurbished Equipment and Outlet Stores

Many computer vendors and retailers also have factory outlet stores and/or refurbished equipment outlets. Again, although not the latest technology, or even brand new, these PCs will meet most computing needs and will be much less expensive. Refurbished equipment/outlet retailers include:

• Amazon.com - Amazon.com has an "Outlet, Used & Refurbished" store that can be found under the "Computers" category. Here they offer both clearance items and refurbished items at substantial savings.
• Dell Outlet - Dell has an outlet store that offers savings on Dell desktop and laptop computers, as well as other Dell accessories and electronics, including monitors, printers, handhelds, and TVs. Select "Home & Office" on the main page of the Dell Site (www.Dell.com) and then scroll down to find "Dell Outlet".
• Gateway Remanufactured Products - Gateway offers outlet prices on remanufactured Gateway desktops and laptops. Select "Remanufactured" on the Gateway site (www.gateway.com).
• HP Outlet Store - Hewlett-Packard offers outlet pricing on HP desktops, laptops/notebooks, monitors, printers, cameras, and televisions. Select "Outlet" on the main page of the HPShopping site (www.shopping.hp.com) to find their offering of products.
• IBM - IBM offers IBM Certified Used Equipment that has been refurbished and tested to IBM specifications. Offered items include desktop PCs, notebooks, printers, monitors, and parts and accessories. Enter "refurbished PC" into the search bar of the IBM site (www.IBM.com) to find what they have to offer.
• Iomega - The Iomega factory outlet offers excellent prices on Iomega removable disk drives, portable disk drives, internal and external disk drives, flash drives, DVD, and CDRW drives. Select "Outlet" off of the main page on the Iomega site (www.iomega.com).
• TechDepot - TechDepot offers both clearance items and refurbished items off of their site (www.TechDepot.com). Select either the "Clearance" or the "Refurbished" tabs on their home page to find what they have to offer.

On-Line Auctions

Perhaps requiring the most patience and persistence are the on-line auction sites. For those with the right temperament, good deals on PCs and related products can be found at eBay and at CompUSA Auctions.

Conclusion

With a little research, time, and persistence, you should be able to save a substantial amount of money on PCs and PC related items from any of the above named sources. While what you get may not be the latest technology, or new, it should meet the demands of all but the most advanced PC users.

Rob Pirozzi is a freelance writer who provides timely, quality professional writing of all types. He is also the publisher of the web site Low-Cost-Computing.com which provides information on low-cost computers and low-cost or free software for the average home or small business computer user.

How To Choose A Video Card

Writen by Gary Hendricks

Want to know what piece of technology is changing most rapidly in the world of computer? That's right - video cards. The rate at which video cards come out is simply mind boggling. We're looking at a whole plethora of video cards based on graphics processors from ATI and Nvidia. Which card should you choose? Will it be good enough?

Well, this article will help you make some sense of this fast changing technology and enable you to choose the best video card for your computing needs.

The best way to see what video card to buy is to consider how you're using your computer now. There are several categories:

There are several categories:

• Server
• Simple Applications
• Complex Applications
• General Gaming
• Hard-Core Gaming

Ok, let's look at these in turn.

Server

If you're using your computer as a mail server, FTP server, print server, or even a game server, you definitely do not need a high-end video card. Look for a low-end card like the Diablotek ATI Rage XL.

Simple Applications

Say you're using the PC for simple applications only, for example, word processing, email or web surfing. Again, you do not need the best video card out there. A cheap and decent one will do the trick.

Complex Applications

If you need to perform more complex tasks like 3D computer aided design or video editing, it will make more sense to go for a heavy duty card. Screen resolution and image quality tend to be important factors for this type of work. Look for a video card whose processor which supports a high screen resolution, with ample graphics memory. A good choice would be the XFX GeForce FX 5500.

General Games

If you'll only play simple games like Minesweeper, Reversi or Backgammon, then my advice is to save your money and just get a simple video card. No need for the latest 3D graphics gizmo.

Hard-Core Gaming

On the other hand, if you live on intense, real-time 3D games like Unreal Tournament and Battlefield 2, you'll want to get the latest 3D graphics card like the Connect 3D Radeon X850 XT Platinum. These games require extremely powerful cards which support a variety of graphics effects like anti-aliasing, Z-buffering, vertex shaders, etc.

Conclusion

In summary, you should always consider your needs first before going out to buy that video card. Video cards, especially the latest models, tend to be prohibitively expensive. If you only need to do general computer stuff, then don't shell out cash for the newer cards like the Connect 3D Radeon X850 XT Platinum. Go for some of the cheaper video cards like the Diablotek ATI Rage XL. Do your homework, read up the manufacturer's online manuals before making your purchase decision.

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.

Computer Cases As Incredible As Your Imagination

Writen by Greg Wirth

Long gone are the days of dull beige rectangles. Nowadays, computer cases come in various shapes, sizes, colors, and designs and with much better features than ever before. Computer gaming can create a tremendous amount of heat as rendering graphics works that processor harder, over clocking creates even more so keeping that processor cool is extremely important if you don't want to turn it into a paper weight. Many case manufacturers now integrate system or CPU cooling features right into the case. Most come with at least one system fan of 80mm and as big as 120mm for cooling with options to add as much as 5 fans. Problem with fans is the noise.

Water cooled systems, like the radiator on your car, are gaining popularity as a computer geeks alternative to cooling with noisy fans. Water cooling computer cases is a noiseless way of keeping that CPU and GPU cool and tells everyone you're on the leading edge of case modding. As more exciting products like cooling fans with LED, artistic case wraps, bright neon lights and cathode tubes get introduced into the market, modifying and upgrading computer cases will continue to gain popularity. What these breakthrough innovations mean to you is simple—better choices and better technology. Even still there are some things to keep in mind when selecting a case. There's nothing worse than cutting yourself on a sharp case edge or not being able to put a fan in the front bezel because no mounting holes exist.

• Size (Tower, Mid-tower or Mini ATX) Aluminum or steel or acrylic (aluminum dissipates heat better)
• Room for upgrades
• Pull out motherboard tray
• Slide out component trays
• Power Supply
• Cooling

Cases have 3 basic categories of sizes with minor subcategories of each. Servers are usually housed in the largest of cases, the tower. These cases normally come with their own rolling cart and have upwards of 10 drive bays or more. Unless you really plan on running a web or network server there is no need for a home user or gamer to own that type of case. But, that's your own choice, after all the more case to mod the better, right?

Mid-tower cases are the size most home users have and are the most popular size of cases. About the size of a large brief case, a case this size is perfectly adequate for the majority of gamers and home users. A step down from the tower size case, this case usually has 3 – 5 drive bays plenty of cooling options and most custom computer cases now come with an acrylic side window to see the "guts" of your madness. As monitors have become sleeker and less of a space hog, so to have computer cases.

Micro or mini ATX cases have the smallest footprint of all the cases, about the size of a large shoe box. These are great space savers and compliment the décor of a living room much better than a large custom tower. However, you have to then consider the downsizing of all the components including the motherboard. A "mini" requires a micro ATX motherboard which won't fit in a regular mid-ATX case. Cooling is limited to usually only one large 120mm fan and you will only have room for 1 hard drive, 1 CD or DVD drive and if lucky a floppy drive. You'll be pretty hard pressed customizing these cases due to the size. One consideration would be using these in a home network and server configuration. Have your server tucked away in a closet with a Zalman water cooler and use these minis in your kitchen or office as workstations.

Aluminum or Steel Most cases are made of stamped steel painted beige or black and have a simple plastic bezel slapped on the front. If you consider yourself a real "modder" you better step up to an aluminum case. Aluminum is much lighter than steel, has a nicer finish, dissipates heat much better and won't corrode. Lian Li has made a name for itself making all aluminum cases as well as Antec.

Want to see all those cool aluminum RAM heat spreaders on that 1GB of Corsair memory you just installed? Get an all acrylic case then. Made entirely of clear acrylic sheets these cases are gaining popularity and really provide a unique look — literally —into the world of case modding. These cases come in clear acrylic or UV reactive acrylic. When selecting this type of case not all are created equal. You can't weld acrylic so most are either glued or bolted together. Stay away from glued cases if the epoxy is not mixed just right the seam can break in only a few weeks of use. Look for acrylic cases that have reinforced corners with some type of metal bracket or brace, not just butted together with screws. Look for acrylic cases that are pre-assembled, after all you've got cool components to install that are frustrating enough you don't need the headaches of case assembly 101.

Room for Upgrades Will this new case give you enough space options for the continual advancement of your computing addiction? Micro ATX cases are cute, don't take up a lot of space and stylish but not the choice of a hardcore gamer. A full tower you can just about hide a small child inside but unless you run your own network, is the largess really worth it? Most mid-tower ATX cases provide ample room for upgrades as well as full customization for water cooling or other system cooling.

Pull Out Motherboard Tray Theres nothing worse than trying to fit a tiny screw in between two capacitors with big fingers inside a 6" or 8" deep case. …it's a pain. A removable mother board tray is like Tylenol to a headache. There is some space consideration with a pull out tray but is well worth it if you're the type that plays around with a new motherboard every few months.

Slide Out Components Tray Being able to easily access your hard drives, CD and DVD drives makes modding all that more fun and headache free. With slide out component housing you can add your component to the housing first before popping it into the rail housing. This saves your fingers from trying to manipulate that DVD burner into the top rail when you already installed the PSU, not to mention get those tiny case screws inserted into the rail to fasten the drive to it! Not all cases offer this feature but if you're in the market for a new case try to find one that does. Your fingers will love you for it!

Power Supply Computers suck some pretty good juice. Then you wan'a run those 8 UV reactive fans, 4 cathode tubes and a 2 million candle power search lamp just to tick off your neighbors! You can't use that little electric shaver power supply for that kind of rig. Serious modders know that your PC components are only as cool as the quality and quantity of power supplied to them. You can pick up a no-name psu with clear acrylic and pretty LEDs from Xoxide or Newegg for maybe less than $10 but is it worth it in the end? It's not if frys your $3000 rig. Power supplies are one thing you better put your money into and not go white box or generic brand. Stick to names like Antec, Enermax, Thermaltake and Raidmax have quality products at fair prices. Another item to consider is Intel P4 and AMD k7/k8 compatibility as well as the ability to supply power to the new serial ATA drives. Power supplies can last a long time, maybe you change over to an AMD 64 rig from a P4 at some time in your next half-life. Have power supply, will carry, no need to buy a new one.

Cooling Rendering graphics found in all computer games can work a pc hard increasing the heat created by the video GPU, the CPU, memory and chipset as well as the power supply. Even more so if you over clock. If you demand performance you better keep that stuff cool. Fans are the most common source of cooling in fact most cases include a fan or two as part of the package. Fans come a three standard sizes from 80mm, 90mm and 120mm. There are all kinds of different variations of these like a basic ball-bearing fan and things like brush-less fans. Fans also come in different colors utilizing small LEDs installed in the acrylic to give a very cool lighted effect. UV reactive fans glow a certain color when exposed to UV light which is common in many case mods today. ATX 2.01 specifications require the PSU to exhaust hot are out the back of the PSU thus drawing the hot system air up and out via the supplied PSU fan. Keep that in mind when adding fans to your system. You can get pretty decent cooling by adding just 1 more 80mm intake fan to the front of the case. As this fan sucks air into the bottom third of the case but not up, the PSU sucks that cooler air up and over the motherboard and CPU and then out the back of the PSU, provided you have a two-fan PSU.

With all the amazing features that are available today and those that are on the way, everyone will now be able to make their computer fantasies come true by making the most incredible computer cases the world has ever seen- or at least your friends have ever seen. As a result, computer cases will no longer be mundane rectangles. Instead they will be transformed into works of art based on the extraordinary imagination of their creators. As long as people embrace casemodding, rules will be broken, boundaries will be crossed, and the unimaginable will become possible.

© Copyright 2005 Greg S. Wirth, All Rights Reserved.

Greg S. Wirth writes articles on computer cases, case design, power supplies and case modding. A certified IT specialist he builds & mods his own PCs as well as others and is webmaster of http://www.cool-computer-case.com

Advanced Tips On Speeding Up Your Pc

Writen by Mark Berger

Other then keeping your HDD free of viruses, spyware, and ad-ware at all times, there are other methods for speeding up system speed which you may like to employ. One of these is overclocking. Overclocking is a method of increasing your system speed by increasing the frequency at which your CPU operates at. If this interests you, please refer to our guide on overclocking.

Other methods of keeping your computer up to speed include:

-Running defrags/scandisks on your PC once to twice a month
-Upgrading your RAM by installing faster, or more memory
-Formatting at least once a year

Running a defrag is easy. You can find this windows tool in programs--->accessories--->system tools. You can also find scandisk on this same menu. Running defrags/scandisks will help to improve your hard drive read/write time. Scandisk and Defragmentation work to fix corrupted files on your PC. These files become corrupted when you restart your computer by using the reset button, or by being careless with your hard drive (like not bolting it properly to your case or removing it constantly).

You could also use a tool called a Registry Fixer. Sometimes, especially if you have been infected recently with a virus, spy-ware, or ad-ware, these programs work to fix your registry and repair certain errors. This is more for an advanced user, however, as some of these programs can be difficult to grasp.

There are also several registry tweaks programmers have produced which improve startup and shutdown times by skipping some uneeded parts of processes. These are also recommended for advanced users as they can sometimes result in a hardware or software error, although such incompatibilities would likely be rare. If however they do cause a problem, post your problem on our forums and we will try to help.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

How To Check Your Ip

Writen by Mark Berger

So you need to check your IP address, for whatever reason. Maybe you're playing an online game with a friend, or you need to access your PC remotely. Whatever the reason, there are a number of different ways you can check your IP address.

One of the easiest ways is to run an "ipconfig" command in dos prompt. You can access a DOS prompt from windows by hitting start, then run, and typing cmd in the run box. A MS-DOS dialog box will appear. Try typing "ipconfig" in this window.

This will come back with the IP of your computer. However, if you are running a home network or an office network, this will only give you your local IP. This is the IP that has been assigned to you by your router or hub. If you want to check your external IP (which is the one used to connect to your computer or local network) then you need to access your router settings, usually accessed by typing 192.168.1.1 into your browser (or whatever local IP your router has been assigned. Usually, 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0 will be your default gateway IP. "Default gateway IP" meaning your router, as your router is used as your gateway for accessing the Internet).

After you've brought up your router information page (and logged in, which is sometimes required), look for a status page, and your "WAN IP." This IP is the IP assigned to your router as your external IP for your incoming traffic.

Now, should you need to check your external IP and you can't access your router, you could use an IP checker on the Internet. A simple Google or Yahoo search for "IP checker" will give you a list of sites that use an easy script to tell you your IP. There is also certain programs in Windows that will give you this result. Try looking around.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

Get An Uninterruptible Power Supply

Writen by Bob Rankin

Using an Uninterruptible Power Supply

You may have your computer, monitor, printer and other peripherals plugged into a power strip with surge suppression, but that won't help if the power actually goes out. In the event of a power sag or blackout, whether it's for a half-second or half an hour, your computer is about as useful as a boat anchor -- unless you have an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device.

A UPS is a device that protects your electronic devices from power outages, sags, and surges, and also acts as a battery backup in the event of a blackout. Like a power strip, the UPS plugs into the wall outlet and the devices you want to protect are plugged into the UPS. Typically the battery power of the UPS will allow you to operate your computer for 15-30 minutes during a power outage. If the outage lasts longer than that, at least you will have the opportunity to do an orderly shutdown with no data loss.

Look for a UPS that offers at least 600VA power handling capacity and the special cable and software that will automatically shut down your computer before the UPS batteries die, just in case you're not at home when the power outage occurs. If it has phone and network ports to protect those devices from surges, that a plus.

My UPS Configuration

I personally use a Tripp Lite TE600 (approximate retail US$299) and it provides power to five things in the event of an outage: My PC, monitor, router, cable modem and desk phone. I included the router, cable modem and phone because sometimes the power fails but the cable and telephone services are unaffected. If you have a laser printer, I recommend that you DO NOT connect it to an outlet on the UPS that provides battery power, because laser printers suck down LOTS of power and will drain your battery very quickly.

I had an opportunity to test my UPS setup recently... during a storm, there was a power outage for about 15 minutes. The lights went out, but my computer and internet connection stayed on without missing a beat. I was able to make phone calls, send & receive emails, and browse the web while my neighbors were all cursing the darkness. Since then, the lights have flickered a few times, causing the other computer in my office (not connected to the UPS) to reboot. But my primary UPS-connected machine has been happily unaffected.

Reprinted from: http://www.askbobrankin.com/get_an_uninterruptible_power_supply.html

BOB RANKIN... is a tech writer and computer programmer who enjoys exploring the Internet and sharing the fruit of his experience with others. His work has appeared in ComputerWorld, NetGuide, and NY Newsday. Bob is publisher of the Internet TOURBUS newsletter, author of several computer books, and creator of the http://LowfatLinux.com website. Visit Bob Rankin's website for more helpful articles and free tech support.

Wireless Adpaters Installing Wpa2 And Advanced Features

Writen by Eric Meyer

You will never meet that 108mbps that most wireless routers are saying to have but to come close you will have to purchase a wireless adapter from the same manufacture.

Installing your wireless adapter

1. Stick your adapter into your PCIMICA slot on your laptop. Windows xp will automatically recognize the card and ask you for the driver. If you are skilled at installing drivers then I recommend finding the driver manually not by using the manufacturers' software to install the driver.

If you use their disk installing program you will also install a bunch of other crap that you don't need. It will install wireless scanning software and wireless monitors that will just bogg down your system.

2. Now that you have your driver installed you should be able to scan for wireless networks. In the bottom right hand taskbar you will see a computer symbol with radio waves coming out of it. This is apart of Microsoft's zero config wireless utility. This feature is good and bad because it will try to connect to any wireless network in range and once you have connected to that network once it's available it will always try to connect.

This is bad because if you connect to a network called "Linksys" you will be connecting to a unsecured network because this is the default SSID of alll Linksys wireless routers.

Connecting to wireless networks can be dangerous because they could be a hackers rogue access point meant to collect password info on you.

3. I assume you know which network you want to connect to so lets go to the your wireless adapters properties by clicking twice on the wireless icon in the task bar and clicking properties.

Click on the wireless networks tab and click add. Type in your SSID of you network. If this is your Home wireless network make sure you have changed your SSID to something obscure and change your wireless channel to something other than channel 6.

Next you need to choose the same type of encryption you have chosen for your wireless router or adater. Hopefully you have chosen WPA2-PSK with TKIP or AES encryption.

You might have to install the Microsoft update for WPA2 support for windows xp- click here

You will Know if you have to install the update because you will not see the option of WPA2.

Now enter you encryption key hit OK and you should be able to connect to your network.

Advance options

Go back to you wireless adapters properties and lets take a look at some advance options. Options will vary in name but not in general function.

1. You should be on the general tab of the wireless adpaters properties and click on the configure button next to the name of the wireless adapter.

2. Click on the advance tab, (warning some of these setting can cause you to drain your laptop battery a lot quicker but it will improve performance.

3. First change your channel to 11 or the same as your wireless network. The default channel for most wireless networks is 6.

4. You can change you MAC address if want

5. If you want to reduce your power output you can. This will most often be done for security reasons to maks client positions so hackers can't attack them.

6. You will have some sort of powersave mode or performance standard to either save battery life or concentrate on the most performance

7. Roaming options of Maximizing Bandwidth or distance - If you are really close to an access point and are downloading music then you will want to maximize your band with. If you are not close to an access point then you will need to change it to distance.

These are just some of the advanced options for your wireless adapter. Many people don't even know they are there.

Don't let another minute go by with out visiting http://www.wirelessninja.com Sign up now for the most popular wireless networking newletter on the planet.

Cheap Ink Cartridge

Writen by Kevin Lynch

A cheap ink cartridge is sometimes the only way that people can afford to keep all of their printers ready for use. Internet email addresses are constantly loaded with a number of offers from various online merchants, but one such email that a consumer might not want to ignore is any one that offers a great deal on ink cartridges. Some of these deals can offer the consumer a substantial amount of savings on their ink cartridges for just about any printer. Buying a cheap ink cartridge is the perfect opportunity to have quality ink for your printer while enjoying savings that can be quite significant on a printer cartridge.

Deciding to purchase a discount ink cartridge does not mean that the ink will be of lesser quality than most consumers are used to. Cheap is a word that some people will associate with being of lesser quality and in doing so, those people are missing out on some exceptional opportunities to save money. A cheap in cartridge is not necessarily a recycled or generic ink cartridge either. Most cheap cartridges are simply brand name ink cartridges being sold to consumers at a discount that are available in many offices or computer supplies stores.

Before buying a cheap or discount ink cartridge, any consumer will want to make sure that they are, in fact, buying a brand name printer cartridge if that is important to them. Some printer cartridges that are advertised as cheap will be generic or something that is known as a universal printer cartridge ink kit. The universal ink kit comes with all color ink combinations a person will need for their printer cartridge as well as the needles that can be used to insert the ink into the empty ink cartridge. Some people complain that although the ink does work well in this particular type of cheap ink alternative the colors are not vibrant or crisp and sometimes even questionable.

Buying a cheap ink cartridge is sometimes the only way a business or private home can afford to keep all of their printers in working order. To locate the kind of deals one can take advantage of with a cheap ink cartridge, a quick search in your favorite search engine should yield many results and options.

About The Author: Kevin Lynch is the owner of nu Printer Ink website, which has tons of resources with a variety of information, news and more.

Large Format Color Scanners

Writen by Damian Sofsian

For almost all applications in which art or beauty is given primacy, the use of a color scanner is imperative. Digitalizing of portraits, indigenous textile designs, and large paintings call for the use of large format color scanners. The particular application in question may be best suited by color scanners of either flatbed-type or drum-type scanners. The choice of imaging technology between the traditional scanner using charge-coupled device (CCD) and the less expensive alternative using contact image sensors (CIS) should also be made judiciously.

When dealing with paintings and works of art, a CCD scanner is preferred so as to obtain best image quality, uniform color, and wide dynamic range. It is also ideal for scanning whole open books to obtain an image with little or no distortion. The geometric accuracy of this method is, however, inferior to that of CIS, and hence the latter are more suitable for scanning maps, engineering drawings, etc. The CIS scanner also has better resolving power since the scanned image is of the same size as the original. The resolution of the scanner is specified in dots per linear inch (dpi). The higher the resolution in dpi, the sharper is the scanned image. However, more resolution normally results in a larger image, requiring more memory for storage. The trade-off between the two depends on the use of the scanner. For example, official maps have to be scanned with much better resolution than the embroidery on a shawl. Large Format Scanners commonly available in the market have an optical resolution in the range of 150dpi to 800dpi, which would be sufficient for most general applications. The larger the scanned image, lesser is the enlargement involved, and lower is the resolution required. Highest resolution is desirable for scanning films.

Speed is another important criterion that influences our choice; speed is usually expressed in inches per second (ips) at a particular dpi. At a higher dpi, the speed will be less. For comparison, the speeds of all scanners are usually evaluated at 200dpi optical resolution, or at half the best optical resolution it provides. Most of the commonly available color scanners have speeds less than 300ips. Thickness of the media to be scanned is yet another factor to be considered when selecting the scanner type.

Large Format Scanners provides detailed information on Large Format Scanners, Large Format Color Scanners, Large Format Flatbed Scanners, Used Large Format Scanners and more. Large Format Scanners is affiliated with Home Theater Projector Screens.

An Introduction To Hddvd

Writen by Chuck Red

High density digital versatile disc is a digital optical media format which is being developed. HD DVD is similar to the competing Blu-ray Disc. It is currently in a format war with the Blu ray disc proposed by the Blu ray disc association.

HD DVD has a single layer capacity of 15GB and a double layer capacity of 30GB. The surface layer is 0.6mm thick which is the same thickness of surface layer as standard DVDs.

HD DVD media is less expensive to manufacture than Blu ray discs which require re-tooling of DVD production lines. Another advantage over Blu ray is the common disc structure with DVDs which therefore allows for full backwards compatibility of HD DVD drives which will be able to play both DVDs and CDs. However it is now likely that Blu ray drives will be backwards compatible with DVDs.

HD DVD provides the large capacity storage needed for all sorts of recorded content, including high definition movies and music as well as computer data and files.

There are two kinds of of HD DVD discs for content, the 15GB single layer disc and the dual-layer disc with double capacity, a full 30GB. Using the latest compression technologies, the 30Bg disc can store up to 7 hours of images. Today' DVD has a capacity of 4.7GB and store only 2 hours of standard definition content.

HD DVD discs have a data transfer rate of 36.55Mbps which allows the 24Mbps data stream of digital television broadcasts to be seamlessly recorded.

Using HD DVD in the every day world will have numerous advantage over other optical media technologies. The resilient HD DVD disc has a protective layer which removes the need for a protective cartridge, allowing the development of slim computer drives. The added bulk of a disc cartridge would have also caused any laptops using a cartridge based optical media disc to increase substantially in size to allow for the extra room the drive would need.

Chuck Red runs website on both Blu ray http://www.blueray-media.co.uk and HD DVD formats http://www.hddvd-media.co.uk/