Firstly, who will be building the machine? You, or a family member, or a computer store? I'm asking because prices will range significantly depending on who is building the machine.
What is it that you're doing? no need to build a powerhouse of a computer if you will only be using NotePad and casually browsing the internet. Why is Windows7 Pro a necessity? the Jaws license will cost you about $300 more than regular license. Window eyes license will not demand this outrageous additional cost. A 64-bit machine will allow for more ram to be used--up to 24 gigs. A 32-bit version of Windows 7 will only allow for 4 gigs of ram max. If you will be processing large audio or video files as is the case with a media center PC then you will want Windows 64-bit. If you want a good high-end sound card then expect to pay an additional $150+--at the very least. My motherboard came with an 8-channel sound card that seems to be doing the job for me. I use it with a 2.1 speaker system and it sounds great. You can install Office 2003 on your Windows 7 machine without a problem. Motherboards vary in cost from under $100 to $350+. You may also need to buy a new processor that will run with your current motherboard. A TV tuner card will cost you about $90+ for a good one. You can buy a remote control for about $15. If all this is a mystery to you then plan on spending the next couple of weeks doing your research, or get an experienced person to help you build the computer. In all honesty, unless that friend or family member is willing to be your go to tech support, you should buy an already assembled off the shelf Home Theatre PC. for what you want, I'm thinking you will probably be spending about $1000 for a low-end machine or up to $1700 for a nice almost top of the line home-built machine. An equivalent machine from Dell will cost you about $2400 to $3200 respectively. If I were you I'd jump on the newegg.com or amazon.com and look around because its black Friday today and there's lots of good deals on these items. Andre ----- Original Message ----- From: "Francis E. Khan" <[email protected]> To: "Blind Computing" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, November 26, 2010 10:21 AM Subject: [Blind-Computing] Advice on getting a new computer I have been advised to get a new computer to help me do what I am doing and wonder whether it would be better to build a machine instead of purchasing one from the brands that are now available. This is what I want. My computer should be equipped with Windows 7 professional and I am told that it should be a 64-bit setup. What is the difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit machine and what are the advantages of having either one. It should also have at least 4 GB of RAM and a fast enough processor. It should be equipped with a good sound card that can show up the music that I am listening to but I have no idea of choosing a sound card. At this point in time I am using Office 2003 professional which I can use pretty good but my nephew has sent me Office 2007 and I don't know anything about using the ribbon menus. What about the motherboard which I should purchase to get the best out of the package. One other thing: I have been told that some software is not available for 64-bit computers. The last thing I need to have is a TV card so that I can listen to programmes on television. I hope my message makes some sense and I look forward to all the advice you can give. Francis Khan For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/ For answers to frequently asked questions about this list visit: http://www.jaws-users.com/help/
