Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
At 12:00 AM 3/4/2008, you wrote: Date:Sun, 2 Mar 2008 15:58:43 -0500 From:Brian Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: USB cables Well, it does make a difference. With Ethernet, the faster the transfer rate, the more twists you must have in the cable (per foot) to minimize crosstalk. That is why you have different grades of Ethernet cable (5, 5E 6). And length is a factor as well. Typically, (but not always), higher data rates dictate shorter distances with a given technology. The problem is that the digital '1' and digital '0' do not travel at the same speed though the wire... over short distances it's not an issue, but over longer distances, or at higher frequencies, a '1 bit can catch up with the '0' ahead of it, thus corrupting both. Using higher quality cables (less resistance) can obtain for you a little more distance. Is this the 1st of April? I really need a reality check with this 1 bit catching up to a 0 bit. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
I didn't catch the first message from Mr. Jones, but it is completely wrong. Ethernet runs on a Carrier-Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CMSA-CD) scheme, and the problem with long cables is that the number of packet collisions starts to increase dramatically over about 100 meters. It has nothing to do with the speed of 1s and 0s traveling through the wire. See http://userpages.umbc.edu/~jack/ifsm498d/tcpip-intro.html for an introduction to the concepts of TCP/IP and packet switching, etc. This has nothing whatsoever to do with the problems of interference with USB cables, which carry serial data streams, not packets, and are subject to external electromagnetic interference. Mike Rich Schinnell wrote: At 12:00 AM 3/4/2008, you wrote: Date:Sun, 2 Mar 2008 15:58:43 -0500 From:Brian Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: USB cables Well, it does make a difference. With Ethernet, the faster the transfer rate, the more twists you must have in the cable (per foot) to minimize crosstalk. That is why you have different grades of Ethernet cable (5, 5E 6). And length is a factor as well. Typically, (but not always), higher data rates dictate shorter distances with a given technology. The problem is that the digital '1' and digital '0' do not travel at the same speed though the wire... over short distances it's not an issue, but over longer distances, or at higher frequencies, a '1 bit can catch up with the '0' ahead of it, thus corrupting both. Using higher quality cables (less resistance) can obtain for you a little more distance. Is this the 1st of April? I really need a reality check with this 1 bit catching up to a 0 bit. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] ebook readers
I'm thinking of giving an ebook reader to someone who loves reading books and takes Metro to work. I'm trying to choose between the Sony Reader, Amazon's Kindle, or waiting. Any experiences, concerns, or suggestions to share? TIA. -Andy * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
This has nothing whatsoever to do with the problems of interference with USB cables, which carry serial data streams, not packets, and are subject to external electromagnetic interference. I think you are mixing logical layer concepts (packets) with physical layer concepts (stream of bits). At the physical level, both Ethernet and USB are performing serial communication: that is, sending streams of bits. Both will be subject to electrical noise. Staying in the physical world, USB cables are surrounded by a metal shield. This is a costly, but very effective means to block electrical noise. Ethernet is not shielded so must rely on more sophisticated techniques. Ethernet signals are sent using a differential circuit (actually, several of them). A differential circuit uses a pair of wires and puts an opposite and equal signal across the pair. It depends on noise putting an equal signal across the pair. So a differential circuit looks only at the difference between each wire of the pair, thus it is able to ignore the noise. I think Ethernet twists per foot has more to do with crosstalk than noise rejection. I will leave that to someone else to look up. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Computer Guys Whopper Contest
Is this the 1st of April? I really need a reality check with this 1 bit catching up to a 0 bit. April 1st is only a few weeks away. This is a special time for the Computer Guys as the first broadcast was on a first week of April and Tom was sacked for not signing a vow of silence just before an April show. So... Computer Guys Whopper Contest - 1) Reply to this email thread so all Whoppers are archived under one thread. Only Whoppers in this thread at mail-archive.com will be judged. 2) Whopper must relate to computers, technology, or the Computer Guys. 3) Whopper must be false. If any list member can prove a Whopper is true, it will probably be disqualified. 4) Contest is open to all members of the Computer Guys List, their spouses, siblings, near relations, and the people next door. 5) Whoppers do not have to be original. 6) Contest ends midnight April 1, 2008 or thereabouts. 7) Tom is the sole judge. Anyone may kibitz. All decisions are final. Tom may change any rule at any time and abandon all good sense if he so desires. 8) First prize: A brand new and out of date Computer Guys mouse pad will be mailed to the first prize winner. 9) Second prize: Two brand new and out of date Computer Guys mouse pads will be mailed to the second prize winner. 10) Winning Whoppers will be posted on cguys.org for all to admire. Whoppers may be edited for good taste, good spellin, or other unspecified reasons. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] ebook readers
I played for a few minutes with the Sony at Borders. I think it was not as good as reading long articles on my Palm. Turning pages on the Sony was annoying because it was too slow. The Palm was faster and scrolling was more convenient than turning pages. My bet is that the iPhone and similar products will make both Sony and Kindle obsolete. I'm thinking of giving an ebook reader to someone who loves reading books and takes Metro to work. I'm trying to choose between the Sony Reader, Amazon's Kindle, or waiting. Any experiences, concerns, or suggestions to share? TIA. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
Easy answer all LCD TV's sold commercially are Digital. It might be HD. Lots of numbers will be thrown out but I believe that true HD is 1080. Look for a HD symbol on it somewhere. Stewart At 10:21 AM 3/4/2008, you wrote: trying to sort out the new (to me) TV definitions/specs etc. are all LCD high def? HDTV? are they all digital (capable of receiving digital transmissions). should i be confused? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * Rev. Stewart A. Marshall mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org Ozark, AL SL 82 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] LCD TVs
trying to sort out the new (to me) TV definitions/specs etc. are all LCD high def? HDTV? are they all digital (capable of receiving digital transmissions). should i be confused? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
If you are confused, you are not alone. For the primer, try the official website: http://www.dtv.gov/ Other, more direct answers will arrive from the list soon. Richard P. trying to sort out the new (to me) TV definitions/specs etc. are all LCD high def? HDTV? are they all digital (capable of receiving digital transmissions). should i be confused? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
this is where most of the avs geeks live: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/index.php if it don't say hd, it ain't. besides that, I think 720i(integrated) qualifies as hd. then there is 720p and 1080i p. integrated means the gun paints every other line, then goes back and paints the in betweens. p(forgot what it'scalled) throws all 720 or 1080 down each pass. i think almost all of them now come with the ability to receive and play HD broadcasts, but do not presume. I think most broadcasts and cable is 720, not 1080. bluray is 1080, i think. my wife's new camcorder is 1080. now adays, 1080p is readily available and not for much extra. samsung(and maybe others by now sell a dlp led. it is not thin. not too thick. has better contrast and brightness than an lcd. lot cheaper also. I think the buy.com deals on samsung probably come direct from samsung. you can go to bestbuy or circuitcity to see and compare the various units. I see that this week's special on samsung is $1150 delivered for the 56. or the 61 with a stand is 1629 delivered. that is a deal also, if you need a stand. will have new specials in a week or so. for the long of it, go to wikipedia.org At 11:21 AM 3/4/2008, you wrote: trying to sort out the new (to me) TV definitions/specs etc. are all LCD high def? HDTV? are they all digital (capable of receiving digital transmissions). should i be confused? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
should i be confused? YES! The DTV Shoppers Guide page at dtv.gov will give you a start at sorting things out. The formatting is terrible, but someone did a lot of work to pull facts together. It does leave out some important details. Like... A progressive image is about 30% sharper than an interlaced image of the same resolution. Nobody is broadcasting at 1080p and maybe never will. This is because stations would rather use the extra bandwith for an additional channel. For the same reason, many current broadcasts are not even 1080i. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
- Original Message - From: Mike Sloane [EMAIL PROTECTED] I didn't catch the first message from Mr. Jones, but it is completely wrong. Hmm... this is the problem with a forum where we have experts and novices in various areas examining the same issue. When I try to simplify a response to Cable Quality makes no difference, I get assaulted with suedo-technical details. The short answer is... cable quality DOES make a differnence. The long version from Adaptec comes from the design of SCSI U320 cables and can be seen at and partially reproduced below: http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/products/cables/_education/cables_u320.htm Adaptec's primary concern is the reflection of the wave when it reaches the end of a cable at higher frequencies. (And yes, I agree, Monster Cables for your home stereo is wasted money!) I have been unable to find supporting links to show that the higher voltage digital '1' travels faster than the lower voltage digital '0' through copper wire. Characteristic impedance Characteristic impedance is the combined effect of resistance, conductance, inductance and capacitance in a transmission line. The characteristic impedance of cables must match the impedance of the transmitting and receiving circuits. Otherwise, reflections will occur, causing signal loss and distortion. Effects on impedance Impedance is affected by conductor size, insulation material, insulation thickness, shield proximity and frequency. Capacitance Capacitance is the property of an electric circuit that opposes any change in voltage. Capacitance distorts the signal as it passes through the transmission line. The lowest possible capacitance is preferred. Capacitance is frequency dependent. Effects on capacitance Many variables in the cable design affect capacitance including insulation materials and thickness. Dielectric The dielectric is the material between conductors in a cable. A dielectric material is a substance that is a poor conductor of electricity, but an efficient supporter of electrostatic fields, property that is useful in capacitors. An important property of a dielectric is its ability to support an electrostatic field while dissipating minimal energy in the form of heat. The lower the dielectric loss (the proportion of energy lost as heat), the more effective a dielectric material. And changes in the dielectric constant of the insulating material will affect the cable characteristics. Inductance Inductance is the property of an electric circuit that opposes current. The lowest possible inductance is preferred and any conductor possesses this property with a current flowing through it. Inductance distorts the signal as it passes through the transmission line. Inductance is frequency dependent. Effects on inductance Inductance is affected by many variables in cable design, chief among them conductor size, insulation thickness and shield proximity. Inductor An inductor is a passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of a magnetic field. Cables are examples of straight wire inductors with low inductive characteristics. Resistance Resistance is the opposition to the flow of current in an electric circuit. All metallic conductors have resistance, and the lowest possible resistance is desired. Resistance wastes transmission line energy in the form of heat. Skin effect also affects resistance. At higher frequencies, skin effect increases, causing the signal to concentrate at the outer edge of the conductor. Effects on resistance Many variables in cable design affect resistance, including conductor size, conductor material, plating material, temperature, and length impact resistance. Attenuation or insertion loss Attenuation, usually measured in dB/ft, is a natural consequence of signal transmission over long distances. It causes the signal to shrink or shorten in amplitude, where the wasted signal is lost in the form of heat or reflections. Attenuation occurs with any type of signal. The lowest possible attenuation is preferred. Effects on attenuation Attenuation is affected by conductor size, conductor/plating material, insulation material, impedance, and frequency. Crosstalk Crosstalk is the effect of a signal traveling in one cable component on the signal of another cable component. It is a major contributor to noise for cables. Noise from the signals will affect other signals, producing skew the difference between two signals at the same location. Crosstalk is a disturbance caused by the electric or magnetic fields of one signal on another. The phenomenon that causes crosstalk is called electromagnetic interference (EMI). Effects on crosstalk Cable characteristics such as conductor type, twisting, shielding and frequency affect crosstalk. Attenuation to crosstalk Ratio Attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio (ACR) is the difference, measured in decibels, between the signal attenuation produced by a wire or
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
This is where I ran into a problem with a very poor picture. If you supply your HD LCD TV with a standard non HD signal the tuner inside has to up-convert to the native resolution of the TV(720p,1080i,1080p). Better tuners do a better job of up-converting, but I have yet to find a source that will tell me who is using high quality tuners to do this. This all started at Christmas, I was going to replace my wifes trusty 13inch CRT with a space saving 19 LCD($400 from Toshiba), Christmas morning with baited breath I anxiously hooked up. But to my dismay the picture was fuzzy. I tried it on Comcast's digital tuner box, but then realized that the output was Analog Channel 3(to get a digital signal I will have to pay more per month for the better box that outputs a digital signal.) Isn't it wonderful that the government is pushing this High Def junk forgetting about all of the old TV's out there. Very disheartened I returned it to Circuit City, and have been looking ever since for a non HD LCD set of a 19 size that will work and be relatively inexpensive. I am thinking of getting the Samsung 19 720P LCD HDTV(~$400), but am unsure if it will give good results with a non Highdef signal. Any advice would be appreciated. Mike Tom Piwowar wrote: should i be confused? YES! The DTV Shoppers Guide page at dtv.gov will give you a start at sorting things out. The formatting is terrible, but someone did a lot of work to pull facts together. It does leave out some important details. Like... A progressive image is about 30% sharper than an interlaced image of the same resolution. Nobody is broadcasting at 1080p and maybe never will. This is because stations would rather use the extra bandwith for an additional channel. For the same reason, many current broadcasts are not even 1080i. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
At 01:02 PM 3/4/2008, you wrote: From:Brian Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: USB cables MIME-Version: 1.0 I have been unable to find supporting links to show that the higher voltage digital '1' travels faster than the lower voltage digital '0' through copper wire. Kinda confirming my prior post. Why do I feel like I am in the spin room after a political debate? And is it really the 1st of April??? Rich * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TV
the $100 dvd upconverter boxes are amazing. the tech GuRu at the WSJ said he could not tell the difference between regular dvd up converted(to 1080p), and bluray. from comcast, you have to rent the box and pay for hd content. I am not certain but what you do not have to pay extra to get channels 200 to 275, which is where most of the hd content is placed. channel 3-26 frequently are not hd, but the same program is on 200-275 in hd. not a lot is in hd. to get hd on sports, frequently they have to run at about 5 frames per second as they do not have enough light. bonkiety bonkiety bonk. stop motion. most of the TV hd is in 1 or 2.0 sound.(one source or 2). even rock concerts are single channel, or stereo at best. the best productions that I have seen on a regular basis is NASCAR, it's worth watching nascar to see what can be done. they have cameras everywhere except the rest rooms. from cars fwd, backward, and on the rite hand side of the car, photoing the driver. there must be at least 50 active cameras. they broadcast in 5.1(2 main, 2 side, i center, and wulfer). if you can suck in the channels with an antenna, you can get hd for free. the upconvert of standard to hd on my samsung sucks(for lack of a better word) At 01:58 PM 3/4/2008, you wrote: This is where I ran into a problem with a very poor picture. If you supply your HD LCD TV with a standard non HD signal the tuner inside has to up-convert to the native resolution of the TV(720p,1080i,1080p). Better tuners do a better job of up-converting, but I have yet to find a source that will tell me who is using high quality tuners to do this. This all started at Christmas, I was going to replace my wifes trusty 13inch CRT with a space saving 19 LCD($400 from Toshiba), Christmas morning with baited breath I anxiously hooked up. But to my dismay the picture was fuzzy. I tried it on Comcast's digital tuner box, but then realized that the output was Analog Channel 3(to get a digital signal I will have to pay more per month for the better box that outputs a digital signal.) Isn't it wonderful that the government is pushing this High Def junk forgetting about all of the old TV's out there. Very disheartened I returned it to Circuit City, and have been looking ever since for a non HD LCD set of a 19 size that will work and be relatively inexpensive. I am thinking of getting the Samsung 19 720P LCD HDTV(~$400), but am unsure if it will give good results with a non Highdef signal. Any advice would be appreciated. Mike Tom Piwowar wrote: should i be confused? YES! The DTV Shoppers Guide page at dtv.gov will give you a start at sorting things out. The formatting is terrible, but someone did a lot of work to pull facts together. It does leave out some important details. Like... A progressive image is about 30% sharper than an interlaced image of the same resolution. Nobody is broadcasting at 1080p and maybe never will. This is because stations would rather use the extra bandwith for an additional channel. For the same reason, many current broadcasts are not even 1080i. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] ebook readers
Tom Piwowar I played for a few minutes with the Sony at Borders. I think it was not as good as reading long articles on my Palm. Turning pages on the Sony was annoying because it was too slow. The Palm was faster and scrolling was more convenient than turning pages. My bet is that the iPhone and similar products will make both Sony and Kindle obsolete. Note: I've seen one once (this past Saturday for a couple of minutes, the woman pretty raved about it, I don't own one myself) From everything I've heard/read, the Kindle has the Sony beat hands down. There's a better selection of books, it connect wirelessly, etc. The bad parts are that not all books are available (I went looking for some on amazon.com and could only find a few tech books), Phyllis said that she tried the Washington Post and it was missing most of the Metro section. I was interested in using this to replace the physical paper (I don't get it now), the part I was most interested in was getting the regional sections. Both the Sony and Kindle use similiar ePaper, the Kindle is supposed to be a little faster but that could be a desire on the owners part. There are gazillions of reviews on amazon.com. Amazon.com doesn't seem to exert any editorial control over it (surprises me, I'm glad, but it's still a bit surprising). -- Take care | This clown speaks for himself, his job doesn't Wayne D. | supply this, at least not directly Recursive, adj. - see Recursive. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer Guys Whopper Contest
Quoting Tom Piwowar [EMAIL PROTECTED]: 8) First prize: A brand new and out of date Computer Guys mouse pad will be mailed to the first prize winner. My mouse is currently ashamed to be rolling around on a Computer Guys mouse pad. It's from when Kojo took over the show and they stopped calling it Public Interest. It originally said The Computer Guys First Tuesday of every month at 1 p.m. on Public Interest with Kojo Nnamdi The Sharpied in a 2 to make the time 12:00 and scratched out with and wrote in The and Show so it reads The Kojo Nnamdi Show. It's very classy. Katan * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer Guys Whopper Contest
I recently went back to work where I last worked seven years ago and my computer guys mouse pad was still in use. The picture is peeling up a bit but it is other wise in good condition. It had moved about a foot and a half- under it's own power I suspect. On Tue, Mar 4, 2008 at 5:08 PM, Reid Katan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Quoting Tom Piwowar [EMAIL PROTECTED]: 8) First prize: A brand new and out of date Computer Guys mouse pad will be mailed to the first prize winner. My mouse is currently ashamed to be rolling around on a Computer Guys mouse pad. It's from when Kojo took over the show and they stopped calling it Public Interest. It originally said The Computer Guys First Tuesday of every month at 1 p.m. on Public Interest with Kojo Nnamdi The Sharpied in a 2 to make the time 12:00 and scratched out with and wrote in The and Show so it reads The Kojo Nnamdi Show. It's very classy. Katan * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * -- John Duncan Yoyo ---o) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer Guys Whopper Contest
Ok ...I don't use a mouse, so waddoIget?? Well I should hope not! Do you think I would relish the thought of you running a mouse over my face all day long? I thought it would go without saying that you prize is suitable for framing. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
Whoa hoss. The government is pushing digital only. Everyone else is pushing HD. Big difference. I presently have a Viewsonic 32 in LCD TV, and everything is perfect. great clear signal and it looks great. It is hooked directly to the cable no box no nothing, and believe me, our cable system is NOT top notch. Stewart At 12:58 PM 3/4/2008, you wrote: Isn't it wonderful that the government is pushing this High Def junk forgetting about all of the old TV's out there. Very disheartened I returned it to Circuit City, and have been looking ever since for a non HD LCD set of a 19 size that will work and be relatively inexpensive. I am thinking of getting the Samsung 19 720P LCD HDTV(~$400), but am unsure if it will give good results with a non Highdef signal. Any advice would be appreciated. Mike Rev. Stewart A. Marshall mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Prince of Peace Ozark, AL SL 82 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer Guys Whopper Contest
It's from when Kojo took over the show and they stopped calling it Public Interest. It originally said The Computer Guys First Tuesday of every month at 1 p.m. on Public Interest with Kojo Nnamdi The Sharpied in a 2 to make the time 12:00 and scratched out with and wrote in The and Show so it reads The Kojo Nnamdi Show. Do you know that they had a poor soul working for hours and hours with a Sharpie making those edits and they refused to distrubute any mousepads that had not been so edited? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
I have been unable to find supporting links to show that the higher voltage digital '1' travels faster than the lower voltage digital '0' through copper wire. Of course you haven't. Everybody should know that the zeros travel faster than ones because they are lighter. It is just common sense. :) Seriously, you should Google on intersymbol interference. What happens when a digital signal (a square wave) travels down a wire is that the sharp corners get rounded. This rounding is not symmetrical. The back of the pulse drops off quickly, but the front of the pulse has a gentler decline. So it looks like the holes (the zeros) are being filled in by the front of the one pulse. So it looks like the one is catching up with the zero. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] LCD TVs
Very disheartened I returned it to Circuit City, and have been looking ever since for a non HD LCD set of a 19 size that will work and be relatively inexpensive. I am thinking of getting the Samsung 19 720P LCD HDTV(~$400), but am unsure if it will give good results with a non Highdef signal. Good question. How good is the display's digital signal processing? Analogously, in the early days of computer LCDs you had to run your video at exactly the LCD's resolution. If you tried a different resolution, you had a blurry mess. Today, even inexpensive computer LCDs are not so bad when run at the wrong resolution. To see that it can be even more confusing, check out this blog: www.translation-please.com/column.cfm?columnid=204 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] USB cables
Hmm... this is the problem with a forum where we have experts and novices in various areas examining the same issue. When I try to simplify a response to Cable Quality makes no difference, I get assaulted with suedo-technical details. Suedo-technical means facts that don't agree with what you are pushing? The short answer is... cable quality DOES make a differnence. Too short. Add in some cases and is just a waste of money in other cases. The long version from Adaptec comes from the design of SCSI U320 cables and can be seen at and partially reproduced below: http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/products/cables/_education/cables_u320.htm Ultra SCSI is not a good example to generalize from. Physically very different from a USB cable. Ultra SCSI uses a ribbon cable. There are no shields and there are no twists. Designs based on ribbon cables have to try all sorts of tricks to make up for ribbon cable problems. For example a ribbon cable may alternate a grounded wire with every wire that actually does something, thus creating a semi-shield over half the wire and also reducing crosstalk. The problems with this type of cable is why recent cable systems have given up parallel for serial: SATA, SAS, FireWire, USB, etc. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] More memory needed?
In a recent post on this listserv, I asked about increasing memory on an old computer that my high school daughter was using. That computer was: Dell Optiplex GX240 1700 MHz. Pentium 4; 3/256 KB memory cache Bus 100 MHz. The consensus was that the computer was too old to try to upgrade memory. Now, my middle-aged daughter gave her old computer to my youngest daughter to replace the older Dell computer. This computer was built locally at my specification about 4 years ago. The info on this computer is (obtained from BelArc Advisor): Win XP Pro SP2 2.15 GHz. AMD Athlon XP processor ASUSTeK A7N8X-E Rev. 2.xx motherboard Bus 166 Mhz. The computer has 512 MB DIMM memory in one slot, two additional slots free. (1) Is it advisable to add memory to speed up this computer? (2) Where is a good place to buy cheap memory? Most memory places ask for brand name to select memory, but I have only motherboard info. Is this info sufficient? (3) The motherboard on bootup displays first a BIOS-like menu, followed by a graphic display with a female voice saying that something like all systems are checked and found to be working. The graphic splash display includes a mention that the motherboard works at 400 MHz. This contradicts the information from BelArc Advisor that the bus is 166 MHz. Is there something set wrong in the BIOS? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] More memory needed?
Robert Go to www.crucial.com. Digit your motherboard and they will tell the memmory you need. No problem. Good people. Marcio (No business connection) At 23:48 4/3/2008, you wrote: In a recent post on this listserv, I asked about increasing memory on an old computer that my high school daughter was using. That computer was: Dell Optiplex GX240 1700 MHz. Pentium 4; 3/256 KB memory cache Bus 100 MHz. The consensus was that the computer was too old to try to upgrade memory. Now, my middle-aged daughter gave her old computer to my youngest daughter to replace the older Dell computer. This computer was built locally at my specification about 4 years ago. The info on this computer is (obtained from BelArc Advisor): Win XP Pro SP2 2.15 GHz. AMD Athlon XP processor ASUSTeK A7N8X-E Rev. 2.xx motherboard Bus 166 Mhz. The computer has 512 MB DIMM memory in one slot, two additional slots free. (1) Is it advisable to add memory to speed up this computer? (2) Where is a good place to buy cheap memory? Most memory places ask for brand name to select memory, but I have only motherboard info. Is this info sufficient? (3) The motherboard on bootup displays first a BIOS-like menu, followed by a graphic display with a female voice saying that something like all systems are checked and found to be working. The graphic splash display includes a mention that the motherboard works at 400 MHz. This contradicts the information from BelArc Advisor that the bus is 166 MHz. Is there something set wrong in the BIOS? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] new life circumstances
For someone who is getting separated and who rather spend money on computer equipment than TV equipment (and has access to his old residence in a very friendly arrangement) Who has experience with the OSD device for snatching video? Any experience with tuner cards should a live tv feed be desirable? Checkout One Laptop Per Child project laptop.org * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
