Random Technology Questions

[xI Jakk Ix]

Why are some motherboards so expensive? Things like the Maximus that tend to be red and black are like £250.

[ThirstyHyena]

 

It will be enough for never games. it wasn't a good deal though, HD7770 is a better option in that price range. It's far more power efficient.

Oh ok, wasn't aware of that, but I don't think there's any diffrence for me because I have XFX 550W.

[yoječ]

@ThirstyHyena: it won't make any difference to the PSU, but still - HD7770 is far better in that aspect, if you use your PC ti might even affect your electricity bills (again: not by a huge margin, but anyway).

 

@xI Jakk Ix: For many reasons, mostly because they're designed for overclockers, so, for example, they have more VRMS and better cooling. Most people don't need that expensive mobos, actually the Maximus could be utilised to its full potential probably only by extreme overclocking, using LN2 or dry ice for cooling the CPU.

[sivispacem]

@xI Jakk Ix: For many reasons, mostly because they're designed for overclockers, so, for example, they have more VRMS and better cooling. Most people don't need that expensive mobos, actually the Maximus could be utilised to its full potential probably only by extreme overclocking, using LN2 or dry ice for cooling the CPU.

This, basically. Also, they tend to make use of higher-quality parts and tighter tolerances in their construction, which is another reason they're so much more expensive. Well, I say "so much" more expensive but the price difference between a mid-spec, say, AM3+ motherboard and something like a Crosshair V Formula isn't actually that great.

[AndyGanteks]

Eh, so my PC made an extremely loud sound when i turned it on this morning, it stayed the same after i logged in, after about 10 minutes of work on desktop it was still the same though everything functioned normally, i was genuinely scared. The sound was like of a vacuum cleaner or a jet plane or so. It didn't get warm at all either these 15-20 mins, so i don't think it's the fan.

 

After i shut it down, and turned it on back 15-ish mins later, it was all good and normal, but what was the cause of it, i don't recall this happening before.

[Finn 7 five 11]

 

Eh, so my PC made an extremely loud sound when i turned it on this morning, it stayed the same after i logged in, after about 10 minutes of work on desktop it was still the same though everything functioned normally, i was genuinely scared. The sound was like of a vacuum cleaner or a jet plane or so. It didn't get warm at all either these 15-20 mins, so i don't think it's the fan.

 

After i shut it down, and turned it on back 15-ish mins later, it was all good and normal, but what was the cause of it, i don't recall this happening before.

If your temps didn't go up, well it sounds like a fan malfunction, it could be just spinning at super-speed for some reason or it is slightly loose and causes noise.

If it doesn't happen again don't worry about it, if it does happen, more regularly especially i would locate the source of the noise, open the case up and start up the PC and listen to which fan sounds like the source of the nouse could be a case fan, or more likely PSU/CPU fan.

Edited August 20, 2012 by finn4life

[mr quick]

Will this pc run gta IV OR max payne?

 

HP Elitebook 8470P 15,4" (PC alternativ 3)

 

Intel Core i5-3210M prosessor

4GB memory

320GB harddisk

Intel HD Graphics

 

The information is just snatched from the school site

Edited August 20, 2012 by jaysteels

[yoječ]

If it doesn't have any dedicated GPU (just Intel HD), I wouldn't bother running any games.

[Rebel]

Hopefully I'll get an answer with this. Anyway a couple of days ago I got a new LG Smart TV/3D. Everything is cool, we finally got our dongle for internet Smart TV. Anyway, it keeps telling me that if I use SmartShare or whatever the f*ck LG call it, I can steam sh*t from my PC to the TV itself? All of that sounds great. So I downloaded that thing from LG's website (although f*cking impossible to find) I install it, add things I want to watch on the TV and when I go back to the TV and ask to connect my PC it tells me no PC device is even connected to the same router. This is bullsh*t. Am I missing some steps here (would not surprise me since LG are sh*tty at trying to explain anything, or even give you information) My PC is connected via a wire to the router. My TV is connected via the wireless dongle (I presume this doesn't matter) So basically, I want this steaming thing to work from my PC to my TV but LG are lying to me right now since its not working.

 

Anybody have the slightest clue in how to solve this issue?

[Wolf68k]

If you're using Windows 7 you don't really need that software.

You need to make sure that 7 sees the TV as a device first. Then go into Windows Media Player and make sure streaming is enabled.

In WMP 12 under Stream->"Automatically allow devices to play my media" (checked)

Then under the same menu select "More streaming options" again make sure your TV is listed and set for allowed. Select it and click on Customize. The default settings should work just fine.

If need be on the More Streaming Options page click on "Choose homegroup and sharing options" and then "Change advanced sharing options..."

Under Home or Work: Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing. Public folder sharing can be off.

Under Public you want the first 3 off, the last 2 on (128-bit encryption and password protection).

 

I don't know about with the LG but with my Samsung my Win7 computers get listed as a device to switch to, under the same listing as my Blu-ray player and antenna and so on.

But you should also be able to right-click on a file and see a new options "Play on" (the TV must be on as well) with a sub-menu listing your TV. When you select that a mini player should come up and on your TV it should switch to your PC and start playing. Start with something small and easy that every TV should handle, a JPG image or an MP3, then move on to videos.

In theory whatever you have in your WMP's library's should show up on your TV if you can select it as a device on the TV and you can pick and choose what to watch that way.

 

There might be something else you need to do with in the TV's settings to enable it. Read the manual for it.

Speaking of settings; when you installed the dongle you did go into the settings on the TV and configure it to work with your network and you did test it, right. Since you said it's a SmartTV that usually means it is internet enabled and has apps like Netflix and HULU and things like that on there. Did you test any of those to make sure you were connected to the internet?

I'm guessing the dongle you got is for Wifi. If the TV has an ethernet port you could try just running a cable to it.

 

FYI the general term for this is called DLNA.

[Rebel]

If you're using Windows 7 you don't really need that software.

You need to make sure that 7 sees the TV as a device first. Then go into Windows Media Player and make sure streaming is enabled.

In WMP 12 under Stream->"Automatically allow devices to play my media" (checked)

Then under the same menu select "More streaming options" again make sure your TV is listed and set for allowed. Select it and click on Customize. The default settings should work just fine.

If need be on the More Streaming Options page click on "Choose homegroup and sharing options" and then "Change advanced sharing options..."

Under Home or Work: Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing. Public folder sharing can be off.

Under Public you want the first 3 off, the last 2 on (128-bit encryption and password protection).

 

I don't know about with the LG but with my Samsung my Win7 computers get listed as a device to switch to, under the same listing as my Blu-ray player and antenna and so on.

But you should also be able to right-click on a file and see a new options "Play on" (the TV must be on as well) with a sub-menu listing your TV. When you select that a mini player should come up and on your TV it should switch to your PC and start playing. Start with something small and easy that every TV should handle, a JPG image or an MP3, then move on to videos.

In theory whatever you have in your WMP's library's should show up on your TV if you can select it as a device on the TV and you can pick and choose what to watch that way.

 

There might be something else you need to do with in the TV's settings to enable it. Read the manual for it.

Speaking of settings; when you installed the dongle you did go into the settings on the TV and configure it to work with your network and you did test it, right. Since you said it's a SmartTV that usually means it is internet enabled and has apps like Netflix and HULU and things like that on there. Did you test any of those to make sure you were connected to the internet?

I'm guessing the dongle you got is for Wifi. If the TV has an ethernet port you could try just running a cable to it.

 

FYI the general term for this is called DLNA.

Apparently Windows Media Player works fine :S I had tried it already, but I'd ran a test on the TV itself to see if the PC had connected to it and it had told me it hadn't so I basically was naive to believe the TV. I left my PC on with the media player up still and some of the movies on there with sharing on. I was still messing around with the apps and sh*t within the TV and noticed that my TV could actually stream the stuff from my PC anyway...kind of lame that I didn't realise/LG doesn't tell you this.

 

As for the dongle it was pretty straight forward, plug in, check for new firmware - download, run the initilization of Smart TV stuff and presto it works. All very strange that the manuals they give tell you generally f*ck all. Same with the LG website really, full of no information.

 

Everything seems to be running fine through Media player now which is great and I can live with that.

 

I do have a couple of gripes though, BBC Iplayer seems to re buffer itself every 2-5 minutes. Is that just because its on a wireless config right now? (I do have 1.5mb speeds, but Iplayer never buffers itself continuously on the PC's or laptops in the house)

 

Kind of sucks that the internet on the LG TV (although amazing) I was trying to watch a couple movies from a website I use on my PC and all I kept getting was pop up ads which I guess you cant disable through the TV? Not to mention, all of those ads were basically stopping me from actually playing the steam itself from that website.

[Wolf68k]

What I meant was that the dongle sounds like it's a Wifi adapter so the TV can connect to your home network. That could be part of your problem with the video rebuffering.

Check the back of the TV for an ethernet port and run a cable to see if that works any better.

 

I can't tell you want to do about the ads. You also didn't mention which app you were getting the ads with. If it's YT that might be because those have ads normally, as does some other online streaming services like YT. There are some services like Crackle that have ads during the show that come up about ever 10mins or so, that's the price you pay for free.

[xI Jakk Ix]

I've decided to get the GTX 670. I don't know which vendor to get the card from though. I was going for the EVGA GTX 670 FTW but seeing as it only has one fan I can only assume it will be loud and hotter than the Palit Jetstream 670, which has two proper cooling fans. Here is the page with all the options I have on - http://www.scan.co.uk/shop/computer-hardwa...-gtx-670-pci-ev. Both the 670's I have mentioned seem to have the same clock speeds.

[yoječ]

Reference design GTX670 will not be very loud nor hot, though non-reference card tend to be quieter and cooler.

 

Personally, I'd go for Gigabyte card with triple fan.

[pauliux2]

I just wanted to ask, what's the best antivirus? I bet my computer is virused as hell, but i cant find a good antivirus that would actually delete viruses after it finds them....

[Rebel]

I just use Avast, its free and I've never had any issues with it after having it a couple of years now. I wouldn't buy an actual antivirus though since they are usually a rip off and actually slow your PC down.

 

I have a question myself.

 

I have Windows 7, and I've noticed the last 2 times I've turned my PC on its just stuck at the login page - You know where it shows your account name/picture before the desktop. Well the thing is, I never ever used to have that come up, and when I would turn my PC on it would automatically go to the desktop. I'm really not at grips with Win 7's control panel so I'm wondering if any of you guys know how to just get onto the desktop without that stupid Welcome login part. I've not got any password btw.

[xI Jakk Ix]

You could try going into User Settings in the Control Panel to see if there's any options related to that.

I also have my own rather large question. This is the setup I am going for to build my new PC:

 

Intel i5 3570k Ivy Bridge 3.4GHz 6MB cache

 

Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H Intel Z77 Socket 1155 Ivybridge Ready Motherboard

 

Corsair Vengeance Black 4GB DDR3 1600MHz Memory Stick (x1)

 

24x DVD-RW Writer Sony AD-5280S-0B

 

Hitachi Deskstar 500GB SATA 6 GB/s Hard Drive

 

Coolermaster Elite 430 Black Case with side and rear mounted fans

 

OCZ ZS Series 650W PSU 80 Plus Bronze

 

Edimax EW-7612PIn 300Mbps Wireless 802.11 b/g/n PCI Express Adapter

 

This may seem like a big ask but would someone mind clicking on those links and making sure everything is compatible? This is the first PC I've ever built so I want to make sure I've got all the parts right.

[Ryan]

Yeah, everything is compatible. I've got three comments.

 

First, the case has a side window. Do you really want to look inside and see that hideous blue motherboard? If not, get a different motherboard, or one without a side window.

 

Second, no video card. There's onboard video, but if you're going to be doing any gaming at all, you're going to need something better.

 

Third, I'd swap the power supply for a Corsair, Seasonic or XFX. OCZ PSU's are garbage.

[xI Jakk Ix]

Lol I don't mind looking at the ugly motherboard, I won't be looking that often. I intend to get a GTX 670 later on, so that should do fine for gaming. And I will have a look for one of those Power Supplies then

[yoječ]

Third, I'd swap the power supply for a Corsair, Seasonic or XFX. OCZ PSU's are garbage.

And you're saying that because...? There is absolutely nothing wrong with this PSU, check out the reviews.

 

Personally, I'd go for OCZ ZT 550W, which is just a tad more expensive, while it's just as powerful as ZS650 (despite what name might suggest), and modular too.

[xI Jakk Ix]

Yea I'm definitely going for a modular PSU. Will a Corsai Enthusiast TX650M do?

[Los Santos Pedestrian]

I'm planning on taking out my graphics card and RAM cards from the computer that I currently use and put them into my parents' computer to save money. That computer's processor is more powerful than mine, but unfortunately incompatible. I'm doing this because finding one that is compatible with the one I have is going to be a nightmare.

 

Anyway, my question is, should I upgrade it to Windows 7 or keep the XP it already has?

[Ryan]

Third, I'd swap the power supply for a Corsair, Seasonic or XFX. OCZ PSU's are garbage.

And you're saying that because...? There is absolutely nothing wrong with this PSU, check out the reviews.

 

Personally, I'd go for OCZ ZT 550W, which is just a tad more expensive, while it's just as powerful as ZS650 (despite what name might suggest), and modular too.

You're going to find a heck of a lot more negative reviews on OCZ PSU's than on others like Corsair, Seasonic, XFX, Antec, Silverstone, ect.. Sure, he might buy it and it might work fine, but it might not either. It's just my opinion, but considering a bad PSU can kill your whole system, I'd much sooner have the peace of mind knowing I have a PSU from a company with a good reputation that one from one with a mediocre one.

 

I've seen you do this a bunch of times now and I have to ask. Why do you always get right defensive whenever anyone suggests a brand different than one you'd recommend?

 

@xI Jakk Ix: A Corsair TX650M would be a great choice I think.

[yoječ]

 

I've seen you do this a bunch of times now and I have to ask. Why do you always get right defensive whenever anyone suggests a brand different than one you'd recommend?

I'm just asking because I think it's rather unfair treating the brand as a whole, when some companies (like OCZ) use many different manufacturers for their PSUs, like Great Wall, Sirfa/Sirtec, FSP, etc... so, quality might not be consistent. I haven't seen any reports of ZS/ZT PSUs being exceptionally defective, that's all. And I don't mean to sound like I know better than you, I'm just expressing my opinion - that's what forums are for.

 

Anyway, TX650M is definitely okay. What might be even better is the new XFX XXX 650W (dunno if it's available in the UK), which is essentially a modular Core 650W.

Edited August 23, 2012 by yojo2

[sivispacem]

I know it's subjective, personal experience, but I've had capacitor failures with a total of three OCZ-made/owned PSUs in the last 8 or so years. Two 600w GameXtremes and a PC Power and Cooling Silencer 750 Quad. Never had issues with the Seasonic PSU I had before it, which lasted more than four years, and doubt I will have any issues with my 7-year-warrantied Corsair.

[OverTheBelow]

I can also vouch and agree that OCZ PSU's are a brand I'd stay away from. My current PSU, which is an OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W, whines under load when I set the vcore any higher than 1.35v LLC. So I've pretty much hit the ceiling of my overclock unless I want to go batsh*t crazy due to the constant whining component. It's been like this ever since I first started overclocking above 4ghz and I don't really fancy shelling out £70 on a new supply at this time.

 

My brother's OCZ PSU also died half a year after he got it, though that was a few years ago.

[yoječ]

Whining under load is a common issue to many PSUs, you can't avoid it simply by not buying anything OCZ related. Hell, on JonnyGuru forums there were several reports of Seasonics X whining. No series of PSUs is 100% free of that issue.

 

@sivispacem: GameXStream used cheaper chinese capacitors (Teapo, CapXon - sometimes referred to as CrapXon) all around. It seems like OCZ came to their senses, since ZT and ZS are using better, japanese caps (Matsush*ta, Chemi-Con).

//edit: company name got censored, lol.

 

I'm not trying to defend OCZ till I die, I just want to make sure if there's really something wrong with their NEW PSUs - if so, then I'll stop recommending them as well.

Edited August 24, 2012 by yojo2

[sivispacem]

@sivispacem: GameXStream used cheaper chinese capacitors (Teapo, CapXon - sometimes referred to as CrapXon) all around. It seems like OCZ came to their senses, since ZT and ZS are using better, japanese caps (Matsush*ta, Chemi-Con)

Do they use solely Japanese caps like Corsair and PCPC now do, or do they still use some Taiwanese ones?

[yoječ]

I was a bit wrong as it turns out. OCZ ZS and new fatal1ty use japanese caps only, while ZT and ZX use combination of Teapo and Chemi-con. Still, Teapo isn't that bad (and it's not Chinese, but Taiwanese, sorry for the mistake) as CapXon, and definitely not a failure like - for example - Fuhjyyu, which was used in early Antec PSUs.

Also, Corsair uses polymer caps from Enesol, which I'm pretty sure is Korean. But since these are polymers it's not really important. Also, in their low-end CX PSU they use Teapo and Samxon, but since it's a low-end product it's understandable to a degree.

 

Again, sorry for the mistakes in the previous post.

[sivispacem]

Also, Corsair uses polymer caps from Enesol, which I'm pretty sure is Korean. But since these are polymers it's not really important. Also, in their low-end CX PSU they use Teapo and Samxon, but since it's a low-end product it's understandable to a degree.

Correct, they do, but all the fluid caps they use (or at least all the ones they use on mid- and high-end supplies) are Japanese manufactured, and I think the top-spec AX series use only Japanese caps full stop. Certainly, there was a big sticker on the box my PSU came in saying something much like that. As for the cap failure issue, one would hope that plague-affected capacitors wouldn't be used in newer PSU designs but with previous experiences I'm still wary of providers who use non-Japanese capacitors.