illiterate boy strikes again

  • Thread starter Thread starter James HE
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J

James HE

a spoonfull weighs a ton
Lots and lots of searching for a custom built computer, so far this is what I'm leaning towards:

PIII 550
Super Micro P6SBA motherboard
128 MB RAM
7200 RPM 20.0 GB Ultra ATA/66
50x CD ROM drive
Guillemot MaxiGamer Cougar 32MB AGP
56K V.90 Voice modem
100 MB Zip Drive
WIN 98
McAfee Virus scan

all this for $1035 w/out monitor from www.mpipc.com

The video card may be a bit of overkill, so I may opt for a lesser (cheaper) card.

Should I spent the extra cash to get the Asus P3C200 i820 motherboard or should I be alright with this! I couldn't find much out about the Super micro so I'm a little leary.

I'd like to get a second hard drive, but I think for now this should do. (Maybe partiton it up for now?)

Also a CD-RW at some point. yamaha preferably.

as far as soundcard, I think I'll probably go with the Aark 24. I need 8 ins and it seems like the best deal. As far as software, I'm bouncing back and forth between Cakewalk and Cubase. It could go either way at this point (well really any of this could!)

Does anyone see any problems with this setup? Is there anything I'm leaving out? Do I need the Ultra/66 controller card? if so why?

so far MPI PC seems to absolutly have the best deals and if anyone else is looking for a custom computer, I'd be glad to post some of the links I've tried, I've tried a good dozen or so, some are really good and some are just plain expensive!



[This message has been edited by James HE (edited 04-16-2000).]
 
Sounds like a great set-up. Have you checked out ComponentsDirect? Memory prices are down now so you may want to increase the RAM to 256MB. Do you have a mixer or are you planning on plugging directly into the soundcard?
 
I have an ART MP and I'll be using my TASCAM 424 as a mixer :( untill I can get my SSL (LOL)

ComponetsDirect? off I go...

Buy the time I actually go to purchase this thing Memory prices might be even lower. Hopefully it won't be obsolete in late June when I get it!!
 
So far the drivers for NT and Win2000 haven't been released yet for the Aark 24.
Maybe soon though- or at least before I get the thing. I bet that the day after I get the computer and have Win 98 installed, they release them! :)

-jhe
 
I'm not too familiar with the supermicro products, but have had good success with the ABIT and ASUS boards. May want to consider checking those out. Also, instead of a ZIP drive, maybe spend the extra $100 and get a CD-RW instead, and don't bother with the CD-ROM. Virus scanners are real resource hogs, find they do more harm than good.
 
Can the internal modem. Installing it to a PCI slot creates problems. I installed an external modem 6 months ago and am very pleased that the modem works much better, and that my computer seems much more stable.

Emeric has a point about not getting a zip drive and spending that money of a internal CD-RW, but I don't agree with not getting a seperate CD Rom drive. 40X CD Rom drives are only around $40. A small price to pay. But CD-RW's, or the good ones, are gonna run you at least $150 or more. Eventually, both drives are going to breakdown and need to be replaced. They only have a certain "service life" to them. In my mind, I would much rather benefit from the faster speed and cheaper price of a CD Rom drive for loading software, copying info from a CD to the hard drive, etc....then to put this wear on a drive that cost's at least 3x more.

My 40x CD Rom drive is already doing weird stuff here and there, and it is only a year old. It has seen some heavy use. But, my CD-RW drive still puts out very accuate CDR's because it has been used far less.

Unless you are playing games on the computer, a 32MB graphics card is a waste of money. Recording software will function just fine with a 4MB card, and on my 16MB card never has a visual clitch at all.

I have absolutely no idea why you feel the need to have a virus scan on your computer. You have a better chance of having Shania Twain sleep with you than of getting a virus if you practice safe surfing. This includes not downloading .exe files from "shady" sources, and not opening email attachements which contain macro's. I know of few people that have ever got a virus from being online, and usually, they did something stupid like downloaded an .exe file and opened it from an email attachement. This is something I never do unless the email is from someone who I trust, and they have asked me first if they can send me an .exe file. So, the bottom line is that McAfee Virus Scan is a waste of money for an informed computer user who takes a few simple precautions concerning what type of files they will allow to get to their computer. Save the $40 bucks you would spend for it and applying towards a CD-RW. Also, virus scanner, like Emeric says, are more trouble then they are worth. Often, they mess up the OS's abiltiy to get anything done on the computer. Of all the people who I know that have ran them, I have yet to hear where this software detected a virus on their computer. It is a waste of money and totally not needed. In the case that you somehow get a virus, you may want to just wipe the hard drive clean and start over because you may find that many of these virus scanners do not solve the problems that they are designed to solve.

I am no fan of win95/98. An NT system will provide a much more stable envinonment for digital audio production. Also, if you intend to have internet and audio on the same computer, it is almost a must because 95/98 don't seem to configure well for audio when an internet browser is installed.

If drivers are an issue, consider a dual boot system running 98 for your audio production, and NT for internet and other app's. A dual boot sytem is not all that hard to do if you know how to install an OS. If you DON'T know how to install an OS, I can assure you that you will need to learn soon as you will encounted many problems with win98 that require a new install of the OS and all the applications programs you will be running. This is a fact of life for windows users who demand that their system run smoothly all the time. Even old Slack has to reinstall the OS sometimes for no appearant reason.
 
Ed, Emeric,

Well, as far as the virus scan it only added $9 to the total, so I figured why not. (Hey ED- what would my chances be of getting a virus from Shania Twain? :D) If it will compromise my system, I'll save the measly $9 and buy some condoms for safe surfing. Thank for the advise there. The zip drive is only $59 extra and I figured it would serve me well until I can afford a really nice CD-RW.

I hope that the NT drivers are out soon for the Aark 24. I'm 90% sure that that is the card I'll be going for. Even so a dual boot system is still a good idea for me to consider.

AS far as the video card, yeah I do like to play games, but also I will be doing stuff in photoshop, and hopefully a little bit of video editing at some point. But for now I will probably get a cheaper card and upgrade if and when I think I'll need to.

And Ed about the modem, what if it's an ISA modem? Is that any better then having it in a PCI slot?

A+E Computer is a company that does custom built computers just down the road from me and hopefully they can give me a good price. If so I'd rather go with them since I can take a short drive and harrass them if something goes wrong. And plus NO shipping charges!! But then again those damn TAXES :(

-jhe
 
JHE,

Lose the internal modem all together, and get an external one. Internal modems are probably the most annoying piece of hardware I've ever used. They have this nasty habit of trying to be about eight different things (some of the voice modems like to prentend that they are also soundcards, as well as being modems and once one of mine decided that it couls also be an HDD controller - go figure) and they conflict with everthing under the sun. I've sworn offthem. Get an external modem. You can see all the pretty lights, so you know if you've got a connection etc.

I disagree with Ed on McAfee - it works fine. The problem with anti-virus software in general is that there is a fine balance between protection and annoyance. Put McAfee or any of the others (I've tried about 10 different ones) on too high a protection level, and the performance goes to the dogs. Too low, and you may as well no have it on at your machine at all. Just make sure that you keep downloading the SuperDAT files (virus signature update files) from McAfee every two weeks or so. I've never had to contact McAfee support so I can't comment there (All you US residents consider yourself lucky that you have spport contact numbers at all - for many products I buy, there is no support phone line, except if you dial international, and even then some companies only offer support to US residents, even though they sell worldwide.)

- gaffa
 
I just re-read Ed's post, and can safely say that I have isolated three virusses on my work network, as well as cleaned a number of disks that have come my way. It does work, it IS worth having, cos one day you WILL get a virus (I've have cleaned a number of email viruses that were from trusted sources that I would have opened. Would have got a virus if it wasn't for the scanner.)

The trick is to keep the virus files UP TO DATE. I actually don't know anybody who keeps their home computer up to date with the virus signatures (but I know heaps of companies that do.)

- gaffa
 
OK so now here is a REALLY DUMB question. What does the external modem hook up to?
Do I need a special thingy :)?

-jhe
 
Hooks into a serial port (aka COM1 or COM2). The older style mouse generally goes into COM1, so the modem goes into COM2.

Dead easy

- gaffa
 
Sounds like a great system... If I may,

make sure they're giving you a good brand name RAM (Crucial, Kingston). That can really affect performance, though it's not as bad with the PIII as it is with the AMD

Unless you're going to be running some hardcore graphics apps or games, 32mb is probably overkill. 16 is plenty, and cheaper.

If you're going to get a 2nd hard drive or internal CDR, make sure you have enough drive bays for everything.
 
sorry, I just went back and read your earlier post, and I take back what I said about the graphics card. if you want to run Photoshop or other stuff like that (Painter, Illustrator, whatever...) the extra 16mg of graphics memory will make a big difference.

-stranger233
 
Here is a question for you all.

How many PCI and ISA slots do I need? The ASUS motherboard has 5 PCI and 1 ISA. The SuperMicro boards have either 5 PCI 2 ISA or 4 PCI 3 ISA. I am assuming that you's use 2 ISA slots to have a CD-ROM and a CD-RW. Is this a wrong assumption? I really like the specs on the ASUS (PCB2000 or something?)board 32-bit on the PCI slots, 4x graphic acceleration on the AGP, and it supports full ATA/66. But could I have two CD drives with it? or can I put one on a PCI slot- I'm assuming that you can- but is one preferred over another (PCI ISA)? :confused:

I'm still really confused about the graphics card. The Guillemont 32MB card is only $85, cheaper than most 16MB cards. So I'm thinking it's not killer of a card anyway. I was looking at an Digital Video editing maagazine today to check out some products and get a feel for what's out there. And really when and if I do get into some serious editing, I'll be upgrading the video card (along with even another harddrive probably- which leads me to another question-
oh screw it- I'll deal with it when I get there!!)

-jhe
 
Both CD-ROM drives use free IDE ports (no slots required) unless you're gonna get a SCSI card and drives and put the SCSI controller in a PCI slot.

[This message has been edited by drstawl (edited 04-18-2000).]
 
Why do you want a hopped up video card anyway? Unless your into games, or maybe graphics it's really not necessary (as someone else already stated). I'm using a Viper V770 32MB, great for games, but i'm into that.
 
I think the ASUS board your referring to is the P3V or something like that. VIA chipset, 4X, 133MHz FSB and all that. It is a good chipset, certainly moreso than the 810 or the 820. Would be a good board even still using a PIII 550, bit of an upgrade path.
 
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