Revision of New Computer from Sun, 29/08/2010 - 11:27

Cool. I’ve rarely had problems with Linux, but have only put it on a few systems at work. Ubuntu seems fairly tolerant. The things you’d probably want some advice from someone like Ltmon / Kazashi / n0mad are probably graphics card and motherboard. The rest it’s fairly safe to pick what suits the budget rather than worrying about compatibility.

Few examples:
(Prices will be a little higher – these are all AUD, but all from a shop that’s not the cheapest).

CPU: i5 3.2ghz – $217. Lots of cheaper i3’s, and core2 duo’s too.
RAM: 4GB Corsair RAM $158 (again, cheaper brands, cheaper prices)
DVD Burner: $32
HD: 500GB seagate $58
Monitor: 19” samsung $170

$635. Leaves a bit of spare money capacity for the video card and motherboard.

Source: http://ijk.com.au/branch/ijk/

Congrats on the win. I think with some creativity you can get a very fast computer for under $1k: it won’t play the latest games, but will run virtual machines and your scientific software without a hastle. Here’s a suggestion from APC mag for the best current budget setup (<AU$800).

http://apcmag.com/budget-pc.htm,

or for a bit more money http://apcmag.com/master-builders-value-pc.htm

Linux should be fine for your needs, with a little adjustment….

For the iPod:
1. Flash your iPod firmware with Rockbox: http://www.rockbox.org/, and then it will both be a better device and work with all operating systems.
or:
2. Use Amarok to transfer files back and forth on the iPod (yes, I said back and forth which iTunes does not let you do). You may instead prefer Banshee media player, which also works with iPods no problem. There’s probably even more programs that will work for you.

PCB design:
1. Best freebie is gEDA: http://www.gpleda.org/
or:
2. Best $$$ is Eagle. It’s US$50 if you want the lite edition, or up to US$1500 for all the bells and whistles.

MPLAB:
This apparently runs just fine on Linux, using WINE. Let me know if you want help getting it up and running.

ECC: Automatic correction of errors. It makes the RAM more reliable. I suggest you don’t need it in this build.

Video card: Anything discrete and new can play Q3 games reasonably well — the 8400 will be just fine for this. To play movies, look for the HD decoding and scaling etc. on the video card. I think both of these cards will have that capability, but worth checking. The Nvidia will work best for HD content on Linux if it supports VDPAU — I think it does, but again check. I don’t think the AMD has HD video acceleration on Linux just yet.

CPU: The Athlon is older, but was a higher spec when new. The Phenom is newer, but a lower spec — but still I suspect the Phenom will be faster. The Athlon wins in multitasking (quad core) but unless you use this capability it will be slower, hotter and more power hungry otherwise. I think the motherboard to fit the Phenom will end up costing more though (?).

Edit: You should be able to find a GT210 or GT220 for a similar price to that 8400. You can get them for as low as $50 over here, and they will be somewhat faster than the 8400 which is a couple of generations behind.

Edit again: I just checked the prices at your NZ shop for this stuff … Egads! You’re up about 30% on Aus prices after conversion! Try buying online from AU and shipping it, maybe just buying the case in NZ to save on costs. http://pccasegear.com.au is very respectable, and you should make up your shipping charges in savings.

e.g.

For NZ$10 less you can get a better Phenom: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=187_345...

Another NZ$30 saved on RAM: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=186_113...

You’ll save at least NZ$100 in the end.

Look again at my previous comment. Just checking you didn’t miss the additional bits I added.

m0rnin MM

I’ll send ya my HTPC build if ya like MM

Total AU$800.00

n0mad

Ship to me and I’ll ship to you. I can pick up from pccasegear in person, so if you trust me enough it should come out for less! If I reneg and run away with your gear, Shad will come down and beat me up.

A parcel up to 2kg ships to NZ for about AU$40, dunno how much this lot will cost though. Also, you might want to consider insurance on the freight.

The only site that I could find in a few minutes, which specifically says they’ll ship to NZ, is http://www.auspcmarket.com.au. I’m not sure if they’ve got a good reputation or not. Others might have a favourite shop which can ship to NZ.

Of course, it might be worth calling pccasegear and simply asking nicely :)

Edit: Looks like you’ve found a better price locally after all.

c0ngratulati0ns micr0, g00d stuff. Winning stuff is awes0me. Winning stuff thr0ugh hard w0rk is s0mething i w0uldnt know ab0ut th0 ;p

Techn0l0gy * Hippies d0nt mix, theref0re I have had end 0ver end tr0ubles with Linux. That’s just my luck haha, but still it is always great t0 have the dual b00t handy. Fr0m my rec0llecti0n, 0lder hardware architecture was just m0re unstable, it was part 0f the devel0pmental pr0cess, hardware & s0ftware was just m0re unstable, and 0ne day, it wasn’t. Upgrading bey0nd the early 2000’s really seemed t0 s0lve al0t 0f pr0blems, at least in my experience.

Never fear, the team is here! Y0u will find all the help that y0u need in selecting and finding the c0mp0nents y0u need f0r y0ur new system! I really aint that helpful, but just a few tips fr0m me are t0 basically leave y0urself with r00m f0r future expansi0n. Get as bigger case as y0u can aff0rd, get a b0ard with 2 PCI-E spaces f0r future p0ssible upgrades t0 a twin GPU system (cr0ssfire/SLi). Giving a system that y0u d0nt plan t0 use f0r gaming as much r00m f0r future expansi0n as y0u p0ssibly can, means that it sh0uld last y0u as l0ng as it p0ssibly can! Gaming machines, t0 really keep 0n the ball, need a maj0r c0mp0nent upgrade every year 0r tw0. Just ab0ut any 0ther type 0f system can keep y0u happy f0r many years t0 c0me, asl0ng as y0u select the right c0mp0nents n0w, planning f0r the future. N0t much m0re advice I can pr0vide aside fr0m that.

I stick with AMD, ATi, and usually rec0mmend a Seagate hard drive, but have given Samsung a g0 lately. 24” m0nit0rs are the shiz t00. d0nt think ab0ut this in regards t0 gaming, its just as useful f0r anything besides gaming, all that screen space 0n y0ur deskt0p really helps t0 max 0ut the multitasking.

Try and be able t0 d0 as much with y0ur system as y0u can! Keep 0pen the realms 0f p0ssibilities, and 0fc0urse, START F0LDING S0ME W0RK UNITS!! F0R THE TEAM!! HAHA http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/main.py?qtype=teampage&teamnum=136356

Problem with 24” monitors is that for just a little more money you can get two 21” monitors. Although they are coming down now that they are seen as “normal” rather than “huge”.

I know what I would choose for work use though :)

True that, and t0 be h0nest, ive already had 0ne 24” Samsung SyncMaster have issues. Try t0 av0id this m0del if y0u can, Samsung Sync Master 2443BW. The issue I suspect, is a design flaw, the m0nit0r is designed t0 be turned 90 degrees cl0ckwise, and THATS where I think the pr0blem lies. When its m0ved ar0und t00 much, the c0nnecti0ns are damaged and the u end up with a c0lumn 0f dead pixels. Abs0lutely sh!t and ann0ying in my 0pini0n, but as u say lt, they are quiet “normal” these days, I w0uldnt want t0 g0 with anything less, but it all depends 0n what y0u wanna use it f0r, and what y0ur t0lerances are!

A 21” m0nit0r sh0uld d0 y0u just fiine, just pick y0ur m0del well. I w0nt say that Samsung’s have a pr0blem in general, I w0uld just say the particular m0del has its design flaws, and the c0ntr0ls are a pain t0 use if y0uve actually g0t s0me adjusting t0 d0 manually! Actual butt0ns cant be beaten with “stylish” tap like c0ntr0ls that y0u cant even see!

why not use tinychat

Nice mike MM, Ya s0unding 0lder n0w :P

Ok a few th0ughts
Ram – 2GB will d0 unless U g0 64bit 0perating system t0 maximise ya 4GB ram….
Motherboard – Yep stick with Gigabyte always a g00d choice…USB 3.0 is here :P
Chip: Amazing h0w stable the AMD chip is when U 0vercl0ck it but as LT ment0ned ab0ve thr0w sum cash ar0und t0 get a stock Intel is the better ch0ice….
GPU: I just g0t the Geforce 220 nice little card with HDMI 0ut….
DVD/BD: f0r an extra $30.00 bucks U c0uld g0 a Blueray drive, the Samsung is in mass supply, think 0f it this way, dr0p 2GB 0f ram and dr0p in a Samsung Blueray :p
HDD: Yep I went – Western Digital Caviar Green, g00d ch0ice there…
Case/P0wer Supply: Case is pers0nel ch0ice but g00d 2C ya g0 500W p0wer supply anythink smaller w0nt d0 n0w days….

l00king g00d MM……………

0hh and have U th0ught ab0ut running Ubuntu and an emulat0r f0r th0se Wind0ws Pr0gs that U must have ?

And 2 sec0und that LT – Amarok is gr0use…….

n0mad

On the HDD front I used to run a 500gb green as my os drive and now i got a 1tb black and the greens are a lot quieter but slower too.

Why bother with blue ray. Just d/l 1080p movies off the net.

Did s0me0ne menti0n Avast

n0mad