Question from a computer illiterate

[Gibby]

As I peruse the information super highway this morning from my information offramp I have two questions.

1) can I install a DVR drive onto my machine (a Compaq Presario) and if I did what else would I need to install along with it?

2)How much would said DVR player cost?

[nehemiah]

http://www.gbpvr.com/

have at it.

[35Pete]

As I peruse the information super highway this morning from my information offramp I have two questions.

1) can I install a DVR drive onto my machine (a Compaq Presario) and if I did what else would I need to install along with it?

2)How much would said DVR player cost?

Easy as hell.

Hauppage offers a few nice ones in the $50-$150 range.

I can do it in 3 minutes or so.

You need to install the SW drivers which come on a disk with the product. But don't do that. Go to the manufacturers website and download the latest drivers. They update and improve them monthly.

I have the Hauppage HVR-1600. It's $99 at CompUSA.

You need an open PCI slot on your motherboard. That's all.

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_hvr1600.html

If you really want to jazz it up like I did then buy Beyond TV also. Great SW for another $99

www.snapstream.com

But the Win-TV software that comes with the HW is pretty good too.

[35Pete]

Next time Gibby don't buy a stock machine. Seriously.

There are a lot of advantages to building your own.

1. You can slowly upgrade it on an ongoing basis. Your PC always stays state of the art as you replace RAM, CPU, motherboard one at a time over time, thus preventing the "big spend" every two to three years. In other words, you spread out the cost.
2. You'll REALLY get to know PC's and never fear "breaking it".
3. No way in hell you'll get the same performance with a stock machine.
4. No way you get the quality with a stock machine.
5. You get to become a geek and an advisor in this forum. :)

Granted, my system rates 5.7/5.9 at a cost of about $4,500.

Your stock machine, new, might reach 2.8-3.0 at best. For the same money you can approach a 4.5 if you build it yourself.

And it's not that hard to do.

Can you use a screwdriver? Can you put a card into a slot? Plug a cable into a device? If so then you can do it too. Above 4.5 and you'll need to dip into your 401K. LOL

[35Pete]

Let me give you a breakdown:

This is what I paid new. Prices have since fallen:

Mobo: $250
CPU: $300
Monitors: $700
KB and Mouse: $150
Case: $175
Power Supply: $250
Sound Card: $150
Video Card: $600
RAM: $500
HVR Card: $100
Hard Drives (4) $550
Water Cooling: $125
DVD-RAM: $125
Card Reader: $50
Temp Control Unit: $60
Surround Sound: $200
VPN Firewall: $90
Printer: $750
Gaming Accesories: $125

Ok. Now let's strip that down for you.

CPU: Now $225
Monitor: 1 instead of two: Now $300
Ram: 2 GB instead of 4. $220
Case: Now $140
Mobo: Now $200
KB: Keep the one you have. Same with mouse.
Sound Card: Get the X-Fi Gamer. $80
HVR Card: $100
Sound Surround: $100
HD: Single 320 GB. $100
DVD-RAM: Sony. $80
Power Supply: $200
Video Card: $400 (2nd tier)

Price: $2,150. Probably get you a 5.2 at least. What does that mean? You'll be stunned at the speed and performance.

[comfort80]

Price: $2,150. Probably get you a 5.2 at least. What does that mean? You'll be stunned at the speed and performance.
you actually make me want to build my own machine. if i only had the spending money!!
you make it seem so...affordable! when i had the extra money (one dog, one kid, and a mortgage ago!!) prices were much higher...

[35Pete]

you actually make me want to build my own machine. if i only had the spending money!!
you make it seem so...affordable! when i had the extra money (one dog, one kid, and a mortgage ago!!) prices were much higher...

It's really easy. And you get get real bare bones and do it for about a $1,000 and it will STILL be better than most stock machines.

[Merc]

Determine what you want to do with he PC and let us know. The rigs I ambuilding are $450 and are great. They aren't gamers or super rigs but are expandable and easily modded. CPU prices have never been lower. Intel and AMD are ripping each other apart so set a budget and what you want the rig to do and we'll help from there.

[35Pete]

Merc's creative.

I'm partially lazy and part super competitive. I'll just toss gobs of money at the problem and build a super-monster the uncomplicated way.

BTW Merc. Upped to 4 GB of Corsair Dominator. The damn rig is turbocharged now. Unbelievable. TV, System Mechanic, mpeg playing, and internet and the thing doesn't even burp.

[Merc]

I just pulled the trigger on an e6600. The price dropped to $234 with Supreme Commander included and free shipping. Packaged my e4300 for a build for someone so it came in at under $100. I have no idea what stepping it will be but I am hoping for 3.6GHz. Pete, why don't you join our Forum Wars team over at Asus Independent? I think you'd enjoy it. One of our guys just got his 5200X2 AM2 CPU up to 3360Mhz stable on air!