Looking to buying a new PC - Questions

[RobbieThe1st]

For most -anything- you do, over 4GB ram is just overkill. I have 4GB, and I'm never running into the limit.

You have obviously never tried rendering 3d scenes with a high level of detail, nor tried editing a multi-layer A3-sized image at 300DPI/48BPP

Point to you. I really haven't done any -huge- editing, at least not recently.
(Well, aside from the SVG I tried to render as a ~20kX30k image in Gimp... but for some reason, Gimp decided to use its own Cache file, not using much ram at all, and overloading my install partition >.<)

ps.: if he's not doing recordings in a sound-tight room, I fail to see the point of worrying about bus noise

I disagree with you: Bus noise can sometimes be quite high, to the point that its definitely noticeable, especially when dealing with a mic that doesn't put out much signal.

[Tapewolf]

Go to the Apple store. Buy the first thing they show you.

They'd probably give him an iPad. AFAIK there isn't a version of Photoshop compiled for ARM at the moment.

Again, that is not a helpful suggestion unless he wants to repurchase 9 years worth of very expensive software and learn a new OS, or frig it into running Windows instead (thereby wasting the cost of the MacOS license and ensuring he was to splurge out for a Windows license as well).
Hardware wise, the only ones which can have their graphics upgraded are outside his budget, and I'm not sure the others have quite enough graphics horsepower for what he needs to do.

[Jack McSlay]

I disagree with you: Bus noise can sometimes be quite high, to the point that its definitely noticeable, especially when dealing with a mic that doesn't put out much signal.

My point is, if he wants do do serious sound editing, the very first thing to get is a decent room. If he gets an awesomely shielded sound card that gives crystal clear recordings, he'll just be wasting money if it constantly records the barking from a neighbor's dog. He said he needs it for adding audio to simple animations and record sound to his streams (which typically meanslow-quality sound anyways). That's not advanced sound recording by any means.

[Shadrok]

As far as recording goes there's a good chance that I won't be doing any soon (unless I can work out a way of sound proofing my closet and use it as a sound booth. That or till I get my own place) because when my dad isn't yelling up a storm about some idiot on TV, my nephew is running around like an uncaged monkey.

On the subject of self built or factory built from what I've been looking at, it looks that the factory built ones leave little room for upgrades. As for building it myself I don't know. It would make it where I decide what goes in the install and not have to deal with trial programs that I'll never use.

I guess what has me unsure of doing it is; way back when I was in middle school I had a computer repair class, and the teacher told us how easy it is to fry a motherboard with a static charge and how the amount need for us to feel the shock was more then what was needed to fry the board. I guess it has always made me a bit weary about working with circuit boards and such due to this.

Over all the other parts of putting together a computer don't bug me as much as the motherboard install, as I've replaced my current PC's hard drive and installed another DVD drive with no problems.

[RobbieThe1st]

These days, I'm thinking the risk is a bit lower than it used to be - I haven't taken any -specific- precautions(other than touching the grounded case during my work), and I haven't had a single bit of kit die on me.

Really, just touch grounded bits first; touch the case and say the metal pieces of any add-on cards etc and you should be fine.

I've taken out a number of motherboards, built a number of brand new machines with no issues; its really just the same as an add-on card, but you have to screw it into place in the back of the PC. Not that big a deal.
The hardest part, I would say, is trying to keep the cables neat. That takes up more time and energy for me than anything else as far as a hardware-build goes.

[superluser]

I guess what has me unsure of doing it is; way back when I was in middle school I had a computer repair class, and the teacher told us how easy it is to fry a motherboard with a static charge and how the amount need for us to feel the shock was more then what was needed to fry the board. I guess it has always made me a bit weary about working with circuit boards and such due to this.

Meh.  Just make sure to ground yourself and all the tools you're working with and...what Robbie said.

I can tell you from experience.  I once had dust bunnies in my DEC Alpha's heat sink, and in order to get the processor to work, I had to remove it from the motherboard periodically and clean the heat sink.  After doing this once, I discovered that it wouldn't start.  I removed the processor again, and discovered that I had bent one of the pins.

So I bent the pin back into place, and it worked fine.  Computers are a lot sturdier than people claim, though the scare stories are probably good for keeping people from doing stupid stuff.

My advice?  Make sure you connect your USB connectors to the motherboard properly.  I *have* fried USB devices because the case managed to bundle the connectors upside down.

[Tapewolf]

My advice?  Make sure you connect your USB connectors to the motherboard properly.  I *have* fried USB devices because the case managed to bundle the connectors upside down.

Yeah.  I have a cheap USB MIDI interface that doesn't work with Linux and I always use that to verify the USB ports after a motherboard replacement or similar upgrade, since if it does get fried, it's expendable.  Assuming the light comes on, I can then check the USB ID via lsusb to make sure it's attached correctly.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

FWIW, it _used_ to be that IBM, I'm told, would blame static charge for any memory faults, since it couldn't be IBM kit. IBM kit was reliable...

There used to be a small risk. Most more recent hardware is much more able to deal with static charges, and unless you go out of your way to break it, you're not likely to find any problems.

Don't wear a woolen jersey, shuffle your feet on the carpet, etc, and you will, in 98% of cases, be just fine.

[LionHeart]

If you're really concerned about static, go to your local electronics store and buy an anti-static wrist strap.

They're not expensive, and they are a good investment.

[superluser]

They're not expensive, and they are a good investment.

Depends on the strap.  Have I shared the grounding story with you, yet? (SFW, but some adult situations are background elements to the story)

[Drayco84]

They're not expensive, and they are a good investment.

Depends on the strap.  Have I shared the grounding story with you, yet? (SFW, but some adult situations are background elements to the story)

*Falls out his chair laughing.*

[VAE]

They're not expensive, and they are a good investment.

Depends on the strap.  Have I shared the grounding story with you, yet? (SFW, but some adult situations are background elements to the story)

This is almost as good as the workings of a heavy machinegun!
Awesome!

[Shadrok]

I've been weighing my decisions and...

On one hand building the PC sounds best as it allows for the best options in upgrading but as this will be the first build so I'm a bit uneasy.

On the other hand there's the pre-built PC that will not be as upgradeable but will be ready to go on arrival and have the OS and such installed (including the unwanted demo programs)

I'm starting to lean towards the custom build the more I think about it, but there's still some concerns (though this could just be me being nervous due to it being a first build).

So I guess what I need to do is look into what is needed and where to start. Then just build the thing and stop second guessing myself.




On a side note I'll be on vacation next week so I mite not be able to respond to posts till I get back.

[Jack McSlay]

You can probably buy the parts, go to a local computer store and ask them to build them for you, anyway.

[Drayco84]

Newegg has pretty much everything you'll need, plus reviews to give you the heads up on consistently cruddy products.

I'm leery of local computer stores. The closest I have is Best Buy, and due to their higher prices, poor selection, crummy service, and inability to carry Anime DVD collections that WORK, I stay away from them.

The second closest (Half hour drive via freeway.) I have is Computer Success, and their selection still isn't as good as Newegg's.

Yeah, there's still a few horror stories on The Consumerist about Newegg, but these are usually few and far between. Compared to LOTS of issues with Best Buy, it seems like a safer bet to me and they haven't been terrible to me. Well, not yet anyway.

[Shadrok]

You can probably buy the parts, go to a local computer store and ask them to build them for you, anyway.

I mite have to look into that and see if Fry's Electronics offers the option.

If not, well I guess I learn to build one myself.