Is this a good computer?

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am looking into a new computer to use for the site.

This computer will be used to stream audio for SatelliteGuys Radio and will also have some other use to the board.

Does anyone know anything about this computer?

The specs look very good, but I don't know the company.

I am looking for something very fast. Anyone have any sugestions?

 

[StevenD]

Check out compusaauctions.com. They sell a lot refurb HP boxes (with full warranty).

Example: http://www.compusaauctions.com/cgi-...fnbr=53918707&prmenbr=32764874&aunbr=54265372

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Thanks Steven!

That looks good however I want a machine in my hands this weekend as I will have time to configure it up.

There is a computer show this weekend at the Basketball hall of fame in Springfield, I may pop down there, but I am so confused with all the new types of memory and CPU. I want a fast fast machine for about $1,000.

 

[Ken F]

Scott,

HP's new a650e series is excellent for the money. For about $1200, you can configure it with:

Athlon 64+ 3400+
512Mb DDR400
160Gb 7200rpm hard drive
NVIDIA GeForceFTM) 5500 graphics with 256Mb DDR
8X DVD writer
16X DVD player
3.5" floppy
front accessible ports: 1 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, 9-in-1 card reader
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card
Altec-Lansing VS2121 2.1 speakers
15" LCD monitor (or 17" LCD for $150 more)
Windows XP Home + similar software bundle to Best Buy setup

It'd be much faster than that configuration from Best buy -- superior processor, superior graphics, superior sound card, and superior speakers. The Athlon64 does much better with server tasks than the P4, in my experience.

If you get it without the monitor, better sound card, and better speakers, the price is $1069, or $1009 with a comparable video card to the Best Buy model. If you also drop the speakers and DVD writer, the cost is $859.

 

[Wobbling]

Any experience with building one yourself?

( Very simple, and can save yourself a lot of money, they are nearly impossible to assemble wrong if you aren't intentionally trying to. )

The computer you linked to should work well for the purposes you mentioned.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I dont need the monitor or speakers.

The Athlons are confusing as it seems the number nex to them does not mean anything.

I have looked into building my own box, but it appears cheeper just to get one already done.

BTW has anyone played with SATA hard drives? Are they good?

 

[Neutron]

If you want to keep around your budget and get the best that you can get, definately go for an AMD processor. If you could get it, I would recommend the Athlon64. They are a little pricey but would work well if you were to use a Unix based processor. You could take advantage of the 64 bit processor with Unix or Linux.


Scott, Intel's new naming scheme for their latest processors is the same way. What the heck is a P4 530?? When I read about Intel changing to a model number instead of the processor speed I was thinking "what the heck?"

 

[Mark_AR]

Save yoursdelf about half...

The bottleneck isn't going to be the processor for streaming, it will be the Hard Drive and Front Side Bus.

A 10,000 RPM Western Digital 74GB Raptor would be better than a 160 Gig 7200 rpm drive. ($178.00 NewEgg)

The 800 MB Front side bus is definitely a plus and the 512M RAM is OK too but not that important.

Processor speed isn't as important for a streaming server because you could stream with a 2.0 ghz or even slower.

You are ideally going to be limited to 100MB per sec by your NIC card then even slower by internet connection if you are going to run it at your house/business unless you have a T1 or T3 connection. Most DSL connections are 384kb per second upstream or less.

If you decide to go to the computer show, look for something with an 800 FSB and SATA drive interface.

See if you can find a Raptor drive or another 10,000 RPM drive for about the price above.

You should be able to put together a screamin streamin server for $600-700.00 on the top end.

Try starting here to get an idea on prices before you go:
http://www.pricewatch.com and search for a system there.
or to give you an idea:
http://www.portatech.com/catalog/products.asp?ID=222

I've not dealt with them directly but Pricewatch.com listed 148 satisfied buyers.

Your only other option would be to house it on the satelliteguys server because your provider has multiple redundant connections to the internet backbone.

 

[Wobbling]

What is even more confusing about Intel's new naming scheme is that if I remember correctly, the numbers aren't an indication of performance, but refer to features of the processor.

I'm not a huge fan of AMD, but their numbering scheme makes sense, they wouldn't be able to sell processors to the general public by only representing them by their clock speed, who would want a 2.2Ghz Athlon processor when they could have a 3.4Ghz Pentium? The marketing numbers AMD uses are never exactly right, but a whole lot closer than if they were just advertising clock speed.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Yeah this numbering scheme is whats confusing to me.

Thanks for all the advice so far, I may stop after work at Best Buy and check out the computer above. And if I like it I will pick it up tommorow.

I also need to find a switch that will let me switch between computers and use the same keyboard and monitor. Now the problem here is my monitor only has a DVI input, so looks like I will need a switch which can do DVI and VGA (if there is such a beast)

 

[Neutron]

DVI-VGA Adapter

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=400637

I would recommend Belkin's computer switch. We use those here at work and they work very well.

 

[dfergie]

That sys is very simular to an hp I bought about 3 months ago for an htpc, hooked to my X1.(am using a replay instead now) I need to swap it with my old 1gig p3 in the other room.

 

[Neutron]

To me the best computer you can get is a custom built one.

 

[dfergie]

To me the best computer you can get is a custom built one.

Thats what my p3 is but the 1 gig processor is getting long in the tooth

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Well I went to Best Buy to look at computer, I decided I wanted it but I wasn't planning on buying it until tommorow.

So I was talking with the Best Buy guys who told me NOT TO BUY it there, instead he told me to go to BestBuy.COM and get it there.

I asked why, he told me for $20 more I get the following...

The Computer (Same computer)
MAG - 17" CRT Monitor - Silver 771FS-s
Lexmark - Color Jetprinter Z615
CyberPower - 425VA SL-Series Battery Back-Up System CPS425SL
Belkin - 10 Ft. Gold Series USB Device Cable F3U133-10-GLD


All for $20 more.

Even if the monitor and stuff are crap how can I go wrong for $20 more?

Here is the URL of the deal
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...50001&productCategoryId=cat01173&type=product

Now does it sound like a good deal?

 

[Neutron]

You could always use the monitor as a giveaway on this site.

Sounds like a good deal to me nonetheless.

 

[StevenD]

I just noticed on that BestBuy.com page that it says price is BEFORE $70.00 rebate!

 

[Mark_AR]

Now does it sound like a good deal?

It sounds like a 'better deal' and with the 70 rebate it brings it to $799.00.

My concern to you is that it will not perform any better than a system at half that price depending on how you connect it to the internet.

If you have DSL, it won't do you much good to have all that horsepower if you can't step on the gas.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Well I ordered the one from Best Buy, it was too much of a good deal.

I can't wait to have a 3.0 GHZ machine with Hyperthreading.

Its on backorder now, they have everything in stock but the printer. They wont ship what they have now and the printer later, I even offered to pay for the shipping on the printer later. Oh well.