CD Cleaning Solution Making Your Own
Monday, 7 September 2009Posted by
Best-Product
0 Comments
I see the kids were eating ice cream sandwiches while they dug through the DVD collection again. With kids in the house
it’s inevitable that whenever I want to listen to a CD or watch a DVD
I have to clean the discs before they will play. Luckily
I spent several years working in a CD manufacturing support group and learned the easiest way to clean discs and get them working again. Here
as simple as it may be
is my favorite solution for cleaning discs.
- Mix a large amount of water with a few drops of dishwashing soap.
That’s it. No expensive commercial cleaning solutions and no plastic washing devices for my discs. I know it doesn’t sound complicated enough or mysterious enough
but it works. This solution works most of the time if you:
- Use a soft cloth and wipe the solution on the disc starting from the inside hub and wiping to the outside edge of the disc. Never rub hard or in a circular motion. Don’t rub around the disc because you might scratch the disc creating an un-repairable problem.
- Dry the disc with a soft dry cloth. Again
wipe the disc from the inside to the outside. Straight out. Don’t go around the disc at all because you might create scratches that are parallel with the tracks.
Why does this solution work most of the time? On most CDs
and especially rented DVDs
playability problems are caused by fingerprints. Fingerprints are oil-based and the dishwasher detergent is designed to cut through and remove oil. If this method doesn’t work
you might have a disc with sever scratch or even a scratch on the label side of the disc. Scratched discs can sometimes be repaired with CD scratch removal solutions or CD repair services.
Dishwasher soap and water won’t fix scratches but will make many discs playable.
Copyright ฉ 2006
Read More “CD Cleaning Solution Making Your Own”
it’s inevitable that whenever I want to listen to a CD or watch a DVD
I have to clean the discs before they will play. Luckily
I spent several years working in a CD manufacturing support group and learned the easiest way to clean discs and get them working again. Here
as simple as it may be
is my favorite solution for cleaning discs.
- Mix a large amount of water with a few drops of dishwashing soap.
That’s it. No expensive commercial cleaning solutions and no plastic washing devices for my discs. I know it doesn’t sound complicated enough or mysterious enough
but it works. This solution works most of the time if you:
- Use a soft cloth and wipe the solution on the disc starting from the inside hub and wiping to the outside edge of the disc. Never rub hard or in a circular motion. Don’t rub around the disc because you might scratch the disc creating an un-repairable problem.
- Dry the disc with a soft dry cloth. Again
wipe the disc from the inside to the outside. Straight out. Don’t go around the disc at all because you might create scratches that are parallel with the tracks.
Why does this solution work most of the time? On most CDs
and especially rented DVDs
playability problems are caused by fingerprints. Fingerprints are oil-based and the dishwasher detergent is designed to cut through and remove oil. If this method doesn’t work
you might have a disc with sever scratch or even a scratch on the label side of the disc. Scratched discs can sometimes be repaired with CD scratch removal solutions or CD repair services.
Dishwasher soap and water won’t fix scratches but will make many discs playable.
Copyright ฉ 2006
Cartridges
Posted by
Best-Product
“Cartridge” refers to a detachable sub-unit that is held within its own container. They were popularized by early home computers like Commodore 64 and early TV games systems. The advantage of cartridges lies in the fact that they facilitate quick loading of software from one media format to another. It also helps maintain the software in a sturdy and damage-resistant form.
Throughout the 80s and the 90s
all home video game systems were cartridge-based. As technological advancements in the late 90s ushered in CD technology as a cheaper alternative for data storage
hardware companies shifted from cartridges to CD-based game systems. This was on account of the lower costs and larger storage space provided by a CD-ROM.
Now
cartridges are most commonly used in printers. They are encased in a larger container
which has both inlet and outlet ports that contain around 13500 fibers and 16KB of space for storing table of contents and file-location information. Each cartridge can store about 25MB of uncompressed data.
There are several types of cartridges
including inkjet cartridges
laser cartridges and toner cartridges. These cartridges come pre-filled with ink
though there are some innovative cartridges that are refillable on the market as well – these are called remanufactured cartridges.
Remanufactured cartridges of all types are abundant so care should be taken to ensure that the job of refilling them has been done safely and problem. The most common problem with remanufactured cartridges is they can be prone to leakage
especially if not filled correctly. If remanufactured cartridges are leaking inside the foil pack
then they should be returned to the place of purchase.
Read More “Cartridges”
Throughout the 80s and the 90s
all home video game systems were cartridge-based. As technological advancements in the late 90s ushered in CD technology as a cheaper alternative for data storage
hardware companies shifted from cartridges to CD-based game systems. This was on account of the lower costs and larger storage space provided by a CD-ROM.
Now
cartridges are most commonly used in printers. They are encased in a larger container
which has both inlet and outlet ports that contain around 13500 fibers and 16KB of space for storing table of contents and file-location information. Each cartridge can store about 25MB of uncompressed data.
There are several types of cartridges
including inkjet cartridges
laser cartridges and toner cartridges. These cartridges come pre-filled with ink
though there are some innovative cartridges that are refillable on the market as well – these are called remanufactured cartridges.
Remanufactured cartridges of all types are abundant so care should be taken to ensure that the job of refilling them has been done safely and problem. The most common problem with remanufactured cartridges is they can be prone to leakage
especially if not filled correctly. If remanufactured cartridges are leaking inside the foil pack
then they should be returned to the place of purchase.
Carbonless paper roll uses a chemical reaction between two different.
Sunday, 6 September 2009Posted by
Best-Product
Carbonless paper uses a chemical reaction between two different contacting coatings to transfer an image when pressure is applied. A paper that is most often used for multiple part forms
it contains a chemical coating on the front side (designated as CF) or on the back side (designated as CB)
or on both sides (designated as CFB). When a handwritten or machine impression occurs on the first sheet of multiple parts
the impression transfers from one page or ply to the next due to the bursting of tiny microcapsules in the chemical coating used to release a darkened copy of the impression occurring on the first sheet.
A method and apparatus are provided for producing a foam wrapped package for protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper. Interleaved foam and film are wrapped under tension around the outer periphery of the roll of carbonless paper by selectively rotating the roll and separately feeding packaging foam and stretch film toward the rotating roll.
The present invention relates to a process for producing a foam wrap package
and
more particularly
to a process for wrapping and protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper by simultaneously wrapping interleaved layers of stretch film and packaging foam onto the roll of carbonless paper.
Heretofore
stretch wrapping machinery manufacturers have marketed equipment which combines spiral wrapping of stretch film with limited non-spiral wrapping of a single face corrugated medium or a kraft wrap. Traditionally
machines have been developed which provide foam wrap in one operation and then kraft wrap in a second operation
and have required a substantial amount of the wrapping process to be performed by hand.
Problems have occurred in the prior art with the existing foam/kraft packages. Specifically
these packages using kraft wrap cannot apply foam over the edge of a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless paper without producing a bulky edge that makes roll stacking difficult. The absence of foam over the edge of the roll of carbonless paper leaves the roll subject to edge damage. Prior to this time a sufficient wrapping procedure or a final wrapped package has not been achieved in the art which would require only a relatively limited capital cost and produce a resultant packaged product which is easy to handle.
Read More “Carbonless paper roll uses a chemical reaction between two different.”
it contains a chemical coating on the front side (designated as CF) or on the back side (designated as CB)
or on both sides (designated as CFB). When a handwritten or machine impression occurs on the first sheet of multiple parts
the impression transfers from one page or ply to the next due to the bursting of tiny microcapsules in the chemical coating used to release a darkened copy of the impression occurring on the first sheet.
A method and apparatus are provided for producing a foam wrapped package for protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper. Interleaved foam and film are wrapped under tension around the outer periphery of the roll of carbonless paper by selectively rotating the roll and separately feeding packaging foam and stretch film toward the rotating roll.
The present invention relates to a process for producing a foam wrap package
and
more particularly
to a process for wrapping and protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper by simultaneously wrapping interleaved layers of stretch film and packaging foam onto the roll of carbonless paper.
Heretofore
stretch wrapping machinery manufacturers have marketed equipment which combines spiral wrapping of stretch film with limited non-spiral wrapping of a single face corrugated medium or a kraft wrap. Traditionally
machines have been developed which provide foam wrap in one operation and then kraft wrap in a second operation
and have required a substantial amount of the wrapping process to be performed by hand.
Problems have occurred in the prior art with the existing foam/kraft packages. Specifically
these packages using kraft wrap cannot apply foam over the edge of a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless paper without producing a bulky edge that makes roll stacking difficult. The absence of foam over the edge of the roll of carbonless paper leaves the roll subject to edge damage. Prior to this time a sufficient wrapping procedure or a final wrapped package has not been achieved in the art which would require only a relatively limited capital cost and produce a resultant packaged product which is easy to handle.
Carbonless paper roll producing a foam wrapped package.
Posted by
Best-Product
The Carbonless Paper is offered in the form of reels and sheets. Reels are available in different sizes from 8"to 38" as per the requirements of the customers. Sheets are available in different sizes from 18"x 23"
18
24
or any other size as required. Our papers are available in white
pink
green
blue and yellow colour.
Carbonless paper uses a chemical reaction between two different contacting coatings to transfer an image when pressure is applied. A paper that is most often used for multiple part forms
it contains a chemical coating on the front side (designated as CF) or on the back side (designated as CB)
or on both sides (designated as CFB). When a handwritten or machine impression occurs on the first sheet of multiple parts
the impression transfers from one page or ply to the next due to the bursting of tiny microcapsules in the chemical coating used to release a darkened copy of the impression occurring on the first sheet.
A method and apparatus are provided for producing a foam wrapped package for protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper. Interleaved foam and film are wrapped under tension around the outer periphery of the roll of carbonless paper by selectively rotating the roll and separately feeding packaging foam and stretch film toward the rotating roll.
The present invention relates to a process for producing a foam wrap package
and
more particularly
to a process for wrapping and protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper by simultaneously wrapping interleaved layers of stretch film and packaging foam onto the roll of carbonless paper.
Heretofore
stretch wrapping machinery manufacturers have marketed equipment which combines spiral wrapping of stretch film with limited non-spiral wrapping of a single face corrugated medium or a kraft wrap. Traditionally
machines have been developed which provide foam wrap in one operation and then kraft wrap in a second operation
and have required a substantial amount of the wrapping process to be performed by hand.
Problems have occurred in the prior art with the existing foam/kraft packages. Specifically
these packages using kraft wrap cannot apply foam over the edge of a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless paper without producing a bulky edge that makes roll stacking difficult. The absence of foam over the edge of the roll of carbonless paper leaves the roll subject to edge damage. Prior to this time a sufficient wrapping procedure or a final wrapped package has not been achieved in the art which would require only a relatively limited capital cost and produce a resultant packaged product which is easy to handle.
Tag: Carbonless Paper Roll
Read More “Carbonless paper roll producing a foam wrapped package.”
18
24
or any other size as required. Our papers are available in white
pink
green
blue and yellow colour.
Carbonless paper uses a chemical reaction between two different contacting coatings to transfer an image when pressure is applied. A paper that is most often used for multiple part forms
it contains a chemical coating on the front side (designated as CF) or on the back side (designated as CB)
or on both sides (designated as CFB). When a handwritten or machine impression occurs on the first sheet of multiple parts
the impression transfers from one page or ply to the next due to the bursting of tiny microcapsules in the chemical coating used to release a darkened copy of the impression occurring on the first sheet.
A method and apparatus are provided for producing a foam wrapped package for protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper. Interleaved foam and film are wrapped under tension around the outer periphery of the roll of carbonless paper by selectively rotating the roll and separately feeding packaging foam and stretch film toward the rotating roll.
The present invention relates to a process for producing a foam wrap package
and
more particularly
to a process for wrapping and protecting a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless copy paper by simultaneously wrapping interleaved layers of stretch film and packaging foam onto the roll of carbonless paper.
Heretofore
stretch wrapping machinery manufacturers have marketed equipment which combines spiral wrapping of stretch film with limited non-spiral wrapping of a single face corrugated medium or a kraft wrap. Traditionally
machines have been developed which provide foam wrap in one operation and then kraft wrap in a second operation
and have required a substantial amount of the wrapping process to be performed by hand.
Problems have occurred in the prior art with the existing foam/kraft packages. Specifically
these packages using kraft wrap cannot apply foam over the edge of a roll of pressure-sensitive carbonless paper without producing a bulky edge that makes roll stacking difficult. The absence of foam over the edge of the roll of carbonless paper leaves the roll subject to edge damage. Prior to this time a sufficient wrapping procedure or a final wrapped package has not been achieved in the art which would require only a relatively limited capital cost and produce a resultant packaged product which is easy to handle.
Tag: Carbonless Paper Roll
Canon Pixma inside out the iP4200 Photo Printer
Posted by
Best-Product
So you might have already heard about the new Canon Pixma iP4200 that’s doing the rounds in the computer hardware industry nowadays. Everybody is reviewing it
including us.
Canon has been keeping mum over the longest-lasting-photo-prints debate for sometime now. Possible explanations include the newly released Pixma iP4200
with built-in duplex printing; individual cartridges; two paper-input trays; easy operation; inexpensive; great-looking photos; and 100-year print life. Epson
the leading contender for lasting prints
now has competition. The key ingredient to long-lasting prints is Canon’s ChromaLife 100 ink set
included in the Pixma iP4200. The company claims that when used with their branded photo papers
photos printed using ChromaLife 100 inks will last up to 100 years when stored properly.
Compared with the iP4000
the iP4200 is less expensive
faster for business applications
and offers more longevity for photos. However
photos take a little longer to print and earn a lower quality rating than the iP4000
but the overall balance of features makes for an impressive package.
The Pixma iP4200 uses Canon's Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) print head
which releases droplets as small as 1pl for each of the 1
536
cyan
magenta
yellow
and black print heads (plus 320 nozzles for pigment-ink black text)
providing an effective color resolution of 9
600
400
Two separate black ink cartridges for both a pigment-based black and a dye-based black
significantly improve photo output.
Apart from five inks
the photo printer offers the advantage of two paper inputs: a standard paper feed tray in the rear and a second paper tray that slides into the front bottom. You could now easily load standard paper in one tray and photo paper in the other
and switch back and forth between standard printing and photos without having to swap out paper every time. One eco-friendly feature of this printer includes the ability to automatically print on both sides of a sheet of paper. However
it might take you three times as long to print a 10-page Microsoft Word document in this mode compared with printing one-sided sheets.
The iP4200's driver can automatically adjust colour balance
you can access sliders that modify the intensity of the individual inks; you can also switch from sRGB to Windows Image Color Management (ICM). Grayscale printing simply requires the tick of a check box
and a simplistic Print Advisor wizard can quiz you on the type of document you're printing and recommend an appropriate paper.
Other than duplexing
the Page Setup options include size and orientation
number of copies
border/borderless printing
and addition of a background image or a watermark. An Effects tab provides settings for optimizing the image; reducing noise; boosting contrast; or adding effects such as sepia
pink
and other colours. You can save your settings as a profile for reuse in another printing session.
The Maintenance tab offers functions such as nozzle checks and cleaning
printhead alignment
and other tasks
including a bottom-plate-cleaning function that uses a folded letter-size sheet to tidy up before duplex printing.
Graphics quality
rated at the high end of good
is suitable for schoolwork or internal business use
and is marginally good enough for an important client or customer you might want to impress. However
some visible problems with photos include a slight pink tint in monochrome photos and a tendency for some colours to be overly punchy. It was also a little troublesome to get a neutral gray out of the printer as prints tended toward either green or blue depending on the driver settings used.
Refilling the Pixma iP4200 Cartridges
The new Canon PGI-5 and CLI-8 cartridges have an onboard chip to measure the ink level of each individual cartridge. The five individual ink cartridges in the Pixma iP4200 feature bright red LEDs that light up when properly installed. The cartridge lights also start blinking when ink is running low
and the blinking gets faster as the tanks get emptier. The numbers of the Pixma iP4200 cartridges are:
PGI-5BK - Black pigment ink
CLI-8BK - Black dye based ink
CLI-8C - Cyan dye based ink
CLI-8M - Magenta dye based ink
CLI-8Y - Yellow dye based ink
These cartridges are also suitable for Pixma iP5200
iP5200r printers
MP500
MP800 and MP950 MFPs.
Needless to say
many people would like to know if these cartridges can be refilled
or if compatible cartridges are available. As of now (February 2006)
compatibles are not available for the PGI5 or CLI8 inks
probably for 2 reasons:
The ink formulations are quite complex
and refill ink manufacturers need to ensure their inks will perform equivalent to the original Canon inks.
Canon has patented the on-board chip; consequently
compatible manufacturers have to be very careful not to infringe that patent
which could leave them open to litigation. Canon recently won a lawsuit against a company in Japan
which was involved in the business of refilling and resale of Canon cartridges. Naturally
this will set back any plans for compatible cartridges.
However
there are refill inks available on the market and refilling instructions are available from ink vendors. Canon has very cleverly adapted their printers; if you refill the cartridges and re-insert them into the machine
a warning message will appear on your computer along the lines of:
“You are using refill ink in your cartridges. If you continue
your printer warranty will be void.” You are prompted to press OK
and after doing so
the low ink warning facility on the printer no longer works. If this is the case
you must be very careful never to let the inks run dry
as this will burn your print head.
Read More “Canon Pixma inside out the iP4200 Photo Printer”
including us.
Canon has been keeping mum over the longest-lasting-photo-prints debate for sometime now. Possible explanations include the newly released Pixma iP4200
with built-in duplex printing; individual cartridges; two paper-input trays; easy operation; inexpensive; great-looking photos; and 100-year print life. Epson
the leading contender for lasting prints
now has competition. The key ingredient to long-lasting prints is Canon’s ChromaLife 100 ink set
included in the Pixma iP4200. The company claims that when used with their branded photo papers
photos printed using ChromaLife 100 inks will last up to 100 years when stored properly.
Compared with the iP4000
the iP4200 is less expensive
faster for business applications
and offers more longevity for photos. However
photos take a little longer to print and earn a lower quality rating than the iP4000
but the overall balance of features makes for an impressive package.
The Pixma iP4200 uses Canon's Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering (FINE) print head
which releases droplets as small as 1pl for each of the 1
536
cyan
magenta
yellow
and black print heads (plus 320 nozzles for pigment-ink black text)
providing an effective color resolution of 9
600
400
Two separate black ink cartridges for both a pigment-based black and a dye-based black
significantly improve photo output.
Apart from five inks
the photo printer offers the advantage of two paper inputs: a standard paper feed tray in the rear and a second paper tray that slides into the front bottom. You could now easily load standard paper in one tray and photo paper in the other
and switch back and forth between standard printing and photos without having to swap out paper every time. One eco-friendly feature of this printer includes the ability to automatically print on both sides of a sheet of paper. However
it might take you three times as long to print a 10-page Microsoft Word document in this mode compared with printing one-sided sheets.
The iP4200's driver can automatically adjust colour balance
you can access sliders that modify the intensity of the individual inks; you can also switch from sRGB to Windows Image Color Management (ICM). Grayscale printing simply requires the tick of a check box
and a simplistic Print Advisor wizard can quiz you on the type of document you're printing and recommend an appropriate paper.
Other than duplexing
the Page Setup options include size and orientation
number of copies
border/borderless printing
and addition of a background image or a watermark. An Effects tab provides settings for optimizing the image; reducing noise; boosting contrast; or adding effects such as sepia
pink
and other colours. You can save your settings as a profile for reuse in another printing session.
The Maintenance tab offers functions such as nozzle checks and cleaning
printhead alignment
and other tasks
including a bottom-plate-cleaning function that uses a folded letter-size sheet to tidy up before duplex printing.
Graphics quality
rated at the high end of good
is suitable for schoolwork or internal business use
and is marginally good enough for an important client or customer you might want to impress. However
some visible problems with photos include a slight pink tint in monochrome photos and a tendency for some colours to be overly punchy. It was also a little troublesome to get a neutral gray out of the printer as prints tended toward either green or blue depending on the driver settings used.
Refilling the Pixma iP4200 Cartridges
The new Canon PGI-5 and CLI-8 cartridges have an onboard chip to measure the ink level of each individual cartridge. The five individual ink cartridges in the Pixma iP4200 feature bright red LEDs that light up when properly installed. The cartridge lights also start blinking when ink is running low
and the blinking gets faster as the tanks get emptier. The numbers of the Pixma iP4200 cartridges are:
PGI-5BK - Black pigment ink
CLI-8BK - Black dye based ink
CLI-8C - Cyan dye based ink
CLI-8M - Magenta dye based ink
CLI-8Y - Yellow dye based ink
These cartridges are also suitable for Pixma iP5200
iP5200r printers
MP500
MP800 and MP950 MFPs.
Needless to say
many people would like to know if these cartridges can be refilled
or if compatible cartridges are available. As of now (February 2006)
compatibles are not available for the PGI5 or CLI8 inks
probably for 2 reasons:
The ink formulations are quite complex
and refill ink manufacturers need to ensure their inks will perform equivalent to the original Canon inks.
Canon has patented the on-board chip; consequently
compatible manufacturers have to be very careful not to infringe that patent
which could leave them open to litigation. Canon recently won a lawsuit against a company in Japan
which was involved in the business of refilling and resale of Canon cartridges. Naturally
this will set back any plans for compatible cartridges.
However
there are refill inks available on the market and refilling instructions are available from ink vendors. Canon has very cleverly adapted their printers; if you refill the cartridges and re-insert them into the machine
a warning message will appear on your computer along the lines of:
“You are using refill ink in your cartridges. If you continue
your printer warranty will be void.” You are prompted to press OK
and after doing so
the low ink warning facility on the printer no longer works. If this is the case
you must be very careful never to let the inks run dry
as this will burn your print head.
Can t Print Won t Print
Posted by
Best-Product
Digital photography has exploded
exceeding all forecasted figures and many of us have one or more of these great devices
but one of the basic values of photography has been lost in the transfer from film to digital cameras.
Research shows that the majority of digital photo's are not printed or published in any way
instead billions of photos are sitting on computers and memory cards all over the world
hidden away in cyberspace.
This is a sad prospect as passing photographs through friends
family and generations has been a tradition for many years
reminding us of our ancestors and memories of times gone by. Photographs gain importance with age and there is a pleasure in flicking through old photos. It should be remembered that it may not always be possible to view photos held on today's digital media
as progress may backdate the media type and the compatibility to read them. We should therefore not overlook the importance of making actual prints of our precious digital snaps.
The major reason for our reluctance to print digital photos is the perceived complications in printing a quality digital print
but with digital photo kiosks
affordable photo printers and easy to use software
it is really not that hard. It is entirely possible for the novice computer user to produce great quality prints from their digital camera using the home photo printer.
Generally speaking
getting a picture from your digital camera to your printer normally involves these simple steps:
1. Copy images from camera to a folder on your computer.
2. Load up your printing software and choose the images you would like to print.
3. Select the size and type of paper you are using (always use photo paper).
4. Print your photos.
A great new function on many of the latest cameras and printers cuts the process right down. The PictBridge print system is probably the easiest way of getting your images from your camera on to photo paper. This system does rely on having both a PictBridge compliant printer and a PictBridge compliant camera
but most new photo printers and cameras on the market will have PictBridge as standard - but it's worth checking out if you are about to buy a printer or camera.
The PictBridge system allows you to print directly from your camera to the printer without the use of a computer. You can select photos
print size and quantities
all from the screen of the camera and process the print with a button!
The great thing about printing your own pictures is that you have total control
choice and discretion. You can print as many copies as you like
choose various sizes and finishes and using photo editing software
you can tweak your pictures as a dark room technician would
or even get creative! In fact half the fun of digital photography is what you can do with the printing of the photo.
Read More “Can t Print Won t Print”
exceeding all forecasted figures and many of us have one or more of these great devices
but one of the basic values of photography has been lost in the transfer from film to digital cameras.
Research shows that the majority of digital photo's are not printed or published in any way
instead billions of photos are sitting on computers and memory cards all over the world
hidden away in cyberspace.
This is a sad prospect as passing photographs through friends
family and generations has been a tradition for many years
reminding us of our ancestors and memories of times gone by. Photographs gain importance with age and there is a pleasure in flicking through old photos. It should be remembered that it may not always be possible to view photos held on today's digital media
as progress may backdate the media type and the compatibility to read them. We should therefore not overlook the importance of making actual prints of our precious digital snaps.
The major reason for our reluctance to print digital photos is the perceived complications in printing a quality digital print
but with digital photo kiosks
affordable photo printers and easy to use software
it is really not that hard. It is entirely possible for the novice computer user to produce great quality prints from their digital camera using the home photo printer.
Generally speaking
getting a picture from your digital camera to your printer normally involves these simple steps:
1. Copy images from camera to a folder on your computer.
2. Load up your printing software and choose the images you would like to print.
3. Select the size and type of paper you are using (always use photo paper).
4. Print your photos.
A great new function on many of the latest cameras and printers cuts the process right down. The PictBridge print system is probably the easiest way of getting your images from your camera on to photo paper. This system does rely on having both a PictBridge compliant printer and a PictBridge compliant camera
but most new photo printers and cameras on the market will have PictBridge as standard - but it's worth checking out if you are about to buy a printer or camera.
The PictBridge system allows you to print directly from your camera to the printer without the use of a computer. You can select photos
print size and quantities
all from the screen of the camera and process the print with a button!
The great thing about printing your own pictures is that you have total control
choice and discretion. You can print as many copies as you like
choose various sizes and finishes and using photo editing software
you can tweak your pictures as a dark room technician would
or even get creative! In fact half the fun of digital photography is what you can do with the printing of the photo.
Can Ink Cartridges Inkjet printers actually be cool
Posted by
Best-Product
First a little history lesson.....
There was a time
long ago that printers had ribbons and used dot matrix printing to create tiny dots that
when looked at
were readable. Sometimes they were BARELY readable
however. Changing ribbons and printing wheels to change type face was a chore.
Then
in 1984
the first laser printer that used toner cartridges came into being. Quickly
no one wanted a dot matrix printer anymore. The laser printer caused ink powder from the toner cartridge to fuse onto the paper where the program told the printer to leave ink. The output was much clearer and much more professional in appearance. Very soon
dot matrix printers became known as "door stops".
By 1990
inkjet printers that used drop-in ink cartridges became readily available and very reasonable prices. These inkjet cartridges were very easy to change without any fuss. The cost to the user
compared to the laser toner cartridge
was significantly reduced.
So now it starts getting pretty cool....
Today
inkjet printers using ink cartridges are so affordable that every computer owner can afford to own their own printer that is capable of using photo quality inkjet cartridges or for less expensive printing
ink cartridges that are remanufactured or "generic" or non-original manufacture. These inkjet cartridges can even be refilled in many cases to save even more money.
The price of the machines themselves has dropped by buckets and what they can do is way cooler than ever before. Not only can you print but also scan
fax (many do PC-Fax which I’ll get to later)
copy
make your morning coffee
take out the garbage (ok not those last 2). Combining this many tasks obviously reduces the number of different machines in your home/office but in addition there’s only one manual you have to completely ignore instead of many (for the guys reading this). The PC-Fax thingy I mentioned Id actually like to discuss a little more about because I personally find this a fantastic feature. Basically it means that your printer/fax/everything else talks directly to your computer allowing you to send and receive faxes without any visible signs of paper involved. For example if anyone was crazy enough to want a copy of this article faxed to them I could do it directly from my computer without having to actually print anything out.
When using inkjet cartridges that are photo quality
it is sensible to use photo quality paper for your printing. This ensures the best quality print out resulting from your inkjet photo quality cartridge. While these inkjet cartridges will print on regular paper
it is a waste to place the more expensive ink cartridge into your printer and then print on plain non-glossy paper.
For every day printing in black and white or even in color
remanufactured or non-original inkjet cartridges work great and save money for you in the long run. As a general rule of thumb
you need to purchase twice as many black inkjet cartridges because there is
on average
more black printing needs for the average person.
Nowadays manufacturers are including more and more technology into their cartridges and trying to convince you that their ink has that extra special something. Epson uses DURABrite ink
HP uses Vivera ink and the list goes on. If you ever get bored and feel the need to work yourself into a frenzy just try surfing some of the major sites to compare exactly what one manufacturers ink does compared to the next. If you come away from this sane you’ll definitely know a lot more techie sounds words than you need to know now or in your next lifetime.
Many of the latest ink cartridges have cool gizmos in them like small chips designed to monitor the ink levels and tell you when its time to reorder and even little LEDs for those of you who want their printer to light up like a disco. The idea of the chip sounds great but there are cases where the chip is telling the printer to stop working too soon or even to not work at all if the cartridges inside are not original (there’s been at least one of the major players recently sued over exactly this). To try and counter this a ‘chip resetter’ can be purchased which basically tells the chip to do as its told and keep on printing regardless of how much ink it thought was left in the tank. As far as the issue with these chips and non original cartridges is concerned its actually illegal for a chip to stop your machine working on this basis but apparently this hasn’t deterred a few of the big boys. Whether a chip resetter will fix this problem is uncertain.
No one knows what will come next in the world of printing. Just as the dot matrix printer long ago became a door stop (mostly that is)
it is possible that within the next decade a new
less expensive
more user-friendly printing method that is even more cost effective than inkjet printers using drop-in ink cartridges will become archaic. For today
inkjet cartridges in low-priced printer provide the average household with all the affordable printing from their inkjet printer they need.
Whether you want to print graphics
brochures
or just letters
there is a printer that uses inkjet cartridges for you. Choose inkjet cartridges that meet your printing needs at affordable prices.
Bottom line is yep your ink cartridges are getting more high tech and cooler (heck in the old days theres no way your cartridge would actually light up with pretty colours for you and tell you when its about to run dry). The future is certainly going to be interesting seeing what comes next.....
Read More “Can Ink Cartridges Inkjet printers actually be cool”
There was a time
long ago that printers had ribbons and used dot matrix printing to create tiny dots that
when looked at
were readable. Sometimes they were BARELY readable
however. Changing ribbons and printing wheels to change type face was a chore.
Then
in 1984
the first laser printer that used toner cartridges came into being. Quickly
no one wanted a dot matrix printer anymore. The laser printer caused ink powder from the toner cartridge to fuse onto the paper where the program told the printer to leave ink. The output was much clearer and much more professional in appearance. Very soon
dot matrix printers became known as "door stops".
By 1990
inkjet printers that used drop-in ink cartridges became readily available and very reasonable prices. These inkjet cartridges were very easy to change without any fuss. The cost to the user
compared to the laser toner cartridge
was significantly reduced.
So now it starts getting pretty cool....
Today
inkjet printers using ink cartridges are so affordable that every computer owner can afford to own their own printer that is capable of using photo quality inkjet cartridges or for less expensive printing
ink cartridges that are remanufactured or "generic" or non-original manufacture. These inkjet cartridges can even be refilled in many cases to save even more money.
The price of the machines themselves has dropped by buckets and what they can do is way cooler than ever before. Not only can you print but also scan
fax (many do PC-Fax which I’ll get to later)
copy
make your morning coffee
take out the garbage (ok not those last 2). Combining this many tasks obviously reduces the number of different machines in your home/office but in addition there’s only one manual you have to completely ignore instead of many (for the guys reading this). The PC-Fax thingy I mentioned Id actually like to discuss a little more about because I personally find this a fantastic feature. Basically it means that your printer/fax/everything else talks directly to your computer allowing you to send and receive faxes without any visible signs of paper involved. For example if anyone was crazy enough to want a copy of this article faxed to them I could do it directly from my computer without having to actually print anything out.
When using inkjet cartridges that are photo quality
it is sensible to use photo quality paper for your printing. This ensures the best quality print out resulting from your inkjet photo quality cartridge. While these inkjet cartridges will print on regular paper
it is a waste to place the more expensive ink cartridge into your printer and then print on plain non-glossy paper.
For every day printing in black and white or even in color
remanufactured or non-original inkjet cartridges work great and save money for you in the long run. As a general rule of thumb
you need to purchase twice as many black inkjet cartridges because there is
on average
more black printing needs for the average person.
Nowadays manufacturers are including more and more technology into their cartridges and trying to convince you that their ink has that extra special something. Epson uses DURABrite ink
HP uses Vivera ink and the list goes on. If you ever get bored and feel the need to work yourself into a frenzy just try surfing some of the major sites to compare exactly what one manufacturers ink does compared to the next. If you come away from this sane you’ll definitely know a lot more techie sounds words than you need to know now or in your next lifetime.
Many of the latest ink cartridges have cool gizmos in them like small chips designed to monitor the ink levels and tell you when its time to reorder and even little LEDs for those of you who want their printer to light up like a disco. The idea of the chip sounds great but there are cases where the chip is telling the printer to stop working too soon or even to not work at all if the cartridges inside are not original (there’s been at least one of the major players recently sued over exactly this). To try and counter this a ‘chip resetter’ can be purchased which basically tells the chip to do as its told and keep on printing regardless of how much ink it thought was left in the tank. As far as the issue with these chips and non original cartridges is concerned its actually illegal for a chip to stop your machine working on this basis but apparently this hasn’t deterred a few of the big boys. Whether a chip resetter will fix this problem is uncertain.
No one knows what will come next in the world of printing. Just as the dot matrix printer long ago became a door stop (mostly that is)
it is possible that within the next decade a new
less expensive
more user-friendly printing method that is even more cost effective than inkjet printers using drop-in ink cartridges will become archaic. For today
inkjet cartridges in low-priced printer provide the average household with all the affordable printing from their inkjet printer they need.
Whether you want to print graphics
brochures
or just letters
there is a printer that uses inkjet cartridges for you. Choose inkjet cartridges that meet your printing needs at affordable prices.
Bottom line is yep your ink cartridges are getting more high tech and cooler (heck in the old days theres no way your cartridge would actually light up with pretty colours for you and tell you when its about to run dry). The future is certainly going to be interesting seeing what comes next.....
Buying Printer Cartridges
Posted by
Best-Product
Printing has become an absolute necessity for people all over the nation and world these days. Whether a person needs to print an essay for a school project or a business plan to present to their peers
having a reliable method of translating work done on a computer to a sheet of paper is a must. One important part of a printer that often gets overlooked in the process
however
is the printer cartridge. Containing the ink necessary to write lines and create diagrams on a blank sheet of paper
printer cartridges are something that no printer can be without. It is important
therefore
that anyone who plans on using his or her printer on a continuous basis have a reliable method to replace their printer cartridges when they inevitably dry out of ink.
One of the most common mistakes that is made is to buy a printer cartridge only after the previous one has become useless. The simple truth is that these cartridges are often very expensive and are not always easily acquirable. Because of these attributes
there are several strategies to employ when purchasing printer cartridges for the future.
The first thing to remember is that printer cartridges come in a great variety and that a person can’t just plug the first one they see at the store into their printer and expect results. You have to buy a printer cartridge that is compatible with your printer
or you will have wasted your time and money. For example
if you own a Canon printer
it would be foolish to buy a Lexmark printer cartridge. If you are not sure about which cartridges fit your printer
jot down the printer brand and model and ask a sales representative to help you out.
Also remember that while printer cartridges are quite expensive
it is best to get backups when they go on sale. If for example
you own a HP printer and see a sale on all HP and Epson printer cartridges during Thanksgiving
you should head down to the store and pick some up. There is no point in waiting until you really need the printer cartridge to buy them and paying double or triple the price. On a similar note
if the sale were for Xerox and Pitney Bowes printer cartridges
don’t buy them just because they are discounted. If the printer cartridges are not compatible with your printer
they are basically worthless. But overall
being a smart consumer and thinking ahead will do nothing but benefit you in terms of saving time and money.
Overall there are many different printer cartridges
from Xerox to Pitney Bowes
and many different printers
from Canon brands to Lexmark
which they can be used with. Knowing which printer cartridge to buy and taking advantage of sales can go a long way in ensuring that your printer will be working with high quality whenever it is needed!
Read More “Buying Printer Cartridges”
having a reliable method of translating work done on a computer to a sheet of paper is a must. One important part of a printer that often gets overlooked in the process
however
is the printer cartridge. Containing the ink necessary to write lines and create diagrams on a blank sheet of paper
printer cartridges are something that no printer can be without. It is important
therefore
that anyone who plans on using his or her printer on a continuous basis have a reliable method to replace their printer cartridges when they inevitably dry out of ink.
One of the most common mistakes that is made is to buy a printer cartridge only after the previous one has become useless. The simple truth is that these cartridges are often very expensive and are not always easily acquirable. Because of these attributes
there are several strategies to employ when purchasing printer cartridges for the future.
The first thing to remember is that printer cartridges come in a great variety and that a person can’t just plug the first one they see at the store into their printer and expect results. You have to buy a printer cartridge that is compatible with your printer
or you will have wasted your time and money. For example
if you own a Canon printer
it would be foolish to buy a Lexmark printer cartridge. If you are not sure about which cartridges fit your printer
jot down the printer brand and model and ask a sales representative to help you out.
Also remember that while printer cartridges are quite expensive
it is best to get backups when they go on sale. If for example
you own a HP printer and see a sale on all HP and Epson printer cartridges during Thanksgiving
you should head down to the store and pick some up. There is no point in waiting until you really need the printer cartridge to buy them and paying double or triple the price. On a similar note
if the sale were for Xerox and Pitney Bowes printer cartridges
don’t buy them just because they are discounted. If the printer cartridges are not compatible with your printer
they are basically worthless. But overall
being a smart consumer and thinking ahead will do nothing but benefit you in terms of saving time and money.
Overall there are many different printer cartridges
from Xerox to Pitney Bowes
and many different printers
from Canon brands to Lexmark
which they can be used with. Knowing which printer cartridge to buy and taking advantage of sales can go a long way in ensuring that your printer will be working with high quality whenever it is needed!
Buying a Refurbished Laptop Computer
Thursday, 3 September 2009Posted by
Best-Product
When considering buying a used or even a new laptop
the first thing you need to do is to determine your computing needs.
* word processing
* e-mail
* browsing web pages
* moving the laptop from home to work (weight)
* gaming
* on-line shopping
* a database application
* personal finance
* is battery power important
Check out the Minimum Systems Requirements needed to do all of the your applications. They will not come with the laptop
as refurbished laptops often only include the Operating System (OS). If they don't include an installed OS
then be prepared to install it yourself. This is not for those that don't know what they are doing
so research what is involved before buying one without an OS.
Once you understand what you really need
you need to determine your budget.
Most old laptops do not have working batteries. If you need a battery
shop around to figure out how much they cost. You should know that on older laptops
batteries don't last more than an hour or two
so purchasing a new battery for the purpose of longer battery life may not be worth the expense. And by all means
stick with a name brand… IBM
Dell
Toshiba
Compaq-HP.
If you are new to computers and you want to browse the World Wide Web
you will need to obtain the services of an ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are basically two types of Internet access options: broadband (cable modem
DSL
satellite) and lowband (dial-up). Broadband is the preferred type since download speeds can range from 128kbs to 6000kbs. The faster the better
of course. But
if your budget is tight
dial-up works just fine for typical browsing and e-mail usage.
Your choice of ISP's will be dependent upon two things: budget and location. If the budget allows and you don't mind paying upwards of $35-50+ per month
you can purchase a broadband connection. However
even if money were no object
your physical location will determine what types of services are available to you. Broadband is not available everywhere (with the exception of satellite). If you have a telephone line
you can always choose dial-up. AOL's bread and butter is dial-up users. Do your research to determine what is available in your area and compare costs.
And for you gamers out there
you definitely need a reliable broadband connection. Gaming over a lowband connection can be a frustrating experience and sometimes even impossible. You will need to check out the minimum systems requirement for the games you are interested in using to make sure the CPU speed and the RAM and graphic chip requirements will support the games you wish to play.
Once you have figured out your budget and your needs and the requirements of your laptop it is time to search for the laptop of your desires.
Some people choose to search at www.ebay.com. If you do be sure to check out the seller to be sure you will have a smooth transaction.
Many people don't want the hassle of bidding
so use your favorite search engine: Google or Yahoo or MSN for the terms "used laptops" or "refurbished laptop".
An important thing to keep in mind is how will the vendor treat you should there be a problem. If you don't like their attitude or they don't pick up the phone shop elsewhere. Price is important
but if you have a problem and spent the least amount of money possible the vendor may not have any resources available to help you after you have purchased and spent your money.
If all the above seems like too much of a hassle
then buy a new computer. It will cost around $700 + but will come with a new battery and a one year warranty
although some new ones seem to have only 90 day warranties. It will also have the latest Windows XP system and an 800 number to call the vendor
should their be a problem. I'd call the 800# first before buying to get an idea what kind of support they will provide.
Read More “Buying a Refurbished Laptop Computer”
the first thing you need to do is to determine your computing needs.
* word processing
* browsing web pages
* moving the laptop from home to work (weight)
* gaming
* on-line shopping
* a database application
* personal finance
* is battery power important
Check out the Minimum Systems Requirements needed to do all of the your applications. They will not come with the laptop
as refurbished laptops often only include the Operating System (OS). If they don't include an installed OS
then be prepared to install it yourself. This is not for those that don't know what they are doing
so research what is involved before buying one without an OS.
Once you understand what you really need
you need to determine your budget.
Most old laptops do not have working batteries. If you need a battery
shop around to figure out how much they cost. You should know that on older laptops
batteries don't last more than an hour or two
so purchasing a new battery for the purpose of longer battery life may not be worth the expense. And by all means
stick with a name brand… IBM
Dell
Toshiba
Compaq-HP.
If you are new to computers and you want to browse the World Wide Web
you will need to obtain the services of an ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are basically two types of Internet access options: broadband (cable modem
DSL
satellite) and lowband (dial-up). Broadband is the preferred type since download speeds can range from 128kbs to 6000kbs. The faster the better
of course. But
if your budget is tight
dial-up works just fine for typical browsing and e-mail usage.
Your choice of ISP's will be dependent upon two things: budget and location. If the budget allows and you don't mind paying upwards of $35-50+ per month
you can purchase a broadband connection. However
even if money were no object
your physical location will determine what types of services are available to you. Broadband is not available everywhere (with the exception of satellite). If you have a telephone line
you can always choose dial-up. AOL's bread and butter is dial-up users. Do your research to determine what is available in your area and compare costs.
And for you gamers out there
you definitely need a reliable broadband connection. Gaming over a lowband connection can be a frustrating experience and sometimes even impossible. You will need to check out the minimum systems requirement for the games you are interested in using to make sure the CPU speed and the RAM and graphic chip requirements will support the games you wish to play.
Once you have figured out your budget and your needs and the requirements of your laptop it is time to search for the laptop of your desires.
Some people choose to search at www.ebay.com. If you do be sure to check out the seller to be sure you will have a smooth transaction.
Many people don't want the hassle of bidding
so use your favorite search engine: Google or Yahoo or MSN for the terms "used laptops" or "refurbished laptop".
An important thing to keep in mind is how will the vendor treat you should there be a problem. If you don't like their attitude or they don't pick up the phone shop elsewhere. Price is important
but if you have a problem and spent the least amount of money possible the vendor may not have any resources available to help you after you have purchased and spent your money.
If all the above seems like too much of a hassle
then buy a new computer. It will cost around $700 + but will come with a new battery and a one year warranty
although some new ones seem to have only 90 day warranties. It will also have the latest Windows XP system and an 800 number to call the vendor
should their be a problem. I'd call the 800# first before buying to get an idea what kind of support they will provide.
Building A Computer Introduction
Tuesday, 1 September 2009Posted by
Best-Product
If you are reading this article
you are probably wondernig
why and how do you build a computer. Building your own computer is more simple than you think and has many benefits.
Why Build A Computer?
Building a computer has many benefits over buying a premade. First of all
it is generally cheaper if you build your own than buying one. If you shop your components
your DIY(Do it yourself) computer will be cheaper than its premade equivalent. If you build your own computer
it will be faster than one that is premade
because most computer manufacturers use cheap components and try to cut corners to cut down costs. Additionally
your self built computer has more room to upgrade if you so decide to in the future. Prebuilt computers usually only have enough expansion slots for the components that are going to be in the computer. Because of this
your prebuilt computer will become obsolete sooner. Also
building a computer is a satisfying experience and you will learn more about how your computer works.
How do I go About Building a Computer?
Building a computer is probably much simpler than you think. Especially now
things have been simplified and standardized. First
you pick out components and make sure they are all compatible. Once you get the parts
you put them together! This guide was made to show you how to do everything and contains pictures and good information to make building a computer a fun and rewarding experience. For more information about building a computer
be sure to check out the next article in this guide!
Read More “Building A Computer Introduction”
you are probably wondernig
why and how do you build a computer. Building your own computer is more simple than you think and has many benefits.
Why Build A Computer?
Building a computer has many benefits over buying a premade. First of all
it is generally cheaper if you build your own than buying one. If you shop your components
your DIY(Do it yourself) computer will be cheaper than its premade equivalent. If you build your own computer
it will be faster than one that is premade
because most computer manufacturers use cheap components and try to cut corners to cut down costs. Additionally
your self built computer has more room to upgrade if you so decide to in the future. Prebuilt computers usually only have enough expansion slots for the components that are going to be in the computer. Because of this
your prebuilt computer will become obsolete sooner. Also
building a computer is a satisfying experience and you will learn more about how your computer works.
How do I go About Building a Computer?
Building a computer is probably much simpler than you think. Especially now
things have been simplified and standardized. First
you pick out components and make sure they are all compatible. Once you get the parts
you put them together! This guide was made to show you how to do everything and contains pictures and good information to make building a computer a fun and rewarding experience. For more information about building a computer
be sure to check out the next article in this guide!
Building a Computer From the Bottom Up
Posted by
Best-Product
Before you even think about building your own computer make sure that you go for the best technology possible. This is an important task and you want it to turn out as close to perfect as possible. When your PC is complete you want it to have the best hardware available.
One of the biggest benefits of building your own computer is that you can customize it. You know what is most important to you. Maybe you are a graphics user. MP3’s might be the closest thing you have to a best friend. Perhaps you are writing the great American novel and you are mainly interested in text. If you are building your own machine
you can concentrate on what you want but if you're building it for a third party
you obviously need to consult them first.
Collecting the hardware for your new computer is the most time consuming part of the process. You want to make sure that you get high standard equipment that works well with your needs. Take your time and don’t try to skimp on your hardware. If you don’t heed both of these suggestions
your computer could bite back later.
If you are building your own PC
you probably know that the Motherboard is the most important part of your computer. Everything that you plug into your computer will meet here. Be especially choosy when buying a motherboard. And make sure that there is an instruction manual. Some cheapies will not have one.
Be aware that the Motherboard will control the future of your computer. All upgrades will have to be compatible with your Motherboard. The chipset in the Motherboard deserves careful investigation. What will it support? Find out before you buy. Take your time. There are a ton of chipsets out there.
Pay close attention to how many PCL slots the Mother board has. The more
PLC slots the better because they fill up quickly. How is the board laid out? Check for any problems such as something blocking your long PCI slots.
When selecting a case
be aware of the form factor. You want an ATX form factor because that is what almost all new systems are operating on. Try to go with a screw free form factor because it will be easier to work with. One equipped with fans would be optimal.
Three are three groups of processors; low end
average and high end. The low end processor is okay for simple tasks. Letters
invoices and other noncomplex applications can be performed on a low end processor. If you do choose to go with a low end processor
realize that these are fast becoming outdated.
Average processors are faster and they are just a bit more expensive. For a few extra dollars you will be able to access higher level applications without hassle. This will provide more speed as well satisfying the average computer user.
High end processors are the cream of the crop. They are expensive and usually reserved for those on the high end of the pay scale. You will have high memory and no problem accessing complex CPU programs.
Memory is a vital element of your computer. Spend the money and purchase the best you can afford. If you don’t
more than likely you will need to go out and repurchase a better processor later. Also you will want to make sure you get memory that works with your system.
Get a video card that suits your purposes. If you are a small business owner
go with a cheaper
jack of all trades card. If you are building this computer for home use you might as well reward yourself with some perks. Now don’t go and spend five hundred dollars on a video card that a top financial institution might buy. Purchase a card that provides just slightly more than you need
but not so high end that it cost as much as the rest of your hardware.
You have your mouse and keyboard
right? Get a good hard drive. Buy a new one
opposed to used
to make sure you are getting the best quality.
CD-ROM drivers are cheap. Spend a little extra cash and get a really good one. If you want a more advanced unit
buy a DVD player. A DVD player will play CD-ROM’s and DVD’s. It will serve multiple purposes.
Read More “Building a Computer From the Bottom Up”
One of the biggest benefits of building your own computer is that you can customize it. You know what is most important to you. Maybe you are a graphics user. MP3’s might be the closest thing you have to a best friend. Perhaps you are writing the great American novel and you are mainly interested in text. If you are building your own machine
you can concentrate on what you want but if you're building it for a third party
you obviously need to consult them first.
Collecting the hardware for your new computer is the most time consuming part of the process. You want to make sure that you get high standard equipment that works well with your needs. Take your time and don’t try to skimp on your hardware. If you don’t heed both of these suggestions
your computer could bite back later.
If you are building your own PC
you probably know that the Motherboard is the most important part of your computer. Everything that you plug into your computer will meet here. Be especially choosy when buying a motherboard. And make sure that there is an instruction manual. Some cheapies will not have one.
Be aware that the Motherboard will control the future of your computer. All upgrades will have to be compatible with your Motherboard. The chipset in the Motherboard deserves careful investigation. What will it support? Find out before you buy. Take your time. There are a ton of chipsets out there.
Pay close attention to how many PCL slots the Mother board has. The more
PLC slots the better because they fill up quickly. How is the board laid out? Check for any problems such as something blocking your long PCI slots.
When selecting a case
be aware of the form factor. You want an ATX form factor because that is what almost all new systems are operating on. Try to go with a screw free form factor because it will be easier to work with. One equipped with fans would be optimal.
Three are three groups of processors; low end
average and high end. The low end processor is okay for simple tasks. Letters
invoices and other noncomplex applications can be performed on a low end processor. If you do choose to go with a low end processor
realize that these are fast becoming outdated.
Average processors are faster and they are just a bit more expensive. For a few extra dollars you will be able to access higher level applications without hassle. This will provide more speed as well satisfying the average computer user.
High end processors are the cream of the crop. They are expensive and usually reserved for those on the high end of the pay scale. You will have high memory and no problem accessing complex CPU programs.
Memory is a vital element of your computer. Spend the money and purchase the best you can afford. If you don’t
more than likely you will need to go out and repurchase a better processor later. Also you will want to make sure you get memory that works with your system.
Get a video card that suits your purposes. If you are a small business owner
go with a cheaper
jack of all trades card. If you are building this computer for home use you might as well reward yourself with some perks. Now don’t go and spend five hundred dollars on a video card that a top financial institution might buy. Purchase a card that provides just slightly more than you need
but not so high end that it cost as much as the rest of your hardware.
You have your mouse and keyboard
right? Get a good hard drive. Buy a new one
opposed to used
to make sure you are getting the best quality.
CD-ROM drivers are cheap. Spend a little extra cash and get a really good one. If you want a more advanced unit
buy a DVD player. A DVD player will play CD-ROM’s and DVD’s. It will serve multiple purposes.
Labels:
building pc,
computer
Building A Computer - Picking Components
Posted by
Best-Product
Picking the parts for your computer is one of the most important things in building a computer
because you cant assemble a computer without the parts! Picking parts for computers has become much easier than before
because things have been standardized
however
you need to make sure everything will fit. The first thing to think about when choosing the components for your computer is what you are going to be using it for. If you are creating a computer for just checking your eMail and using word
you are going to need much diffrent parts than a computer that you are going to be using for gaming.
CPU
The first thing you should pick out about your computer is what CPU you are going to use
because it determines what motherboard you are going to get
which determines what other components you get. There are two main CPU manufactruers
Intel and AMD. Both have their Pros and Cons
but they are pretty similar. I would suggest using AMD
because they give you a little more bang for the buck.
Here is a brief overview of the diffrent Intel and AMD CPUs:
Budget: AMD: Sempron
Intel: Celeron D
Midrange: AMD: Athlon 64
Intel: Pentium 4
High End: AMD: Athlon64 X2
Intel: Pentium D
If you are spending below $500
I would suggest a budget proccesor
Between $500 and $1000
midrange and $1000 and above I would suggest a high end proccessor.
Motherboard
Choosing the right motherboard is vital to building your computer. First
make sure you find a motherboard that has the right socket type for your CPU. Then
check the diffrent features of the motherboards you are looking at. If you arent going to buy a video or sound card
make sure your motherboard has onboard video and/or sound. Other things to check for on your motherboard are the hard drive interface
graphics card interface
expansion slots
the memory size and speed. Also
check for the chipset. There are too many to talk about
but generally Intel and nVidia chipsets are better than the other ones. Now that you picked out your motherboard
you know what to look for in your other components.
RAM
Getting the right speed and amount of RAM is vital to the speed and stability of your system. If you are running XP
you will probably need at least 256 or 512Mb of RAM. If you are going to be doing anything memory intensive
gaming
rendering or just want a faster computer
you should get 1Gb. Make sure your motherboard has enough DIMMs and the right type of DIMMs for your RAM. Also
be sure to check the speed and CAS Latency.
Hard Drive
Now its time to pick your hard drive. There are few variables in picking a hard drive. The first
and most important is size
120
is usually enough for most people unless
you are going to be storing alot of pictures and video. Also
make sure you get an HD with the right interace that fits your motherboard. Almost all motherboards have IDE
but some have SATA (Serial ATA) Which is a much faster hard drive interface and uses a thinner cable which helps with airflow in your case. There is even SATAII now
which is twice as fast. Also look at speed
almost all desktop HDs are 7200RPM and Cache
most are 8Mb
dont buy a HD below those standards. If you want to spend some money
you can get 2 HDs and run them in RAID which increases performance.
Video Cards
If you are going to be doing any gaming
be sure to buy a video card
if youre not
onboard video is fine. The first thing to check for is the interface
most are AGP or PCI-E. I personally like nVidia cards better. If you are going to be doing graphic intensive games
I would suggest at least a 6600. If you have alot to spend
go with a 7800.
Optical/Floppy drives
Another thing you are going to is a CD drive
most are IDE. Get a DVD Burner if you are going to use it. Also
you should get a floppy drive
they are only $10ish and you might need it to install drivers when building your computer.
Case and Power Supply
Make sure you have a sufficient power supply!! If you have a high end computer
you should get a 450W PSU. Otherwise
350
should be fine for most people. Most cases are ATX
but make sure it is the same type as your motherboard (ATX
MicroATX
BTX
etc...).
Be sure to make sure all your components are compatible!
Read More “Building A Computer - Picking Components”
because you cant assemble a computer without the parts! Picking parts for computers has become much easier than before
because things have been standardized
however
you need to make sure everything will fit. The first thing to think about when choosing the components for your computer is what you are going to be using it for. If you are creating a computer for just checking your eMail and using word
you are going to need much diffrent parts than a computer that you are going to be using for gaming.
CPU
The first thing you should pick out about your computer is what CPU you are going to use
because it determines what motherboard you are going to get
which determines what other components you get. There are two main CPU manufactruers
Intel and AMD. Both have their Pros and Cons
but they are pretty similar. I would suggest using AMD
because they give you a little more bang for the buck.
Here is a brief overview of the diffrent Intel and AMD CPUs:
Budget: AMD: Sempron
Intel: Celeron D
Midrange: AMD: Athlon 64
Intel: Pentium 4
High End: AMD: Athlon64 X2
Intel: Pentium D
If you are spending below $500
I would suggest a budget proccesor
Between $500 and $1000
midrange and $1000 and above I would suggest a high end proccessor.
Motherboard
Choosing the right motherboard is vital to building your computer. First
make sure you find a motherboard that has the right socket type for your CPU. Then
check the diffrent features of the motherboards you are looking at. If you arent going to buy a video or sound card
make sure your motherboard has onboard video and/or sound. Other things to check for on your motherboard are the hard drive interface
graphics card interface
expansion slots
the memory size and speed. Also
check for the chipset. There are too many to talk about
but generally Intel and nVidia chipsets are better than the other ones. Now that you picked out your motherboard
you know what to look for in your other components.
RAM
Getting the right speed and amount of RAM is vital to the speed and stability of your system. If you are running XP
you will probably need at least 256 or 512Mb of RAM. If you are going to be doing anything memory intensive
gaming
rendering or just want a faster computer
you should get 1Gb. Make sure your motherboard has enough DIMMs and the right type of DIMMs for your RAM. Also
be sure to check the speed and CAS Latency.
Hard Drive
Now its time to pick your hard drive. There are few variables in picking a hard drive. The first
and most important is size
120
is usually enough for most people unless
you are going to be storing alot of pictures and video. Also
make sure you get an HD with the right interace that fits your motherboard. Almost all motherboards have IDE
but some have SATA (Serial ATA) Which is a much faster hard drive interface and uses a thinner cable which helps with airflow in your case. There is even SATAII now
which is twice as fast. Also look at speed
almost all desktop HDs are 7200RPM and Cache
most are 8Mb
dont buy a HD below those standards. If you want to spend some money
you can get 2 HDs and run them in RAID which increases performance.
Video Cards
If you are going to be doing any gaming
be sure to buy a video card
if youre not
onboard video is fine. The first thing to check for is the interface
most are AGP or PCI-E. I personally like nVidia cards better. If you are going to be doing graphic intensive games
I would suggest at least a 6600. If you have alot to spend
go with a 7800.
Optical/Floppy drives
Another thing you are going to is a CD drive
most are IDE. Get a DVD Burner if you are going to use it. Also
you should get a floppy drive
they are only $10ish and you might need it to install drivers when building your computer.
Case and Power Supply
Make sure you have a sufficient power supply!! If you have a high end computer
you should get a 450W PSU. Otherwise
350
should be fine for most people. Most cases are ATX
but make sure it is the same type as your motherboard (ATX
MicroATX
BTX
etc...).
Be sure to make sure all your components are compatible!
Blu-ray vs HD-DVD - The lowdown on the warring formats
Posted by
Best-Product
The current aim of blu-ray and HD-DVD is to get as much public support quickly as ultimately it is the consumer who will decide which format comes out on top. With the unification talks failing it is up to you to make the decision of which format to adopt. To help you with this tough decision is the lowdown on how each format matches below.
History
The blu-ray format’s head companies are Sony and Philips with Toshiba and Hitachi heading up the HD-DVD format. This situation isn’t the first time where these two sides have gone at each other with opposing formats. The DVD format was born from the co-operation of the Multimedia Compact Disc from Sony/Philips (MMCD) and the Super Density Disc (SD) from Toshiba. Though it ended well for the consumer with the DVD format being widely adopted and becoming the new standard
it was Toshiba’s camp who came out on top in regards to royalties.
This led to the work on new formats by both sides with Sony aiming to regain some of its lost market. The two projects though had been in production but not really going anywhere at the time. Sony’s Professional Disc for Data (PDD) became the blu-ray format while Toshiba’s Advanced Optical Disc becoming HD-DVD. This leads us back to the original situation where there are two competing formats with a unification looking a lot less likely.
Technical
Both blu-ray and HD-DVD use a wavelength of 405nm however the smaller track pitch on blu-ray (see Blu-ray Disc) allows more information to be squeezed on and so gives the larger capacity. However it is the differing track pitch that makes these two formats incompatible. The surface layer of the two is different also as HD-DVD uses a 0.6mm layer similar to DVD whereas blu-ray uses a 0.1mm clear plastic layer.
This difference is the main reason why costs are higher with blu-ray. Costly production methods are needed to be able to make the discs and a hard coating must be applied to make the discs suitably resilient to dust and fingerprints.
Capacity
Blu-ray currently offers discs in 25gb for single layer and 50gb for dual layer. However TDK has started work on a 200gb disc which is 6x33gb layers.
HD-DVD comes in 15gb for the single layer and 30gb for the dual layer. Best tests so far have achieved 45gb but 60gb is the theoretical limit. This shows that the maximum for HD-DVD is only 10gb more than what blu-ray can already offer.
Codecs
Both formats use the same codecs to play video as they are both able to play standard and high-definition. This means that MPEG-2
Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1
WMV HD
etc.) and H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC are all supported on both formats.
Security
Both blu-ray and HD-DVD have to make use of HDCP encrypted output and the Advanced Access Content System (AACS). Both HDCP and AACS are mandatory for any discs with HD video.
Blu-ray also incorporates ROM-Mark watermarking technology and BD dynamic crypto which generates special keys for batches of discs.
HD-DVD uses a similar system in the Volume Identifying technology.
Support
Both formats are heavily supported in both the Consumer Electronics (CE) and Information Technology (IT) industries. However blu-ray has a better portion of the big name movie and game studios supporting it which is essential for there to be a ready amount of content at launch. See below for the list of Supporting studios:
Blu-ray
20th Century Fox
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Electronic Arts
MGM Studios
Paramount Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
The Walt Disney Company
Vivendi Universal Games
Warner Bros.
HD-DVD
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
New Line Cinema
Paramount Pictures
The Walt Disney Company
Universal Studios
Warner Bros.
Josh Biggs is the founder of Blu-ray-review.co.uk which gives the visitor a resource for all the latest blu-ray news and product reviews with community discussion.
Read More “Blu-ray vs HD-DVD - The lowdown on the warring formats”
History
The blu-ray format’s head companies are Sony and Philips with Toshiba and Hitachi heading up the HD-DVD format. This situation isn’t the first time where these two sides have gone at each other with opposing formats. The DVD format was born from the co-operation of the Multimedia Compact Disc from Sony/Philips (MMCD) and the Super Density Disc (SD) from Toshiba. Though it ended well for the consumer with the DVD format being widely adopted and becoming the new standard
it was Toshiba’s camp who came out on top in regards to royalties.
This led to the work on new formats by both sides with Sony aiming to regain some of its lost market. The two projects though had been in production but not really going anywhere at the time. Sony’s Professional Disc for Data (PDD) became the blu-ray format while Toshiba’s Advanced Optical Disc becoming HD-DVD. This leads us back to the original situation where there are two competing formats with a unification looking a lot less likely.
Technical
Both blu-ray and HD-DVD use a wavelength of 405nm however the smaller track pitch on blu-ray (see Blu-ray Disc) allows more information to be squeezed on and so gives the larger capacity. However it is the differing track pitch that makes these two formats incompatible. The surface layer of the two is different also as HD-DVD uses a 0.6mm layer similar to DVD whereas blu-ray uses a 0.1mm clear plastic layer.
This difference is the main reason why costs are higher with blu-ray. Costly production methods are needed to be able to make the discs and a hard coating must be applied to make the discs suitably resilient to dust and fingerprints.
Capacity
Blu-ray currently offers discs in 25gb for single layer and 50gb for dual layer. However TDK has started work on a 200gb disc which is 6x33gb layers.
HD-DVD comes in 15gb for the single layer and 30gb for the dual layer. Best tests so far have achieved 45gb but 60gb is the theoretical limit. This shows that the maximum for HD-DVD is only 10gb more than what blu-ray can already offer.
Codecs
Both formats use the same codecs to play video as they are both able to play standard and high-definition. This means that MPEG-2
Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1
WMV HD
etc.) and H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC are all supported on both formats.
Security
Both blu-ray and HD-DVD have to make use of HDCP encrypted output and the Advanced Access Content System (AACS). Both HDCP and AACS are mandatory for any discs with HD video.
Blu-ray also incorporates ROM-Mark watermarking technology and BD dynamic crypto which generates special keys for batches of discs.
HD-DVD uses a similar system in the Volume Identifying technology.
Support
Both formats are heavily supported in both the Consumer Electronics (CE) and Information Technology (IT) industries. However blu-ray has a better portion of the big name movie and game studios supporting it which is essential for there to be a ready amount of content at launch. See below for the list of Supporting studios:
Blu-ray
20th Century Fox
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Electronic Arts
MGM Studios
Paramount Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
The Walt Disney Company
Vivendi Universal Games
Warner Bros.
HD-DVD
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
New Line Cinema
Paramount Pictures
The Walt Disney Company
Universal Studios
Warner Bros.
Josh Biggs is the founder of Blu-ray-review.co.uk which gives the visitor a resource for all the latest blu-ray news and product reviews with community discussion.
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