New PC --- avoiding the DPC Latency nightmare?

[alcy]

That's neat.

(Oh my god, I just tried to end this comment by typing ZZ !!! )

By the way... I now have the command line editing a bit more vi like .

Can't find anything that will interface with my phone (N82). It looks like the version of Symbian is not popular with the developers. It is not popular with me, either: I don't think I'll ever buy another Nokia phone. It's like going back to the early days of Windows.

(yes... I can access it as a USB device for photos. music, etc.)

(I wonder if the Mods would please chop the Linux discussion to a new thread?)

Thad, not even the Nokia N900 ? You'd really want it.

 

[gobble]

You guys are getting nostalgic, and it gives me immense pleasure to let you folks know that I now work with a completely free/open-source based company (more than a company, a bunch of passionate hackers and programmers). Its been four days at work...and I couldn't be happier. And this is my first job. Hopefully I will stick with them.

Command line is so much fun. Not that I didn't know this before, but Ubuntu made me a hell lot lazier. Now I actually love browsing using Lynx (the command line web browser-try it if haven't already ! ).

Yep I used to spend 90% of my time on the cmdline ... until the operating system decided to stop obeying me :lol: Kidding!

My experience of internet in the shell days was heavenly!! hyeah:

Good luck on your new Career!

Cheers

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Alcy, Congratulations and good luck in the new job.

No, I wouldn't go for that phone, because my priorities are phone, GPS, camera, then the rest. I don't even have a net connection for my phone! In fact, hey, I don't phone that much!

Do you remember: Windows Icons Mice Pointers. Yes, that was the technical term for it --- it was for wimps! And I guess you can call me a wimp for sticking with Firefox

Gobble, on the command line, the system has to obey you!

Here's an xkcd comic for you

 

[gobble]

Alcy, Congratulations and good luck in the new job.

No, I wouldn't go for that phone, because my priorities are phone, GPS, camera, then the rest. I don't even have a net connection for my phone! In fact, hey, I don't phone that much!

Do you remember: Windows Icons Mice Pointers. Yes, that was the technical term for it --- it was for wimps! And I guess you can call me a wimp for sticking with Firefox

Gobble, on the command line, the system has to obey you!

Here's an xkcd comic for you

LOL that IS funny!! :lol:hyeah:

Cheers

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

The only thing that is a complete failure so far is my scanner (HP Scanjet 3690). I have spent hours browsing howtos and checking the net for errors. I have been around and around the various permission settings for USB scanner devices and ruled out that as a problem --- it does not work for root either.

At the end of the day, after a cheering chirp from the scanner, I am left with the depressing message, Segmentation Fault.

I've reinstalled sane/xsane. I've even downloaded and compiled them from source. Segmentation Fault.

I've now made such a mess of it that I can't even get back to square one by telling Synaptic to reinstall --- I think I'll have to resort to the last /-file-system backup I did (/home is on a separate fs ).

For most of what I use a computer for, most of the day, Linux is superior. It boots/reboots quickly, and does not freeze up for several seconds whenever it feels like it --- but it is not all smiles!.

I know the same separates-buying rules apply, as in hifi, but I'm tempted, just now, to buy a multi-function (so that the wife can do photocopying independently, and also be able to print/scan direct from WinXP to it across the net). But if I pay out Rs12,000 and see Segmentation Fault --- I'll be very upset. Mind you: Canon do provide Linux drivers, albeit unsupported.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Well, it's a few months later and

I'm still sitting in front of the same PC, still running Ubuntu

but...

I have to go to Singapore for a few days, and there are a number of family members going, so something like a new PC purchase can be made in parts and spread around so that no one person is importing anything valuable enough for customs to be interested.

I've more-or-less given up any idea of being economical or saving money but will go for the something to keep me happy for a few years, whatever I throw at it, approach. (It's called enjoying spending money, and I have saved up more than enough in my personal (ie not family) travel/luxury/gadget fund )

Thinking in terms of the following, as the heart of the machine:

Gigabyte GA890 GPA - UD3H paired with AMD Phenom II Quad x4 955, for which I am seeing prices of SGD 420 (about 14,200 Rs)

Memory I will keep modest for now, at 2 * 2Gb Kingston 1600, coming to SGD 114.

Case ... Possibly Cooler Master Sileo 500 (I like the look) with SM Silent Pro 600 PSU

or

Antec P183 as reviewed here, possibly with the Power supply mentioned in that review.
​

Essentially, that is all I need to build my machine: everything else will come out of the existing machine, and even when it has been removed, that machine will still be working.

Still have to think a lot about the case/PSU. I want something designed as silent/quiet, and see that as more important when not listening to music, but just working! (Err... interpret the word "working" loosely; most people would call my "work" passing the time ). I'm probably overestimating power, as I will almost certainly never add any additional GPU, probably not exceed 2 HD, one or two Optical drives ...

(might make sense to buy case and PSU here, due to weight issue)

EDIT: OMG, that case alone is 14kg

 

[gobble]

Well, it's a few months later and

I'm still sitting in front of the same PC, still running Ubuntu

but...

I have to go to Singapore for a few days, and there are a number of family members going, so something like a new PC purchase can be made in parts and spread around so that no one person is importing anything valuable enough for customs to be interested.

I've more-or-less given up any idea of being economical or saving money but will go for the something to keep me happy for a few years, whatever I throw at it, approach. (It's called enjoying spending money, and I have saved up more than enough in my personal (ie not family) travel/luxury/gadget fund )

Thinking in terms of the following, as the heart of the machine:

Gigabyte GA890 GPA - UD3H paired with AMD Phenom II Quad x4 955, for which I am seeing prices of SGD 420 (about 14,200 Rs)

Memory I will keep modest for now, at 2 * 2Gb Kingston 1600, coming to SGD 114.

Case ... Possibly Cooler Master Sileo 500 (I like the look) with SM Silent Pro 600 PSU

or

Antec P183 as reviewed here, possibly with the Power supply mentioned in that review.
​

Essentially, that is all I need to build my machine: everything else will come out of the existing machine, and even when it has been removed, that machine will still be working.

Still have to think a lot about the case/PSU. I want something designed as silent/quiet, and see that as more important when not listening to music, but just working! (Err... interpret the word "working" loosely; most people would call my "work" passing the time ). I'm probably overestimating power, as I will almost certainly never add any additional GPU, probably not exceed 2 HD, one or two Optical drives ...

(might make sense to buy case and PSU here, due to weight issue)

EDIT: OMG, that case alone is 14kg

I dont think you will save more than a few 100 rupees on mobo and cpu and ram and you lose the warranty bit as SG is too far to ship returns cost-effectively.

I had 2mm thick sheet metal bent and curled like leaves of a notebook when my preamp chassis was shipped from HK.

Better get something audiophile .. or no? :licklips:

Cheers

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh... are we back in this area of Indian companies not recognising warranty of stuff bought elsewhere?

I guess that would be a bit foolhardy, then, and the more expensive the components, the more foolhardy.

Better get something audiophile .. or no?

Hey, that was last time ).

Maybe I'll just wander around the shops with my bank card ("NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOooooo," screams my wife)

 

[NetFreak]

I'm still sitting in front of the same PC, still running Ubuntu

Ubuntu is not the most optimal choice for HTPC. It has its strength but desktop multimedia is not one of them.

Latest Audio / Video card are more like "network" cards than anything else. A movie with 1080p and uncompressed audio easily means a data transfer rate of 20 to 30 mbps. And audio means 2 to 7 streams in parallel.

And if driver is not able to extract performance out of hardware, it becomes tough.

E.g. with Linux, my Laptop can't output more than stereo on HDMI at high quality.

I dont think you will save more than a few 100 rupees on mobo and cpu and ram and you lose the warranty bit as SG is too far to ship returns cost-effectively.

Yes rates for PC components in India are quire reasonable now.

Only thing worth getting from abroad is Case + Cooling system.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

NetFreak, I will be doing music, but not HT. I'm not a film person at all. If I do watch a DVD, it's going to be on the monitor with the stereo speakers.

Comparing on-line price lists from Singapore with Delta, IT-Depot, Lynx, I think I could have made a worthwhile saving, several thousand on the MB/CPU combination alone, but I might as well go shopping here.

On the other hand, when I look at the T&C, there's a lot I could paraphrase as...

1. You bought it. We now don't give a toss. Bye.​

But I hear that Sim Lim Square isn't so different anyway.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

People often say, "just a quick question," without thinking about whether the answer is quick or not! I think this one is

I've not yet seen a USB 3.0 socket. I understand that USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ---- but does that mean physically compatible: will the old-style USB (type A) plug fit the USB 3.0 socket on a motherboard?

I did google, honest! But I was still left uncertain.

 

[gobble]

People often say, "just a quick question," without thinking about whether the answer is quick or not! I think this one is

I've not yet seen a USB 3.0 socket. I understand that USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ---- but does that mean physically compatible: will the old-style USB (type A) plug fit the USB 3.0 socket on a motherboard?

I did google, honest! But I was still left uncertain.

I think "backwards compatible" means it should be plugged in backwards

Did you try that? hyeah:

Cheers

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

:lol: no... I still haven't built the machine yet.

I just need to know if my existing cables will plug into the 3.00 ports!

 

[venkatcr]

Though you need a new cable, and new hardware at both ends to transmit at 3.0 speeds, USB 3.0 ports also act as 2.0 ports.

USB 3.0 ports can be identified by their bright blue colour.

Cheers

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thanks, vekat. The 3.0 will be nice to have for "future-proofing". No doubt the next external hdd would be 3.00, but, until then, there's still a few existing 2.0 products to plug in.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Thread started February 2010.

Parts acquisition for new PC starts tomorrow: November 2011.

Finally, it's happening!

 

[NetFreak]

What is the configuration you are planning to buy at this point?

 

[gobble]

Considering the latency from ideation to execution now - does the DPC latency really matter?

 

[anm]

2011? is that a 1yr latency between your decision and actual purchase

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

:yahoo:

Brilliant.



Today: spent lots of money.

On the floor in the middle of the living room (wife wants to know about the completion latency on this project! And the cat is hiding under the table) is an Antec P183, with CP-850 psu. Those parts have been married, but there seem to be so many cables, I don't know how I am going to hide them all!

On my right: a Gigabyte 890GPA-UD3H, a Phenom II*4 processor, a 500Gb HDD, and a couple of other odds and ends one needs to make up a PC.

Optical disk will come from the old machine, as will, when everything works, the 1Tb disk with my data on it.

I'm taking it slow; checking out the manuals, familiarising myself with the MB layout while it is still in it's bag. Despite the dozens of PCs (and larger machines) I've tinkered with, this is my first build-from-scratch.