Computer Info – June 6, 2001
(** obtain handouts at http://www.hdprint.co.uk/ftp/florida **)

This Week’s Meeting

        Start with MS-Config – which we haven’t had time for at the last couple of meetings. Then miscellaneous topics from the last few handouts and question and answer session.

Digital Camera
(information from Yahoo Internet Life – June, 2001)

        Shopping for a digital camera? Digital cameras cost anywhere from $100 to $3500 or more. Generally speaking, the more expensive the model, the better the resolution of the photos it takes.
        What do you plan to do with the photos? A camera’s resolution is measured in units called pixels; the higher an image’s pixel count, the better the resolution. If you want images suitable for exchanging via e-mail, a submegapixel camera (one that will produce a picture containing fewer than 1 million pixels) is sufficient. If you want to print your pictures, you’ll need a megapixel camera. If your intention is to convert your picture into an 8x10 print, you will require the resolution power of a 2-megapixel or 3-megapixel camera.
        To find out what professional and amateur photographers are saying about the latest cameras, check these web sites ----
                ZDNet’s Digital Camera SuperCenter ( http://www.zdnet.com/special/filters/sc/camera )
                Digital Photography Review ( http://www.dpreview.com )
                PC Photo Review ( http://www.pcphotoreview.com )
                Megapixel ( http://www.megapixel.net )

Extension Cable for a Monitor

        We have had a few people ask about this because they would like to move their monitor a little further away. We don’t know how well they work; but such an cable does exist. There is one in the Radio Shack catalog called --- 6 foot extension cable for a VGA monitor – which sells for $14.99 – it is Radio Shack number, RSU 10288497.

Graphics Cards

Video Chip – The CPU of the graphics card – sometimes called GPU (graphics processing unit).
TV/Video Out Chip – With this chip, you can display images from your PC on your TV. It converts the video card’s digital signal into an analog signal that is compatible with your TV.
DVI Out – Many video cards support flat-panel monitors.
Svideo Out – This is the jack you would use to connect your PC to a TV, using a Svideo cable.
Monitor Out – This is the standard port you would use to connect your PC to your monitor.
 
 

Strange Sound Mixer Setting

        Remember our program on using Sound Forge to input from a cassette tape and save it on your computer. You connect the tape player into the LINE IN jack on the back of your sound card and check your mixer to see that it is looking at the LINE IN for the record mode. We recently came across a new system that uses one of the many SoundBlaster boards. The mixer in this computer would not work correctly when using the LINE IN for the record mode. We had to use the What U Hear setting from the mixer.
 
 

Serial ATA

        As new as ATA/100 is, its replacement is already on its way. The new 150MBps or more Serial ATA interface, backed by Maxtor, Seagate, Intel and others, could debut later this year. Serial ATA devices use skinnier cables than EIDE’s that are easier to manipulate in the confines of computer cases and don’t block airflow as much. The Serial ATA Working Group says it should facilitate faster future interfaces and easier setup than EIDE. Best of all, the Group predicts adapters will let Serial ATA controllers connect to the millions of legacy EIDE hard drives in the world.
        As hard drives have become much faster at reading and writing data, manufacturers have been inventing faster interfaces to handle the traffic. EIDE interfaces have many names including ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) and UltraATA. All are interchangeable and backward compatible with older EIDE (Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics), PIO (Programmed Input/Output) and DMA (Direct Memory Access) drives. Finally, the subset ATAPI (ATA Packet Interface) lets CD, DVD, and removable cartridge drives such as Zip drives connect to the EIDE controller.
        Most EIDE motherboards come with a built-in controller, with two channels labeled primary and secondary. If your motherboard was made before late 1999, its controller probably doesn’t support ATA/66 or ATA/100.
        EIDE sockets have either 39 or 40 pins in two rows. One connector on your EIDE ribbon cable plugs into these pins, while its other connector or two are for your hard drive, CD-RW drive or other device. Each channel can handle two devices, a master and a slave. The master device controls the slave. You can configure a device as a master or slave using its jumper switches. Modern EIDE controller cards automatically sense your hard drive’s interface speed. On more thing: ATA/66 or ATA/100 drives and controllers require a special ribbon cable with extra ground wires for top speeds. It has 40 pins like a regular EIDE cable, but 80 wires instead of 40. ATA/66/100 drives can use 40-wire EIDE cables, but only up to ATA/33 speeds.

Web Sites

Newspaper Online
        This site has links to 3500 newspapers worldwide.
                               http://www.all-links.com/newscentral/

Smart Computing
        Has up-to-date articles on computing – and has the ability to search for articles on a subject you are trying to learn about.
                               http://www.smartcomputing.com

CloneCD
        A member of the group mentioned this one. They sell a software program called CloneCD for $49 that will duplicate a CD so that you can make a backup of your software.
                               http://www.elby.de/CloneCD/english/

Index to all the columns written by Tony Briggs (News Journal) Daytona Beach
        Did you know that all of Tony Briggs' Daytona News Journal columns (DR. DOS) are archived on the net?
                               http://www.news-journalonline.com/column/dosndx.htm