Tech News October 2005

by NewsOctober 31, 2005June 29, 201400

HIS X800GTO IceQ II Turbo 256MB Video Card @ BonaFideReviews
Bona Fide Reviews :: Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Quote: “With the spotlight on the recently released X1000 family it seems as though the X800 family is quickly becoming a thing of the past. This is a very good thing for most consumers as well all know the older a technology gets the cheaper it becomes. The X800’s are slowly slipping into the “bargain” card category. However today’s X800 family member is fairly new and at an affordable price, the HIS X800GTO is definitely worth a close look.”

Samsung DVD-V9500 High Definition DVD/VCR Combination Player
Futurelooks :: Tuesday, November 01, 2005
So you’re looking for a high-quality DVD player and a decent VCR, but have a limited shelf space? Samsung has the answer with “The One Unit Solution”. The Samsung DVD-V9500 has everything for everyone, including High-Definition Upconversion for your DVDs. All of this is packaged in a sexy black finish!

HDR (High Dynamic Range) Technology Overview @ CoolTechZone.com
CoolTechZone :: Tuesday, November 01, 2005
“We’ve all played Half-Life and it’s sequel Half-Life 2. The difference between the two games, in terms of graphics, is tremendous, and now Valve has gone ahead and updated the gaming engine to give you a level of detail and realism that you thought wouldn’t be possible until perhaps the next round of game releases.”

High End Audio Cable Design – Part 1 @ The TechZone
The Tech Zone :: Monday, October 31, 2005
Have you ever wondered what goes into the making of a $1,500 audio cable? Audio engineer Adam Blake will takes you through the process. In part 1 of this series, Adam will discuss cable geometry and construction.

SAPPHIRE RADEON X1800 XL 256MB & XFX GeForce 7800 GT 256MB
Hexus :: Monday, October 31, 2005

Both card packages offer compelling reasons for purchase and both are available immediately, but given a direct choice between the two, our money would slide over into XFX’s corner for a number of reasons. Its GeForce 7800 GT is marginally faster in a sector where framerates matter hugely. It also runs quieter, and, should you wish and funds/hardware permitting, can be put to immediate SLI use. That’s not to say that the SAPPHIRE X1800 XL is a bad card; it’s patently not, and it outscores the XFX GeForce 7800 GT on the features front, but priced at £300 it steps just a little too close to GeForce 7800 GTX money. We hope that ATI and its partners can release X1000-series CrossFire master cards in the very near future, as SAPPHIRE’s card is just crying out to be run in multi-GPU mode.

Samsung Syncmaster 173P+ 17inch LCD Display Review
PCStats :: Saturday, October 29, 2005
The compact little 17″ screen of the Samsung Syncmaster 173P+ boasts a native resolution of 1280×1024 pixels. It is pretty clear by looking at the three separate colour test patterns that issues with ghosting are reduced on the 8ms gray-to-gray panel. Its industry standard dot pitch of 0.264mm makes for a crisper image from the a-si TFT/PVA panel than many 19″ LCDs can muster. The Samsung 173P+ does retail a bit higher than the average 17″ LCD will, priced about $570USD, but it does offer up a contrast ratio of 1500:1 and brightness value of 270 cd/m2. Viewing angles on the Samsung 173P+ break the barrier at 178 degrees horizontal/vertical.

SilverStone LC16M HTPC Case Video Review #612
3dgameman :: Saturday, October 29, 2005

“This case is as close as it gets to a perfect Home Theatre PC Case. With all the excellent features, a remote control and VFD, it’s sure to please. The overall styling and design is very desirable. There are also plenty of locations to install fans for excellent air flow. While this is not a slim HTPC case, it does allow for a standard ATX motherboard and PSU to be installed. In true SilverStone fashion, this is another fantastic HTPC. Watch the Video to find out more…” ~3dGameMan.com

Bigbruin.com Article: HTPC Primer, Part II
Big Bruin :: Saturday, October 29, 2005

Quote: In the first of a two-part series of Tech Tips on getting started with a Home Theater PC, or HTPC, we looked at the two most basic features to be considered: audio and video. With those areas addressed, there are still plenty of aspects worth considering that can help your computer become better integrated into your home theater for a truly enjoyable experience. Some of these aspects include component speed, cooling, noise, style, and the user interface.

PowerColor X800 GT Xtreme Edition Review @ The Tech Zone
The Tech Zone :: Saturday, October 29, 2005

Power for the X800 GT Xtreme is provided by ATI’s R480 chipset running at 500MHz. This is 25MHz faster than the standard X800 GT. The Xtreme achieves this higher core speed with a better cooling solution. The normal X800 GT use 256 Meg of 2ns GDDR3 memory running at 980MHz. The Xtreme version use 1.6ns memory running at 1050MHz. All together, it adds up to a faster video card for just a few dollars more.

Neoseeker Sapphire X800 GTO2 review
Neoseeker :: Friday, October 28, 2005
We have just posted our review of Sapphire’s X800 GTO² card. This board comes with an R480 core that can be unlocked to a full 16 pipes. The Core can be overclocked significantly, ultimately turning the board into a near X850 XT PE equivalent.

XFX GeForce 7800 GT Review @ PC Modding Malaysia
PC Modding Malaysia :: Thursday, October 27, 2005

Content: “All in all, the XFX GeForce 7800 GT is a stunning graphics card. The package was impressive and the bundled games are pretty good. This 7800 GT comes factory overclocked and it runs pretty cool even at overclocked speeds. Considering that the performance of a single 7800 GT is better than a single 6800 Ultra, gamers would definitely enjoy better savings going the 7800 GT way because not only the 6800 Ultra is expensive, it also requires dual slot and probably eats up more power too. We really liked the design of the 7800 GT especially its silent single slot cooler and the added aluminium strut that can only be found on XFX 7800 GT graphics card.”

Logitech Z-5500 Digital THX Certified 5.1 Speaker Set Review @ 3DXtreme
3dXtreme :: Thursday, October 27, 2005
I don’t know where to start. These speakers are just amazing, the clarity this speaker set delivered was unmatched. Even the Logitech Z-680s could not compete with the Z-5500s. Both sets are incredibly loud and offer superior bass than anything I’ve owned before and yes, I’ve even owned Klipsch and Bose Speakers. The control over the surround effects was also impressive, turning my room into a venue many times bigger with a twist of the control knob on the Surround option.

Samsung SP-R4212 Plasma EDTV
Overclockers Online :: Thursday, October 27, 2005
Quote: Samsung’s SP-R4212 has certainly been able to change my experience in watching movies and playing video games. While it’s not truly HDTV, for the price you pay, it certainly gives you a great bang for the buck. Those who are looking for an HDTV, Samsung has the model up from the SP-R4212 and it has native support.

HIS Radeon X700 IceQ 128MB AGP Graphics Card
TweakTown :: Thursday, October 27, 2005

QUOTE: “The most interesting thing we’ve witnessed is that as the X700 and the GeForce 6600 are so close in terms of capabilities, the real battle has shifted to the card manufacturers. Who can pack the most onto the card? Who can put together the most attractive bundle? Who can come up with dynamic cooling and heat dissipation, and who can implement it the best?”

SilverStone LC17 HTPC Case Video Review #611:
3dgameman :: Thursday, October 27, 2005
“This product is a fantastic case to build a robust Home Theatre PC. A Standard or Micro ATX Motherboard can be installed, and installation of a standard PSU allows for a wide variety of affordable parts that fit. It’s very pleasing to the eye and well constructed. Included are two 80mm fans; however three additional fans can be installed for added air flow. Watch the Video to find out more…” ~3dGameMan.com

Do All Audio & Speaker Cables Sound The Same? @ The TechZone
The Tech Zone :: Wednesday, October 26, 2005
The very basic reason why audio cables are important is because they change the signal going through them. There are two different, fundamental ways that an audio cable can change the signal. The cable itself can change the signal, or the cable can allow outside sources of energy to change the signal. In order to understand how these two situations can occur, some basic background electrical knowledge is needed.

Samsung SP-R4212 Plasma EDTV
Overclockers Online :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Quote: Samsung’s SP-R4212 has certainly been able to change my experience in watching movies and playing video games. While it’s not truly HDTV, for the price you pay, it certainly gives you a great bang for the buck. Those who are looking for an HDTV, Samsung has the model up from the SP-R4212 and it has native support.

ATI Radeon X1800 Performance and Image Quality Article @ Beyond3D
Beyond3D :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005
While we’ve already taken a look at the architectural overview of the R520 chip that forms the basis for the Radeon X1800 products, we still left many questions unanswered. Today we are taking a more detailed look at the two product offerings based on R520, the Radeon X1800 XT and XL, the image quality options they enabled, their performances and where their improvements are. By comparing the similarly configured X1800 XL against the previous generation X800 XT we can gauge exactly how the R520 chip has improved over its predecessor, beyond the new capabilities it offers, in order to see where its efficiencies lie.

“The X1800 XT is able to open a reasonable performance gap to the other boards here, with it performance up to 38% faster than the previous generation high end board and attain an average FPS a little shy of 60 at 1600×1200. the performance difference between the X1800 XL and X800 XT highlights that the XT’s performance is not attained through its excessive core clock and memory bandwidths alone, but through architectural efficiencies as well, as the XL is up to 19% faster than the X800 XT; these efficiency gains mean that the X1800 XL is also faster than the X850 XT PE.”

Logitech Z-4 2.1 Speakers Review
Techgage :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Quote: Listening to music and watching movies on our PC’s has become something we do on a daily basis, and how that sound is output is very important. The audio should be crisp, clear and undisturbed by distortions caused by speakers. The Logitech Z-4, an award winning product, promises crystal clear sound deliverance in a sleek retro design with advanced driver technology.

Gigabyte GeForce 7800 GT Video Card @ BonaFideReviews
Bona Fide Reviews :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Quote: “The GT model is quite similar to the 7 series flagship model, known as the 7800GTX, having 1 less vertex shader and 4 less pixel pipelines. The GT also has slower stock clock speeds of 400MHz core and 500MHz memory as compared to the GTX’s 430MHz core and 600MHz memory. Seemingly minor differences but we shall see what the benchmarks have to say as we pit the Gigabyte 7800GT against the BFG 7800GTX which comes pre-overclocked out of the factory.”

Albatron K8SLI Motherboard – AMD64 SLI on a budget
TweakTown :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005
QUOTE: “Today we are looking at the Albatron K8SLI motherboard based on nVidia’s nForce4 SLI chipset for the AMD Athlon 64 processor based around the value segment requirements – will this board hold up to the test? Let’s have a closer look.”

Samsung SyncMaster 242MP 24″ Monitor @ Bytesector
Bytesector :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005
“When it comes to monitors, Samsung has proven dominant in the market. In the past, they have released several multi-purpose monitors which were not up to snuff in the past, either due to low response times or poor integration of technology. Recently, Samsung’s multi-purpose monitors have been performing fairly well; case in point-the 242MP. With a 24″ widescreen display size, this monitor is fit for any video editing, designing, or programming tasks and also as a widescreen HDTV and FM radio. FM Radio? Yes Samsung has added some extra sugar and spice into this monitor by adding an FM tuner accompanied with small tower sized speakers. This isn’t just a monitor from Samsung, it’s an entertainment unit set loose! ”

Samsung HT-P50 Home Theatre System Review @ The TechZone
The Tech Zone :: Tuesday, October 25, 2005

The Samsung HT-P50 Home Theatre System is one of Samsung’s many home-theatre-in-a-box (commonly referred to as HTiB) packages. It’s a higher end model in Samsung’s line-up, and provides you with the very best combination of features. For starters, the receiver has a 5-disc turntable changer that plays not only DVD, CD, and VCD, but also WMA, DivX , and most other MPEG4 compression schemes. The 5.1 speakers system produces a total of 1000W of pure audio power. This will ensure some wall shaking that your neighbors will love to hate.

HIS X800GTO IceQ II Turbo 256MB PCIe Video Card Video Review #610
3dgameman :: Monday, October 24, 2005

“This product is fully featured and packed with the latest technologies for excellent performance in today’s demanding games. It’s based on the R480 chip and comes with 12 pixel pipelines, a core speed of 500MHz, and 256MB of GDDR3 1GHz memory. It’s even CrossFire™ Multi-GPU ready for hardcore gaming needs. Wicked card for the money! Watch the Video to find out more…” ~3dGameMan.com

DVD Insider – Where HDTV Is Going @ The Tech Zone
The Tech Zone :: Monday, October 24, 2005
What we can’t figure out is that with 1000+ channels and the successful rise of reality TV what are all these people watching? Guess Alfred Hitchcock was right — Television is like the invention of indoor plumbing. It didn’t change people’s habits. It just kept them inside the house.

Altec Lansing inMotion7 Portable Audio System for Apple iPod @ BonaFideReviews
Bona Fide Reviews :: Sunday, October 23, 2005

Quote: “In January I reviewed the inMotion3 portable audio system. While I was impressed by the design and performance of the inMotion3 and by how well it accomplished what it was designed to do, I noted that “As long as volume is kept at a reasonable level, overall quality is superior to most two-piece computer speaker systems I have heard. However, if you really want sockin’ bass that blows your socks off, you probably want to look elsewhere.” Well, look no further – with the inMotion7, Altec Lansing has delivered the goods.”

HTPC Primer, Part I – Video and Audio
Big Bruin :: Sunday, October 23, 2005

Quote: HTPCs don’t have to be much different than your typical computer, but a few key areas do need to be addressed. Just as with a typical desktop computer, there are limitations to what certain configurations can achieve, but customizing the hardware and software can enhance the experience to the point where it may threaten the existence of some of your more traditional home electronics components.

Neoseeker X1300 Pro preview and AMD 3800+ X2 review
Neoseeker :: Friday, October 21, 2005
“Though the X1300 is an entirely new entrant into the entry level market, for the suggested retail price, it does not deliver when compared to the street priced 6600GT. Though the card has a high clock speed, its small number of pipes in comparison to the 6600 GT cause a major bottleneck.

It is important to reiterate that the X1300 Pro we preview here was never intended to go head to head against a 6600GT. The $149 priced X1300 Pro was meant to be pitted against a lower end variant of the 6600 family, and Nvidia’s upcoming DDR2 6600 will probably be in the exact ballpark range of the X1300’s street price. We can expect to see lower street prices for the X1300 when it becomes widely available – prices hovering from $110 or so shouldn’t be out of the question, but looking at the X1800XL’s current street price of around $439 versus its $449 MSRP, it might take some time before the street prices settle down. Right now the 6600GT has street prices ranging from $145-$199, so if the X1300 Pro hits stores at $149USD you can see how there’s potential for direct comparison of the two cards.”

HEXUS.interviews :: Godfrey Cheng of ATI – Avivo and video after R1K’s launch
Hexus :: Friday, October 21, 2005

check it outQuote:

For those that aren’t familiar with the larger-than-life marketing maestro for multimedia at ATI, Godfrey isn’t afraid to say what he thinks on a wide range of topics, not least the video quality of the products he’s in charge with. That makes an interview with him always worth it. Would Mr. Cheng open up across our entire set of questions, or would he refrain from answering various things for the time being?

Albatron PC6600LEQ Videocard Review @ PCstats.com
PCStats :: Friday, October 21, 2005
“nVIDIA recently addressed a rather large performance gap between its entry level and mainstream products by introducing the GeForce 6600LE GPU. It uses the same NV43 core as the mainstream Geforce 6600GT videocard, but this time around the NV43 has been teamed up with TSOP-II 400 MHz DDR memory which dramatically cuts down costs. Videocards based on the new GeForce 6600LE core, like the Albatron PC6600LEQ, can be had for around $100 US. That makes these cards very price competitive.”

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