Archive for 2012
ASUS Tek Computer announced this week that they have become the first motherboard manufacturer to obtain WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certification for 32-bit Windows 7. ASUS’ P5Q PRO and P5Q SE PLUS have received the coveted seal of approval. The company is expecting other models to be certified soon.
Hardware undergoes specific tests by the manufacturer and stringent testing by Microsoft before being allowed to use the “Compatible with Windows 7″ logo. To ensure that ASUS motherboard users “will enjoy a complete and flawless Windows 7 experience when the operating system is officially launched,”ASUS is striving to obtain certification for its entire line of motherboards.
The Windows 7 Logo Program is supposed to ensure that companies who are awarded the use of the logo have products that are reliable and compatible with Microsoft. Companies that meet the requirements get to use the logo, and benefit from the market recognition, and consumer confidence it supposedly brings to a product.
For now, Microsoft has only blessed ASUS’ two models. One is the P5Q SE PLUS, with an Intel Core 2 Extreme/Intel Core 2 Quad, or Intel Core 2 Duo Processor; the Intel P45/ICH10 chip set; Gb LAN, with a 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 graphics slot. Its memory stands at 16GB, DDR2 1200 MHz. The front side bus (FBS) is 1600 MHz. The second winner, the P5Q PRO runs the same CPU, FSB, LAN and memory. Its chip set is the Intel P45/ICH10R, and the graphics slot is 2 x PCIe 2.0 x16.
ASUS also was joined this month by DTS thereby incorporating the Surround Sensation Ultra PC into their P5Q Turbo and the latest M4 Series. The partnership will entertain users with a surround effect from just two speakers or even headphones. DTS was founded in 1993 and pioneered in multi-channel audio. They’ve expanded their repertoire to include home theater, car audio, PC and game console products. More recent products involve DVD-Video, Blu-ray Disc and Surround Music software.
In addition to motherboards, ASUS is also involved in a broad spectrum of products from PC components to complete solutions including desktops, smartphones, PDAs, broadband communications products, LCD monitors and notebooks, notably the Eee PC. The huge company has over 10,000 employees and revenues of $8 million. They probably know how to cash in on today’s WHQL certification.
Random access memory (RAM) is the best known form of computer memory. RAM is considered "random access" because you can access any memory cell directly if you know the row and column that intersect at that cell.
The opposite of RAM is serial access memory (SAM). SAM stores data as a series of memory cells that can only be accessed sequentially (like a cassette tape). If the data is not in the current location, each memory cell is checked until the needed data is found. SAM works very well for memory buffers, where the data is normally stored in the order in which it will be used (a good example is the texture buffer memory on a video card). RAM data, on the other hand, can be accessed in any order.
Similar to a microprocessor, a memory chip is an integrated circuit(IC) made of millions of transistors and capacitors. In the most common form of computer memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a transistor and a capacitor are paired to create amemory cell, which represents a single bit of data. The capacitor holds the bit of information -- a 0 or a 1 (see How Bits and Bytes Work for information on bits). The transistor acts as a switch that lets the control circuitry on the memory chip read the capacitor or change its state.
.
The capacitor in a dynamic RAM memory cell is like a leaky bucket. It needs to be refreshed periodically or it will discharge to 0. This refresh operation is where dynamic RAM gets its name. Dynamic RAM has to be dynamically refreshed all of the time or it forgets what it is holding. The downside of all of this refreshing is that it takes time and slows down the memory.
In this article, you'll learn all about what RAM is, what kind you should buy and how to install it. See the next page to learn more about dynamic RAM and memory cells
A capacitor is like a small bucket that is able to store electrons. To store a 1 in the memory cell, the bucket is filled with electrons. To store a 0, it is emptied. The problem with the capacitor's bucket is that it has a leak. In a matter of a few milliseconds a full bucket becomes empty. Therefore, for dynamic memory to work, either the CPU or the memory controller has to come along and recharge all of the capacitors holding a 1 before they discharge. To do this, the memory controller reads the memory and then writes it right back. This refresh operation happens automatically thousands of times per second.
Before creating a new project, make sure that the latest version of Windows Media Player and the Windows Media Player SDK is installed on your computer.
Start Visual Studio, then create a new project.
In Visual Studio, open the Toolbox.
If Windows Media Player does not appear in the Components portion of the Toolbox, do the following:
- Right-click within the Toolbox, and then select Choose Items. This opens the Customize Toolbox dialog box.
- On the COM Components tab, select Windows Media Player.If Windows Media Player does not appear in the list, click Browse, and then open Wmp.dll, which should be in the Windows\System32 folder.
- Click OK. The Windows Media Player control will be placed on the current Toolbox tab.
You can now select Windows Media Player in the Toolbox and add it to a form.
Visual Studio gives the Windows Media Player control a default name such as "axWindowsMediaPlayer1". You may want to change the name to something more easily remembered, such as "Player".
Adding the Windows Media Player control from the Toolbox also adds references to two libraries created by Visual Studio, AxWMPLib and WMPLib. You can find them in the Solution Explorer under References
 |
In every case, Hardware Central has you covered with in-depth laptop reviews, deals, comparisons and buying guides -- everything you need to find and outfit your next notebook or not book.
You'll also learn the ins and outs of the increasingly complex technology powering laptops: Major technology vendors like Intel, AMD, nVidia and others are building laptop components with special design considerations designed to help users get the most out of their battery life without sacrificing portability or power -- and knowing what's ahead for notebook technology is important for any potential laptop buyer.
How you format a Mac hard drive is entirely dependent on what kind of drive you plan on formatting. For instance, is the hard drive internal or external? And if internal, has it been partitioned or are you looking to reformat the entire system to factory state? Whatever your formatting situation, this how-to guide will cover each of these step-by-step.
Before you go messing around in the Disk Utility application, make sure you know what the drive is going to be used for. If it’s an external hard drive, for instance, do you plan on hooking it up solely to Macs or Windows PCs as well? Each one has its own compatible format, so you’ll have to be careful which you choose. FAT 32 is the most compatible disk format which is why it’s the most widely used on USB thumb drives — it’s compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs. HFS+ is the native Mac OS file system, and NTFS is Windows’ (Macs can read what’s on NTFS-formatted drives, but they cannot write).
Before you start formatting any hard drives, make sure you’ve backed up your data! Formatting an external hard drive will delete any information on the device, likewise reformatting your system will essentially bring your Mac back to a clean factory state, thus removing all information you’ve stored on it. Conclusion: Be sure to backup first.
Fortunately, Hardware Central can help you get the picture. From PC display buying guides to monitor reviews to deals and comparisons, we're here to help clear things up.
Not too long ago we posted about Intel’s Z68 chipset and its ability to take advantage of Smart Response Technology. This is essentially the use of a small SSD as a high-speed cache for a traditional hard drive, giving the computer the speed of an SSD combined with the capacity of a spinning disk. Now we’ve learned that hardware site VR-Zone got a sneak peak at Gigabyte’s new GA-Z68P-DS3 motherboard motherboard, which, as you can probably tell from the name, uses that Z68 chipset. The best part though is that the motherboard has a mini SATA (mSATA) slot on-board, which means that Smart Response can actually be put to use.
As luck would have it, Intel has the perfect fit for that mSATA slot and Smart Response. The company’s 311 series SSD (PDF product brief here) fits into an mSATA slot and packs 20GB of blazing fast storage. The drive is 1/8th the size of a 2.5-inch disk and weighs just 10 grams so it barely takes up any room in a computer case. You can see it mounted in the dead center of the Gigabyte motherboard above.
Aside from mSATA the GA-Z68P-DS3 has support for second generation Core processors (Sandy Bridge), six rear USB slots, HDMI, Intel HD audio, a PS/2 port, two 6Gbps SATA ports, and 4 Gbps SATA ports, plus all the other stuff you’d expect from a modern motherboard. Intel counts the Z68 as a mainstream chipset so despite the new technology the board is a bit pedestrian, but it looks like a very solid offering for a large segment of the computer-building market.
And, seemingly for a bit of irony, Gigabyte left the parallel and serial ports on the back. You know, if you have an old printer you’d like to use…
An image of what purports to be a redesigned, slim version of the Xbox 360 has been posted on the web. The image, as you can see above, shows a much smaller motherboard and only a single heatsink and fan design.
Microsoft has apparently managed to combine the CPU and GPU onto a single chip which is also smaller than the original separate processors. That would mean it is significantly cheaper to make, requires less power to run, and produces less heat. The heat aspect has always been a problem for Microsoft, but needed to be dealt with properly if a slim version of the 360 was ever going to appear.
The legitimacy of the image is in question, and the use of a CoolerMaster fan does little to aid believing this is the real deal. The originating website is Chinese-language site A9VG, but there is nothing to back up the claims that this is a real 360 motherboard.
Read more at Kotaku
Matthew’s Opinion
When Sony re-released the PS3 in its Slim form sales went through the roof, and Sony is still struggling to keep up with demand. Regardless of what Microsoft says about its lead in the console marketplace, it could really do with something to give sales a boost this year.
Releasing a 360 Slim would be a nice solution, and would surely entice more people to buy Microsoft’s console. If Microsoft could fix the heat issue once and for all it also may build a bit of confidence among gamers before the release of its next console.
If an Xbox 360 Slim did appear, would you buy one? Or does the risk of the 360 hardware overheating in a smaller package seem too risky?
Ever heard of Linaro before? Probably not, but the non-profit software engineering organization specializes in tweaking and optimizing open source code. Linaro’s members include ARM, Texas Instruments, Freescale, Samsung, and ST Ericsson — so it should come as no surprise that they’ve just offered up improvements that can supercharge Google’s Android Open Source Project (AOSP) build of Ice Cream Sandwich.
Linaro engineers have been working away at getting Android to utilize their own modified version of the gcc 4.7 toolchain. Their code has now been posted for the world to re-use, and the results are impressive. A demonstration by Linaro’s Bernhard Rosenkranzer using a pair of TI OMAP 4430-based Pandaboards shows an increase in OxBenchmark performance of 30 to 100% over the stock AOSP.Rosenkranzer notes that the Pandaboard GPU drivers are closed source — even greater gains might be possible if they were allowed to optimize those as well. Even without them, however, Linaro’s improvements are very impressive.
And better still, they’re coming soon to CyanogenMod 9. Those of you who run a copy of the immensely-popular Android remaster and a Samsung Galaxy Nexus can already test drive an unofficial build if you’re feeling adventurous. Based on initial comments about the build’s overall speed and smoothness, you just might want to make the jump.
Those of you who own other phones, however, will have to be patient. As is always the case with CyanogenMod, Linaro’s enhancements will arrive when they’re ready to ship the new code. Don’t ask for an ETA, just take comfort in knowing that your phone or tablet will soon get a major performance boost thanks to some very hard-working open source software engineers.
The computer motherboard is also known as the Printed Circuit Board (PCB), and this is the component that runs the entire machine. Its various components include the computer processor, the computer memory card, the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and many other Input/Output devices. In short, it is the hub of a computer.
Most people carry out computer buying from a computer store and get pre-assembled machines for themselves. But there are certain people who prefer to buy computer hardware from assorted sources and then assemble the machine for themselves.
More on the i7 Processor
The Core i7 brand of Intel processors are considered to be the best 64 bit processors on offer by Intel. They have been designed to service the high-end of the consumer market, and they are developed with the Nehalem, Westmere and Sandy Bridge microarchitecture. This processor has found a firm spot in the business market as well, and this is also why this is a premium computer processor for your machine, and it is also an integral part of the best gaming motherboard for the money.
These processors started selling in November 2008, and the best processor available in this line is the Core i7-980X processor. This is a great processor for people who are very fond of using their desktop computer or laptop computer for gaming purposes. Most high-end gaming laptops also come pre-assembled with this processor inside.
Motherboard for i7 Processor
EVGA 170-BL-E762
Many consider this the best i7 motherboard 2010, since it is a great combination of looks and power. With this, you get 7 PCI Express card slots, support for 24GB of DDR3 RAM, 4-way NVIDIA SLI configurations, and excellent support for the best graphics card that money can buy. The only downside is that there is no SATA 6GB/s. You can also look at EVGA E758-TR and the EVGA E758-A1.
Price: $450
ASUS P6X58D
Many people also consider this to be the best because it offers everything that the above mentioned motherboard does not. With this piece from Asus you can get SATA 6GB/s and you can also get USB 3.0 support. This also supports 24GB of DDR3 RAM, but it only has 3 PCI Express card slots. You can also look out for Asus P6T Deluxe V2, Asus Rampage III extreme and Asus Rampage II Extreme LGA 1366.
Price: $350
ASRock X58 Extreme
This is not a very famous brand, but this particular model certainly suits gamers all around the world. Moreover, it is cheaper in comparison with the above mentioned models. You get 24GB of DDR3 RAM, a designated ESATA port, 6 USB ports, 6 SATA ports, and most importantly, support for both NVIDIA SLI and ATI Crossfire.
Price: $150
Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5
This is a pretty advanced motherboard as well, and it is many people's choice. It offers decent performance, though it does not have anything special and unique about it as such. It has 2 PCI Express card slots, support for 24GB of DDR3 RAM and it also supports triple channel mode. You can also check out the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R.
Price: $300
With so many great choices to pick from, it should not be a very difficult task to find a suitable motherboard. You can use these for a variety of purposes, and all the specifications mentioned here will also help you future-proof your machine for the next three to five years.
CPU Socket
The computer motherboard is housed in the central processing unit (CPU). There are three types of CPUs available in the market viz. Socket 478, socket 370 and socket A. Selecting the socket, means that you are selecting your processor. The type of processor chosen, decides the socket type of the CPU. It is important to remember that all processors are not compatible with all the available motherboards. The processors are available in different speeds and the cost of the processors increase with the increase in the speed they provide.
Chipset
The next most important feature while choosing a computer motherboard is the type of chipset. Many people ignore this, but it is the nitty-gritty of the computer motherboard. The chipset is a set of two chips called the Northbridge and the Southbridge. The main function of the chipset is to connect the CPU to the input-output (IO) system of the computer. The Northbridge is closer to the CPU as compared to the Southbridge and deals with the connection of the CPU and the memory (RAM). The second function of the Northbridge is to handle the connection between the CPU and the graphics card connected to it. The Southbridge takes care of the other input-output systems in the computer, like the audio and the drives connected to the system. It also deals with the ports and expansion slots and generally, the Southbridge has a slower speed of operation than that of the Northbridge. Improvements and changes are always seen in the chipset, so it is advisable to opt for the newest chipset available.
Memory
Memory of the computer is another essential part of the computer motherboard. The memory (RAM) decides the speed of your computer system. There are three types of memories available that should be chosen depending on their compatibility with different processors used. They are as follows:
- RD RAM: This type of RAM is quite an efficient RAM available and is used with the Pentium IV processor.
- SD RAM: This type of memory is the most common type because all the Pentium III processors use this memory.
- DDR SDRAM: This type is generally used with the Athlon motherboards that require the CPU with the socket type 'A'. This is the fastest type of RAM and nowadays, is also supported by some of the socket 478 CPUs (Pentium IV).
Choosing or upgrading a graphics card is dependent upon the type of the motherboard you have chosen. The PCIexpress slots are nowadays available, which also have a facility that gives you the benefit of using two video (graphics) cards at the same time.
The type of on-board video should also be decided when you choose a computer motherboard. The standard VGA is always found in the computer motherboards but recently the DVI and HDMI connections offer higher resolutions and are rapidly replacing the VGA connections.It is necessary to take into consideration, the compatibility of the monitors of your computer with these standards.
BIOS Menu
When you choose a motherboard, you need to decide whether you want the overclocking option. The overclock is used to increase the clock rate of the computer so as to give better performance. In overclocking, the voltages required and the bus speeds are changed. Usually, people who want to play computer games, overclock the computer system. The BIOS menu takes care of this overclocking option.
Connectors
The front panel and the rear panel connectors also matter when you choose a computer motherboard. The connectors that must be considered, include the USB ports, the serial and parallel communication ports, SPDIF (digital input and output port), infrared port, firewire (generally used for high speed transfers) and eSATA (connector).
