I just got my first real job, and to celebrate I'm gonna take the paycheck for the last freelance gig I did (looks to be around $1200) and put it towards a new computer.

The goals are video gaming capabilities mostly, though I've played with an idea of getting a MiniDV deck attached to my computer with firewire so I could import video clips. I'd like to run at least 2 (maybe 3) monitors spanned too ... and I am not sure if it'd be best to run them on seperate video cards or split it.
CDR is required, DVD burner is a plus but not necessary. I'm thinking at least a gig ram and 80 gig harddrive (I've got a 300 gig portable harddrive sitting next to the machine for digital video, hard drive space is never that dire for me).

I was wondering if anyone has any "must have" parts, or if you could help me design this $1200 beauty?

3 monitors? a single card can do a 2 monitor split, but will require another vid card to do the 3rd, if you want this you better have all three monitors or you're going to be putting more money into the monitors then the computer itself and getting an already outdated computer with a cool display

Kelraz has monitor envy, after I posted a picture of my setup. :p

$1200 for the computer, I'll get the monitors from a guy in a back alley.

you do have a nice set up, i did that and found the heat from having all three monitors versus the usability of having a 3rd monitor over just having two wasn't worth it, so i got rid of my 8meg AIW!


so now i have one with 2 17's and one with 2 19's, i just need one with 2 dell 20.1" lcd's

Where is this picture? I want to be envious too.

I just bought a 19inch LCD over the weekend, it's shcweet.

As a side note considering multiple monitors......

My brother used to be the Engineering Manager for a medium sized company based out of Atlanta called Colorgraphix in the mid 90s. Thier trademark was not just dual screen capability but multiscreens. It was neat seeing that stuff a few years before it got really popular. He has since moved onto bigger and better things...

I bring this up b/c I am curious about something was said......there are cards out there that will let you do more than just dual screens, why do you need a 2nd card? Not to mention how would your system handle having multiple cards? I'm not up on all this stuff like I used to be.

I upgraded since you last saw it, Gokuu. Work gave me a 17" LCD, and it was so much better than my remaining CRTs that I had to upgrade to maintain my sanity (and eyesight).


I bring this up b/c I am curious about something was said......there are cards out there that will let you do more than just dual screens, why do you need a 2nd card? Not to mention how would your system handle having multiple cards? I'm not up on all this stuff like I used to be.
Yeah, there are some, but I'd rather have a mainstream 3D card running two and then a gimp PCI card running the third. It's all seamless beyond the driver level anyway. No obscure drivers for the specialty cards to deal with, and usually better game performance.

Personally, I can't wait till the PCI-e stuff gets more common. I'm going to upgrade to that, and use three separate cards that all support DVI. That's my only complaint about how I've got it now. Only one display is connected DVI.

/drools

Right but that doesn't explain to me something. Multiple graphics cards can co-exist in the same PC? I mean do you have to do something special to make them all work or does it handle it nicely?

Works fine. A video card is no different than any other expansion card. You can stuff a computer full of them, if you want. XP handles it really well.

haha i'll only concider that nice with a good keyboard =(


anyways, there is a card created by matrox that handles 3 dvi out puts, the card plays games like shit but handles 3 monitors pretty well, not like windows is very demanding graphical wise, If you want 3 monitors, most of the newer cards has both jacks, sometimes both will be dvi, and if you want a third get like a tnt2, or rage3d

Yeah yeah, I know the keyboard sucks. I keep meaning to get one, but other stuff has kept me distracted.

thanks for the info guys, i'm doubting very seriously that the Enchanter I live with will let me go out and shell more $$$ on another LCD... *sigh* but there's always Christmas!!!

********, do you game on this system? And if you do just to one screen? I agree multiple monitors handle text well. Which cards have dual DVI ports on them?

I play a game here and there. 99% of the games I've played don't do anything with the extra displays, but it doesn't impact them negatively either. The 1% being Enemy Teritory. It for some reason would see that my crap PCI card doesn't support whatever graphics modes it wanted, and then refuse to load; even though my 9700 is more than enough for it. If I disabled the third display, it ran fine. Annoying.

I think all of the newer cards support dual DVI. I know the x800 does.

If it feeds into any sort of monitor envy, I got a pair of FREE Samsung SyncMaster 210T monitors from work.

There's no need to mention my desk is messy. I'm in a transitional phase. :)

My only problem so far has been finding a nice 1600x1200 UI for EQ. :(

Hmm, I think that's the keyboard I need to get.

Kelraz, I stay away from these sort of dream computer threads for a reason. They're like debating abortion -- at the end of the thread, people are going to have to agree to disagree, or there's gonna be trouble.

A nice, near-top-of-the-line DVD burner will cost you $80. That'll get you 8x and dual-layer. You can spend a little more for 12x burners that are SUPPOSED to burn 12x on 8x media, but, still 8x media is cheap, and having tried a LOT of burner, I have yet to see anything that works *flawlessly* on *all* players when burned at 8x. For another year or two, get a nice 8x burner (like the NEC) and buy and burn at 4x on good Ritek media for under $.50 each from someplace like www.supermediastore.com or www.meritline.com

Oh, and before, I forget, make the goddamned thing nearly silent, or I'll kill you myself.

Hmm, I think that's the keyboard I need to get.Yes, Sanchek, my dear, the Cordles MX duo is a godsend. Cordless mice are great until you're fighting some sub-demon from hell, firing rocket launchers and the goddamned thing runs out of batteries. The MX takes NiMH rechargables and the base-station is a charger. Similarly, cordless keyboards are cool until you can't figure out if the fucking numluck key is on or off. There's status lights on the mouse base-station too. Praise jebus! Also, the MX duo has a lot of stupid buttons on the keyboard (sigh), but they're out of the way, and the volume wheel is well placed.

I prefer a split finger, but the MX duo is, without a doubt, the shiz-something-or-other.

Oh, I was thinking about getting the corded version of just the keyboard. I'm using a mx310 mouse that I like (left handed, can't use those goofy ergo ones). I have a Logitech keyboard basically like yours (with a cord), but it's the wrong color now.

Logix won me one of those Logitech cordless deals awhile back, but I can't stand the cordless stuff for some reason. I hooked it up to my KVM for the servers, and it gets used once a month.

My dream computer is as follows and is built in this fashion:

1) Get the latest issue of "Computer Shopper".

2) Find the add for my favorite mom and pop computer hardware joint.

3) Pick out all the stuff that is one technology grade down from what is the current "State of the art". In other words, not the fastest of the fast CPU and not the top video card or sound card. The stuff purchased will be brands that were was the top rated for quality and performance at the time, though, so you are not sacrificing much but saving a SHITTON of money. If there is money for the best harddrives and controller, there is an area to invest as the mass storage solutions tend to have a longer lifespan as well as a big impact on system performance over the long haul. Also the CPU/RAM/Motherboard will offer the best bus speed combination even if its not the fastest MHz CPU. What pushes data around the computer is not as much the limiting factor as the pipes it gets pushed through and those pipes are the system bus and the hard disc transfer rates.

4) Get a good compact aluminum case that cools well and is rugged.

5) Get a flat panel moniter not made by KDS and will last longer than 2 years.

6) Take it all home.

7) Buy a 6 pack of Newcastle at Ralph's or Long's Drugs

8) Stay up all night and put it all together, install latest edition of Windows, latest BIOS, latest drivers and load up software.

9) Plug it in to the best consumer internet connection available in the area.

Thats it for me. Fuck watercooling and having a cryogenic or refrigeration plant in the case as that stuff seems like bandaids to a problem that should get solved by more preventative, proactive measure. Also, no crazy paint jobs or lighting. I move too much and that more stuff to get scratched and broken.

End result should be a screamer that lasts a long time, can survive trips overseas as well as down the street in the car and requires little upgrading or maintence for years.

otherwise, if you make alot of money, Kel, than just get the top dog Alienware machine and call it good. The above is my dream computer, but then again most of my dreams are grounded in the reality of my paultry military paycheck, so I have to kinda scale them back if I want them to come true. :cool:

How do you get yor video card to run 2 monitors? Is this how poeple 2 boxx? sorry if I sound like a noob, but I havent ever seen 2 moniters running off of one system.

How do you get yor video card to run 2 monitors? Is this how poeple 2 boxx? sorry if I sound like a noob, but I havent ever seen 2 moniters running off of one system.


You can get either a video card which has two monitor connectors or you can buy an additional PCI video card.

I'm not sure if this works for 2 boxing, the last time I tried it, directx didn't support the non-primary monitor thus the game didn't work if you moved it's window to the secondary monitor (it was a good while ago, anyone knows if it works now?)

People usually 2 box with either having a 2nd machine or they run the instances on the same comp and ALT-TAB between them as needed.

Two boxing pretty much means more than one computer, Selwen. Its that or people run stuff like PlayNice, WinEQ or EqWin that put EQ in a windowed mode (more stable than the built in stuff too) and people flip back and forth between the two instances.

There's no need to mention my desk is messy. I'm in a transitional phase. :)
I noticed the canned air in the background, lots of canned air. Sorry, I just love canned air. My buds at work hide that stuff from me so I won't "burn" them on the neck with it (holding those upside down and blasting your buddy behind the ears is the funniest shit ever).

The 3 monitor spread is pretty important to me because when I do video editing I like to have a lot of the various clips open at the same time and can pick between them. At my new job they have a setup with 8 monitors -- it makes me so happy when I see it.

Anyway, any brands I should go for, brands I should avoid?

nVidia's newer cards has 2 dvi jacks as well, i think its easier to find the nVidia card with 2 dvi then an x800 with 2 dvi

which x800 had the dual dvi? i'm having trouble finding it, i see some cards with the possibility of adding one but they stuck a normal jack in there instead

edit: kelraz, brands for what? monitors?

I noticed the canned air in the background, lots of canned air. Sorry, I just love canned air. I don't like canned air. I've picked up a few cans from the "It's $.99 at Fry's this weekend" bin while I was buying other things. Eventually I had a lifetime supply and nothing to do with it but let it pile up near my computer.My buds at work hide that stuff from me so I won't "burn" them on the neck with it (holding those upside down and blasting your buddy behind the ears is the funniest shit ever).Yeah, you're the sort of guy I like to fire.

which x800 had the dual dvi? i'm having trouble finding it, i see some cards with the possibility of adding one but they stuck a normal jack in there instead
This one's PCI-e. I assume there'a AGP versions like it though.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/akiba/hotline/20040612/image/nrx83.jpg

8 monitors? You a security guard at a desk, Kel? :rolleyes:

If you want something that pimp and high end, just get a turn key professional video editing and multimedia system, especially if its going to be used professionally. It even could be a MAC *gasp. Oh N0Z!:eek: *but they tend to be the leaders for that kinda thing.Spend like 6 grand on it. Write the fucker off on your taxes. It sounds like you are good for the money anyway, Kel. Get the fastest SCSI contoller. Biggest 10k (or even 15k RPM) Seagates. Set up a RAID array. Get another huge drive just to store clips on EIDE. Its all about shuffling huge amounts of data ASAP. So again, you want the best bus speed and fastest RAM you can get on a high quality board. Processor isn't going to matter as much as a good chipset/RAM/On Board Cache/Bus Speed. You could even get a videocard that is not the current best of the best as long as its got the multiple monitor capacity. Video clips are not the same as rendering 3D models.

Brands for monitors: avoid KDS, and Dells (unless you do some homework first. They have issues with Nvidiaboards) Sony is always good. ViewSonic is decent. Panels will crap out sooner than CRTS though, but if you are going to have a bunch of monitors set up like something out of the Matrix, pretty much have to go with panels. You are probably going to drop 2 grand alone just on 3 good DPI 19 inch panels, and thats not getting top of the line.

Just my two cents again. I don't build computers professionally either, but thats what I would want based on what you said.

Yeah, that Cordless MX Duo is pretty great. The only "issue" I've had with mine is that sometimes the mouse or keyboard will disconnect when I connect a Bluetooth earphone/mic.

Yeah, you're the sort of guy I like to fire.
Well its a good thing I work in a friendly environment and not some up-tight neck chokers academy where everyone has to prove that they earned the top geek award for the day while breaking out the shallow toothy grin and regurgitating the "I'm doing great boss!!!" (and an implosive F.U. behind your back) standard greeting of the day.

We like to keep it cool here, hell we all go out and have a beer together on installation road trips.

Samsung makes good LCDs, too. My current one is a 172x, a 17-inch 12ms display.. simply beautiful.


:cool:

Man, that's the cleanest desk I think I've ever seen.

Yep, it's my alternate dimension office. I also try not to use my webspace unless absolutely necessary.

BTW: Does ATI plan on designing their current/future PCI-X cards to work in a SLI format like Nvidia?

EDIT: WOOT! Didn't know about the board upload ability, thanks Sanchek. Too cool! :D What's the total space allocated to each user?

Testing.. testing..

Well its a good thing I work in a friendly environment and not some up-tight neck chokers academy where everyone has to prove that they earned the top geek award for the day while breaking out the shallow toothy grin and regurgitating the "I'm doing great boss!!!" (and an implosive F.U. behind your back) standard greeting of the day.

We like to keep it cool here, hell we all go out and have a beer together on installation road trips.There's a vast difference between working in a friendly, collaborative, rewarding environment and behaving irresponsibly with tools.

My manager plays poker and smokes cigars at my house on the weekends. She and I both know the difference between a fun and productive working environment and the short of horse-shit childs-play that can cost you customers.

If I took my computer to be repaired (ok, I know that's not a likely event) and the professional and courteous staff was in the back-room spraying the liquid contents of air-duster on each other and generally running around the room like school-kids fresh out of after-gym-class-shower snapping each other with wet towels, I'd take a minute out of my day and let the manager know why I wasn't doing business with him before I left to find a new place to do business.

By the way, if you do end up building your PC, do not I repeat do not buy a Maxtor hard-drive! A brand new 120-gig Maxtor PATA drive was used in the last system I built for my Dad last February, and its boot sector failed about 2 weeks ago (hardware failure after 6 months). Of course the warranty was invalid though because my brother, who bought the piece b/c it was the cheapest price, did not keep a proof of purchase on file (and even if they had managed to repair it, I wouldn't have used the drive again). :mad:

One thing you will notice is that Maxtor drives have a 1-year warranty, Western Digital a 2-year (extendable to 3-years for $14.95), and Seagate a 5-year (and you don't even have to register or anything). Anyway, whatever drive you end up getting, be it PATA, SATA, SCSI, whatever, do not buy a Maxtor. I ended up replacing the busted Maxtor with a 120-gig Seagate and it's working beautifully so far. Thanks. :cool:




P.S. In my system I currently use a 120-gig Western Digital and it's stable as well. All three drives that I mentioned are contemporaries of eachother.

ATI creating a dual card solution is probably not in the near future, they would most likely creat cards with dual gpu's to compete against this if it were to sky rocket like the voodoo2 SLI combo did


it is likely that the nVidia SLI goodness will sky rocket seeing as they just released the 6600's(cheap, support everything the 6800's do and seem to be nice so far..), i am going to try and SLI 2 6800NU's, if the 6600's had 256bit memory busses i would most likely use those instead, how ever they have yet to come out, if the reviews are as good as what nVidia touts then those will be awsome graphical cards

Kel --

Yer pops gets a discount at Dell, Gateway and Viewsonic if you're interested. Dell is only 5% -- I don't know about the rest. 17" Viewsonics were under $400 bucks when I checked earlier today.

I actually blew $150 of the budget in Vegas this past week, so I'm gonna save up a bit to get some more money.

And Sury, stealing from his work is exactly where I plan on getting the 3 monitors (they are just throwing out 21 inch monitors, replacing them with 19 inch lcds)... and slowly over time I'll replace them with LCDS