PC building guys in here

[v6sonoma]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

Just wanted to post that I've built the computer I described and keeping the old Creative card was a bad choice. Yes it does work, but a lot of the features don't work with Win 7 64 bit, and so it doesn't work the same (ie the remote control has no win 7 driver so it doesn't work). I'm going to leave it in for now but eventually get something else that has what I want.

Sometimes you gotta just cut the cord on old (even if it's good) hardware. Onboard audio is pretty decent now so cards like the sound blaster series just don't make sense anymore.

[2ndgenz28]

Originally Posted by irocnroll

That was my second PC, first was a Commodore 64.

Our first was the timex sinclair 2000
Hooked up to a b&w tv playing high tech games on casette.

Sort of lost intrest, wasnt into coding. Didnt get back into it forreal till win95 when a pc worked how it should have. Though funny haha im stuck in the past. My main rig dual boots winme n wn2k pro still

[GTAHVIT]

Ok Steve so you got me beat... I had the vic 20 wich was cool but I got into sports and cars so the computer sat... then a relative got a commodore 64 More sports and cars...

Then I join the Navy and I accidentally get put in charge of the comms shop. I was not a comms guy, I was a helo aircrewman/rescue swimmer....

the first machines we got were 286's running windows 3.0 then I was pretty much stuck in the computer world. I remember how fast the DXII's were... LOL The first computer I bought for myself was a compaq 2011 I think???? and that was it I've not been without a computer since. Now I have an alienware laptop that I've had for four years... I've kept upgrading it and it runs perfect for my daily computing. maxed out proc, ram and put an ssd in it. Problem is I can't find a video card for it...

Maybe you guys can help me, My dvi port keeps going bad. I've baked it a few times. (how many of you can say that.. ) and it keeps coming back but after a while the red goes away.... so I can't use a projector or monitor...

I found a used laptop on ebay Area 51- m5550 and was able to bake that video card back to life but after awhile it fails also....

NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 256MB MXM Type III

Any ideas where I can find a video card??? I have started using a cooling pad for the lap top which has helped immensely but I've baked these cards so many times they fail eventually.

[Rogue Leader]

Originally Posted by v6sonoma

Sometimes you gotta just cut the cord on old (even if it's good) hardware. Onboard audio is pretty decent now so cards like the sound blaster series just don't make sense anymore.

I found a package for it on the creative forums that restores some functionality in Windows 7, was created by a guy who was like retiring from Creative as his last "thing". Its pretty lame to have a card that was $250 new about 5 years ago and still technically works with current hardware but is listed as "End Of Life" and no tech support other than the knowledge base on their site. They won't even let you contact their tech support about it!

It seems like the sound card market has basically tanked in favor of onboard audio, but from reading aftermarket sound cards still have a lot to offer quality wise. I'm going to try those drivers tonight and as long as its fine I'll keep it (even though there is no support for my remote control anymore either!). If not I'm looking at the SoundBlaster X-Fi Titanium HD which is supposedly audiophile grade, and also the offerings from HT Omega. Anyone have any experience with them?

[2ndgenz28]

But thats kinda the way it is in computers. Within 6months what was the best is now junk and tech suport says u need to upgrade / spend more when it goes funky. Like i had no trouble running a hugh wd hd on windows me but maxtor wont show right so i can change the drive letter. All maxtor says is spend 2000 on a new pc

[Rogue Leader]

Originally Posted by 2ndgenz28

But thats kinda the way it is in computers. Within 6months what was the best is now junk and tech suport says u need to upgrade / spend more when it goes funky. Like i had no trouble running a hugh wd hd on windows me but maxtor wont show right so i can change the drive letter. All maxtor says is spend 2000 on a new pc

Yeah I guess my point was more its not like there was some huge advances in technology. Aside from being PCI vs PCIex like some of the cards are today (not even all of them!) the card I have is basically identical feature wise to what is currently available (in fact it even has more features!). Hard drives speed up, SATA gets faster, Processors get faster, etc, but sound cards basically stalled around the time this one came out. Heck Creative's X-Fi Fatality cards which is their main line came out in early 2007 which makes them a dinosaur in computer terms. Of their whole line only the X-Fi Titanium HD is relatively new and its a niche product aimed at people like me or audiophiles building HTPC's.

PS this is why I game on a PS3. It always just works. I spent so many years going through hardware every 6 months to play the newest games. I remember sending out a box of like 15 random cards from a PowerVR accelerator daughter card, to the first ATi RAGE Pro, couple Sound Blasters etc to a friend who wanted to just use them for experimenting. That box was worthless but I had paid around $1000 for everything in it!

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

Yeah I guess my point was more its not like there was some huge advances in technology. Aside from being PCI vs PCIex like some of the cards are today (not even all of them!) the card I have is basically identical feature wise to what is currently available (in fact it even has more features!). Hard drives speed up, SATA gets faster, Processors get faster, etc, but sound cards basically stalled around the time this one came out. Heck Creative's X-Fi Fatality cards which is their main line came out in early 2007 which makes them a dinosaur in computer terms. Of their whole line only the X-Fi Titanium HD is relatively new and its a niche product aimed at people like me or audiophiles building HTPC's.

I'm in the same boat. Alienware has Nothing in the form of a replacement graphics card. Nvidia has a couple that will work but they don't sell them any more...

And trying to find a used laptop with a good card is nearly impossible.... So, I'm probably gonna fork out the coin for a new one.

[Rogue Leader]

Originally Posted by GTAHVIT

I'm in the same boat. Alienware has Nothing in the form of a replacement graphics card. Nvidia has a couple that will work but they don't sell them any more...

And trying to find a used laptop with a good card is nearly impossible.... So, I'm probably gonna fork out the coin for a new one.

Did you try ebay or www.pricewatch.com ? Pricewatch can usually find the specific model you need and I'm sure someones gotta have some laying around somewhere....

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

Did you try ebay or www.pricewatch.com ? Pricewatch can usually find the specific model you need and I'm sure someones gotta have some laying around somewhere....

I did find the used one that on ebay... I briefly checked price watch... but I should give them another look.... that's a good idea.

[GTAHVIT]

This is the recommended replacement...

Nvidia Geforce 8600M GT MXM II VGA Card

But the last time I ordered one on ebay... I never got it and had to fight to get the money back....

Kinda scurred to try again...

[Rogue Leader]

Good news, these "hacked" drivers restores basically 90% of the functionality of the card. The only noticeable thing I still lose is the remote control, but any new card wouldn't have one either so its not a big deal. My external audigy box now works which is what I wanted, and all the digital inputs and outputs, the audio processors, equalizer, EAX, Dolby Digital, DTS, THX, and all that stuff all work. I'm a happy camper now!

[Steve Dallas]

Originally Posted by GTAHVIT

I'm in the same boat. Alienware has Nothing in the form of a replacement graphics card. Nvidia has a couple that will work but they don't sell them any more...

And trying to find a used laptop with a good card is nearly impossible.... So, I'm probably gonna fork out the coin for a new one.

All I can say is...think Falcon Northwest...

They make some killer gaming laptops (and computers). Expensive, but built for speed.

http://www.falcon-nw.com/laptops/drx

[GTAHVIT]

Originally Posted by Rogue Leader

Good news, these "hacked" drivers restores basically 90% of the functionality of the card. The only noticeable thing I still lose is the remote control, but any new card wouldn't have one either so its not a big deal. My external audigy box now works which is what I wanted, and all the digital inputs and outputs, the audio processors, equalizer, EAX, Dolby Digital, DTS, THX, and all that stuff all work. I'm a happy camper now!

Awesome!

Originally Posted by Steve Dallas

All I can say is...think Falcon Northwest...

They make some killer gaming laptops (and computers). Expensive, but built for speed.

http://www.falcon-nw.com/laptops/drx

I'll certainly but them on my list...

[Steve Dallas]

Check out this project of playing music on old 5-1/4" floppy drives...