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News Archive: June 2002

June 2002

Cambridge Soundworks MegaWorks 510D Review @ OcPrices
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 8:46 PM EST

"The Cambridge MegaWorks speakers are in my opinion the best multimedia PC speakers on the market right now, offering superb performance in all areas. The satellites and subwoofer are perfectly matched, with Cambridge SoundWorks smartly choosing acoustic quality over out-and-out volume. As mentioned before, the only way the Z-560s can beat the MegaWorks in this area is if you are willing to tolerate distortion. Music performance is far superior to the too-bassy Logitech Z-560s, whose bass level cannot be adjusted low enough to bring them into contention as a serious music lovers first choice."

Check it out at: OcPrices

Nexland ISB Pro800Turbo Load Balancing router review @ OverclockersClub
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 8:45 PM EST

"Nexland products are honestly, very new to me. Until this day, I have never tried a Nexland product. I really don't buy a lot of networking gear, and when I do, it's usually always Linksys or Dlink, for some unknown reason.. The Nexland product that I am reviewing today, is called the ISB Pro800 Turbo. The most appealing feature of the ISB Pro800 Turbo, is that it can load balance two DSL, Cable or T1 connections. It will even load balance mixed connections, like one DSL connection and one Cable connection. Another very cool feature is if one connection goes down the ISB Pro800 Turbo will route all traffic to the good line, automatically. I will be testing all of these features plus more, later on in the review."

Check it out at: OverclockersClub

Dynatron DC1206BM-L/610 Review @ PimpRig
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 8:41 PM EST

"The clip design was one of the only problems I noticed. It took a lot of pressure to install the HSF on my KT7A motherboard. With the amount of pressure I had to use it very possible to break the core. The good thing was that after I installed the cooler the 2nd or 3rd time, the metal clip had stretched a little and it was a lot easier to install."

Check it out at: PimpRig

Bluetake USB Dongle and Poke2 Bluetooth adapters review @ PC PowerZone
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 8:38 PM EST

"This one is of a couple of products from Bluetake in the form of two USB Bluetooth™ wireless adapters, the BT007 USB Dongle and the BT009 Poke2 USB adapter. Using these products allow you to link two computers together to communicate without the restrictions of running cables, you can transfer files, share an internet connection plus lots more. Wireless technology opens up many more options than would otherwise normally be available to you. Bluetooth™ operates in the 2.4GHz frequency range under the 802.11b wireless standard."

Check it out at: PC PowerZone

CoolerMaster rounded cables Review @ BurnoutPC
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 12:19 PM EST

"So I just finished cutting and installing my window kit (need some trim still), I am sitting here mind still numb from the last 4 hours of playing Neverwinter nights (w00t!). I look in my case and admire my work. I am thinking to my self the same thing what I was thinking the day when I opened the package, "Damn those rounded cables are cool" Now don't get me wrong, these ain't the cheesy-ass red (bloo/green/yellow etc.) that you are all used to. No, these are Coolermaster Transparent Cables (product#TTC-A24)."

Check it out at: BurnoutPC

Insomniac's Paintshop Pt. 3 - Rubout for a miror finish @ PimpRig
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 12:17 PM EST

Our resident paint expert, Insomniac, shows you how rubbing the right way can bring you happiness... Not for THAT... you already know that sort of rubbing. I am talking about rubbing out your case to get that mirror finish you always wanted.

Check it out at: PimpRig

Motherboard Tray Mod @ Bitbendertech
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 30, 2002 at 12:15 PM EST

“A must Mod, if you own or are thinking of getting a bolt through heat sink, like the Alpha 8045.

My first mistake,was to use the nylon nuts, supplied by Alpha,for fastening the standoff's through the MB. My second mistake was not doing the mod the first time I had my tower disconnected and out in the open. However,like most of us, I had a new toy in my hands and wanted to play with it NOW! I devised a method to get the standoff's fastened, without removing my MB”

Check it out at: Bitbendertech

Fan lighting mod @ phlux
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 8:19 PM EST

"I soldered 4 red LEDs in series. One of these LEDs had a controller chip in which made all of the LEDs in the circuit flash on and off. To be honest I was very surprised when this happened as I had thought that they were only the normal type. Another bonus of the flashing LED was that it allowed the whole circuit to run directly off of 12 volts without a resistor."

Check it out at: phlux

CoolJag JAC663A CPU HSF Cooler Review @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 8:18 PM EST

"The Skiving process is still relatively new to the heatsink market and produces a high surface area heatsink with a simple method and low cost production. This process provides an advantage that the fins are cut into the base on an angle, and then bent upwards. This means there is no bonding material between the base and fins and the process can produce more fins for cooling."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

Lian-Li PC-35 Case Reivew @ SystemCooling
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 8:16 PM EST

After all the quality computer enclosures we've reviewed recently, we thought it was time to bring you a couple of unique specialty cases that maintained a very high quality standard and were aimed at particular segments of the computing public.

The first is the Lian-Li PC-35, designed with the "LAN Party" enthusiast in mind but which obviously can be used wherever a small footprint is desirable.

The PC-35 is supplied with an abundance of spare thumbscrews (other manufacturers take note) and more than enough standoffs and screws for assembly. A neat little addition to the parts list is a set of four stick-on rubber feet, invaluable for using this case in a horizontal position rather than vertical as shown above.

It goes without saying the Lian-Li PC-35 is of all-aluminum construction, but it has a Silver hard-anodized finish, and to my knowledge is only model available in the brushed Silver/Aluminum finish.

Check it out at: SystemCooling

Maplin cold cathodes @ phlux
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 10:56 AM EST

"I used some masking tape to secure the cathode to the inside of the case. If you are putting it in your case and you know that you will probably not be removing it then I suggest you use some double sided sticky tape or just in case you might need to remove it you could use Velcro pads. Once it's in just turn on your pc and marvel at the light."

Check it out at: phlux

Pricing Guide update @ GeekExtreme
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 10:52 AM EST

The geekextreme.com Pricing Guide, a guide to the cheapest prices for hardware on the internet, has been updated for the week. It can be found at:

Check it out at: GeekExtreme

Vantec Stealth Case Fans Review @ Mikhailtech
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 10:50 AM EST

The less available air, the most resistance, the harder the motors have to push. And why would there not be enough air? Simple: they're inside a case. You don't have more than a few cubic feet and things like fan grills and smaller than ideal vent holes are all reasons for noise. Furthermore, turbulence is also created with anything obstructing the airflow close to the fan, i.e. finger guards/case fan cutouts. So it's not exactly 20 and 21dba, respectively. Add 1-3 to each for real world results. On a side note, it would be interesting to see 38mm versions, I bet they could pump even more air while still being nearly silent.

Check it out at: Mikhailtech

Photography Composition Article @ bitbendertech
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 10:47 AM EST

“Anyone can take good photographs with any camera. Creating good photographs has less to do with the equipment you have and more with the composition you use - it's not what you see, but, how you see it. When someone looks at a picture and utters words like “an artistic, pleasing image, or a harmonious balance among the elements of a scene,” you know that the picture is nothing but – a good composition.”

Check it out at: bitbendertech

Kingwin KT-436B-WM Pre-Modded computer case review @ OverclockersClub
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 29, 2002 at 10:41 AM EST

"Here we are looking at the Kingwin KT-436B-WM. This case is very similar to the KT-436 that Matt reviewed back in May. In fact, the only difference being that this case has blue tinted acrylic windows on both sides and the top. That also leaves no place for the side and top exhaust fans, like in the other case. Let's have a closer look at the windowed model."

Check it out at: OverclockersClub

Grand Theft Auto 3 Review @ Geekshelter
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 7:04 PM EST

Please Do Not Walk on the Grass

That’s the kind of thing you would do in GTA3 as well as lie, cheat, steal, and kill in this extremely popular title from Rockstar games. The game begins when you’re framed for a bank robbery and you find yourself being transported in a police convoy to the poor part of town (aka: the first city).
As your being transported the same guys that frame you also brake out one of the prisoners in the truck with you as your crossing the bridge. As they are making their get away the other guy in the truck knocks out the cop and runs out. The bomb explodes and you both find yourself home free. Now all you got to do is get home and figure out your next (illegal) job.

Check it out at: Geekshelter

Arprotek mini system: 'e-cube' CF-S868 in Video Review #182 @ 3dGameMan
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 7:00 PM EST

"The Arprotek mini system (CF-S868) is very small but it's big on performance and looks. This system is a perfect option for anyone interested in preserving space around their workstation or simply need a compact system for mobility reasons. Also, it's an excellent option for LAN parties as it comes with a AGP slot, therefore allowing a great 3D gaming Video Card to be installed and it’s very transportable."

Check it out at: 3dGameMan

Lexmark E210 Laser Printer Review @ extensiontech
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 6:58 PM EST

Personally, since December I was looking for a nice entry level laser printer. One to print out everyday documents, invoices, ect,. While Hewlett Packard had an entry level one, for like $230 retail, that was just a bit more than I wanted to spend. So I held out. Knowing I'd find a good deal at some point. One I couldn't refuse. Enter Lexmark. While the Lexmark E210 Printer retails normally for around $200.00, I figured I could snag a deal somewhere. And so I did, I actually got this one from Wal-Mart for $150.00, on clearance. Let's see how good or bad this printer works...

Check it out at: extensiontech

120mm Blowhole Mod @ Monster-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 6:54 PM EST

"Now we will be looking at my 120mm top mount fan. I chose to make it an exhaust fan- but you could just as easily make it an intake. My only worry was with the fan being on top like this- dust will just be invited into your case. But, to each their own. On with the MOD!!!"

Check it out at: Monster-Hardware

Starcraft 2 Teaser @ Icrontic
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 12:07 PM EST

If you complete the final Night Elf mission in Warcraft 3 on the Hard, you will get to see a small Starcraft 2 preview. I have captured a bunch of screenies from this for all of you to gaze at. The preview was about 15 seconds long, and the motion was very fluid and the sound was extremely crisp and clear.

Check it out at: Icrontic

Where's My Free Stuff @ Icrontic
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 12:06 PM EST

“A year ago I began this odyssey to the inner sanctum of Icrontic and now, for the first time, I will reveal my secrets of what it takes to become an integral part of any hardware review website. If you are a geek on the outside looking in…then it must seem as though we reviewers are in computer hardware nirvana. You may see website after website apparently receiving product after product in what appears to be a ceaseless supply of “free stuff”."

Check it out at: Icrontic

XFX 64MB GeForce4 Ti4200 Review @ Icrontic
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 12:03 PM EST

"Feeling a little adventurous I started off by pushing the core up from 250 MHz to 300 MHz, as was pleased to see it run perfectly through the strenuous Code Creatures Benchmark Demo. From there, I went up in 5 MHz increments up to 310 MHz with full stability, 10 MHz faster than a stock GeForce4 Ti4600. At 315 MHz I would get small flickering dots and other random artifacts while running the demo test. I tried removing the stock thermal paste in favor of some Arctic Silver 3 but still got artifacts while benchmarking. To test the RAM I reduced the core back to stock speed and started off by increasing the memory speed to 550 MHz. Piece of cake. My next step was 575 MHz, which also ran without a hitch. In the end, I was able to push the RAM to a very impressive 600 MHz, which is excellent considering that there is no passive cooling on the memory chips."

Check it out at: Icrontic

What's The Big Deal About Temperature? @ Icrontic
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 12:00 PM EST

It seems that every overclocker today is worried about temperatures today. Go to half a dozen or so overclocking sites, and the most common topic discussed will be heatsink fans, blowholes, cases, RAM heat spreaders, etc. Is that really necessary? I mean does all this worry about temperatures really amount to something? Or is it all a bunch of hot air (sorry couldn't resist)..... Ironically, there is very little scientific information released on this subject, even at the so called "expert" overclocking sites. In this article, we will try to explore the affects of temperature on hard drives and CPUs, as well as try to offer a little theory behind the relationship between temperature and reliability.

Check it out at: Icrontic

Thermaltake GeForce 4 Copper Cooler Review @ Viper's Lair
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 11:58 AM EST

Following up on the successful Orb GPU coolers, the engineers at Thermaltake whipped up something special for those of you who need something beefier for the GeForce 4.

The fan is slightly larger than nVidia's reference, and is rated at 10.6CFM. It's big enough, and draws more power than the stock fan, and you'll likely be forced to use the included 3-to-4 pin Molex adapter. Even if you didn't want to use the adapter, it's a physical impossibility to fit the power cable into the video card's outlet. Although the fan is larger, I didn't find the noise to be obtrusive, and chances are, your CPU HSF or case fans will likely generate a lot more noise.

Check it out at: Viper's Lair

AMD Athlon XP 2200+ (1.8 GHz) Thoroughbred @ GamePC
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 11:56 AM EST

Today at GamePC, we've taken a look at AMD's top of the line Athlon XP 2200+ processor, clocking in at 1.8 GHz. This chip is a first from AMD, as it uses a 0.13 micron manufacturing process to allow for a smaller die size and higher clock speeds. We compare and contrast the new features of the Thoroughbred core and do performance comparisons of the new processor against previous Athlons and Intel's Pentium 4.

Check it out at: GamePC

WinTasks4 Pro Review @ DreddNews
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 11:55 AM EST

"Having to run Windows 98SE at work is quite the burden. Frequent and random crashes occur all the time. Always seems to happen during the worst of times. With WinTask 4 you are given a little more control of your Windows operation system."

Check it out at: DreddNews

Asus CRW-4816A CD burner Review @ Active-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 28, 2002 at 11:52 AM EST

As its name implies, the CRW-4816A supports speeds of 48X/16X/48X for writing/rewriting/reading. More importantly, it also includes important technologies such as "Just Link" and "Just Speed", which Asus has dubbed "FlextraLink" and "FlextraSpeed" respectively. The inclusion of these technologies as part of the CRW-4816A means that users will be able successfully burn CDs even if the data-feed stops temporarily, or if it halted prematurely; the CRW-4816A can simply pick-up at the exact same spot where it left off.

Check it out at: Active-Hardware

The Gigastorage Cursor mini-CD MP3 player Reviewed @ dansdata
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:11 PM EST

The Gigastorage Cursor mini-CD MP3 player looks, on the face of it, like a quite good product. Small, neat, easy to use, decent bundled gear, nice price. Unfortunately, it doesn't actually _work_ very well.

Check it out at: dansdata

The ABIT KX7-333R Motherboard Reviewed @ HotHardware
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:08 PM EST

Today we have yet another KT333 motherboard on the HH test bench, this time it's the KX7-333R from ABIT.  At first this board didn't strike us as anything out of the ordinary, but once we starting giving it a work out, we were pleasantly surprised.  Click the link for the full details of ABIT's impressive new motherboard.

Check it out at: HotHardware

Zalman CNPS 5100-Cu cooler review @ Envy News
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:06 PM EST

“Zalman is a fairly unique company whose aim is to provide hardware cooling solutions capable of great performance, but without the high noise level of its competitors. Those that have seen Zalman fans know that they have very exotic designs which can't be found elsewhere. Their exotic designs are not only confined to their high-end line-up as is the case with most manufacturers, rather each and everyone of Zalmans products shares the unique Zalman approach to cooling.”

Check it out at: Envy News

Vantec Copper X Coolers @ Explosive Labs
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:35 AM EST

"Both the Vantec CCK-6040 & CCK-CCK6040H are identical in appearance. The only difference being is that the CCK-CCK6040H has a faster 6800 R.P.M fan while the CCK-6040's fan spins at 5500 R.P.M. Of course with the faster 6800 R.P.M fan your going to expect slightly better results over the 5500 R.P.M fan but the noise level will also be slightly higher.

Check it out at: Explosive Labs

Dungeon Siege Review @ OnePC
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:32 AM EST

"After years of hype, Chris Taylor has finally delivered his latest masterpiece, Dungeon Siege. At first glance it delivers some killer graphics and decent game play, but is it all that it’s cracked up to be--or are we just getting hot air?"

Check it out at: OnePC

Thermalright SLK-800 Heatsink Reivew @ SystemCooling
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:31 AM EST

Since the release of the now famous Thermalright SK-6 many months ago enthusiasts have clamored for an 80mm version. The cry was renewed recently with the introduction of the SLK-600. Well, it seems Thermalright was listening and the SLK-800 is their response!!

While the SLK-800 and 600 resemble the SK-6, they are in fact very different and are a much improved design. The single pronged clip of the SK-6 has been replaced, with the SLK-800 and 600 featuring a new improved three-pronged clip that provides rock solid attachment to the motherboard's socket. Another added feature is that the clip is locked within the heatsink meaning that you/I can't mistakenly put the clip in backwards.

Check it out at: SystemCooling

ASUS P4S533 Motherboard Review @ lostcircuits
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 7:27 AM EST

After the launch of the 533 MHz FSB Pentium4 processors, SIS like any other core logic manufacturer revamped their North Bridge to accommodate the new speed grades by introducing the DX version of their established SIS 645 chipset. In addition to new FSB to memory ratios, the higher CPU clock speeds require faster switching power controllers. Moreover, while the market appears to be turning its back on the advanced communication riser (ACR), integrated high-quality audio solutions and on-board LAN are pushing their way into mainstream solutions and offer affordable, yet upgradeable highly integrated platforms. The ASUS implementation of the SIS 645DX chipset appears to follow this recipe to the letter. How much can one expect from a $100 mainboard, even if, or particularly when it is from ASUS? Where are the shortcomings of the P4S533 and what has really changed under the hood from the P4S333?

Check it out at: lostcircuits

Zalman CNPS6000-Cu @ phlux
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 9:16 PM EST

"The noise level offered really is outstanding, and impressed me a lot. The accessories and little bits of kit included in the package are weird and wonderful, but nothing is useless. Every piece contributes to make the final product, and the heatsink feels very complete. The high manufacturing standard and quality not only give you a quiet heatsink, but more of a quiet cooling solution. It's hard to get across in writing, but it gives you the sense that you've bought a nice package that enhances your PC using experience."

Check it out at: phlux

Warcraft 3 Review @ Icrontic
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 9:15 PM EST

It’s been 8 years since Blizzard gave us the last incarnation of the Warcraft world. In that time a lot has changed in the realm of Real-Time Strategy. That’s not to say Blizzard have been completely left out, however. Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood War, continued their presence in the world of RTS, though not their previous dominance. Games such as the Command and Conquer series, Age of Empires/Age of Empires 2, Homeworld, the Total War series, and even Starcraft all brought different elements to the genre. So the question is, what has Warcraft 3 brought to the party?

Check it out at: Icrontic

Imperial Case (w/Temp. Sensor) in Video Review #181 @ 3dGameMan
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 9:13 PM EST

"The Imperial Case while very inexpensive and having sleek looks it has no removable motherboard try and space inside is limited. It does however have many positive features; exhaust fan at the rear, temperature sensor with readout at the front, turbo cooling switch, auto control cooling system and also has a Firewire and two USB connections at the front."

Check it out at: 3dGameMan

NVIDIA's David Kirk On Cg @ nvnews
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 9:07 PM EST

It's been a couple of weeks since NVIDIA announced their Cg shader language and we've managed to get some thoughts from NVIDIA's Chief Scientist David Kirk on the subject. The topics of discussion include:

  a.. How will Cg get NVIDIA closer to their goal of achieving cinematic quality in real-time graphics?

  b.. What is the learning curve associated with Cg for developers?

  c.. What steps are being taken to make Cg an industry standard?

  d.. What can Cg do for non-programmable graphics chipsets (such as the GeForce2 MX and GeForce4 MX)?

  e.. Will Cg automatically attempt to "dumb-down" effects if the hardware does not support the necessary operations?

  f.. Will Cg be able generate instructions that have better performance than previous "hand-coded" shader programs?

Check it out at: nvnews

AOpen CRW4048 CD burner Review @ Active-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 9:02 PM EST

It was only shortly after our review of the AOpen CRW3248, which had a write/re-write/read speed of 32x/12x/48x, that AOpen sent us a sample of their new CRW4048, which, as its name indicates operates at 40x/12x/48x. It is our pleasure to be testing this baby today.

Check it out at: Active-Hardware

Blue lights reviewed @ dansdata
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 8:58 PM EST

I've just checked out two cold cathode fluorescent lights, and two electroluminescent widgets - an EL glowing case badge kit from local Aussie outfit CoolPC, and a Lightstrip from Tweakmonster. They're all completely silly, of course, but rather interesting with it. And more different from each other than you might think.

Check it out at: dansdata

CrazyPC Etch Window Kit Review @ GideonTech
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 8:53 PM EST

GideonTech had a chance to hack up our case once again with a pre-etched window kit from CrazyPC. Equipped with reflective foil and the works, we'll see how it stands out with two different lights.

Check it out at: GideonTech

Visiontek Xtasy Ti4600 Review @ DeviantPC
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:53 AM EST

"Without a doubt the Visiontek Xtasy Ti4600 is a damn fine gamers card; which is what you'd expect from a GeForce 4 Ti4600. The inclusion of VIVO capabilities with some excellent Video capture/editing software at this price is very good indeed."

Check it out at: DeviantPC

Windows File Protection Guide @ TechSpot
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:51 AM EST

One of Microsoft’s latest efforts to help promote system stability is Windows File Protection (WFP), as debuted in Windows 2000 & now featured in Windows XP. TechSpot's guide will take you through basic operation of WFP, how to use & configure it for your system.

Check it out at: TechSpot

Front Panel LED Case Mod Article @ Monster-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:48 AM EST

"The LED can be any kind really - but it should be bright. I got mine from one of those LED keychains- those work well because they can handle high voltages (i.e. 5v directly from the Power supply in a computer) Also- you don't have to have a 3.5" bay cover- you could just as easily mount the LED in the front bezel itself. "

Check it out at: Monster-Hardware

Securisys Agency Custom 3D Case Badges Review @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:46 AM EST

"The badges are first printed in colour and encased in a clear plastic dome. Securisys Agency calls its manufacturing process for these badges "Doming" which involves making flat labels 3-dimensional by applying a bevel of clear lens onto a printed surface. The lens is permanently bonded with the badge, encapsulating the print and protecting it from scratching or wearing. The back of the badges have a removable paper backing and is covered with a strong adhesive bond. The adhesive bond is similar to 3M VHB tape and guarantees that the badge will not move once affixed to the surface area of your case."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

Thermaltake Hardcano 2 Review @ ViperLair
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:44 AM EST

"Unlike the Hardcano 5, there are no fan switches to control your fans this time around. The Hardcano 2 (as the name implies) has two LEDs this time, and two thermal probes. The LEDs are protected by a plastic film, so there is little to worry about if you're concerned about them being scratched while shipping. I actually prefer the look of the Hardcano 2 over the Hardcano 5, as with 2 LEDs, the appearance is more uniform."

Check it out at: ViperLair

Matrox Parhelia Review @ Icrontic
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:43 AM EST

“The Parhelia-512 is the world's first 512-bit Graphics Processing Unit packed with 256 MB DDR on board. A 256-bit memory interface shoveling out a hefty 20 GB/s memory bandwidth. Was it worth the wait and will the Parhelia live up to expectations? Many an "ATIst" or "nVidianaut" may be breathing easy at this moment in time letting a loud "I told you so" burst forth. Those people are welcome to their moment of satisfaction as they have been holding their breath for quite some time but while they revel in their fantastic frame rates Matrox has gone and done it again.”

Check it out at: Icrontic

Stomp Inc. BackUp MyPC Review @ Mikhailtech
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:39 AM EST

Inside you'll find another shrink-wrapped CD in a jewel case and a manual which is more like a book. It's the most complete guide I've ever seen and at a little over 125 pages, it covers [almost] everything you could possibly do with the program. It's written in very elementary terms so those with less computer software experience will have no trouble doing what they want. The interface is even simpler and there's a wizard for every major operation. The more adventurous types can access everything but even there I haven't found anything confusing.

Check it out at: Mikhailtech

Belkin Compact Flash / Smart Media memory reader Review @ Unique Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at 7:36 AM EST

"These days a lot of people have Digital Cameras, often with 4mb or 8mb of memory builtin. This is not enough for higher quality pictures as they tend to take up a lot of space. Digital Camera makers came up with the clever idea to use a "memory card" to save extra files to.
Brilliant ! "

Check it out at: Unique Hardware

Samsung and OCZ 512Mb modules reviewed @ PC PowerZone
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 7:09 PM EST

"Then we come to the power users and enthusiasts, people who like big, fast machines with lots of memory and the overclockers who like to max everything out. Rather than taking up two or even four memory slots with multiple banks of high performance 256Mb modules, we/they need high performance 512Mb modules than take up half the slots.  Although PC2100 memory is still the main type for most people, PC2700, 3000 and 3200 is becoming increasingly popular among the high-end users, those who demand the fastest."

Check it out at: PC PowerZone

Lian Li Pc50 reviewed @ BurnoutPC
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 7:07 PM EST

"You know what sucks about having a Lian Li PC70?  Having to cart it to the local (or not so local) lan party.  Finally, I decided to figure out what to do about this.  So, today I’m looking at the Pc50, This case is 1 Drive bay bigger than its little brother the PC30, but still not quite midtower."

Check it out at: BurnoutPC

iRock! 520 Series MP3 Music Player Review @ iRock! 520 Series MP3 Music Player Review @ OcPrices
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 7:06 PM EST

"The iRock™ in my hands right now came with 64megs of Built-in Memory. This may seem quite small, but I was able to hold roughly twenty high-quality recorded MP3s. They were specifically recorded at 192 kBit/s, CD Quality, 7.5:1 reduction for this review. You should notice that you are able to store up to an extra 128megs of SmartMedia™ memory if you feel the need to. The fast USB interface is very useful, especially when you want to go computer hopping and get MP3s from different HDDs. And lastly, the PC Software seems to work with all Windows OSs (Windows 98 and later). I am currently using Windows XP and the software works as it should."

Check it out at: OcPrices

The Matrox Parhelia 512, a monumental flop? @ Active-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 7:04 PM EST

Against all odds, when we read the first benchmarks of the Matrox Parhelia 512 graphic card, it looks like Matrox has totally ruined their chances to re-establish their position on the 3D arena. To iunderstand what conducted us to such an opinion, read our news and see our numbers published on the front page of our web site.

Check it out at: Active-Hardware

Matrox Parhelia - Reviewed and Benchmarked @ HotHardware
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 7:00 PM EST

Which brings us to the Matrox perspective on next generation 3D Graphics.  Matrox's new Parhelia GPU has a slogan behind it that is supposed to deliver the mission statement of the product, High Fidelity Graphics.  As next generation game engines are capable of producing more immersive and visually stunning images, the hardware that processes those images, must also scale.  No longer is the game about frame rate alone. Remember when we were all buzzing about T&L?  Now it's about shaders, mapping, AA and programmability.  Stepping back into this arena is not going to be easy but it seems as though Matrox has the right idea targeting "High Fidelity".

Check it out at: HotHardware

Matrox Parhelia 128 Graphics Board @ GamePC
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 6:58 PM EST

Today at GamePC, we've taken a good in-depth look at the newly released Parhelia 128 board from Matrox. Based on their new Parhelia-512 architecture, this board utilizes 512-bit GPU design teamed together with a top of the line 256-bit DDR interface for an incredible amount of graphics bandwidth to utilize. The board itself has support for three HD-15 monitors, two DVI-I LCD monitors, 128MB of DDR memory, and lots of nifty new rendering features like Gigacolor and 16x Fragment Anti-Aliasing. We test out the Parhelia against the best that ATI and nVidia have to offer, in a host of standard and super high quality benchmarks. Of course, lots of high resolutions pictures are included as well!

Check it out at: GamePC

Record Now MAX Review @ Geekshelter
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 6:46 AM EST

This is the best burning program I used, The speed is amazing, music quality is great, burning data with no errors, and you can even burn DVD, this is some amazing burning software. Im really proud of Stomp Inc. for making this software, this software opened up a whole new world about burning technology. This software is really easy to use, it also comes with a handy instruction booklet.

Check it out at: Geekshelter

Samsung ML-1440 Laser Printer Review @ pcstats
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 6:43 AM EST

"After a few months of using an inkjet printer you'll begin to realize just how expensive those refill cartridges become. Sure the printer may be inexpensive, but add on ink cartridges for a year and things add up quickly. While colour inkjet printers are still far less expensive than colour laser printers, when it comes to black and white, laser printers have it made. The ML-1440 is a pseudo SOHO printer, and while it has the boxy shape, and paper tray underfoot, it is more like a home printer than true SOHO."

Check it out at: pcstats

Reinstalling Windows The Right Way, Setting Up, And Basic Tweaks Guide @ Geekshelter
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 6:41 AM EST

A lot of people think they are special and can so called "setup and get there pc running". Man everyone I either work with or have to slave over to get there pc working right is the main reason they don't really know the advanced knowledge of how to really set the darn things up correctly. I hope to in this guide show you how to get your pc from the dangerous 1976 Ford Pinto to the really nice 1969 Chevy Camero SS. :)

Check it out at: Geekshelter

Trek Thumbdrive Review @ HardwarePub
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 6:37 AM EST

"In this new age of technology products are getting smaller, smarter and more convenient for end users. Technology has become part of our everyday lifestyle. Such things as cell phones, PDA's, and laptops are all designed with ease of portability in mind. They are made light, small and designed to go wherever you go. There is a new trend in town and that is being able to carry amounts of data around with you to be able to access elsewhere. The leading product in this trend is the Thumbdrive"

Check it out at: HardwarePub

OCZ DDR333 PC-2700 "Ultimate" REV 3 @ Explosive Labs
posted by Babylon5 on Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 6:35 AM EST

"OCZ Technology has recently been the target of a few recent out lashes from inside sources that deal with how the company was operating and doing business. A lot of people stay as far away from them as possible while others respect their product line and support them fully. Since I have never delt with OCZ in the past and their product line I decided to test out their memory. Inside sources tell me that the memory was given to select hardware sites that got much better results than the actual buyers."

Check it out at: Explosive Labs

Project Generic @ phlux
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 7:14 PM EST

"Overall I have to say it turned out very well and it wasn't hard at all. Cutting out things with the Dremel requires little practice but it is easy to get the hang of. All of the things I have cut out of the case could have easily been cut out with a jigsaw but I did not have a metal jigsaw blade to try it out and compare the results. Putting in the windows was also very cheap. The large sheet of plexi I bought only cost me £10 and the PVC beading was only 50p a metre. I also used less then a quarter of the plexi so there is plenty left for other window mods. For this small amount of money who wouldn't want to do this mod?"

Check it out at: phlux

Vantec Tornado Fans (80mm and 92mm) in Video Review #180 @ 3dGameMan
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 7:10 PM EST

"Vantec's Tornado series of fans are intended for serious cooling needs as these fans push a lot of air and are very loud. As an example, their 92mm version pushes 119CFM and is 56.4 dB(A) which in no uncertain terms is astounding."

Check it out at: 3dGameMan

CoolJag JAC103C CPU Cooler Review @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 7:08 PM EST

"The clip is made of sturdy SK7 steel and is nickel-plated. I was happy to see another manufacturer employing all three of the socket retention clips into the design. With the weight of this particular heatsink, I would have been worried had it only employed a single bracket down the middle. While the retention clip does require a screwdriver to exert the right amount of force when securing the heatsink to the motherboard, the clip design makes accidental slips impossible."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

ATI Radeon 8500 128MB Review @ Viper's Lair
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 11:44 AM EST

The ATI Radeon was a decent piece of hardware when first released, but with todays 128MB cards, they needed a solution to compete. With the Radeon 8500 128, they hope to answer that call until their next-gen product comes out later this summer. Quote:

"So is the Radeon 8500 easy on the eyes? When playing games I found the color depth to be visually pleasing. Games such as Quake 3 seemed to take advantage of the Radeon's advanced lighting features, as the player models seemed to move realistically and less jerky then they did when playing with the GeForce 3 cards. Whether or not developers are ever going to take advantage of the Direct X 8.1 functionality this card brings is up in the air, especially with Direct X 9 around the corner, but for now the Radeon 8500 brings some very impressive visual capabilities to the table."

Check it out at: Viper's Lair

Samsung SyncMaster 151P Review @ Bytesector
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 11:42 AM EST

The Samsung SyncMaster line of monitors have been reliable and made for the high end user. Once again, Samsung has not disappointed the consumers. The SyncMaster 151P is an LCD monitor that delivers sharp and brilliant colors to the user...

Check it out at: Bytesector

EPoX 8K3A+ Motherboard Reviewed @ BlueSmoke
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 11:39 AM EST

A few months ago, VIA released their highly anticipated successor to the popular KT266A chipset, the KT333. EPoX was one of the first manufacturers to get a KT333 motherboard out the door. Today, BlueSmoke examines the 8K3A+, the big brother of the popular 8KHA+. Can it measure up to the 8KHA+'s success? Head on over to get the full scoop.

Check it out at: BlueSmoke

ATI Radeon IGP 320 Chipset @ GamePC
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 11:37 AM EST

Today at GamePC, we've taken a look at ATI's first motherboard core logic, dubbed the ATI Radeon IGP 320. Following in nVidia's footsteps with their nForce motherboard chipset, ATI's product has integrated video with a unified memory architecture, along with support for Athlon XP processors and DDR-266 SDRAM. We take a look at the first motherboard based on this chipset, FIC's AT31 Fusion, and compare the performance to nVidia's nForce 420/220 and VIA's KT-333 motherboard solutions.

Check it out at: GamePC

New: Logitech Z540 Speakers @ eliteHW
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 11:34 AM EST

eliteHW has completed a review of the Logitech Z540 Speaker Set. This isn’t anything new to the tech world, but with all the new speakers now coming out. We felt that we would bring you an updated review so you can see how these stand up to the current competition. Logitech blew away the competition on its release of these; now let’s see if it can do it again. Quote:

“Logitech has made some very big waves in the PC audio department recently. The release of their Z-560 THX certified speakers definitely showed that price doesn’t necessarily equal quality. Some even say that the Z560’s has dethroned the ever venerable Klipsch’s. Today however, we are looking at a set of speakers aimed at a more value oriented market: the Z 540’s.”

Check it out at: eliteHW

Corsair XMS2700 512MB DDR Memory Review @ PimpRig
posted by Babylon5 on Monday, June 24, 2002 at 11:30 AM EST

"Unlike modules from the competition where they try to convince you that the memory you are purchasing is pc2100, 2400, 2700, 3000, and even PC3200 which is the latest offering from the OCZ Clan. I myself will never be bought into that kind of claim. Corsair Memory Uses the XMS designator which stands for Extreme Memory Speed. The Corsair Sticks never claim to be any certain specific chip but do however guarantee that the Stick you buy is fully tested and functional at its advertised speed."

Check it out at: PimpRig

The Soyo KT333 Dragon Ultra Reviewed @ HotHardware
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 8:38 PM EST

Tonight we have a review of the Soyo KT333 Dragon Ultra motherboard. Soyo has been producing the "Dragon" line of motherboards since the release of the original KT266 chipset. As time went by, the Dragon series has earned a reputation for being the cream of the Soyo crop, embodying the best of what Soyo has to offer. With its latest incarnation, though, we've heard talk of a great looking board that’s had trouble keeping up with other KT333 boards in the performance ring. Needless to say, once we got a hold of our test sample, we were anxious to see for ourselves if these stories were true. Click the link for the full story!

Check it out at: HotHardware

Samsung SyncMaster 240T 24-inch TFT Flatpanel Review @ pcstats
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 8:33 PM EST

"There have always been those who appreciate technology and strive to have the best, the biggest, and the most impressive. It must be nice to have such luxuries, and when speaking of LCD display's you will be hard pressed to find anything bigger, or more impressive then this 24" LCD TFT monitor from Samsung. The $4600USD Syncmaster 240T is one of the largest desktop LCD displays available, supporting native resolution of 1920x1200 pixels... that is big, very big.

The 13.8Kg display has enough screen real estate to display no less than four web browsers, and with room still remaining for WinAmp on the side. Of course, you will have to have a video card capable of outputting an Analog WUXGA signal of 1920x1200. For some unexplained reason, the 240T only supports 1280x1024 on a digital DVI video cable."

Check it out at: pcstats

Soldier of Fortune 2 Review @ Geekshelter
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 8:31 PM EST

“John Mullins of ''Soldier of Fortune'' fame returns to do combat once again in this incredible sequel of the original game. I have to admit that I'm a fan of stories involving heroes doing combat against terrorism or some form of evil foreign power (like BJ versus the Nazis in Return to Castle Wolfenstein), and the story to this game pulls that premise off as good as the original did. In this game, John Mullins must stop a terrorist organization from unleashing a deadly genetic virus. Mullins is aided by his good friend Sam Gladstone, and his new partner Madeline Taylor. It's up to you to root out this organization and bring them to bloody justice.”

Check it out at: Geekshelter

Antec Performance Plus 1060 Case Review @ VH
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 1:02 PM EST

Today, we take a look at Antec's latest offering, the Antec Performance Plus. This is a new revision of the extremely popular 1030, called the PLUS1060. What kind of improvements or new features does this case has to offer? Read on!

"This name of this one should be pretty familiar to most of you people out there. It's the Antec Performance PLUS1060 Server Case. Now pay attention to the name of this case though. This isn't the Sx1030 like you may have thought at first glance. This is a new revision of the extremely popular 1030, called the PLUS1060. Antec has taken the knowledge they've gained of the enthusiasts market and revised an already great case to come up with a unique, and extremely complete package. Now the SX1030, which is the basis of this case, was a great case, but was 3 things from being the "ultimate" case: 1) Front mounted usb ports 2) Fan Intake Filter and 3) a slide-out motherboard tray. Well, as they say " 2 outta 3 aint bad!". The new PLUS1060 has added features over the earlier cases including front usb/firewire ports and front fan intake filter. We'll take a closer look at those in a few minutes...let's get a closer look at this new revision and see what's so "new" about it...."

Check it out at: Virtual-Hideout

ATI All in Wonder 7500 Review @ BurnOutPC
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 12:58 PM EST

"Today I'm looking at the ATI All in Wonder 7500. Packed full of gear, such as a tuner onboard for watching TV or DVDs, excellent 3d performance, and capability for video editing."

Check it out at: BurnOutPC

Thermaltake Hardcano 5 HD Cooler Review @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 12:57 PM EST

"The front bezel is designed in the same style as used in all the Hardcano series hard drive coolers. The bezel made from a solid piece of aluminum and includes only one CompuNurse Probe and a 3 position fan controller switch. The Hardcano 5 model includes the addition of an aluminum top plate which is available in gold or silver colour. In theory, aluminum should help dissipate the heat faster and more efficiently hence the reason behind the design of this specific model."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

Is the Pentium4 Northwood 1.6A the most overclockable CPU ever? @ PCExtreme
posted by Babylon5 on Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 12:54 PM EST

 Many have posed the question "Is the 1.6A the next Celeron300A?". I'm here to tell you, this CPU is better. Way better. It is the best price-for-performance processor ever made. Period. This CPU now retails for somewhere in the neighborhood of $140USD, and I managed to get it to 2.4Ghz right out of the box. No modification, no special thermal compound, no special fans.

Check it out at: PCExtreme

Kingston PC2700 DDR333 ValueRAM Review @ pcstats
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 10:28 PM EST

"Like Crucial, Kingston waited for JEDEC to approve a DDR333 standard before they started selling DDR333 memory. Why is that? Company A can claim to sell DDR333 memory but that memory may not pass Company B's DDR333 tests. Now with an official standard, all memory modules have to pass the same tests to carry the official DDR333 or PC2700 stamp.

Looking at the DIMM we can see it is single sided, quite a rarity for 256MB DIMMs. The 256MB PC2700 ValueRAM uses 6ns Winbond DRAM and has a CAS Latency of 2.5 at 166 MHz operations. Since the DRAM is based on the TSOP-II form factor we would have liked to see some RAMsinks on the DRAM because it can reach elevated temperatures at high speeds."

Check it out at: pcstats

MSI KT3 Ultra ARU Review @ PimpRig
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 10:27 PM EST

"MSI has been a long time supporter of AMD, especially the Athlon processor. Every time there is an improvement made in the correlation between motherboard and CPU you can guarantee MSI has thrust itself into the ring bringing improvement and innovation. Now with VIA’s KT333 chipset introduction bringing DDR-333 support for the Athlon, MSI has released yet another board in its AMD lineup."

Check it out at: PimpRig

Ripper mousemat review @ phlux
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 10:26 PM EST

"Well I hadn't seen any pictures of the Ripper Mousemat before I received the product, so I didn't know what to expect. It's a fairly nice shape which would look pretty stylish on a modern desk, especially next to a black PC. The slight curvature of the bottom edge is there to reduce any risk of RSI, since it follows the natural curve your arm makes as it moves from the elbow, thus keeping the edge of the mousemat on the same point on your arm. Also, the mousemat is fairly low-profile, measuring only 6mm tall, or 7.5 with the feet included."

Check it out at: phlux

REALmagic Xcard Review @ Geekextreme
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 10:25 PM EST

As the line between your PC and home entertainment center continues to blur, Sigma Designs releases the REALmagic Xcard, a DVD decoder card with a kick, to help blur the line even more.  How does it hold up?

Check it out at: Geekextreme

Pyramid II Fan Silencer Review @ ipkonfig
posted by Babylon5 on Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 10:23 PM EST

ipKonfig.com has finished out a review on a rather odd product called the Pyramid II Fan Silencer. While this product will not bring the Gypsies knocking at your door; it will bring forth new meaning to automated silence to your computer.

"Pursuing the trend of looking for something to quiet things down, we once again unearth a product that stands out. This one, the Pyramid II Fan Silencer, was built for those looking for a simple and effective way to control noise without having to make all those fussy adjustments. In fact, this product is hands-free, and installs in a matter of minutes."

Check it out at: ipkonfig

AMD vs Intel editorial @ Monster-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:48 PM EST

"I was an AMD fan. I had nothing but respect for AMD, but lately I am starting to lose some of my respect for AMD. They make great processors and I currently have a 1700+ in my main rig. However I am beginning to warp over to the dark side. I am no longer an AMD fan, but I am also not an Intel fan."

Check it out at: Monster-Hardware

Cornea Systems MP704 17inch TFT LCD Display Review @ pcstats
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:46 PM EST

"In any event, that is long preamble to the introduction of Cornea Systems and their MP704 17" LCD monitor. The LCD panel features a brightness of 250cd/m2 and contrast ratio of 400:1. In stark contrast to the industry trend, Cornea disclose their pixel response time at 25ms. This number is often difficult to find, and has a large bearing on how a display looks in fast FPS games or action-oriented DVD's. The more important display specs are listed below for your consultation."

Check it out at: pcstats

Abit KX7-333R Motherboard (Socket 462) in Video Review #179 @ 3dGameMan
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:43 PM EST

"The Abit KX7-333R Motherboard yet again proves Abit has a commitment to reliability, service and serious performance. One of the strong points of this motherboard is the ability for very high and stable front side bus settings which means overclockers will love this board."

Check it out at: 3dGameMan

Samsung 191T & 760V TFT LCD Monitors @ iamnotageek
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:41 PM EST

The Samsung SyncMaster 191T is a high end 19" monitor. Where as the Samsung SyncMaster 760V TVT is a 17" value monitor. Ile takes a look at them both and compares their features.

Check it out at: iamnotageek

Glowy Geforce 4 Mod: How-to do it @ pcstats
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:39 PM EST

"Sometimes we get the oddest ideas for mods, and while this isn't something we devote too much time too around here, the Glowy GeForce mod turned out kind of cool. Most importantly it only took a few minutes to whip up. The basic idea was just to liven up an MSI Ti4200 we had on the review block, and short of back lighting the videocards PCB bright blue, the fan mod seemed a good one to try. Here's how we went about making the Glowy GeForce 4 attachment."

Check it out at: pcstats

ATI FireGL8800 Review @ lostcircuits
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:37 PM EST

After years of absence, the name FireGL makes a come-back, this time it is ATi instead of Diamond Multimedia who are carrying the FireGL brand name. Positioned as a budget solution rather than a true competitor with the high-end solutions from nVidia and 3DLabs, the FireGL has a lot to offer and a few things that are missing. We have taken the card and run it through the mills, ripped it apart and put it back together on any system possible as long as it was fast enough. Where are the weak spots, where are the tweaks and how much work is still needed on the drivers? Those are the questions and we don't have all answers but we have some facts.

Check it out at: lostcircuits

Mitsubishi WS-55819 55" HDTV Review @ Designtechnica
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:33 AM EST

"From the advent of HDTV, Mitsubishi has distinguished itself as a clear frontrunner in this new and exciting technology. Offering several distinct model series, Mitsubishi has made the technology extremely affordable and accessible to owners with varying demands. Formerly known as the Platinum Plus, the new Medallion WS-55819 HDTV represents Mitsusbishi's midrange model. Offering most of the features of the high end Diamond series, the Medallion WS-55819 is an affordable option to those who want the very best of quality without breaking the bank."

Check it out at: Designtechnica

Overclocking 101: Overclocking Fundamentals @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:31 AM EST

"There are two primary ways to overclock an AMD or Intel microprocessor. One is to increase the multiplier for the CPU, and the other is to increase the FSB on the motherboard. By increasing the multiplier, you are effectively overriding the design specifications for the CPU by forcing it to run at a higher frequency than the manufacturer recommends. Modifying the speed of the FSB increases the speed at which the motherboard communicates with the CPU."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

Yepp 90-S MP3 Player Review @ Bytesector
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:29 AM EST

Here is another amazing product from Samsung, the YP-90S mp3 player, a compact and stylish music device. With extensive user customizable options and a pleasing sound system, the YP-90S packs a heavy punch of entertainment...

Check it out at: Bytesector

AVM Fritz Card DSL Review @ TecCentral
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:27 AM EST

The new FritzCard DSL bring along beside the DSL modem in addition full ISDN functionality for that admitted normal " Fritz Card " in the best way, offers thus all usual Tools such as fax -, telephone or Web of over ISDN possibility.

Check it out at: TecCentral

Visiontek Geforce4 x4 Review @ Tweak3D
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:24 AM EST

We at Tweak3D.net have for you not one, not two, not even three but four individual graphics cards from Visiontek's range in one grand Geforce4 review. Our attention has been focussed on the MX440, Ti4200, Ti4400 not to forget the top dog Ti4600. If you like the bigger things in iife then you'll surely appreciate our long eighteen page exposure. Here is a clip from it:

Just as the Geforce3 chipset cards penetrated the market throughout 2001 Nvidia has refreshed its image with the Geforce4 chipsets. You can never have enough of a good thing the story goes and Nvidia has noted this abstract rather well with their new line-up. With the introduction of the Geforce3 chipset a new set of features came about set to improve the realism in the latest 3D games and demos fetching beyond the capabilities of the previous achievement, the Geforce2. With the Geforce4 Nvidia decided to take the goodness from the Geforce3 and make it faster. For this reason the true breed Geforce4 chipset (Ti4200, Ti4400, Ti4600) isn't a brand new product as such, but rather a Geforce3 been given a face lift and a new name. While this last statement might seem disappointing for those in the hope of expecting wonderful things from their new Geforce4 based card or system, it's not all as bad as it might sound. To find out why read on.

Check it out at: Tweak3D

Cooler Master PTK-001 Thermal Compound Review @ Mikhailtech
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:20 AM EST

Today we take a look at Cooler Master's KTK-001 thermal goop. Not as good as AS3, but not as bad as toothpaste either. Here's a quote:

I am quite surprised by Cooler Master and their new retail products. Not only these products show the usual CM quality, but even more, they have a very nice package with everything you need. The PTK especially impressed me because it managed to stand against the AS3, and, although not perform as good, still holds some other advantages that are equally important, like no electrical conductivity. The PTK-001 doesn't need a burn-in period, you just put it on your CPU/GPU or whatever and that's it.

Check it out at: Mikhailtech

BS and Membrane Keyboard Technology Article @ Viper's Lair
posted by Babylon5 on Friday, June 21, 2002 at 7:14 AM EST

Todays keyboards, quite frankly, suck. Sure, those girly-man ergo keyboards are comfortable, but the build quality isn't like how they used to make them...

"Wait a second… why would we be using a keyboard layout made to slow us down? Let's look back before keyboards - typewriting. In 1868 Christopher Latham Sholes was awarded the operative patent for the typewriter. After receiving this patent, Sholes still had many 'bugs' to work out, and spent a good deal of time with the machine, working out the kinks. One of the kinks in the machine was key jamming, which was prone to happen often and could hurt the machine. If a typist typed two letters one after the other too quickly, the "hammers" would hit each other; the typist then had to dislodge the hammers and that could get a bit messy. So, Sholes came up with a keyboard layout that would place letters which would be most likely struck closely in succession on opposite sides of the layout."

Check it out at: Viper's Lair

Gainward's GF4 "Golden Sample" Reviewed @ HotHardware
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:52 PM EST

Tonight, we've reviewed something all of the hardcore gamers out there will surely like to see! We got our hands on one of Gainward's GeForce 4 PowerPack! Ultra 750 / XP ViVo Golden Samples (Is that a mouthful or what!). This card ships with an awesome software / accessory bundle, and turned out to be a very good overclocker. If you think any of your readers would like to check Gainward’s current flagship card out, we’d appreciate a link in your news sections! Thanks in advance!

Check it out at: HotHardware

Tweakmonster BGA nickel-plated copper RAMsinks review @ PC PowerZone
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:49 PM EST

"Now we have Tweakmonster releasing a new version, these are designed for the new NVIDIA Ti4400 and 4600 graphics cards, those equipped with the BGA (Ball Grid Array) memory chips. The RAMsinks have been re-designed to give almost 20% more surface area without making them oversized, this increased surface area results in improved performance."

Check it out at: PC PowerZone

Slotbus guide @ phlux
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:47 PM EST

Well, baybuses are incredibly popular nowadays, but what if you don't have space at the front of your case, or just don't like the look of the controls? The answer, build a slotbus, and relocate them to the rear PCI plates. lazy has written up his guide on making one. I'd be very gracious if you could post a link. Quote:

"This is the first in a series of articles on fan control devices. Today I am going to be making a slotbus. A slotbus is very similar to a baybus but it is located on a PCI blanking plate. You may want to use one of these to power cathodes mostly but you can also use them to power fans. "

Check it out at: phlux

Philips MMS306 5.1 Channel Flat Panel Speakers @ hardCOREware
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:44 PM EST

Multimedia week continues at hardCOREware.net with a review of Philips' top end 5.1 channel PC speaker set. This set employs some interesting technology, like NXT's Soft Flat Panel Speaker technology, making for some very compact and flat satellites, and Philips' own w00x subwoofer technology, also allowing for a very small subwoofer unit that sounds great. Check out the full review!

Check it out at: hardCOREware

The Commercial Apple Doesn't Want you to See @ GeekExtreme
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:41 PM EST

You've all seen the commercials from Apple for their "switch" campaign, on how horrible life with a PC was, and when they bought a Mac the skies opened up and life was blissful.  Well, there's one commercial Apple DIDN'T want you to see, and we got our grubby little paws on it It's a 9 meg DivX file encoded with DivX 5.0.2, make sure you update, I had some issues playing it back on a slightly older version of DivX. A WMV version will be coming shortly.

Check it out at: GeekExtreme

Asus P4T533-C Mainboard Review @ Active-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:38 PM EST

Our review of the Asus P4T533-C PEntium 4 socket 478 i850E based mainboard includes a full detailled review of this mainboard plus a performance comparison of PC800 vs PC1066 Direct Rambus memory.

Check it out at: Active-Hardware

Air Cooling: Rocket Science or Common Sense? Article @ SystemCooling
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 8:36 PM EST

SystemCooling.com releases a very extensive article on the subject of cooling and its fundamentals. The importance of cooling is of the utmost importance, and in this article, you'll find a lot of information to be extremely helpful.

In this article we'll try to answer the basic question asked in our title, and, along the way, show you some products that assist/help/enhance air cooling potential for our hot, high-powered computer systems.

While I'm not a Rocket Scientist, this has not hindered my quest to achieve the balance of a well-cooled computer at moderate noise levels--though some consider me a "Cooling Fanatic". It is important, however, to note that there are some general principles or rules of thumb that apply across the board...

Check it out at: SystemCooling

Creative Inspire 5300 5.1 speakers review @ TechSpot
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 7:05 AM EST

With every new soundcard line Creative launches, they also get ready a complimentary range of SoundWorks speakers to come along with them. In fact, with the Audigy introduction it came the new Inspire line.

This time around we are taking a close look to the Inspire 5300 speakers, coming as budget 5.1 system, essentially replacing the DTT 2200. Retailing in most places for less than $90, maybe and this is exactly the kind of system you were looking for.

Check it out at: TechSpot

Tyan Thunder K7X AMD 760MPX Motherboard @ GamePC
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 7:02 AM EST

Today at GamePC, we've taken a quick look at Tyan's second generation of the original Athlon MP platform. The newly released Tyan Thunder MPX features AMD's latest 760MPX chipset, along with a host of onboard features such as integrated Ultra160 SCSI, dual 10/100 Ethernet ports, 64-bit PCI support, integrated ATI video, and angled DIMM slots for 1U rackmountability. It's big, it's bad, and it's very, very expensive.

Check it out at: GamePC

HighSpeed PC Senfu Tech Station Review @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 7:00 AM EST

"The assembly of the Senfu Tech Station works by putting together a series of interconnecting metal tubes to form the base of the unit. The kit includes two sets of 3K and 4K connectors which allow you to attach the metal square tubes to the end of each connector. To lock the metal tubes in place requires twisting the tube 90 degrees clockwise or counter clockwise using a wrench until it is firmly attached. The bottom portion of the unit consists of 2 x 310mm and 2 x 135mm square metal tubes and four 3K connectors. Once the base has been completed 4 x 160mm metal tubes are used to form the support structure for the second shelf."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

DIY Kleer-Dome Case Badges @ Monster-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 6:57 AM EST

Today Monster-Hardware returns to some more traditional computer hardware fodder. We have reviewed the DIY Kleer-Dome Case Badges kit with it you can make six custom case badges ( just make sure the quality of your printer is up to the task). I was very pleased with this kit. Quote

"I have always kind of had a thing for case badges. In fact, I still have the first case badge from the first machine I ever had built. That case badge has been on every single computer of mine I have built to this day. It was sort of a rite of passage: When a new machine was done and fully-tested, my Plus Data case badge went on it. As much as I have come to cherish that old domed Plus Data case badge, I have been looking for a long time to retire it, and replace it with a custom-made case badge. In the past, that has always been too expensive. Recently though, with the introduction of the DIY Kleer-Dome Case Badges that has changed."

Check it out at: Monster-Hardware

Kingston 128MB SmartMedia flash card review @ Envy News
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 6:49 AM EST

In our sixth Flash memory card review, we take a look at Kingston’s SmartMedia flagship product. At a whopping 128MB, this 1.4mm thick wafer can store a few hours of video and hundreds of photos. Here’s a snippage:

“Thin is in. Manufacturers of solid-state MP3 players are designing them with size, or lack thereof, in mind. A smaller player means two things – low-voltage requirements & energy efficiency, and the smallest and thinnest Flash memory and interface infrastructure. SmartMedia is just that and more - thin, energy efficient, write-protection capable, and it comes in respectable capacities.”

Check it out at: Envy News

Global WIN YCC-61F1 Aluminum Case review @ Envy News
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 6:45 AM EST

You’ve seen one Aluminum case, you’ve seen them all. Not! Global WIN’s new case is in fact a refreshing change from the ‘cookie-stamped’ Lian Li and SkyHawk cases prevalent on the market. Here’s a shnnipp from the review:

“The YCC-61F1 is what I call a “hybrid” case, neither completely steel nor aluminum. The chassis is made of 1.2mm aluminum while the motherboard tray is stainless steel; the effect of the two together is stunning. The case also comes with intake and exhaust fans, both 120mm. While some cases have moved to using larger intake and exhaust fans, this case has an interesting variation on the theme – the exhaust fan is located on the motherboard tray.”

Check it out at: Envy News

Xoxide Z40-Insight case review @ Geekshelter
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 6:42 AM EST

The window kit is one of the main ingredients to this case. When you buy the case it comes with a pre-installed window. Xoxide professionally installs this window so when you get the case you don’t have to buy tools to cut and then hassle around with installing it. It comes installed already!

Check it out at: Geekshelter

Pricing Guide @ Geekextreme
posted by Babylon5 on Thursday, June 20, 2002 at 6:39 AM EST

We've scoured the Internet looking for the best prices out there on computer hardware, and created a weekly pricing guide! You can find it at:

Check it out at: Geekextreme

Sony Vaio PCG-U1 laptop Review @ Ripnet-UK
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 9:37 PM EST

Our resident guru of all things Linux has managed to get his hands on the smallest laptop in the world - the Sony Vaio PCC-U1. This beastie is not much bigger than my old Psion Series 5, but manages to pack in a whole raft of great features, inclusing a 1024 x 768 resolution display. It is a truly amazing piece of hardware, and will very likely make you go green with envy. I strongly recommend getting out the drool covers for your keyboards, and then heading on over to read the review. And of course Wordy will tell you how to run Linux on it too as an added bonus :-)

Check it out at: Ripnet-UK

X-micro Impact T4200 128mb review @ OcPrices
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 9:33 PM EST

OcPrices.com have just finished a review of the X-micro Impact T4200 128mb video card, a Geforce 4 Ti4200 based card. X-micro may not be one of the most well known brands, but this card performed great in all the tests that were thrown at it - and didn't disappoint in the overclocking department either. Quote:

"There's really no other upgrade for the PC like a new video card. New video cards are like computer turbo chargers, they make the most noticeable impact in that most precious of commodities, the almighty frame rate. That's why when I received X-Micro's Impact T4200 in the mail, I proceeded to drool over the box like a giddy 5-year-old. I'm a veteran of computer hardware, but I always find my self gazing longingly at each new generation of video cards, with their colorful PCBs, increasingly aggressive cooling systems, and uber-powerful hardware. Established in 1999, X-Micro have been around since the times of the riva TNT and have won multiple awards for each and every generation of their graphics chipsets - a testament to their quality."

Check it out at: OcPrices

Plextor PLEXCOMBO 20/10/40-12A E-IDE (ATAPI-4) Internal Drive in Video Review #178 @ 3dGameMan
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 9:29 PM EST

"The PLEXCOMBO 20/10/40-12A E-IDE incorporates a 20x CDR, 10x CDRW, 40x CD-ROM and 12x DVD Player into one unit. Plextor is know for it's quality, reliability, service and performance and there is no question, this drive delivers. Also, the Plexcombo is an excellent option for anyone interested is a solid all-in-one burner/DVD drive."

Check it out at: 3dGameMan

CrazyPC Dr. Thermal Extreme Socket A Heat Sink Review @ VH
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 9:26 PM EST

VH is back with another review. This time, Sn1per takes a look at the Dr. Thermal Extreme Socket A Heat Sink from CrazyPC! This is one loud mutha, so could this be the one for you? Head on over to find out!

"The first part of the testing was done with the T-Bird 1.4 stock. I installed everything and turned on the computer. I let the computer run for 2 days using it normally before I actually started testing it. Why? Well, it let the Arctic Silver setup and cure. The 2nd reason was the sheer fact I totally forgot to do the testing after installing it. God I am retarded!!! I then stressed it using Sisoft Sandra's CPU Burn-In on the Multimedia settings. I let it run for 3 hours when I took the max temperatures. The 2nd part of the testing was done with the T-Bird 1.4 running at 1.6, yes I know, weak, only a 200MHz overclock. It was enough to push the Dr. Thermal Extreme though. I did the same exact thing as I did with the CPU at stock speeds"

Check it out at: Virtual-Hideout

Abit IT7 MAX Mainboard Review @ Active-Hardware
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 1:06 PM EST

The IT7 Max is the second addition to the "Max" series of motherboards from Abit. Unlike the AT7, which we've tested previously, which was designed with AMD processors in mind, the IT7 is equipped with an i845E chipset, and is meant for owners of 400MHz and 533MHz FSB Pentium 4 CPUs.

Check it out at: Active-Hardware

Asus P4T533 i850E and RIMM4200 @ HotHardware
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 1:03 PM EST

Good morning folks!  Chris A. and yours truly step up to the HotHardware Plate this morning, with a look at the all new Asus P4T533 i850E Motherboard with support for RIMM4200 RDRAM Memory!  What exactly is RIMM4200?  How fast is it with the i850E?  All these mysteries and more are revealed!

Check it out at: HotHardware

DFI NB 73 EA Mainboard Review @ Hardware-Test
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 1:02 PM EST

"Lately DFI has received a lot of praise for their Pentium 4 boards and comments like: "The Fastest Pentium® 4 board we've tested" and "This board really pulls the power. DFI have actually gotten extra power out of the i845D that ASUS failed to do." They have made it quite clear that they can actually deliver the things we crave: performance and stability. Even their prices are reasonable."

Check it out at: Hardware-Test

M-Systems DiskOnKey Review @ Viperlair
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 1:00 PM EST

Portable storage is great for people on the go. It's also a handy way to secure your data. How? By taking it with you in an uber-portable format. The DiskOnKey has a lot going for it on paper, but how does it fare in the real world?

"The DiskOnKey touts itself as being driverless, but the truth of the matter is, only Windows XP has support for it out of the box. This is a real bummer when you consider that the drive was designed to go anywhere. What is so great about loading drivers for the device on every PC you use it with?"

Check it out at: Viperlair

Inflow Direct's Zen CPU Radiator Review @ Tech-Dreams
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 12:56 PM EST

"Most of you are going to read this for review's sake. To hear whether or not the Zen CPU Radiator is worth your hard earned bucks. Well, I won't disappoint you there, but this isn't just a review, it's a story. There are thrills, chills, spills, heartbreak, and a happy ending."

Check it out at: Tech-Dreams

Zoltrix Cyber Cam @ Tech-Dreams
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 12:54 PM EST

"Has taking pictures on a 35mm camera or a web camera become a thing of the past? At least for me, the quality of pictures taken on a web camera has never been truly outstanding, and I have always been limited by the length of the cable. The only way I could take an outdoor picture with a web camera was to take a picture through a window. In order to accomplish this task, I had to physically move the PC over to the window. If you have a laptop, then that is not a big problem, but it is when you have a large full-tower. While the photo quality was rather substandard, web cameras do offer the advantage of having digital images ready to share with friends through web pages, e-mail, or other means."

Check it out at: Tech-Dreams

Nexland Pro100 Internet Security Appliance Review @ MODTHEBOX
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 12:52 PM EST

"The rear panel has LEDs for WAN and LAN activity, a reset button, the power supply connector, and two RJ45 connectors to connect the unit to your DSL device and PC or LAN. If you are going to use the ISB with a single machine, you would use the provided crossover cable to connect it directly to your network card. Otherwise, a standard CAT5 cable connects from the ISB to the uplink port on your hub or switch for shared Internet use. As well, a grouping of 4 dip switches configure the serial connection, and provide a method to configure the DHCP server or allow the unit to accept a firmware upgrade."

Check it out at: MODTHEBOX

WinTasks 4 Professional software review @ Envy News
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 12:46 PM EST

In Envy News' first software review, we take a look at a Swedish package from LIUtilities. Here's a snip from the review and what the package does:

“For IT professionals, software developers and other advanced users, WinTasks 4 Professional makes resource management easier than ever before. Including features like detailed CPU usage graphs per process, system presets and a built-in scripting language, WinTasks 4 Professional is an essential addition to any advanced Windows user's toolbox.”

Check it out at: Envy News

Linux Meets VPC @ eliteHW
posted by Babylon5 on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at 12:40 PM EST

eliteHW has completed an article on how to use Linux (or any other OS) inside Windows without formatting or using a separate system. In this article, they show you how to setup Linux so you can run it inside any Windows operating system and run it as if it were a completely separate system. This is an amazing step for people who want to try Linux and are too worried about messing up their current machine. Quote:

“After people hear about Linux, they want to see it in action. To do this, most wipe off their hard drive