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  1. Mercutio

    Recommendations: PCI SATA controller with no pseudo-RAID?

    I have a couple dirt-cheap Syba 4-port cards that I'm pretty happy with. For $26, I can't say it's given me anything to complain about.
  2. Mercutio

    HTPC Build...recomendations?

    Playback, you're going to be fine regardless. I mean, what are you doing to the video while you're watching it anyway? Real time color correction? Scaling?That's easy. Deinterlacing? Kind of a bitch but I haven't run into any high-res video that's needed it. Applying a sepia filter and film...
  3. Mercutio

    Something Random

    Great site if you're too lazy to track down ROMs. Everything runs in the browser.
  4. Mercutio

    HTPC Build...recomendations?

    Even a Sempron 2800 is going to handle H.264 well enough for playback. The only format that might give it trouble is whatever the hell hi-definition WMV is and as we've discussed in other threads, that seems to be a video card issue more than a CPU issue.
  5. Mercutio

    Ipod = good citizen, mp3 player = evil pirate

    I think the correct conclusion is that owning an ipod lowers your IQ.
  6. Mercutio

    Musings on a new PC

    mubs, I wonder if you wouldn't be better off buying a server class Intel motherboard with some PCI-X options, if you really want that kind of staggering I/O. I don't think you're going to find a desktop solution that will really make you happy.
  7. Mercutio

    Too Good to be true???

    Greg: There's this thing called Bittorrent, where all manner of TV shows are cheerfully passed around the internet, free of charge. If you REALLY want to watch TV on your computer without all the fuss, buy a Slingbox.
  8. Mercutio

    HTPC Build...recomendations?

    I'd use an ATI card with support for component video output if humanly possible. I have a DVI cable running to my TV as well, but I appreciate being able to use my receiver as the video switch, rather than having to change the input on my TV. My HTserver has an XMystique in it. I use the onboard...
  9. Mercutio

    Prepaid?

    Apologies to Lost6200 for the threadjack... Excuse me? I am not the person making ignorant and highly prejudicial statements about gay people. Every single person I socialize with by choice outside of my work - every one - is gay, bisexual or transgendered (and sometimes two out of three). I...
  10. Mercutio

    Something Random

    It is a comic book, but not a super heroes comic. It has a really neat near-future science fiction premise. From the website: It's a great read. The application to read comic book files is called "CDisplay", by the way.
  11. Mercutio

    Something Random

    Did anyone download Global Frequency yet? Why not?
  12. Mercutio

    Going to give VIA a shot...system reccomendations?

    Sadly, Newegg isn't selling my favorite Soltek board any more and in fact only seems to stock the usual loathesome suspects (Jetway? ECS? And Abit, which is yucky to me although that particular board doesn't look that bad). I'm guessing Via's close to releasing some new chipset or other, 'cause...
  13. Mercutio

    Motherboard factory tour

    Factory where they put then goodness in Gigabyte motherboards.
  14. Mercutio

    Toshiba doesn't have a disk utility?

    I can remember having to do it for Maxtor and WD...
  15. Mercutio

    Toshiba doesn't have a disk utility?

    Meh. I have Spinrite 6, but most vendors want an error code from their diagnostic utility when you do an RMA.
  16. Mercutio

    Meebo

    I don't use IM software and I don't think anyone else should, either, but Meebo is an Ajax-webapp-kind of thing that replicates Yahoo and AIM and MSNIM and Jabber and loads through your browser. That's probably kind of handy.
  17. Mercutio

    Didja hear the one about Symantec?

    Don't think of them as hands so much as those slimy penis-tentacles that're in all those nasty Japanese cartoons. So the fucking is probably a little more understandable. Wow that was an unpleasant metaphor.
  18. Mercutio

    Didja hear the one about Symantec?

    I imagine someone here will find this amusing.
  19. Mercutio

    Prepaid?

    Someone who writes things like that obviously hasn't spent any time getting to know actual gay people.
  20. Mercutio

    Toshiba doesn't have a disk utility?

    Am I wrong here, or does Toshiba not have an integrity-checking tool like Seatools or PowerMax anywhere on its web site
  21. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    1. My point was that the list is frequently down. I've posted about that matter on SF before. 2. Only PCB rev. 2 A7n8x support sempron. I've seen 1.0 and 1.2 PCBs, at least, and they all have the same technical specs. So why don't they all support Sempron? :P
  22. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    Hahahahahahahahaha. I'd suggest you look at Asus' CPU compatibility chart sometime, but the last time I could get to it on an English-language version of their site was... July, maybe? I think Asus has Compaq disease, where they've got a bunch of firmware hackers sitting around, so they look...
  23. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    Or an unplugged digital.
  24. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
  25. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    I think Buck needs his mouth washed out with soap. :P
  26. Mercutio

    Something Random

    Now I'm confused. They put something good on the SciFi channel?
  27. Mercutio

    Something Random

    Couple things: Those of you willing to do vile things involving Bittorrent clients would do well to search on a site like Isohunt.com for "Global Frequency". There's a pilot for a TV show that didn't get picked up, and a 12-issue comic book series available here and here for not-free. Both are...
  28. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    Some. At any given time I can build two to four computers new computers, and I make it a habit to keep new-in-box spares for parts I've used a lot (e.g. I have a couple GA-K8VM800s sitting here just in case).
  29. Mercutio

    Musings on a new PC

    How about "for my personal business" then? I don't count the machines I build for myself in that number at all. Those machines are more like computers that are continuously upgraded. Some of the Windows installations are a couple years old at this point, and at least one of the Linux installs...
  30. Mercutio

    Prepaid?

    Now, now. There's nothing horrific about being a homosexual.
  31. Mercutio

    Nero Backup

    Most backup programs have a compression option of some kind.
  32. Mercutio

    Musings on a new PC

    mubs, I've had no, none, zero problems with application compatibility on Server 2003. There ARE professional applications for video editing and the like that expect you to buy a different licensed version to operate on "server", but you probably aren't loading that software at home. My games are...
  33. Mercutio

    Nero Backup

    IIRC Nero backup just backs up a whole drive onto CDs or DVDs. Not really the most efficient thing in the world.
  34. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    I build computers specifically because the machines I build ARE better than Dell or HP. Don't try to make any money (if I do, it's under $20), I just don't want people to think that the piece of shit with a corporate logo on it is what a computer is like. Build a computer properly and then you...
  35. Mercutio

    Something Random

    Any Trekkies here? Any Old School Trekkies? These folks are working with real writers from Star Trek (the original series) and makeup and effects people from other Trek series, to make a new season of Star Trek (original series) episodes.
  36. Mercutio

    Something Random

    The Internet is for Porn. But you all knew that already.
  37. Mercutio

    Something Random

    A pretty good likeness if I do say so myself.
  38. Mercutio

    Musings on a new PC

    I don't build THAT many computers. Maybe 50 a year for myself. Maybe another 50 or 60 through my trainer job (well, I oversee building them in classes and the like). I've found most tweaking to be rather pointless, as my personal upgrade cycle is done at a breakneck pace. I'm simply not going to...
  39. Mercutio

    Athlon 64 & 4x RAM

    Hm. I thought it was 2.5GB. Whatever. Looks like I have some PCs that can use more RAM. :D
  40. Mercutio

    Want to RMA your Hitachi HDD? Read this!

    Yes, and that issue still exists.
  41. Mercutio

    Musings on a new PC

    I tihnk it would be a mistake to buy a Mac right now, as there doesn't seem to be a future in the PPC versions and the x86 models are going to be introduced on the low end first. I guess they don't want to gut the sales on their G5s. Asus will apparently be making x86 ibooks, if anyone cares...
  42. Mercutio

    150GB Raptor announced

    Some Gigabyte motherboards come with a plate to allow internal SATA drives to be used externally. It's just a small PCB that two SATA and one molex cable plug into, with female ports on the other side.
  43. Mercutio

    Musings on a new PC

    What does an nvidia chipset offer over Via if you aren't interested in overclocking? RAM: You should probably stick to 2GB. MOST A64 desktop motherboards seem to be limited to ~2.5GB, if I recall correctly. I guess you could find something workstationish - and given your plans that's not a bad...
  44. Mercutio

    Want to RMA your Hitachi HDD? Read this!

    If you read the EULA for Windows, you'll find a long paragraph about not using it to control life support devices or air traffic, or a bunch of other critical things. Which is pretty funny in exactly the same way.
  45. Mercutio

    Upgrade to 2.0.19

    Well, this is the fourth time I've had to log in this year on this computer this year. I usually go about 6 months without needing to log in. :(
  46. Mercutio

    Want to RMA your Hitachi HDD? Read this!

    Good thing I use Samsungs for all that anthrax research.
  47. Mercutio

    150GB Raptor announced

    Let us all be thankful that you haven't taken leave of your sense, then. :)
  48. Mercutio

    RaptorX

    We forgive you. That was an excellent post regardless.
  49. Mercutio

    RaptorX

    You mean MB, right mubs? Actually, WD's SCSI drives were OK. Too bad they quit making them six years ago.
  50. Mercutio

    Boring bits

    I went in to the office today, to build a computer. Even though I have the flu, and a 101 degree fever, because I knew it would take me 25 minutes and not a minute more, and because it needed to be done. My parts list is different from Tannin's, but no less boring - Case: FoxConn or...
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