Tech Reaction

The Peripherals

Monitors, come in 2 distinct flavors, CRT (not manufactured anymore) and LCD.  The difference between CRT and LCD is dramatic, with vivid colors and crisp geometries on LCD, higher resolution and better contrast on CRT.  LCD’s can be upgraded very cheaply now, CRT has no upgrade path, it is only mentioned if the upgrade inventory currently has a high resolution or widescreen CRT monitor, it may be reused rather effectively until the size and power requirements effect the end user.  A very cheap sub $100 LCD of the 17-19” variety may work well as a primary monitor with CRT being used secondary  for specific purposes or multi monitor applications, this will prolong the life of the CRT as well as lower energy costs (by powering it off when not in use).  The average 1080p HD Television set may work very well as a computer monitor as well.  1080i/720p TV’s will also work, but the resolution (1368×768 or 1280×720) is low enough it usually is not much of an upgrade. 22-23” 1080p monitors can be purchased from Best Buy or similar company for around $200 right now, with 1680×1050 22” monitors on sale or purchased used in the $120 dollar price range.  If going digital (DVI/HDMI) make sure to pick up a decent quality cable from a decent retailer, cables are not expensive to make or purchase, but the ones that come with inexpensive monitors are generally of the worst quality.  An online like e-tailer like monoprice.com has excellent prices, but it is best to purchase a few needed items at one time to spread the cost of shipping out.  (Shipping prices are not linear with weight)

Keyboard and Mouse.  The same I/O devices used a decade ago could still be in service today.  AT to PS/2 to USB is the interface upgradeability, with 2 of them still supported on most motherboards.  A simple adapter from AT to PS/2 or PS/2 to USB can prolong the life of an ageing device until physical wear takes its toll.   Ergonomic function and LEDs are the primary differences in keyboards today from yesterday, where the mouse has gone from a rubber ball to LED or laser measurement.  Reactivity and control are much more precise than the older mechanical mouse designs, but work on a smaller number of surfaces.  Upgrading here can be a very inexpensive way to get a whole new outlook on your PC.  Keyboards and mice with too many functions can be poor upgrade choices if you intend to upgrade your Operating system, manufacturer support should be checked before purchasing.

Speaker quality is another peripheral that is entirely up to the end user.  Some may get by with the case speaker on their OEM tower, while others may want a 500W Surround sound Home Theater receiver for really immersive music, movies or video games.  Most motherboards made in the last few years, have adequate audio onboard, with some supporting Dolby/DTS encoding, while all support digital pass through to send the uninterrupted signal to a receiver for processing in a pure digital environment; a motherboard or soundcard must have digital audio output, and receiver or speaker setup must support the same type of digital input (TOSLink or Coaxial).  For those with older analog only receivers, a 3.5mm to stereo RCA adapter cable can be purchased at radio shack for under $10, and online for as little as $1, to use your motherboard/soundcard’s analog output to replace a set of desktop speakers.  Many audiophiles actually use headphones instead of speakers on their PC; the choice is entirely up to the end-user.  Yet again, this is a part of your PC that has great longevity, and as such should be purchased with that in mind. Audio cards supporting SPDIF pass through (digital audio) can also be purchased rather cheaply especially on eBay.

Printers, scanners, digital cameras, flash drives, have many different formats, and software support is wildly erratic.  USB is a backwards compatible standard, and USB 3.0 is due to be released soon. USB 2 devices will continue to function as normal, the new standard implements higher speed with the addition of twice as many conductors, higher power support up to almost 1 amp, and greater power conservation.  The main concern with longevity of USB peripherals is driver support, for different versions of Windows or Linux.  With Windows 7 release looming, if a company does not already have Windows 7 drivers listed on their website for your device, expecting a peripheral to function properly is a gamble.  A company that updates its drivers every few months is more likely to make the changes necessary than one that still lists the original driver version a piece shipped with on its website.

The Chassis or tower, of a computer says the most about expectations of performance.  Cases come in all shapes and sizes, from micro-ATX Small Form factor cases to full size E-ATX server chassis.   They also can be made into entirely new concepts, which will be discussed in the final part of this series (tweaking, overclocking and modding).   Most computer Companies follow a industry standard ATX format, that is a 9×12” motherboard with 7 expansion slots, a PSU installation point that fits ATX, ATx12v and EPS form factor power supply units, 5.25” and 3.5” drive bays for optical storage and hard drives as well as other devices (fan controllers, floppy drives, card readers).   Some OEM companies have developed unconventional computer cases to fit as much as possible into as small a space as can be managed.  These maybe ITX, or FlexATX form factors, that although interesting, tend to disrupt the normal price performance ratio, an ultra small form factor PC is not something generally considered to be built on a budget, and also may not be easily upgradeable to new standards.  An existing ATX tower from a Dell or HP machine can usually be used, with simple modifications to airflow with or without mechanical modification.  Modding for cooling will also be discussed in the final installment of this series.  If purchasing a new case for an upgrade, making sure that it meets your future needs is vitally important.  Expandability, cooling and effective space utilization are all important.  Knowing the motherboard and what expansion devices will be added are important in finding a case large enough to fit your needs.  Caseless or “bench station” is always a “free” or inexpensive option with lots of room for modification, but leaves the components open to damage from careless humans, the environment and pets.