[digitalradio] CPU performance ?
I'm out of the loop on the latest in CPU performance. I'm looking at a three low end computer deals. One has a AMD 64 3200 + CPU, (basic PC with 512 MK Ram for $289, no monitor) another a 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ ( 1 Gig of RAM , no monitor for $389), and one more ...the Intel® Pentium® 4 HT 524 (no monitor , 512 Megs RAM) for $410. I wonder if people here would comment on these CPU's for digital modes and the usual multi-tasking that hams do? I tend to run a logging program, a couple of digital mode applications (like Multipsk and MixW),Internet Explorer, email, all at the same time. Andy K3UK
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
Andrew, I dont know the speed of these cpus. But, I am using 2.2 gig cpu in both my machines here that I built. They will run circles. I have the whole DXLab suite running, along with my email, and run two or three screens of IE and Firefox, etc. with no problems whatsoever. It is the memory that you really need to think about upgrading more than cpu, these days. I have 512(two 256 chips) and the machines have had NO problems doing whatever I ask them to do. I also have a mother board with three different video outputs, SVGA, DVI -Digital, and TV outputs (only two can be used at a time) I would not purchase or build any machine today that could not handle at least two video monitors at a time. Its great having a 19 inch and a 17 inch screen setting here side by side. I am even thinking about putting another video card in two handle at least one more. Many of the cheaper machines just have one video output, so watch for that. ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB all DX 2-6 years each . QSL LOTW-buro- direct As courtesty I upload to eQSL but if you use that - also pls upload to LOTW or hard card. moderator [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Andrew O'Brien [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 4:21 PM Subject: [digitalradio] CPU performance ? I'm out of the loop on the latest in CPU performance. I'm looking at a three low end computer deals. One has a AMD 64 3200 + CPU, (basic PC with 512 MK Ram for $289, no monitor) another a 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ ( 1 Gig of RAM , no monitor for $389), and one more ...the Intel® Pentium® 4 HT 524 (no monitor , 512 Megs RAM) for $410. I wonder if people here would comment on these CPU's for digital modes and the usual multi-tasking that hams do? I tend to run a logging program, a couple of digital mode applications (like Multipsk and MixW),Internet Explorer, email, all at the same time. Andy K3UK Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Yahoo! Groups Links -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.430 / Virus Database: 268.14.16/552 - Release Date: 11/26/2006 11:30 AM
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
Unless you are doing FlexRadio SDR I wouldn't worry about CPU speed, especially among these choices. 512m may be a bit small, especially if you don't plan to upgrade, so the middle choice seems like the best deal. In any case, I would price them all at 1GB or 2GB and buy compare at that level. Leigh/WA5ZNU On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 1:28 pm, Andrew O'Brien wrote: I'm out of the loop on the latest in CPU performance. I'm looking at a three low end computer deals. One has a AMD 64 3200 + CPU, (basic PC with 512 MK Ram for $289, no monitor) another a 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ ( 1 Gig of RAM , no monitor for $389), and one more ...the Intel® Pentium® 4 HT 524 (no monitor , 512 Megs RAM) for $410. I wonder if people here would comment on these CPU's for digital modes and the usual multi-tasking that hams do? I tend to run a logging program, a couple of digital mode applications (like Multipsk and MixW),Internet Explorer, email, all at the same time. Andy K3UK Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Yahoo! Groups Links http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
As a former electronics/computer guy, I have found it difficult to follow the Intel marketing anymore and they really don't seem to want you to compare their chips too directly so they have these relative value numbering scheme. AMD seems more straightforward with an equivalent overall speed label. To help me understand things a bit better I recommend you consider the Wikipedia chart at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Pentium_4_microprocessors This also will give you URL's to other tables including AMD. The units you mentioned are really pretty good for the low end though. All things being equal, it seems you often can expect to get the AMD for $100 or so less than comparable power for Intel. The AMD 64 X-2 3800+ is actually a fairly higher end product. The P4 HyperThreading 524 is pretty decent speed but I believe this is a 533 Front Side Bus. If I was going to buy a new machine today, I would opt for an AMD 64 X2 in the 4200+ range and with at least 1 but, probably 2 gig. Then again, after Christmas, and after Vista, who knows what will happen to the market:) A lot of Vista Ready machines might not work all that well with Vista, assuming you wanted to actually spend that much money a few months before it was practically free with a new computer. Of the three below, I would pick the AMD 64 X2 assuming they have similar HD's and DVD burners. We are at that point that at least one Gig of RAM is something you will want if there is not much of a price premium. 73, Rick, KV9U Andrew O'Brien wrote: I'm out of the loop on the latest in CPU performance. I'm looking at a three low end computer deals. One has a AMD 64 3200 + CPU, (basic PC with 512 MK Ram for $289, no monitor) another a 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ ( 1 Gig of RAM , no monitor for $389), and one more ...the Intel® Pentium® 4 HT 524 (no monitor , 512 Megs RAM) for $410. I wonder if people here would comment on these CPU's for digital modes and the usual multi-tasking that hams do? I tend to run a logging program, a couple of digital mode applications (like Multipsk and MixW),Internet Explorer, email, all at the same time. Andy K3UK Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Yahoo! Groups Links
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
Speaking of monitors I just bought the 22 widescreen Samsung Synchmaster 225BW. This is a moderate cost (U$400) LCD monitor with reasonably good parameters, although not considered a high end color corrected type. I was somewhat nervous whether I would like it and whether I would be able to tolerate what I assumed would be the small characters in its native mode. Well, I have had it a week now and find the native mode to be very sharp as promised (other modes unusable compared with the ease of switching a CRT monitor), and the size is OK because of the large screen size. Yes, it does have issues with scrolling jerkiness and brightness shifts unlike a CRT, but it is something you have to accept. My vision is not so very good, and I almost have to wear special bifocals for using the computer that only have reading and computer distance in order to have large enough viewing in my restricted focus range. Having multiple monitors would be very difficult for me to handle as I would need to have some up high and as you age, your range of focus for a specific focal distance keeps getting more and more limited so that I only have a few inches either side of which things go out of focus:( So one monitor right in front of me is the most comfortable. If I use my regular glasses, which are trifocals, I have a limited range computer section and I have to tilt my head up to use that range (same with progressive lenses) and can not do this for very long due to severe arthritis in my neck. (Getting over 60 does have its downsides). Because of the increased real estate of the widescreen monitor, I am able to have multiple windows open, such as using Multipsk with DXLab Commander and DXKeeper Logging and some e-mail and maybe a web page. Some overlap of course, but enormously more manageable than with my 19 Gateway CRT that I have had for many years. I am donating the CRT to a senior citizens center where I volunteer to teach some classes in basic computer use. We have a 15 monitor that even I have trouble using as it is not only small fonts, but is not very sharp either. I suspect that there will be some surprised residents this coming week:) Some of my students are around age 90 so it is even more difficult for them. Initially, I thought the real reason for buying the wide screen was for DVD movies:) The quality of DVD's is fairly low compared to what I am used to with off air HDTV. Up close with a 22 widescreen is not the best since you see every imperfection and there are issues with LCD's with moving images and moire patterns, even with a 5 msec response time. But being so very much larger, it is amplifying any imperfection. Some day we will have the HD DVD/Blu Ray and maybe even 1920p or whatever:) But the other huge advantage that I never thought of with the widescreen, is that now I can bring two documents on the screen for comparison and transfer of information. I do this a lot with extracting data from a document and making a table on the other document, comparing two similar docs for their differences (like the ARRL hamband changes), etc. I wish I had this when I was still working with my consulting business. Would have been very nice. But better late than never:) 73, Rick, KV9U Danny Douglas wrote: Andrew, I dont know the speed of these cpus. But, I am using 2.2 gig cpu in both my machines here that I built. They will run circles. I have the whole DXLab suite running, along with my email, and run two or three screens of IE and Firefox, etc. with no problems whatsoever. It is the memory that you really need to think about upgrading more than cpu, these days. I have 512(two 256 chips) and the machines have had NO problems doing whatever I ask them to do. I also have a mother board with three different video outputs, SVGA, DVI -Digital, and TV outputs (only two can be used at a time) I would not purchase or build any machine today that could not handle at least two video monitors at a time. Its great having a 19 inch and a 17 inch screen setting here side by side. I am even thinking about putting another video card in two handle at least one more. Many of the cheaper machines just have one video output, so watch for that.
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
I purchased two 32 inch screens to place in compressed video classrooms a year or so back. These were small rooms with onlyi about 12-15 viewers at any given time, and I was not real happy with the results, from the back of the room - even just showing the in-room computer desktops. So- the next three I ordered were the 42 inch screens. These give me or the instructors the capability of viewing both our own classroom, and the opposite classroom (at the other end of the circuit) at the same time- and still be able to read the computer desktop signals from either room.They certainly are not like having a purpose built monitor right in front of you, but acceptable for students tol view what is going on. They are able to use their own desk top machines which can be switched onto the larger screens so that others in both their classroom, and at the other campus, to see what they are doing and talking about. Prior to the purchase of these, I used video projectors which can throw a very large image on the wall, but actually with less color and acceptance by the students, at the back of the room. Prior to my arrival at the college, they were using lare and old portable projectors which were noisy and dim. The new projectors in the larger classrooms, and the monitor screens in the smaller rooms were well accepted, and the white boards (Smart Board brand) used to project on, in the computer and math/science rooms proved to be an outstanding buy. You can buy a white board whein you place the projector either in front or behind the screens, and the board becomes a touch screen. Would be great to have one here in the ham shack, but the price of the projector would be minimum of 1 K, and the board another K. Bit pricey for a monitor replacement for me. Danny Douglas N7DC ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB all DX 2-6 years each . QSL LOTW-buro- direct As courtesty I upload to eQSL but if you use that - also pls upload to LOTW or hard card. moderator [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: KV9U [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 5:36 PM Subject: Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ? Speaking of monitors I just bought the 22 widescreen Samsung Synchmaster 225BW. This is a moderate cost (U$400) LCD monitor with reasonably good parameters, although not considered a high end color corrected type. I was somewhat nervous whether I would like it and whether I would be able to tolerate what I assumed would be the small characters in its native mode. Well, I have had it a week now and find the native mode to be very sharp as promised (other modes unusable compared with the ease of switching a CRT monitor), and the size is OK because of the large screen size. Yes, it does have issues with scrolling jerkiness and brightness shifts unlike a CRT, but it is something you have to accept. My vision is not so very good, and I almost have to wear special bifocals for using the computer that only have reading and computer distance in order to have large enough viewing in my restricted focus range. Having multiple monitors would be very difficult for me to handle as I would need to have some up high and as you age, your range of focus for a specific focal distance keeps getting more and more limited so that I only have a few inches either side of which things go out of focus:( So one monitor right in front of me is the most comfortable. If I use my regular glasses, which are trifocals, I have a limited range computer section and I have to tilt my head up to use that range (same with progressive lenses) and can not do this for very long due to severe arthritis in my neck. (Getting over 60 does have its downsides). Because of the increased real estate of the widescreen monitor, I am able to have multiple windows open, such as using Multipsk with DXLab Commander and DXKeeper Logging and some e-mail and maybe a web page. Some overlap of course, but enormously more manageable than with my 19 Gateway CRT that I have had for many years. I am donating the CRT to a senior citizens center where I volunteer to teach some classes in basic computer use. We have a 15 monitor that even I have trouble using as it is not only small fonts, but is not very sharp either. I suspect that there will be some surprised residents this coming week:) Some of my students are around age 90 so it is even more difficult for them. Initially, I thought the real reason for buying the wide screen was for DVD movies:) The quality of DVD's is fairly low compared to what I am used to with off air HDTV. Up close with a 22 widescreen is not the best since you see every imperfection and there are issues with LCD's with moving images and moire patterns, even with a 5 msec response time. But being so very much larger, it is amplifying any imperfection. Some day we will have the HD DVD/Blu Ray and maybe even 1920p or whatever
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
Those were not LCDs but plasmas at about 6 k two years ago, and about 2,500 a year ago. At the same time, LCDs were available only at a smaller size, and were running about 6-12K two years ago, and have come down considerably since then. I would NOT go with a Plasma screen at all today, even though they got down fairly low in prices. LCD prices continue to plunge. Now - none of these were TV sets, but just Monitors, to which I added the projector, a computer and even a DVD/CD as input devices. I saw a 32 inch at Walmart last week, running about 1200 bucks, and that with the tuner built in. The most value for the buck were the projectors at around 1200 and add a white board at another 1200 and we had a nice 50 inch touch screen . Smart Corp even makes an overlay which you can place right on top of a flat screen such as we had in the compressed video rooms so you can use an LCD monitor, with a touch screen which can be transmitted to the second (or more) classrooms. You just cant keep up with the available techonology today. Now, smart has a small 14 or 16 inch desktop screen that sits on the instructors desk. Its a touch type screen, that then transmits the signal up to the projector which then shows on the large projection screen. Gives him or her the capability to print/write on the touch screen and have all the students view it in live-time. They have another program that is usded in conjunction with their view screens wherin an instructor can switch back and forth, and show even 4 or 6 of the students monitor screens to everyone else. He can lock out the keyboards so the students have to pay attention to him, instead of messing with their own computer, share bits of programs among the students, etc. Smart.com is a good web site to look at that stuff. There are several companies now providing such, but I tend to stay with one brand per campus/college. Danny Douglas N7DC ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB all DX 2-6 years each . QSL LOTW-buro- direct As courtesty I upload to eQSL but if you use that - also pls upload to LOTW or hard card. moderator [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: kd4e [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: digitalradio@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 6:14 PM Subject: Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ? Danny Douglas wrote: ... snip! ... I purchased three 42 inch screens ... snip! snip! ... the price of the projector would be minimum of 1 K, and the board another K. Bit pricey for a monitor replacement for me. What is the price of a 42 LCD, please? -- Thanks! 73, doc, KD4E ... somewhere in FL URL: bibleseven (dot) com Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Yahoo! Groups Links -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.430 / Virus Database: 268.14.16/552 - Release Date: 11/26/2006 11:30 AM
Re: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
Go with the dual core and the greater amount of RAM. That is assuming all other things are equal. R Andrew O'Brien wrote: I'm out of the loop on the latest in CPU performance. I'm looking at a three low end computer deals. One has a AMD 64 3200 + CPU, (basic PC with 512 MK Ram for $289, no monitor) another a 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800+ ( 1 Gig of RAM , no monitor for $389), and one more ...the Intel® Pentium® 4 HT 524 (no monitor , 512 Megs RAM) for $410. I wonder if people here would comment on these CPU's for digital modes and the usual multi-tasking that hams do? I tend to run a logging program, a couple of digital mode applications (like Multipsk and MixW),Internet Explorer, email, all at the same time. Andy K3UK
RE: [digitalradio] CPU performance ?
I do operating systems level work for a living, and here's the rules I personally use: 1) For Windows, more memory is better than more CPU. 2GB is an excellent choice (you'll almost never be memory bound unless you're doing truly enormous things, like serious video/audio editing). In fact, there's no such thing as too much memory (my development system at work has 8GB, for example) -- If there's a lot of spare memory, Windows uses it for file caching. 2) Dual-Core CPUs are excellent: These are true multiprocessor machines... Except the two CPUs are essentially on one die. Don't confuse dual-core with Hyperthreading (HT) technology which is SORT of like two CPUs but not REALLY. 3) In my estimation AMD is leading Intel, both in value for money (bang for the buck) and in general processor throughput (just plain bang). Intel is leading AMD in terms of power conservation (bang for the watt). Of ANY of the modern dual-core CPUs, I doubt you could use all the CPU power with an app like MixW -- Lots of people run MixW on lower-end laptops successfully after all. If you expect to upgrade to Windows Vista, be very careful what GRAPHIC card you buy. Yes, you'll need memory and CPU power, but equally important in Vista is you'll need a reasonably capable graphics card. As an aside: Don't expect to upgrade to Windows Vista in 64-bit mode anytime soon if you use any special drivers for radio applications (such as the MixW RigExpert driver, for example). On 64-bit Windows all kernel-mode software has to be digitally signed and it's unlikely casual/hobby/small devs are going to pay the cost to acquire the necessary code-signing credentials. Sorry to have wandered a bit far afield from your original questions, but I figured I'd write a relatively comprehensive answer... Even if just for the archives. Peter K1PGV
