Daily News Brief: 8800GT Sneak Peek!

nVidia 8800GT Numbers Leaked

Always take leaked, pre-released benchmarks with a grain, nay, a bushel of salt, but for the anxiously impatient, numbers have started floating around the web hinting at the upcoming 8800GT's performance. If the leaked results hold true, expect the 8800GT to outperform both the 8800GTS and AMD/ATI's HD 2900XT, while also nipping at the 8800GTX's heels. The 65nm G92 based videocard is expected to start shipping in about a week.

Virtual Machine Additions for Linux

Who says mortal enemies can't co-exist peacefully? Microsoft today released Virtual Machine Additions for Linux, compatible with Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1. The new release brings support for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, with several qualified distributions. Look for improvements with guest and host time synchronization, coordinated shutdown operations, improved mouse driver, display driver, and SCSI disk emulation.

Online Fans Call the Soccer Shots

Upset over Argentina's playmaking decisions in the World Cup, super fan Moshe Hogeg had enough of playing armchair coach. Instead, he went and teamed up with an online gaming company to buy his own team for $500,000, and he's letting the fans call the shots. By going to Web2Sport.com, soccer fans can vote on the starting line-up and even give instructions to the coach. If the venture turns out successful, maybe Steinbrenner can enlist the help of saddened Yankee fans now that Torre's been ousted (go Sox!).

Hackers Eye Up World Series

In other sports related tech news, the Colorado Rockies found their computer systems the target of a recent attack, which ultimately had to be shut down, halting the sale of online World Series tickets. They've been working to get a backup in place and resume selling the 18,000 available tickets for games 3 and 4 in Denver. No details were given on the on the origin or motive.

Hitachi Bids Adieu to PC Business

You may not have been aware Hitachi carries a line of PCs, and it's that lack of recognition combined with sluggish sales that has them pulling the plug. Ranking 8th in Japan's PC market, Hitachi manufactured the Prius brand, but had no new models for this holiday shopping season and plans to stop making PCs altogether.

Video Game Designers Leave Mark on Nissan

Fans of the Gran Turismo series have been waiting for the 2009 Nissan GT-R to show its face, and that wait is over. Gamers hoping to buy the real-deal will need to start saving their allowance, as the GT-R is expected to sell for $80K in the US. Playstation fans will be geeked to see the inclusion of a multi-function display, co-developed with none other than Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital.

Mac Commercials Working

With the exception of the 'Cancel or Allow' commercial touting Macs, most PC users are able to recognize the skits as simply 'creative' marketing, but are consumers taking note? Apparently so, as Apple managed to sell a record 2.16 million last quarter, representing a 34 percent hike from this time last year. Apple can now make claim to an 8 percent market share. So whether or not your buy the commercials, Apple looks to be having little trouble finding buyers.

Computer Upholstery: Part One

Idea: Upholster a computer in fabric or leather.

Folks have been painting or skinning cases in vinyl for some time. What I would like to be able to is cover one in suede (ok - no letters guys. You can use anything you want. It doesn’t have to be an animal product. Besides, I’m still in hot water for trying to mod the family cat). The first problem I ran into trying to cover a computer with anything thicker than paint or sheet vinyl, is that things like side panels will stop working if you wrap something thick around them. Undaunted, I got the idea that I would make upholstered panels using a stiff backing that could be attached to a case.

The second problem is that I know almost nothing of upholstery except what I got from watching my father upholster hot rods as a child. And being a child, I was more interested in mud and frogs than hot rods. Silly me.

Ok, I confess, I did pay a little attention. However, I don’t really feel good about possibly wasting suede on something I have limited experience with. And, upholstering a computer is not exactly the same as recovering an ottoman.

Solution? A little R&D - a.k.a., practice on scrap cloth and cheap materials!

EULA time: Any safety reminders given herein are not to be taken as a substitute for proper training and, if required, supervision. You (the reader) are solely responsible for any outcome, positive or negative, resulting from use of this information.

I’m doing this in two parts so I can go into a bit of detail and point out any discoveries on the way. In this first part I will get the backing panel ready.

For my backing I decided to use hardboard. The smallest and most inexpensive I could find happened to be patterned as white bead board on one side and a bit harder than the stuff I’m used to. You can find this material at most home improvement stores. It’s sometimes called “pressboard” or may go by a brand name. I will use the hardboard as a backing to attach fabric and batting to with adhesive and a staple gun.

Step one is to cut the hardboard sheet into a panel I can use. I decided to make a panel for the top of my modding practice case (a.k.a. FrankenMod). I had just installed a blow hole there, so the panel would require a hole in it. This is perfect practice!

I measured the case top and transferred that to the hardboard. Cutting hardboard requires a saw. A utility knife or rotary tool (i.e. Dremel) will only work if you want to turn this into a six month project. I suggest a jig saw, although other saws will work as well. Be aware though, you want to be comfortable and safe with your tools - and wear safety glasses!

Um, who’s manning that saw?

Cutting the hole is pretty easy. You just use a hole saw. Figuring out where to cut the hole is a bit different. I typically cheat by using the case as a pattern as much as possible. I place the backing panel (or what have you) where it will eventually be mounted , and use a permanent marker to trace out the hole. This will greatly reduce measuring mistakes. In the above picture you can see the hole in the top of the case. In the inset you can see the white bead board pattern. A bead board mod? - Stay on task!

Once you have your hole marked, just drill it out with a hole saw - after you locate the center mark. This migh be the most difficult part - be patient and measure carefully. Note - you do not need experience to make sure something important is not under the hole saw when cutting - like parts of you. I know this because I’ve had occasion to write it 100 times.

I like to drill the pilot hole first as it will center/guide the hole saw when I go to make the cut. It's very difficult to see what you are centered one under the catual hole saw. Always drill or saw on a stable surface with plenty of open space below. And, make sure what you are working on is secure! Some tips on hole saw use can be found in this entry on installing a blow hole .

Next, I need to drill the holes for the fan mounting. I used the same technique as with the fan hole. I intentionally waited to mark and drill them until after I made the hole cut. This way, I can fit the hole I cut, to the hole in the case and then mark the mounting holes. This allows me a bit of wiggle room if I made a minor error and I can still recover the piece.

And there you have it. One backing panel ready to use. Of course the exciting part will be next week when I cover it with black padded corduroy and mount it with brass hardware to my case.

‘till then, happy moddin’

Our bling for the week comes from CoolercasesUK.

Enjoy!

Computer Upholstery: Part Two

Last week I laid the foundation of upholstering a panel for a system. This week I got to actually adding the fabric and installing it. I have to tell you – lessons were learned.

Once you have your backing piece finished, the upholstery part isn’t terribly difficult. You will need a staple gun, batting (available at craft stores), your fabric, some good scissors, a utility knife, and spray adhesive/mastic (I like 3M Super 77 or Hi-Strength 90, but any similar product should work).

The next step is to cut out the batting. I used two layers because my batting was thin. The batting gives the panel a bit of padding. Without it, your results will be a bit lack luster and contain hard to remove wrinkles. How much padding you want is up to you, but if you want more than an inch, you will want to use a foam insert between the batting and backing board.

Measuring out the fabric has an important caveat. I’m leaving about an inch all the way around. This extra material will be used to attach the fabric to the backing piece. Don’t cut out the hole (if you have one) just yet.

With all the pieces cut, it’s time for adhesive. You want to coat the back of the fabric and the top of the batting (the side that will come in contact with the fabric) with a generous layer of adhesive. Use a ventilated room and follow any instruction on the can. After you apply it, wait 15-20 minutes before moving on.

Assembly just requires stacking the pieces and securing them. I like to spray a bit more adhesive along the edge of my backing material after I’ve stacked them (ok – so maybe I have done this before – once).

With the pieces in place, it’s much like wrapping a present (consult a female if this is new to you). You simply fold the edges over and use the adhesive to hold them in place. Then put staples in every few inches. The corners may give you some trouble. You can cut some of the extra material off, being careful not to cut too much. For the hole, cut a star pattern in the fabric with a utility knife and fold the pieces back. It’s a good idea to staple them as well. The fan mounting holes required me to stick a small nail through the back (for locating) and make very tiny cross cuts with a utility knife on the fabric side.

At that point, it’s all over but the tellin’! I mounted the panel and had a look. I’m pretty happy with the results, especially considering this was a “proof of concept” for me. The slight lifting at the corners can be taken care of with small bolts. With a nice brass fan grill, I’ll get just the look I’m after.

A few pointers I picked up along the way:

The staples I used would not go very deep into the backing. The typical solution is to use shorter staples. However, I was already using the smallest staples I could find for my staple gun. The hardboard is actually too hard for this technique. Quarter inch or thinner plywood might be better. As a stop gap, I used a small hammer to flatten the staples out. It works, but it’s not ideal. And oh...Yes you can manage to staple yourself with a staple gun - be careful.

It’s worth noting that I folded each corner differently to see which way would look best. I found that folding it just like a gift without removing extra material wasn’t the best. I also found that removing too much material leaves a “ridge” effect at the corner. So, I guess striking a balance is key.

I have to say though, the look is far better than I had expected. I’ll definitely pursue this deeper.

Today’s bling is a bit more moducation in 2 parts. Provided by MNPCTech and Bill Owen’s how to video on Turbine Style Fans !

Get some popcorn – 30+ minutes of video (but well worth it

How To: Diagnose Faulty RAM

Diagnosing system failures and quirky behavior can be a crap shoot, as the same symptoms can point to any number of culprits. But unless you have reason to believe a specific component is at fault, most troubleshooting quests usually start with the RAM.

Telltale Signs

If you've recently started experiencing those dreaded blue screens of death (BSoD), then the first question most techs and forum gurus will ask is, "Have you checked your RAM?," and with good reason. Bad RAM is usually associated with the PFN_LIST_CORRUPT and PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA errors, but it's not exclusive to just these two. Other warning signs include system stalls, reboots, and generally abnormal behavior.

Run Memtest68

Testing for faulty memory is relatively easy to do thanks to a diagnostic tool called Memtest86. This handy program runs a series of tests on your RAM, spitting out any errors when/if it finds them. And because Memtest86 runs before Windows has a chance to load, you won't be interrupted by further blue screens while it tests your memory. If you have a faulty kit of RAM, you may see hundreds of errors right away, or in less severe cases, you may need to run several passes (I recommend you let it run overnight).

To get started, you'll need either a blank floppy or CD/DVD disk, then download the latest version of Memtest86 (v3.3 at the time of this writing) for whichever media you plan to use. If using a floppy, double-click the install file, which will open a command prompt with step-by-step instructions. For CD or DVD installations, burn the ISO file as an image, and NOT as a data file. Most CD/DVD burning programs, such as Nero and Roxio, will do this automatically upon double-clicking the ISO, and other programs, like the free CDBurnerXP Pro will not, requiring you to specify you're burning from an image (click on File and select Write Disk from ISO File...).

Once you've made your Memtest86 diagnostic disk, the next step is to boot from it. Stick the disk in the appropriate drive (if you manage to get the floppy to work in an optical drive, or vice versa, I'd like to hear about it!), then restart your system. You may need to change the boot priority in your BIOS so that your system doesn't automatically boot from your hard drive. If so, hit the DEL key during the POST screen (some older systems may require you push F1, F2, ESC, or other combinations). Once you've set the approriate boot priority, Memtest86 will load and run automatically.

It Found Errors! That's it Man, Game Over Man, Game Over!

Not so fast there, Hudson! While Memtest86 errors are almost always indicative of problematic RAM, the diagnostic also checks your CPU, L1 and L2 cache, and your motherboard. So you could have an even bigger problem on your hands, but don't panic, because it might also be as simple as an incorrect timing or voltage setting. Running aggressive latency timings or less than the manufacturer's specified voltage can cause RAM to churn out errors and act exactly like a defective kit. These settings are usually found in the Advanced menu of your BIOS (some Gigabyte owners need to hold CTRL-F1 on the main screen to access the hidden menu), and double-check that your kit of RAM is running within spec. For example, if your manufacturer specifies 5-5-5-15 @ 2.1V and you're running 4-4-4-12 @ 1.9V, then there's a good chance your RAM will choke. Up the voltage and rerun Memtest. If it passes and your system instability goes away, then congratulations, you not only saved yourself an RMA, but also discovered that your RAM is capable of running tighter (lower) timings than advertised. If on the other hand you continue to receive errors, raise those timings back to stock. Also check that the frequency is correct (running DDR2-800 at DDR2-1066 is overclocking).

If your RAM settings are correct, then test one stick of RAM at a time. While both sticks could be faulty, it's more likely that just one of them is defective. Also test the stick(s) in each DIMM slot to rule out the possibility of a faulty slot, while also providing you with an opportunity to verify you're using the correct slots for dual-channel operation.

I Have a Bad Stick, Should I Buy a New One?

Almost all RAM manufacturers offer lifetime warranties on their chips, so long as you didn't kill the modules by overclocking/volting. And if you inadvertently OC/d/OV'd, be upfront with the manufacturer (you're on the honor system with this one) - the companies worth giving your business to will be more apt to work with you in these situations.

If you do RMA a dual-channel kit, insist on returning both sticks, even if only one is defective. Why? Because dual-channel kits are supposed to be tested by the manufacturer to ensure they play nice together. The chips under the heatspreader on your replacement kit may differ from the ones on your existing kit, even if the make and model are the same, and it's when you mix and match chips that incompatibilities are most likely to occur in a dual-channel environment.

Computer Upholstery: Part One

Folks have been painting or skinning cases in vinyl for some time. What I would like to be able to is cover one in suede (ok - no letters guys. You can use anything you want. It doesn’t have to be an animal product. Besides, I’m still in hot water for trying to mod the family cat). The first problem I ran into trying to cover a computer with anything thicker than paint or sheet vinyl, is that things like side panels will stop working if you wrap something thick around them. Undaunted, I got the idea that I would make upholstered panels using a stiff backing that could be attached to a case.

The second problem is that I know almost nothing of upholstery except what I got from watching my father upholster hot rods as a child. And being a child, I was more interested in mud and frogs than hot rods. Silly me.

Ok, I confess, I did pay a little attention. However, I don’t really feel good about possibly wasting suede on something I have limited experience with. And, upholstering a computer is not exactly the same as recovering an ottoman.

Solution? A little R&D - a.k.a., practice on scrap cloth and cheap materials!

EULA time: Any safety reminders given herein are not to be taken as a substitute for proper training and, if required, supervision. You (the reader) are solely responsible for any outcome, positive or negative, resulting from use of this information.

I’m doing this in two parts so I can go into a bit of detail and point out any discoveries on the way. In this first part I will get the backing panel ready.

For my backing I decided to use hardboard. The smallest and most inexpensive I could find happened to be patterned as white bead board on one side and a bit harder than the stuff I’m used to. You can find this material at most home improvement stores. It’s sometimes called “pressboard” or may go by a brand name. I will use the hardboard as a backing to attach fabric and batting to with adhesive and a staple gun.

Step one is to cut the hardboard sheet into a panel I can use. I decided to make a panel for the top of my modding practice case (a.k.a. FrankenMod). I had just installed a blow hole there, so the panel would require a hole in it. This is perfect practice!

I measured the case top and transferred that to the hardboard. Cutting hardboard requires a saw. A utility knife or rotary tool (i.e. Dremel) will only work if you want to turn this into a six month project. I suggest a jig saw, although other saws will work as well. Be aware though, you want to be comfortable and safe with your tools - and wear safety glasses!

Um, who’s manning that saw?

Computer Upholstery: Part Two

Last week I laid the foundation of upholstering a panel for a system. This week I got to actually adding the fabric and installing it. I have to tell you – lessons were learned.

Once you have your backing piece finished, the upholstery part isn’t terribly difficult. You will need a staple gun, batting (available at craft stores), your fabric, some good scissors, a utility knife, and spray adhesive/mastic (I like 3M Super 77 or Hi-Strength 90, but any similar product should work).

The next step is to cut out the batting. I used two layers because my batting was thin. The batting gives the panel a bit of padding. Without it, your results will be a bit lack luster and contain hard to remove wrinkles. How much padding you want is up to you, but if you want more than an inch, you will want to use a foam insert between the batting and backing board.

Measuring out the fabric has an important caveat. I’m leaving about an inch all the way around. This extra material will be used to attach the fabric to the backing piece. Don’t cut out the hole (if you have one) just yet.

New Fan? Which Way Should It Blow?

So you’re just about to bolt on a new fan to cool your UberMach 3000 rig. All you need to know now is if the fan should be an intake or exhaust. You hit your favorite forum and ask to find out. What ensues is a surreal exchange turning into a flame war with math and theory only Einstein could figure out. Terms like air cavitation, laminar flow, dead zone, chaos constant, negative and positive pressure, stabilizing collimator, flux capacitor, and Heisenberg capitulator are thrown around like “Expelliarmus” at a Potter festival!

Were you Nutz?! Did you not know that such questions should only be left to level 21 and higher geeks with at least 200 hit points? One misplaced calculation and a reversed fan can cause a rip in the Universe! What were you thinking about?

In all seriousness, these things get out of hand, or in depth, for a number of reasons. One reason is that getting good flow from scratch in a case is deceptively difficult. Another reason is that geeks like to argue and use big words. But, if all you are doing is installing one fan into a case that already has cooling, consider the following a guide:

If you are trying to cool a specific part – like a window fan right over the CPU – the air should blow in (intake fan). If you are generally trying to cool off the interior of the case, the fan should blow out (exhaust fan) if it is on the top half of the case and inward if on the lower half of the case.

Don’t believe me though.

I’m serious by the way – you shouldn’t believe me - it’s imperative! Potter and Middle Earth depend on you doing the exact opposite of what I say! Otherwise the Dark Lord will find The Ring II (now available on DVD) and all is lost!

Do not believe me because, while I am probably right, there are too many variables to be sure. So, install your fan(s) the opposite way from what I recommend and boot up. Use a program like Everest Home Edition or SpeedFan and check the temperatures as you ramp up to load on the CPU, GPU(s), case, and so forth (whatever sensors are available to you from the software). Then, shut down, flip the fan, and repeat. See which temperatures are cooler. If I was right, you are finished at this point. If I was wrong – well, just flip the fan once more and call me funny names. If you are installing more than one fan, you may have to try a few more combinations.

That's about all there is to it. True, it's a simple tip, but it often gets lost in all the "theory" out there. And yes, I did gloss over all those important concepts like “balanced flow”. Sometimes “what works” is more important than “what should work” though.

So, is it an innie or an outie? Well, it’s your patient – you decide doctor!

This week’s bling was spotted a bit back by MPC forum member Gamerfreak. Not strictly a computer mod, but a modded singing Tesla coil. BTW – that’s not just a special lighting effect. The arc generates the sound.

BFG GeForce 8800 GTS (640MB)

Power users contemplating the purchase of BFG’s GeForce 8800 GTS face the same conundrum as those purchasing a card based on the 8800 GTX: No one knows how either product will perform with DirectX 10. As we observed with the GTX, however, the GTS is a flat-out screamer when it comes to DX9 software.

The GTS is outfitted with fewer stream-processor units (96 versus 128), less memory (640MB versus 768MB), and a narrower memory interface (320- versus 384-bit) than the GTX. But the price tag on this card brings it slightly out of the stratospheric heights of cards based on Nvidia’s more powerful 8800 GTX. That’s not to say it’s inexpensive—unless you consider $500 pocket change. Still, if you bought one of these today and a second one to run in SLI after prices drop, you could outrun a single 8800 GTX card.

The 8800 GTS delivers all the image-quality benefits that the GTX lards on—most of which are unobtainable with Nvidia’s 7-series: You can turn on AA and HDR lighting at the same time, you can enable noise reduction and edge enhancement while playing back video, and anisotropic filtering is much improved over Nvidia’s previous-generation parts.

Turning all these features on does entail a frame rate hit, but it’s not enough to impact gameplay. BFG’s GTS card ran FEAR, for instance, at a perfectly playable 32fps at a widescreen resolution of 1920x1200 with soft shadows turned on, 4x AA, and 16x aniso. Add a second card and you’ll get about the same frame rate at 2560x1600. Frame-rate junkies can turn off AA and dial back aniso to 8x to play the game at 55fps with a single card.

Yes, Nvidia has a winner on its hands. We can’t wait to see how ATI responds.