Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Domains

Domain: belkin.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to belkin.com.

Comments · 263

  1. My quiet case project : it's an answer ... sort of by Prozzaks · · Score: 1 · on Building Quieter Computers

    Well, it seem these days, most of the power user just care to get something like 200fps in Quake III. Why ? Beat's me ! I'm not on a quest to get the ultimate frame rate, I just want my box to be quiet as possibly can be.

    To help you understand my take on the subject, here is the background :
    My PC has the following components :

    • A OEM case
    • A 235W OEM power supply
    • ASUS P3B-F
    • Intel Pentium II rated 400Mhz @ 400Mhz
    • A cheap OEM SECC2 Heat-Sink made of aluminum
    • A 128MB CAS2 no-name DIMM
    • Two 32MB CAS3 Samsung DIMM slowing down my memory timing, but preventing the appearance of the all mighty evil SwaP
    • A ATI All-In-Wonder Rage128 16MB
    • A Creative SoundBlaster Live! Value
    • A Realtek 8139 Ethernet NIC
    • My beloved USR 56Kbps ISA Real Modem. Sorry but to me a component that uses CPU power to do it's processing instead of taking the load off is not worthy of being in my computer. Not to mention the M$ Win part...
    • A Creative 48x CD-ROM drive. It's the loudest damned thing in my computer when it's spinning
    • A Quantum Fireball AS PLUS 40GB (7200RPM) in a removable tray
    • A Quantum Fireball CX1 10GB (5400RPM) mounted inside the case
    • Of course the stupid old 1.44 MB floppy drive only used for booting Tomsbrt in case of emergency

    Soon to be :

    • A Adaptec 2940UW
    • A Diamond Monster 3D II for Glide games

    It turn out that the Quantum Fireball AS makes less noise than the Quantum Fireball CX1. I still have to figure it out ...

    I use my PC for :

    • Running Linux and learning as much as time allows me (Jez I had so much time when I was a student... Think of all the time I wasted in High-School running the evil W monster)
    • Doing some gaming i.e. : Diablo II, Unreal, UT, Undying (Although that thing is going to cost me a new box)
    • Spending numerous nights filling my brain @ Slashdot, Tomshardware, Anandtech, Arstechnica, StorageReview, Developper.Intel.com, and most importantly, hounding the web for all the case manufacturers and their take at a quiet box.

    As I'm writing this post, that is probably going to be the base documentation for my Silent Case Project, you're guessing that my sleepless night of browsing have not yielded the desired result.

    I've check out many options such as water cooling, moving the PC to the closet, returning to the forest where a PC is pretty far from your everyday quest for survival. None of them suits me.

    The objective of my project is to build a case that meets the following criteria :

    • A silent as possible
    • Accessible
    • Provides sufficient ventilation to maintain all the components running within thermal specs
    • Be light enough to be easily transportable (Let's not forget the Lan parties ;-)

    To attain those goals I have to :

    • Read all I can about noise, sound, aerodynamics, PC specs
    • Find suitable materials : A case is not just a protection against unwanted fingers and dust ; it must provide EMI shielding, proper grounding, resist to impacts, and fit into my conception of the king of object you want in your bedroom (If you were thinking about plywood and a box of rusted leftover nails, forget it)
    • Find the tools or the companies or individuals with the means to work the materials I choose to build the casing

    For the sound isolation I was thinking about some kind of foam. Mineral lint would be affective but that takes too much space and it's not the kind of thing I want beside my bed. Form the casing itself, metal is almost inevitable if you want EMI shielding and grounding. And as for you who wonder why I have not mentioned water cooling yet, the greatest source of noise is not my CPU cooler and your just moving the problem out of the case (Nice ; you have water heating up but unless your reservoir is like a bathtub or something you will have to transfer the heat for the water to the air).

    That about as far as I am. If you have any idea that might help me, please fell free to send me some bits forming ASCII characters at Prozzaks@operamail.com

    To finish up, here is a list of thing that might help people wanting to achieve similar goals :

  2. Re:I'd really like just the connection by PopeAlien · · Score: 1 · on Rack Mount Solution for Desktop PCs

    I use Belkin KVM Switches at home and at work. I'd love to have other connectors availiable as well in one box (audio, Firewire, USB, etc), but for now Its nice just having access to four boxes from one workstation setup.

  3. Belkin USB by mojo-raisin · · Score: 1 · on Where Is My Heavy-Duty Mouse?

    I've been using my Belin 3btn mouse for 6 months w/o a problem. Although, I am tempted to get their new 5btn optical mouse.

  4. Belkin USB by mojo-raisin · · Score: 1 · on Where Is My Heavy-Duty Mouse?

    I've been using my Belin 3btn mouse for 6 months w/o a problem. Although, I am tempted to get their new 5btn optical mouse.

  5. Re:usb by JesseL · · Score: 1 · on Two-Way Satellite Internet For Linux/Mac/BSD/etc.

    Wouldn't everyone have been better off if they had just included a USB-->Ethernet adapter for people without a NIC already in their pc?

    It would have accomplished the same thing and not left non-MS users in the cold.

  6. KVM with USB by SlashGeek · · Score: 2 · on USB And PS2 Ports On KVM Switches?
    Here, here, and here.

    I don't have time to look, but you might want to check out Belkin, they have just about every cable and accessory known to man.

    Good luck

  7. Under $300 by yamla · · Score: 2 · on Your Holiday Present Wish List
    UPS power system. You can get some nice ones from Belkin for example, many of which support Linux.

    Baldur's Gate 2, that is pretty much a given.

    Rio 500 MP3 player, which you can pick up for cheap at Audible.com, last time I checked.

    A subscription to Wired.

    VMWare for the geek in all of us.

    A new video card, though I don't know specifics.

  8. USB by kneecap · · Score: 1 · on Front Ports for PCs?

    Belkin might have a solution. Their USB BusStation line of products allow you to have a stack of USB modules: USB hubs, Serial addapters, Ethernet, SCSI, etc. Theses stackable modules connect to your computer through one USB cable. You could place this anywhere you want; This is a much better solution then the proprietary external boxes by NEC or COMPAQ. I've only seen these at computer shows, I haven't used one myself, and I don't know if their are Linux Drivers or not.

    Another solution is to make your own box and put a USB hub inside, and if you want a Serial Cable extension. Or you could just mount a USB to serial adapter, a USB Hub, headphone jack or anything else, if it can fit, in an empty drive bay in your computer

  9. Best of both worlds by fallout · · Score: 1 · on Ergonomic Keyboards

    I have a IBM super-clicky keyboard on my Linux box and a Belkin Ergoboard, which is a WONDERFUL keyboard, on my windows machine.

    The IBM feels wonderful, and the loud, testasterone-rush-inducing clicks make it a keyboard I will never give away. I got it by luck from my sister who grabbed it out of the trash knowing I'd love it.. (I love her!)

    The Belkin allows me to type faster, and the windows keys are useful in windows... Also, at $25-30 they are a great deal. We have 6 or so here at work and everyone loves them.

    However, I've always wanted to learn how to use the DVORAK layout, those pit-keyboards, and most of all, a combination hand-help keyboard ala the wearable computers. Anyone have any experience with any of these?

  10. Re:M$ natural (Belkin is better) by stardragon · · Score: 1 · on Ergonomic Keyboards

    The M$ Natural Keyboard is my least favorite keyboard. It has one critical design flaw -- the "6" key is located on the left side of the keyboard. [Other manufacturers make the same mistake.] When I took touch typing in high school, I was trained to use the right index finger to reach for the "6" key.

    I use a Belkin Ergonomic Smart Keyboard -- the "6" key is in the right place, and it's cheapter than the M$ Natrual.

  11. Re:Get a Linux CoolKeyboard! by fallout · · Score: 1 · on Where Can I Find Keyboard Reviews?

    I'm from the "more keys are better" school of thought. I currently have a old IBM super-clicky keyboard, a 121key programmable keyboard, which I love to death. At work I use a belkin keyboard, which I highly reccomend. It has windows keys, but it's a split design and raises up in the front instead of the back to give you good wrist support. The 'correct' way of typing is with your wrists in the air, but who really types like that? I am still in search of the 120+ key split, programmable keyboard with good feel to it. Anyone else have any brand loyalty?
    ---------------------------------------

  12. Re:Get a Linux CoolKeyboard! by fallout · · Score: 1 · on Where Can I Find Keyboard Reviews?

    I'm from the "more keys are better" school of thought. I currently have a old IBM super-clicky keyboard, a 121key programmable keyboard, which I love to death. At work I use a belkin keyboard, which I highly reccomend. It has windows keys, but it's a split design and raises up in the front instead of the back to give you good wrist support. The 'correct' way of typing is with your wrists in the air, but who really types like that? I am still in search of the 120+ key split, programmable keyboard with good feel to it. Anyone else have any brand loyalty?
    ---------------------------------------

  13. Belkin works well, but don't forget good cables by lovelace · · Score: 1 · on Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) Switches

    I've been using a Belkin Omniview SE 2 port KVM Switch (here or here) for the past few months with no problems at all. I run it at 1600x1200 resolution on a 21 inch monitor and have noticed no video degradation at all. However, it will do you no good if your KVM switch supports very high resolution if you hook up cheap cables between it and your monitor and computer. Get triple-shielded VGA cables and you shouldn't have any worrys. Yes, they cost a bit more, but you don't have to worry about moire patters all over your screen.

    One other nice thing about the Belkin switches is that they have something called "integrated mouse conversion technology." What that means, simply, is that one of my computers hooked to the KVM switch uses a PS/2 mouse and one uses a serial mouse, but both are controlled by one PS/2 mouse connected to the switch. The only thing it doesn't convert is the Microsoft Mouse Wheel. Also, if you want to expand in the future, you can daisy chain it with other KVM Switches and switch more computers.