You don't need to underclock for quiet - I recommend Zalman HSFs and a decent, quiet power supply.
Here's what I'm using -
Video card - 7900GT (vmodded to 1.35v, 650Mhz core clock.. Can't recall mem frequency offhand), with the zalman vf900 cooler - never gets above 50C. (Ran 95+C on stock HSF). That is with the zalman vf900 fan turned all the way down. (This hsf really impressed me, dropped max temp about 40C and almost completely eliminated gpu fan noise)
CPU - X2 3800 @ 2.4GHz, 1.55 vcore - Runs less than 58C, with both cores 100%. Again, zalman fan is turned almost all the way down. (Note that the cpu fan has a duct to receive outside air, this made a big difference) -- Very quiet HSF, and the new Zalman CPU HSF looks even better.
(No I don't work for Zalman, but their products do work very well for me)
Power supply - Silverstone ST50EF - Runs very stable, effecient, nice and quiet. (The PSU fan usually only turns on if I am doing intensive things... And even then it is almost inaudible.)
I also have one 120mm case fan, on a very low speed.
I should have worded that better. I reinstall from a often updated image of my primary windows partition. (Takes about 30 minutes to do, and I keep all my settings) I didn't mean to imply windows XP was that unstable that it required reinstalls that. My work PC and notebook have both never required reinstalls. (XP Pro)
I often do strange hardware changes that tend to make the computer unstable, until tweaked to perfection.
See, I'm mildly obsessive about it. I guess becase it's a hobby.
I can't just throw new ram in, I've gotta spend hours/days figuring out what max speed/timings I can run that ram at (even if it requires a few solders on the motherboard to get a higher voltage..etc).
Same goes for pretty much everything in the box.
With that territory comes a lot of instability. With instability comes windows re-installs.
Also, since the image is usually kept up to date, I can roll back the image if I install some shit software or whatever I don't like.
Not a normal hobby, but wth, it keeps me out of trouble.
My toy PC gets a reinstall of windows (or, more likely, a re-image from driveimage), at least once a month. I can't imagine being limited to 2 validations. My hardware also changes on average once a month. (What can I say, tweaking and buying new toys is one of my hobbies)
While I do have a legit OEM license for my copy of XP MCE, I've long ago found it most convenient to simply bypass the validation. In all fairness I think XP MCE is a pretty good operating system. For the most part, I don't mind MS operating systems (At least anything >= 2000). It's their business practices that bother me.
I would switch to linux in a second if it was decent for gaming.
Looks kind of like a lame kb/mouse combo, but kb/mouse are nice to have with a htpc.
For a remote control I use the windows MCE IR receiver and a universal remote.... But a remote control is only good for some things. I use a logitech mx1000 kb/mouse combo for most other things. (Though I do pull out the g5 and usb extension when gaming).
Honestly, have you visited an electronics store in the last 3 years?
$2000 for a HDTV? Not likely. You can get a decent 42" HD plasma for under $1500USD. Don't need so big? You can easily find 32" HD for under $900. Going smaller, the price keeps getting cheaper.
According to a quick google search, 1 in 6 households has a HD capable TV set now.
Also, I am lost as to why you think you need to buy a new stereo when you buy a new TV. The two are completely unrelated. (Even then you can get a decent DD5.1 receiver + speakers, DVD player for $500.)
Again, another error -- I believe the mandate for 2009 is simply to cease analog signals.... Not necessarily to force HD. (Don't hold me to that though, I'm not even from the US)
Sure many people still don't have HD TVs, but that number is shrinking rapidly.
SD tends not to scale up that well to HD. Therefore those of us with HDTVs will generally get a worse picture than those with SD.
I have a gamecube that I occasionally play, and the graphics on it would be just fine for me if it had more widescreen games... and was HD.
Just seems like something that wouldn't have cost much $$ to add. (GPU's capable of decent visuals at 720P, while maintaining a good framerate can't cost that much these days.. I'm sure I haven't owned one for years )
I agree about the HD, and it's why I won't buy a Wii.
Most people who replied to your comment must not realize that SD signals can look pretty bad on a HDTV. *Lots* of people have HD TVs, and these people are going to be quite disappointed with the appearance of the Wii unless their TV does excellent upscaling.
IMO releasing a console without HD support is ridiculous in this day and age. HD is hardly new technology.
And calling any SD device a media center in late 2006 is laughable.
I used to use XBMC as my media center, in 720P 16x9. And the xbox is 4 years old!
Now I use a purpose built HTPC for media center/gaming... but I was looking forward to the Wii, because I tend to enjoy Nintendo games.
Very true... Many people don't realize this... I remember reading about a fellow trying to sue HP, because the police could access the files on his disk even though he had "DriveLock" enabled.
I remember trying to find information about HP drivelock (To see whether it was actually encrypting information to the disk)... information on the subject was hard to find. Misleading on HPs behalf, and I suspect many other companies are guilty of the same.
Are you indicating you would prefer it to have a backdoor?
---
About the technology -
I *thought* some IBM notebooks were already doing encryption on the disk... But using a 3rd party IC to handle encryption rather than a chip right on the drive.
My HP notebook has "drivelock" feature, which I believe is a HP marketing term for the standard ATA password... data is not encrypted on the drive, though HP would lead you to believe it is secure.
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You don't need to underclock for quiet - I recommend Zalman HSFs and a decent, quiet power supply.
Here's what I'm using -
Video card - 7900GT (vmodded to 1.35v, 650Mhz core clock.. Can't recall mem frequency offhand), with the zalman vf900 cooler - never gets above 50C. (Ran 95+C on stock HSF). That is with the zalman vf900 fan turned all the way down. (This hsf really impressed me, dropped max temp about 40C and almost completely eliminated gpu fan noise)
CPU - X2 3800 @ 2.4GHz, 1.55 vcore - Runs less than 58C, with both cores 100%. Again, zalman fan is turned almost all the way down. (Note that the cpu fan has a duct to receive outside air, this made a big difference) -- Very quiet HSF, and the new Zalman CPU HSF looks even better.
(No I don't work for Zalman, but their products do work very well for me)
Power supply - Silverstone ST50EF - Runs very stable, effecient, nice and quiet. (The PSU fan usually only turns on if I am doing intensive things... And even then it is almost inaudible.)
I also have one 120mm case fan, on a very low speed.
The computer is almost completely silent.
Haha, come on fella. Are you serious?
At no point did I pretend I was out to save the world. Nor do I believe me not purchasing my OEM copy of XP is going to make any difference.
The real power lies in the enterprises & OEM retailers, and what OS they choose.
I should have worded that better. I reinstall from a often updated image of my primary windows partition. (Takes about 30 minutes to do, and I keep all my settings) I didn't mean to imply windows XP was that unstable that it required reinstalls that. My work PC and notebook have both never required reinstalls. (XP Pro)
I often do strange hardware changes that tend to make the computer unstable, until tweaked to perfection.
See, I'm mildly obsessive about it. I guess becase it's a hobby.
I can't just throw new ram in, I've gotta spend hours/days figuring out what max speed/timings I can run that ram at (even if it requires a few solders on the motherboard to get a higher voltage..etc).
Same goes for pretty much everything in the box.
With that territory comes a lot of instability. With instability comes windows re-installs.
Also, since the image is usually kept up to date, I can roll back the image if I install some shit software or whatever I don't like.
Not a normal hobby, but wth, it keeps me out of trouble.
My toy PC gets a reinstall of windows (or, more likely, a re-image from driveimage), at least once a month. I can't imagine being limited to 2 validations. My hardware also changes on average once a month. (What can I say, tweaking and buying new toys is one of my hobbies)
While I do have a legit OEM license for my copy of XP MCE, I've long ago found it most convenient to simply bypass the validation. In all fairness I think XP MCE is a pretty good operating system. For the most part, I don't mind MS operating systems (At least anything >= 2000). It's their business practices that bother me.
I would switch to linux in a second if it was decent for gaming.
Looks kind of like a lame kb/mouse combo, but kb/mouse are nice to have with a htpc.
For a remote control I use the windows MCE IR receiver and a universal remote.... But a remote control is only good for some things. I use a logitech mx1000 kb/mouse combo for most other things. (Though I do pull out the g5 and usb extension when gaming).
Some legit people choose not to use WGA.... Just sayin'.
Honestly, have you visited an electronics store in the last 3 years?
$2000 for a HDTV? Not likely. You can get a decent 42" HD plasma for under $1500USD.
Don't need so big? You can easily find 32" HD for under $900.
Going smaller, the price keeps getting cheaper.
According to a quick google search, 1 in 6 households has a HD capable TV set now.
Also, I am lost as to why you think you need to buy a new stereo when you buy a new TV. The two are completely unrelated. (Even then you can get a decent DD5.1 receiver + speakers, DVD player for $500.)
Again, another error -- I believe the mandate for 2009 is simply to cease analog signals.... Not necessarily to force HD. (Don't hold me to that though, I'm not even from the US)
Sure many people still don't have HD TVs, but that number is shrinking rapidly.
The problem for me is I already own a HDTV.
SD tends not to scale up that well to HD. Therefore those of us with HDTVs will generally get a worse picture than those with SD.
I have a gamecube that I occasionally play, and the graphics on it would be just fine for me if it had more widescreen games... and was HD.
Just seems like something that wouldn't have cost much $$ to add. (GPU's capable of decent visuals at 720P, while maintaining a good framerate can't cost that much these days.. I'm sure I haven't owned one for years )
I agree about the HD, and it's why I won't buy a Wii.
Most people who replied to your comment must not realize that SD signals can look pretty bad on a HDTV. *Lots* of people have HD TVs, and these people are going to be quite disappointed with the appearance of the Wii unless their TV does excellent upscaling.
IMO releasing a console without HD support is ridiculous in this day and age. HD is hardly new technology.
And calling any SD device a media center in late 2006 is laughable.
I used to use XBMC as my media center, in 720P 16x9. And the xbox is 4 years old!
Now I use a purpose built HTPC for media center/gaming... but I was looking forward to the Wii, because I tend to enjoy Nintendo games.
Most of these answers are really bad....
The fellow is playing PR rather than "honestly answer these questions". Not that I blame him.
pwned?
WTF?
Keyboard broken?
Really? Wow.
While you may have a few valid points, for many people the benefits far outweight the risks of the possible problems you mention above.
Interesting.
Too bad about that, I'm really surprised there are no decent hardware encryption implementations available for notebooks at this point in time.
I was basing my thought on what someone once told me (One of the main speakers at a security conference! lol).
Thanks for the info.
.... And IHMO, the huge amount of data theft from stolen notebooks/desktops these days tells me that we *need* a solution like this.
Very true...
l ock_crypto_lawsuit_fails/
Many people don't realize this... I remember reading about a fellow trying to sue HP, because the police could access the files on his disk even though he had "DriveLock" enabled.
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2006/05/05/drive
I remember trying to find information about HP drivelock (To see whether it was actually encrypting information to the disk)... information on the subject was hard to find. Misleading on HPs behalf, and I suspect many other companies are guilty of the same.
Are you indicating you would prefer it to have a backdoor?
---About the technology - I *thought* some IBM notebooks were already doing encryption on the disk... But using a 3rd party IC to handle encryption rather than a chip right on the drive. My HP notebook has "drivelock" feature, which I believe is a HP marketing term for the standard ATA password... data is not encrypted on the drive, though HP would lead you to believe it is secure.
Technically this is possible.