Battleangel

Had another batch of components delivered on my doorstep. Seems that if you manage to make the package bulky enough they’ll transport if for free nowadays. Didn’t know that. Normally only businesses get door-to-door delivery in this post-reformation postal era. It would sure suck to go and get a monitor package at the local supermarket or gas station anyway. So .. now I’m only missing a few small hardware tidbits before I rebuild the Media PC and set up Workstation 2.

Workstation 2 I ended up going for the Antec 3700 BQE after all. It’s supposedly like the Sonata, only cheaper and with a different coating. As for the monitor I chose the Philips 109P40. It has a nice Trinitron / Diamondtron Aperture Grille tube and slightly more user friendly than the Samsung 959NF (which btw was out of stock everywhere). This did cost me more than anticipated but still nowhere near what a good 19” TFT monitor would.
Most internal components like CPU, MB etc will just be moved from the Media PC. Input devices will be standard a IntelliMouse Explorer wireless mouse, wired keyboard, just the way I like it. And standard 2.1 P380 speakers. Network will use the D-Link DWL-G520 NIC. I imagine I’ll have to do a fair share of adjustments before I get optimal signal strength but I’m confident that 108MBPS (-50% loss) is enough for the application.

Media PC The Media PC will be replaced with an Antec Aria case coupled with an Epox Nforce2 mATX MB and a Sempron 2400+. Slow but cheap. And more than enough to play back video. I wont use the integrated Gforce MX though. The G400 will go right back into the design. I just like the video output functions too much. At least it’s good to have a nforce2 based mATX system.

Both computers will use the Spire WhisperRock IV CPU cooler which I consider to be one of the better low priced coolers.

Workstation 1 Also, I took the opportunity to get a Zalman ZM80D-HP heatpipe cooler for my Radeon card. The stock fan has been grinding for a while now and I’m tired of hearing it. Still haven’t decided on a new case (or not). Haven’t found a proper High / Maxi / Full / Whatever Tower anywhere. Except for the ageing Chieftec AX series then. But I’d really like a more modern design, with (preferably) 120mm fans. Everyone keeps telling me to get a midi tower instead. But I don’t know. Granted, the HX08 case I now use is so awkwardly designed that a good midi tower could probably match it in terms of everything but 5.25” drive slot. So, in the end, I might go for an Antec 3700 BQE (or similar) too.