GSBUG Hardware Info SIG

1. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG June 13, 2002

2. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Agenda – June 13, 2002 • 7:00 – 7:05 Administration • 7:05 – 8:15 Featured Topic – CD, DVD, and Other Non-”Floppy”, Removable Media Drives • 8:15 – 8:30 Hardware News • 8:30 – 8:55 Random Access (Q&A) • 8:55 – 9:00 Recap, Preview, and Close

3. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Administration • Welcome! Please Sign In. • What the SIG is…and is not. • Is – an information resource for computer users and potential computer users • Is NOT – a way to get your computer built or repaired (contact the GSBUG Daytime Hardware SIG) • Log – Random Access/Q&A (First Come…)

4. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Administration (continued): • Presentation materials will be posted at: http://gsbug.apcug.org/hwinfosig.htm • Prior presentation materials are also posted.

5. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives • “CD-ROM” – Compact Disk Read Only Memory. A readable/non-writeable, storage device with separable media; one of the devices used to “play” CD-ROM disks (CDs). • “CD-R” – Compact Disk Recordable. A readable/writeable, storage device with separable media; the device used to record CD-R media and “play” CD-Rs and CDs.

6. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives (continued) • “CD-RW” – Compact Disk Re-Writable. A readable/writeable, storage device with separable media; the device used to record CD-R & CD-RW media and “play” CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and CDs. • “DVD-ROM (DVD)” – Digital Versatile Disk. A readable/non-writeable, storage device with separable media; the device used to “play” DVD disks and CDs.

7. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives (continued) • DVD ”other”: DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD+RW, DVD Video, DVD Audio. For more info see http://www.dvdforum.org/tech-dvdprimer.htm (9/2000) • Various “Combo” drives – usually CD-RW + DVD • “ATAPI” – advanced technology attachment packet interface • “SCSI” – small computer system interface

8. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • CD-ROM Drives: • Some of the manufacturers – Acer (AOpen), ASUS, LG, Lite-On, Mitsumi, NEC, Panasonic, Plextor, Samsung, Sony, Teac, Toshiba • Read speeds – 24X-56X (1X=150KB/s) [previously to 72X, Kenwood, now discontinued] • Cost – typ under $50; frequently under $30 (ATAPI) • Pros – cheap, fastest read, approx 650MB; great as base drive for audio and other CD duplication • Cons – read only

9. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • CD-R Drives: • Few still produced – most are SCSI • Conversion to CD-RW almost complete • Possible bargains for older products – watch speed vs cost of CD-RW at faster speed.

10. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • CD-RW Drives: • Primary manufacturers – Acer (AOpen/Benq), Creative Labs (Panasonic), Lite-On, Plextor, Sony, TDK, Teac, Yamaha • Read speeds – 24X-48X • Write speeds – 8X-48X • Re-Write speeds – 4X-24X • Typically read “write x re-write x read” • Requires recording software

11. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • CD-RW Drives (continued): • Most support packet writing (software feature for D&D) • Cost – typically from $75-$250 (ATAPI) • Pros – writable, re-writable; back-up & restore HDD; potential for floppy and CD replacement (universality) • Cons – somewhat slower reads (than CD); “expensive”; additional software required; less versatile and less capable than an external hard drive w/ USB 2.0 interface; still “need” DVD

12. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • DVD Drives: • Primary manufacturers – Acer (AOpen/Benq), Creative Labs (Panasonic), LG, Lite-On, Pioneer, Samsung, Toshiba • Read speeds – 4X-16X (1X=1.35MB/s); up to 48X CD • Requires controller and/or playback software • Cost – $50-100 (ATAPI) • Pros – support for DVD movies and games • Cons – read only; extra hardware or software required

13. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • DVD-R/-RAM/+RW Drives: • Primary manufacturers – Hitachi, HP, Panasonic, Pioneer, QPS, Sony, Toshiba (http://www.dvdrw.com/) • Write speeds – 1X-2X (1X = 1.385MB/s); read up to 24X CD; typically 4.7GB storage (to 9.4GB double-sided) • +RW also support CD-RW writing • Requires recording and playback software; cartridges • Cost – $375-$500+ (higher for SCSI models) • Pros – high capacity plus DVD playback • Cons – cost, extra software required

14. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • Combo Drives (CD-RW with DVD-ROM): • Primary manufacturers –Plextor, Samsung, Toshiba • Speeds – varies widely; tends to be substantially lower than best in each class • Requires record (CD-RW) and playback (DVD) software • Cost – $100-250 • Pros – versatility; takes up only one drive bay • Cons – cost; speeds are sub-optimal; extra software required

15. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable-Media Drives(continued) • Other Devices: • Castlewood ORB (2.2 & 5.7GB; ATAPI, int/ext SCSI, USB 1.1); $300 for the 5.7GB, $60/cartridge (direct) • Magneto-Optical – Fujitsu Dynamo (640MB & 1.3GB), Pinnacle Micro (5.2GB), Sony (5.2GB), plus others; cartridge media • Media “Readers” – both read and write to various media types, incl. CompactFlash (CF), SmartMedia (SM), Memory Stick, Secure Digital (SD), Mircodrive, and MultiMediaCard (MMC). Limited by internal transfer rate.

16. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News • Processors • AMD (Computex 2002, Taipei) - announced broad infrastructure support for “K8” (Opteron and next-generation Athlon/ClawHammer) from 35 major players including ALi, ATI, NVIDIA, SiS, and VIA (for chipsets) and ASUSTeK, ESC, FIC, Gigabyte, and MSI (for motherboards). Demo’d 4-way server. Released the first “Thoroughbred” processor – Athlon XP 2200+ (1.8GHz, .13 micron). Basically a die shrink and line extension. No architectural changes.

17. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Processors (continued) • Intel released a 1.4GHz (Socket 370) Celeron and 1.7 and 1.8GHz (Socket 478) Celerons – the latter based on P4 core (.18 micron, 128KB L2, 400MHz FSB). Marks beginning of transition to all 478-pin, P4 core products for value and mainstream desktops. • VIA released a 1.0GHz C3 processor – simple line extension. Several motherboards shown at Computex.

18. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Core Logic (chipsets) • ALi announced the M1687 Northbridge and M1563 Southbridge – support for AMD “K8” (AGP 8X, ATA/133, USB 2.0, 10/100 NIC). Also announced the M1681 Northbridge – P4 with support for DDR400 (PC3200). • ATI announced support for “K8” in RADEON IGP series. • Intel released the 845G and 845GL GMCH (Northbridge with Intel Extreme graphics) – the 845G supports an external AGP port, the 845GL (lite) does not.

19. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Core Logic (chipsets) (continued) • NVIDIA drops plans for nForce 615 and 620 chipsets. Announced support for “K8”. • SiS announced the SiS648 Northbridge – P4 with 533MHz FSB and AGP 8X. • VIA released the P4X333 (VT8754) and P4X266E Northbridges – the P4X333 supports 533MHz FSB, DDR333 (PC2700), AGP 8X, max 32GB RAM; the P4X266E adds 533MHz FSB to the P4X266.

20. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • System RAM • RAMBUS announced RIMM 4200 design – dual-channel support on a single module; uses PC1066 RDRAM; 232-pin modules; requires CT-RIMM (continuity and termination RIMM). • Motherboards • Computex 2002 (Taipei) - “K8” motherboards “shown” by ASUSTeK, ECS, FIC, Gigabyte and MSI. VIA had a supposedly running version in their showroom. AMD had demo systems running for the press. • Intel and other released 845G and 845GL-based boards.

21. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Graphics processors & cards – nothing new • Hard Drives • Serial-ATA interface shown on many new motherboards at Computex. Still no drives released. • Hard Drive Controllers • Serial-ATA controller chips and cards shown at Computex - Highpoint and Promise (xx376); no web announcement. • Other Drives • Lite-On “showed” a 48x24x48 CD-RW at Computex; no web announcement.

22. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Hardware News (continued) • Sound processors & cards – nothing new • Modems & NICs – nothing new • Chassis & power supplies – nothing new

23. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Random Access (Q&A)

24. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG • Recap, Preview, and Close • Recap • Preview • Featured Topic for July 11 – Graphics Processors, Video Cards, and Monitors • Close (please police up the area)