I started using this recently on my computer stuff at home, replacing my old power strip, and now I can easily shut power off completely to my modem, router, speakers, printer and monitor while leaving power to my computer. This cuts down on my ‘vampire’ power usage while not being a hastle at all. I was previously unplugging my power strip from the wall at night (since the strip isn’t easy to reach), but this is so much easier. This way, I can also keep power to my computer in the event I need to have it automatically boot up in the morning.

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Awesome Power Strip For Energy Conservation

Yes and yes.

Enter the booksize PC format.

These PCs are called as such because they are similar to the size of hardcover printed books. And they start at just under $130.

Pros:

• Cheap.
• Small, easy setup.
• Integrated processor or house an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU or AMD Phenom (the ones that can house the higher-end processors cost around $200).
• Makes for an excellent media center computer.

Cons:

• These are "barebone" PCs, meaning you have to put in the extra parts such as RAM, hard drive, and possibly the processor depending on which unit you get. However bear in mind you don’t have to build anything. Just add parts and go.
• Only has a single memory slot (most can support a maximum of 2GB RAM, some support dual-channel).
• You do have to install the OS. If not Linux you have to buy a license of Windows.
• Size does limit what you can do on the inside with it. And yes it’s cramped.

Said honestly I’m glad the booksize style exists. It’s nice that there’s something out there that’s cheap, can be customized with hardware, stylish and moreover serves a legitimate purpose. As I noted above, a pro is that this is a perfect fit for a media center computer box. And let’s not forget that for such a task you can make it fast (a multi-core CPU with 2GB of RAM in a media center box is a really good combination that ensures very smooth operation).

Bear in mind that if you buy one with an integrated processor and use Linux, the total cost new could be a low as $150!

Not bad. Not bad a’tall.

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Booksize PC = Good Cheap Alternative Computing

So, why does your choice of power supply matter so much when building your rig?

Despite the sensitive voltage and current regulator circuitry on most motherboards; generally adjacent to the processor (CPU) or memory (RAM) itself, the supply of power to the motherboard with respect to these components needs to be as near spot-on as possible. If your power supply unit (PSU) has trouble delivering that then strange things start to happen.

Your computer may start acting strangely or even produce repeated stop errors or blue screens of death. (BSOD) The event logs may record these as being due to memory errors, and probably correctly so, but the memory errors could be being caused by an insubstantial power supply to the RAM and/or CPU.

Why would this occur? There are a number of reasons that this may happen. The most obvious being that the PSU is wearing out and needs replacing.

Power supplies, like most other computer components, don’t last forever. How long they actually do last can depend upon the quality of the unit as well as the demands being made of it. A cheap and nasty supply may not be capable of delivering its stated wattage. If you’re loading it heavily by running a lot of hardware, it may actually produce a significant voltage drop across its output due to the high load. In fact, Computer Shopper magazine tested a number of different makes and models of power supplies for reliability during 2007 ( – And tested PSUs again during 2008.). One of the tests was to run the PSU under test at full load to see if it could deliver the wattage stated on the tin. Not many of the thirty or so PSUs under test could actually do so, although over half came near to the mark, supplying only a few tens of watts less than claimed. The cheapest PSUs were undoubtedly the worst in this test; with the cheapest PSU actually failing totally with a 500 Watt load, and another of the cheapest models literally blowing up in a self-detonation!

Straining a power supply results in heat building up within its components, as does the act of simply running it. I’ll rephrase that: Heat builds up within a power supply when it is being used, and straining a supply causes excessive heat to build up in its components. Heat is an electronic component’s enemy. It causes chemical changes within the component’s chemical structure which causes the individual components to become less effective. Overloading a supply will wear it out much quicker. Bearing in mind that many PSUs are unable to actually supply their stated Wattage, your PSU may be overloaded without you actually realizing it, especially if you’ve added new hardware such as an SLI graphics-card or similar.

Even if the above is not the case, power supplies don’t last forever. If you’re experiencing random frequent crashes it could be that the power supply requires replacement. (It could also be due to a phenomenon known as “capacitor plague“.)

Power supplies aren’t immune to power surges from the electricity grid, either. A large voltage spike, or even a brownout, where the mains voltage drops and fluctuates wildly, can in rare cases damage them – as well as, more likely, your other hardware. That’s why it’s always a sensible idea to run your mains power through at least a surge-protector, or better still a UPS, before connecting it to your system.

Finally, if you’re building your own computer or replacing the PSU in your existing box, then my advice to you is to calculate the combined wattage used by all your hardware, and buy a power-supply unit that’s rated around 100 watts greater than that figure. That way, providing you don’t buy the cheapest PSU available, you should have a certain amount of wattage to spare if your computer’s components require extra power at any point.

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Why Your Power Supply Choice Is So Important

The idea here is (as I understand it) the fan only uses 7 volts of power instead of the usual 12, which in turn causes fewer RPMs which causes the fan to run quieter. Of course the lower RPMs will lead to slightly less air flow.

From what I have read about this, it appears to be safe for your power supply, but you must make sure you do not plug any other components into this modified plug! The only ’side effect’ I have read about is either the fan does not work on only 7 volts or the fan does kind of an off and on spurt.

Has anyone tried this? If so, post your experience.

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Silence Your Fans With The ‘7 Volt Trick’

Item number 4 seems to be the most attractive option of all the models available, but would run you $300:

This foldable charger is small enough to fit in most backpacks and laptop bags, and powerful enough to juice up your laptop, PDA, GPS and more; it’ll even power up rechargable batteries.

Whereas the the more economical model number 1 would only cost $20-50 and could charge all your small gadgets.

Obviously the great thing about any one of the solar chargers is you are not bound to a wall plug and the prices are very reasonably priced considering once you have one, you can easily recoup the cost in the power you save.

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Portable Solar Power Chargers

Well, give your overclocked PC a power reducing tune-up with the help of this Tech ARP article titled “Reducing The Power Consumption Of Overclocked PCs“. From what I gathered in the article, the steps which decrease power usage have no noticable impact on the performance of your overclocked PC, so you have nothing to lose… except some power consumption.

After all, if you are overclocking, you probably like to tweak… this helps you make more tweaks to save some cash to apply to your next project.

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Reducing Power Usage On Overclocked PC’s

For example, last week I noticed my power strip was right next to the edge of my desk on the floor. This is fine, but I constantly keep either water or coffee on the same side of the desk. If I were to spill something (knock on wood), there is a very good chance that liquid could end up in the power strip and easily seep into the empty slots and short it out.

Depending on the power strip you have, a short may or may not damage your equipment. Many power strips have built in slides which will cover empty plugs, but it is best to make sure your power strip is far away from anything that can spill. It doesn’t need to be waterproof, but good positioning might help avoid a disaster and a fire hazard.

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Empty Power Strip Plugs

1. Power points

When purchasing a UPS, make sure the power rating is right for your equipment. If you buy one that is rated too low, you might run out of juice before you can power down. Most UPS devices are designed to provide 10 minutes of power. When selecting a UPS, you need to look at the VA rating — or amps multiplied by voltage (120v). The amp rating should be listed on your computer. Add up the VA ratings of everything you will connect to the UPS, then purchase a UPS with a VA rating 20-25% higher. If you are a home PC user, look for a UPS with a 500-700 VA rating.

2. Backup time

Don’t expect your UPS to keep your PC running all day. Most UPSes are engineered to provide you a backup time of around 10 to 20 minutes. What they essentially do is save your work when there is a power outage and avoid an abrupt shutdown that could mess up your computer settings. Choose the UPS that meets your backup time demands.

3. Other features of a UPS

When you are buying a UPS, ask the vendor about more features than just power. This will help you in finding the UPS which has that one additional option that will help you in your buying decision. Of course, the best feature is Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) which isolates your PC from voltage fluctuations that lead to computer disturbances. A UPS with AVR conditions the incoming power before being fed to the PC’s Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS). Most UPSes also automatically initiate a scheduled shutdown sequence when the power is lost, after saving your work, to prevent damage to the computer hardware.

4. Warranty

Obtain a guarantee before buying a UPS. Undue delays in replacements can affect business. Some vendors offer onsite warranties, where they replace the batteries at your place. If you are planning to use the UPS at work, go for a longer warranty term.

5. Don’t compare SMPS and UPS rating

Even if the SMPS carries a high rating, your UPS needn’t be competitive. A 600 VA rating on a UPS should be fine for most systems. So don’t go on a VA shopping frenzy. Relax.

6. Battery replacement

The general rule is three years. But if you are experiencing low backup times more frequently, you could get the battery replaced immediately if it’s under warranty. If you are facing no problems, expect your battery to work for three years. Its advisable to buy replacement battery cartridges while you are buying the UPS. These cartridges will breathe new life into UPS systems suffering from expired or weak internal batteries. They cost about $30.

7. Power up

Contrary to the myth, its perfectly fine to leave the main switch on even when you are no longer working and the computer is shut down. However, its best to pair your UPS with a voltage stabilizer for additional safety.

8. Software reports

The software provided with the UPS is not always accurate with its reports. So don’t listen to it when it says your battery needs to be replaced even though you’ve never experienced low backup times. These faulty reports shouldn’t worry you because they may be trying to get you to purchase the company’s product more frequently (a common problem with print cartridges.) The software is good at its essential function of shutting down the PC properly and saving your work, but you may be the best option to determine whether its time to change the battery.

9. Usage tips and tricks

Do not overload the UPS by, for example, connecting external devices like the printer, scanner and the fax machine. NEVER plug a printer into the battery backup system. To optimize the charge of your batteries, you should discharge them completely at least once a month. And lastly, make sure the UPS is properly grounded all the time to prevent any electrical disasters.

10. Compare the prices

Standby UPSs are available in the range of 300VA to 500VA for office use, and up to 2KVA to 3KVA for workstations and large servers. Inexpensive standby UPSs ranging in price from $50 to $125 are used by millions of users of personal computers all over the world. Some of them include brands like Belkin, American Power Conversion (APC), Cyber Power, Data Shield, EFI, NCR, SAFE, Pacific Power, Sola and UP Sonic.

Conclusion

Remember, there are two kinds of UPS systems. The Standby Power System (SPS) and Online UPS System. If you are a home user, go for the relatively cheaper SPS. The price of an online UPS is three to five times that of a standby UPS with the same power rating. For servers, buy an online UPS (online means outgoing power is always drawn from the battery). Expect to pay between $150 and $1,000 for an online UPS. The higher the VA rating, the more you’ll pay. You might also want to consider buying one with advanced-battery features. These features include intelligent-battery management, battery-replacement indicator, and hot-swappable user-replaceable batteries.
UPS is the easiest way to protect your hardware and data. Many people think a surge protector suffices (an electrical device which includes a fuse which does not allow a power surge to harm sensitive devices such as computers), but actually they only offer limited protection against power spikes. For a better and more thorough protection, you need a UPS. It isn’t intended to power you through a blackout though. For that, you would need a generator. Rather, a UPS will let you save your work and power down safely.

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Tips for Buying a UPS

The idea of moving a computer into the living room is not a new one.  Video-out, surround sound, and DVD drives make the PC a versatile multimedia component, and this did not go overlooked by tech savvy users.  Adventurous case modders turned old stereo equipment into computer cases, while manufacturers released a variety of colored enclosures to meet this emerging market segment. 

My first attempt at home theater PC was a simple black ATX case that was concealed inside my entertainment center.  While this setup worked, it was not the cleanest solution to the problem, and in the end it still looked like a PC in the entertainment center.  I had seen case mods that converted stereo equipment into PC enclosures, but for a guy with a full time job, family, and no Dremel skills, this was not an option.

Antec’s Overture Piano Black Quiet Media Case is part of the Lifestyles Series, and has been designed to integrate perfectly into a home theater system, providing PC enthusiasts with an off-the-shelf solution for that multimedia PC project.  Using a sleek black desktop design, the Overture combines Antec’s superb build quality, full-size ATX capability, and a noise reducing features, resulting in a PC enclosure that blends into the home theater system or living room.  The specs for this case read pretty much like any other ATX case on the market, but as you will see, the Overture is far from average.

Features:
TruePower 380Watt ATX12V power supply features a single-fan design for ultra-quiet operation.
Front mounted USB & IEEE1394 (FireWire) ports
Front Audio ports
7 Drive Bays:
- 2 x 5.25″ external drive bays
- 2 x 3.5″ external drive bays
- 3 x 3.5″ internal drive bays with rubber grommets to absorb hard drive vibrations
Motherboards: Standard ATX

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Antec Overture Case

You\’ve seen plexiglas windows on modified computer cases, right? They add a \”custom\” look to any computer. Many people assume that cutting a big hole in the side of their case is too tough of a job and may not be worth the time and effort. While it\’s not as simple as adding a stick of memory, it\’s not as hard as you may think. There are many different kits for sale on the internet that allow you to add a clean looking plexiglas window to the side of your computer case. This one, supplied by Coolerguys, retails for $22.95 and includes everything you will need, except for the tools.

Coolerguys claim that theirs is the best window kit available.  They state, \”each piece of acrylic is cut with a laser for a perfect fit every time. We use the best acrylic we can find. No hard gaskets to install. Just cut and bolt on with machined thumb screws.\”

Now, let\’s take a look at how this critter is installed!

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Case Mod (Plexiglas Window Installation)