When I received an offer to review the Edifier E3350 speakers, my first thought was – who the hell is Edifier? I took a look at the spec sheet that I was provided and was initially impressed with the unique look of the speakers, and also found it interesting that they won an award at CES this year, the CES Innovations 2008 Design and Engineering Awards Honor. I decided to take them up on their review offer, and I was certainly intrigued by the results. These speakers offer a Bose-quality sound at a Creative and Logitech-level price. Yes – I did just compare these on the same level as Bose. Soon, you’ll see why.

Speaker Specifications

The Edifier E3350 is a 2.1 speaker system with the following technical specs:

• Power Output: RMS 32W + 9W x 2 (THD=10%)
• Signal to Noise Ratio:>=85dBA
• Distortion:<=0.5% THD
• Input Impedance: 10K Ohm
• Input Sensitivity: Satellites—550+/-50mV; Subwoofer—200+/-50mV
• Frequency Response: R/L: 130Hz - 20kHz SW: 30Hz - 130Hz
• Bass Unit: 5 inch driver, magnetically shielded, 5Ohm
• Satellite Unit: 2.75 inch oval shaped driver,4 Ohm and 3/4 inch PV dome tweeter, magnetically shielded, 4Ohm
• Dimension: Subwoofer — 248 x199 x 294mm (W X H X D)
• Satellite — 96 x 234 x 118mm (W x H x D)
• Gross Weight: approximately 5 kg
• Power Input: 100V-240V wide range AC power adapter,18V

Initial Impressions and Tests

When I opened the box for the first time and was able to see the speakers, my first thought was, “These look pretty sweet.” I hope by the picture below you can see what I am talking about. The design is definitely unique compared to the typical box-like speakers you will find from many companies – it is somewhat hard to describe exactly why these look cool, but they just do. There are no straight edges anywhere on the speakers or the subwoofer, which are all three shaped like pyramids, and they feature a slick-looking plastic top. The subwoofer is neat in that it fires downward instead of outward, allowing them to play with the design a bit.

My first instinct when it comes to testing speakers is to plug them in, turn the volume as high as it will go, and play the THX trailer on them. I have done this on several different speaker systems, including 5.1 speakers, so I am accustomed to how most systems sound. I played the trailer called “Cavalcade.” I can not tell you how blown away (quite literally) I was by the beautiful quality of sound that blasted out of these little speakers. Not only was it extremely loud, but the pitches were produced perfectly, without the slightest hint of distortion or stress that you get from many speakers when cranked up all the way. These speakers are definitely impressive.

Sound Quality

For testing sound quality, I used several different types of music that would test the different sound ranges, from the very lowest to the very highest pitch possible. My first test was the THX trailer Cavalcade, but after that, I ran it through about everything on my playlist – including these specific songs:

Star Wars Episode II Soundtrack – Love Pledge, The Arena
John Williams

Overture to Candide
Leonard Bernstein

If Everyone Cared
Nickleback

Superman Kryptonite
3 Doors Down

I tried to play a little of everything so I could hear the speaker’s response to a variety of tones and chords. Overture to Candide is probably the best all-purpose tester because it has everything from a very brassy low sound to an extremely high piccolo part. The balance of bass (which is adjustable) does not overpower the mid-range or high-range sound of the speakers – even when the subwoofer is turned all the way up.

Conclusion

Ratings (1 = lowest, 10 = highest)

To conclude this review, let me tell you something: if you are looking for speakers and have about $100 to spend, buy these speakers. I’m not getting paid to say that, nor was I asked to even give a positive review – these speakers just kick ass, period.

You can visit their website at http://www.edifier.ca/

Video editing is taking the world by storm. Everywhere you look, you see videos made by average people. If you just bought a DV camcorder and want to show the world or your family what it’s seeing, you need video editing software. It’s possible some software was included with the camcorder, but you might want to take a look at the options before jumping in.

This overview is discusses the best options under $100, including some free software that could prove very useful even if you decide to buy other software.

Video Editing Definitions

Before we get into the software discussion, it’s best to go over some definitions of terms you’ll come across later in this article.

Effect - Something that changes the video in some way. This could be moving the video, changing colors, blurring, fading, or something else.

Transition - An effect that determines how one video/picture/title transitions to the next. This might involve the first video fading, sliding, exploding, or anything else.

Opacity - Translucency/transparency. When you can see an object and can see through that object, it has less than 100% opacity. Opacity defines how visible a layer is.

Keyframing - A feature that allows adjustment of an effect or movement over time. For instance, you might have a black-and-white effect on your color film. Keyframing allows you to transition smoothly back and forth between color and black-and-white. If you can keyframe opacity, then you adjust the layer’s visibility over time.

Chromakeying - Keys transparency to a color. This is used for shots of someone in front of a green or blue screen and then layering that video on top of a picture or another video. Most home users won’t need the feature.

High Definition (HD) Video - DV AVI is 720×480, which is 480p and is the same as DVD quality. HD video can be as high as 1980×1080, or 1080p.

Totally Free Video Editing Software

Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is surprisingly good. I tried it after giving Pinnacle Studio Quickstart and Cyberlink PowerDirector a whirl, and I was amazed at how well Windows Movie Maker stacked up to those two. Microsoft is definitely on the right track with Movie Maker. The coolest thing about Movie Maker is that it uses XML to define effects and transitions, and there are a lot of really cool and powerful customizations you can do by editing those XML files. Take a look at the links below for more info.

However, there are two major problems with Movie Maker. The first is that styling and moving Titles over the video is terrible. There’s almost nothing you can do with titles… you’ll hardly want to use them if you use Movie Maker. My guess is that this will improve in the next version, whenever that is.

The second problem is that all of the output formats (except one) are WMV formats. That’s a bad thing because a number of other softwares and systems cannot import or play WMV files. For instance, virtualdub cannot import WMV to convert it to a different format. Fortunately, there is a workaround because the one non-WMV output is DV AVI, which is a very high quality format (the same as used on DV camcorders). With some adjustment (described in the links below), the DV AVI file can be imported into virtualdub or any program that can import DV AVI files and converted to any format you desire, be it quicktime, DivX, MPEG2, or something else. Unfortunately, because Microsoft controls the WMV format, they are likely to make this even more restrictive in the future.

I also fought numerous crashes when testing Movie Maker 2. I eventually decided it wasn’t worth the headaches (Titles, DV AVI conversion, and extra work with XML to create what other programs can do with a GUI interface), so I kept looking.

Links

• Convert DV AVI to DVD MPEG2 - http://users.tpg.com.au/mtam/guide_wmm2.htm


• Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Tutorials - http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/Tutorials/Index.aspx


• Create Custom Effects/Transitions - http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnwmt/html/moviemakersfx.asp

Wax / WinMorph

There are several free Windows video editors you can download. Wax is the only one I found that was remotely usable. Wax is based on the interface used for professional video editing apps and allows for an arbitrary number of effects, videos, pictures, and audio tracks to be played at one time. Wax also supports video opacity, keyframing, and chromakeying, which are rare features even for $100 software.

Wax is unique in offering a number of 3D text effects. It also has some support for importing 3D models. Unfortunately, its 2D Title controls are non-existent. The only way to do any decent 2D titles is to use an image editor to make the text look like you want and then save it as a PNG and import into Wax. The more video and effects I threw at Wax, the slower and more painful previewing was. It also crashed a number of times.

Wax is probably best considered a video compositing app for mixing video together rather than a true video editor. It can do things that none of the other software mentioned here can do so it’s worth having around in those moments you want to do something that only it can do. Also, WinMorph and Wink are very useful applications in their own right. They are worth having in your video editing toolbox.

http://www.debugmode.com/

Other Free software and utilities

• VirtualDub - http://www.virtualdub.org/
  
  
  
  • VirtualDub is the video utility to have. The more you work with video, the more you’ll find yourself using it for one task or another.


• WinDv - http://windv.mourek.cz/
  
  
  
  • WinDv is a free app for capturing video from a DV digital video camera. It can come in handy from time to time, and it supports buffered capturing for no dropped frames.


• Audacity (Windows/Linux/Mac) - http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
  
  
  
  • Audacity is an audio application for recording, mixing, and adding effects to audio. Because most of these video applications have pretty minimal audio features, it is nice to have around.


• Avid FreeDV (Windows/Mac) - http://www.avid.com/freedv/
  
  
  
  • Free, limited version of the $700 Avid DV application. The biggest downsides are limited export formats and limited effects/transitions. It would be tough to use as a primary editing application.


• Cinelerra (Linux) - http://heroinewarrior.com/cinelerra.php3
  
  
  
  • Editing application for Linux. It looks rather nice, but I didn’t test it.


• Jahshaka Effects (Windows/Linux) - http://www.jahshaka.org/
  
  
  
  • Exceptionally powerful effects software. The problem is that it is just as hard to use as it is powerful. It is also pretty unstable. Jahshaka is included here because there is no other free or cheap software like it.

Dealing with end-users or simply beginners is not always a pleasant and easy experience for some techs. I personally sometimes get irritated when I have to explain for a thousandth time a simple concept I have already clarified in layman’s terms a day or two ago. While I was working in Technical Support where dealt with users all the time, one of the intricacies of helping people over the phone or via e-mail was the lack of picture–if only I could show them what I wanted, or see what was on their screen, then it would have been much easier to find the problem and solve it. Lack of picture was also a problem when communicating with my developer colleagues, who were thousands of miles away from the office. And in one of those moments, when we were excitingly discussing a bug that appeared on my machine but the developers did not understand what it was and could not reproduce it on their machines. So, a small movie that captured what appeared on my screen was exactly the solution we needed to understand each other. This wasn’t my first encounter with screencasting but was one of those cases when one sees the practical benefits of a technology that sounds so distant and difficult.

I do not yet consider myself an expert in screencasting. Actually, I have done no more than 5 or 10 short movies and I do not think they will get an Oscar–if there were Oscars for screencasts. Either way, I learned a lot about screencasting, and I am afraid that I am getting addicted to it. And believe me, making a simple screencast is not difficult at all, but it can be so useful and impressive for others! While making a screencast to answer every support ticket is hardly worth the effort, making a couple of screencasts for the most common questions makes sense and pays off in the long-run, especially when 50% of the issues in the tickets are the same.

But maybe it is time to explain what screencasting means. Do not get stressed by the name “screencasting”–although it sounds complex, actually it is very simple. Screencasting (also screen casting or screen captures and varieties) is creating demonstration movies for software (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screencast). The movie is created by recording the screen activity of a piece of software program–either by capturing sequences of screenshots, linking them to each other and (optionally) adding audio narration, or by directly filming the activities onscreen as a continuous movie.

I bet you got scared by the definition and already think that only the equipment for a screencast might be worth thousands of dollars, but in reality you need only special software (and there are some good programs that are free) to make a decent screencast. If you want to add an audio narration, you might need a microphone that is a bit better than some of the cheap ones out there, but most microphones on the market are fine for the purpose. There is a newer trend in screencasting–to add movie frames in addition to screen activity, such as the narrator speaking about what is going on in the screencast. If you decide to try something like this, then you might need a camera, but remember, a screencast is a demonstration movie clip, not a full-length film with people and places in it.

Uses of Screencasting
You might still wonder what the practical benefits of screencasting are and where it can be used. The quick answer is that only your imagination is the limit for the uses of screencasting. The paragraphs above implied one of the many possible uses of screencasting–to create demonstration movies to answer frequent tech support issues. This is hardly the only possible use of screencasting. Since screencasting combines both film and audio to show what is happening on screen, it is an extremely useful medium to communicate knowledge and ideas and can be used for the demonstration of software features, for all kinds of e-learning, for HOW-TOs for a particular program or task, for reporting bugs in software, and more.

The fact that screencasting is gaining popularity is hardly surprising. What’s more, neither screencasting nor the technologies it employs are new. There has been screencasting software (i.e. - Lotus ScreenCam) for more than a decade, not to mention the existence of audio and screen capture techniques that have existed for more than twenty or thirty years. But one of the reasons why screencasting became so popular recently is the fact that due to their size (5, 10, 50MB or more) screencasts could not distributed easily before broadband Internet became commonplace around the globe.

Although I know from the start that any attempt to take a complete list of the possible uses of screencasting without skipping an important use is bound to fail, so I will show you just some of the most common uses of screencasting. This rundown of screencasting basics and a classification list of screencasting “genres”, made by Jon Udell, who is one of the emblematic names of screencasting, goes to show some of the basic popular areas of screencasting:

• Commercial Demos - I am not sure if this is the first or the most common use of screencasts, but certainly it is a major use and one of the reasons why screencasting became so popular. Commercial demonstrations are intended to be shown to a target audience to show what a marvel a given piece of software or a site is. I bet that this is the most expensive type of screencast because when it is part of the sales and marketing campaign of a given company, the quality of the pictures has to be outstanding, and very often, the audio narration is recorded in a studio by professional actors, rather by the user himself.
  


• Tutorials and HOW-TOs - Tutorials and HOW-TOs are an essential use of screencasting–it looks that screencasting was invented just to make it possible to show, in a couple of actions rather than in lengthy paragraphs of text, how to perform a given task. And the possibility to add audio narration to explain exactly what is happening on-screen makes it the perfect tool when you have to repeat a given lecture or a course many times, addressing audiences of hundreds and thousands of people. It is obvious that for e-learning and distance learning screencasting is a really valuable technology.
  


• Instructional Movies - While tutorials and HOW-TOs are generally short (from 5 minutes to half an hour) and concentrate on a particular task only, technology does not limit the size of a screencasts, and it could run the length of a feature film. But there are some guidelines of long screencasts–they must be made into logical smaller sections, otherwise the audience will hardly have the patience to see it at once from start to end. The advantage of full-length instructional movies over tutorials is that in a movie, you can include a broader range of topics in a logical sequence, while the tutorials (even if you number them as Part 1, Part 2, etc.) generally examine only one specific topic, which sometimes may require some prior background knowledge about the topic.
  


• Software Reviews - I don’t think that anybody will dispute the advantage of a screencast over a textual description only, when reviews are concerned. It is so much easier to communicate an idea when you can show the stuff you are reviewing.
  


• Reporting Bugs - Although this stuff is not abundant on the Net, screencasting to record and report bugs is a really valuable tool. As my experience shows, bugs are tricky in two aspects - there are bugs that occur only occasionally and under specific circumstances, and therefore are not always easy to reproduce. And sometimes, even the bug is reproducable but it is hard to fix, developers just find it easier to deny its existence than to fix it. But when one can present a movie with exactly what is happening, then it is visible what is wrong, and if there is a will, there is a way to fix it.

Asides from the computer itself, speakers are undoubtedly one of the most essential peripherals required to fully realize the ‘sonic’ potential of your computer. While generic 2-speaker systems will do it for the average workstation user, those of us who want the perfect audio experience whether it be with games, movies, or music need a good set of speakers. The difference between generic, run-of-the-mill speakers and surround sound speakers is quite noticeable. Even the best recordings will sound boring when played on a poor speaker setup. Teamed up with a good soundcard, speakers can drastically improve your lacklustre MP3’s and games.

A good computer speaker system can run well over $200 CDN, but there are many excellent solutions for buyers on a budget. However, there are certain things to look for, no matter what your price range.

Manufacturer: Although brand names tend to be more expensive than no-name counterparts, they tend to have much better products in terms of sound quality. Reputable companies that manufacture speakers range from the ultra-expensive Klipsch to budget speaker companies such as Labtec. A list of recommended speaker companies will be provided at the end of this guide.

Satellite Quality: ‘Satellite’ is a fancy name given to an individual computer speaker. Speaker satellite quality is a huge factor (besides sound) in any sound system purchase. Chances are, if the satellite is built with cheap and flimsy materials, it’s not worth your time. Consider buying a system with satellites that lean towards to heavy side so they are more stable. However, be careful: some companies put weights in their speakers to make them seem to be a ‘higher quality’ product. Some satellites have slots on them for wall-mounting. Others can come with small stands. Speaker volume control systems are usually located on one of the satellites or a little ‘remote’ that extends from a cable. Controls can vary from volume adjustment to surround volume. Good speaker systems also have a headphone jack located conveniently on one of the satellites. Also, be sure that the satellites are magnetically shielded for use near monitors. If not, you will notice that the picture on your monitor will seem wavy and distorted. In the long run, non-shielded speakers can damage your monitor.

Most professional-type speakers seem to be more of a 2-for-1 deal. If you look closely at them, some satellites have 2 different, smaller, speakers. These are called tweeters and midrange speakers. The smaller tweeter is designed to transmit only high-pitched tones, while the larger midrange provides sound from the middle of the sound spectrum. Not all speaker systems have both a tweeter and a midrange, especially the less-expensive sets. However, most speaker systems use a midrange to fulfill the duties of both a midrange and a tweeter.

Subwoofer Quality: The subwoofer is what produces the low-range sounds of any speaker system. Many cheap sets do not even come with a subwoofer. Subwoofers contain a large speaker that vibrates to create very low tones. The general rule for subwoofers is ‘the bigger the more powerful’. This, however, does not always hold true. A larger subwoofer will enable the speaker inside to generate more resonance, therefore creating a much louder and richer tone. What also matters is the enclosure: wood enclosures generally conduct sound waves better than plastic. Some subs also have a volume control for the sub alone. Most, if not all subwoofers also have a host of outlets where the satellites are plugged in. Ensure that the outlets are easily accessible.

System Wattage: System wattage is where many companies choose to exaggerate the capabilities of their speaker systems. The wattage is basically a relation of how loud and powerful the speakers can get. Generally, the higher the wattage the louder the speakers can go without blowing out. Also, the tones will not sound as ‘tinny’ with more powerful systems. However, there are usually two wattage ratings provided: normal (peak output under perfect conditions) and RMS (Root Mean Square). Note that the RMS wattage is always lower than the advertised ‘normal’ wattage. RMS wattage is what to consider when buying speakers, as it measures how much power the speakers can safely handle for long periods of time.

Expect individual satellites to have a rating of around 3-10 watts. Although this may seem like very little, five 3 watt speakers can generate a lot of noise! If purchasing a surround sound system, then the center speaker generally is more powerful than the left and right satellites.

The majority of your speaker system’s wattage will be produced by the subwoofer. This is because the sub requires large amounts of energy to produce low tones. Also, bass tones make music sound more full and deep, so more power is required to make those tones noticeable.

Wiring/Connections: The wires that are used to attach your speaker system to your computer are very important. They carry the electronic signals that tell the speakers how to vibrate and produce sound, so if the quality of the wires is low, the sound can suffer. Heavy-duty speaker wires are always a plus, as they are more resistant to damage and stretching. Also consider length when you are purchasing your set. If the wires are relatively short, you might not be able to place your satellites where you want to.

The plugs that connect the speakers to the subwoofer and the computer should be high quality to ensure the best transfer of signals. They should be colour coded to aid with installation.

The plugs that connect to your sound card are usually analog plugs, meaning that for a 5.1 speaker system, for example, you would connect three plugs, for front, back, and center. Some high-end systems use digital plugs, meaning that only one plug is required. Make sure you have a compatible sound card for this feature.

Some higher-quality speaker systems come with adapters so that you can use your set with video game consoles and portable audio players. Although not necessary, if you plan on using your speaker system for something else other than computer audio, it may save you some money.

THX: Some very expensive speaker sets are THX-certified. THX-certified speaker sets are the cream of the crop, as they are engineered to deliver the best possible sound. They have a minimum amount of distortion and very clear sound. To fully utilize your THX speakers, you should have a THX-certified sound card as well.

Types of Speaker Systems: There are many types of speaker systems ranging from simple stereo speakers to overwhelming 7.1 audio sets. Speaker sets are usually classified by two numbers with a period in between. The first number represents the number of satellites and the second the number of subwoofers. If you want quality sound, you should at least settle on purchasing a 2.1 system. The most common types of systems are 2.1 and 5.1. For most gamers and movie-watchers, a 5.1 system is best, as it is surround-sound capable depending on the sound card. 5.1 systems can provide positional audio (being able to hear things from different directions), while 2.1 systems can only provide simple stereo. As most mp3s are stereo encoded, a 2.1 system is sufficient for music lovers. Still, 5.1 systems can simulate surround sound by extending the stereo mix onto the left-rear, right-rear, and centre channels. However, 5.1s really shine in games and movies, where you can take advantage of hardware surround sound.

Other speaker setups include 4.1 (5.1s without the center channel/speaker), 6.1, and 7.1. The 6.1 and 7.1 systems are generally quite expensive but impractical. With speakers that are supposed to be placed behind the listener, it would be hard to find a place for them. Most people simply use a desk that is in front of them, not surrounding them. Also, not many sound cards are capable of supporting 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound. The newer sound cards are able to, however, so the decision rests on you. The only real advantage of have a 6.1 or 7.1 system would be for hardcore gamers or audiophiles.

Sound: The ultimate deciding factor in your speaker purchase is obviously how they sound. Many reputable stores provide floor models that allow you to listen to samples of music. The more expensive systems tend to generate better, clearer sound. Still, the decision is up to you. The price doesn’t necessarily dictate the sound quality.

What to listen for:

• Be sure that the highs produced by the speakers do not sound overly ‘tinny’, weak, or distorted.


• Midrange should sound clear and pronounced, never distorted.


• Lows should be generated exclusively by the subwoofer. If you hear the satellites trying to do the subwoofer’s job, then the manufacturer is probably trying to compensate for a weak subwoofer.


• All sounds should intertwine properly with nothing overpowering the other. If you find the highs are too piercing or midrange too loud, then consider something else.


• If possible, try out the speakers with different types of audio. This allows you to experience a wide range of sounds and make a better judgement.

Recommended Manufacturers:
Altec Lansing – Makes middle-of-the range speaker systems. Very good quality.
Creative – Makes higher-end speaker systems.
Klipsch – Professional audio company; manufactures superb speaker systems. Expensive.
Labtec – Budget speaker company, not much selection but great for the budget buyer.
Logitech – Makes mid-to-high-end speaker systems. Some of their higher end speaker systems are comparable to Klipsch’s but are almost as expensive.

Like most everything in the PC industry, the choices are no longer cut and dry. We have different capabilities on each card, as well as interface differences. All of this will be discussed in this section.

From ISA to PCI

If you head on over to the computer store in your area to buy a sound card, you will find that there are now numerous PCI versions available. Why? Well, the ISA bus is old, and the bandwidth is rather limited. A stereo-CD data stream can be 1.4 Mbps, a large demand for the ISA bus. The PCI bus, on the other hand, offers a 100-MBps bandwidth or higher. Several simultaneous sound channels are no problem for the PCI bus.

There are other benefits to PCI. The PCI bus allows cooperative signal processing, which means that tasks can be shared between the main system processor and a separate audio processor on the sound card. This means that the audio signals are free of interference from other tasks.

One pitfall of the PCI bus arises out of older DOS applications. Legacy DOS applications are designed so that they require a DMA and IRQ to move audio data from the main system memory. This means they use Sound Blaster compatible protocols. These are only features of the ISA bus, not PCI. For this reason, there is a risk that older DOS games will not run with PCI sound cards.

There are workarounds for this ISA-PCI problem in DOS. Using special hardware, it is possible to redirect the PCI interrupts into the legacy space, in effect making them ISA IRQ’s. The DMA requirement for DOS is being handled by enhancements to the PCI bus protocol. The total effect is to provide DOS support for PCI sound cards.

So, lets sum up the pros and cons:

ISA




Pros
Low cost
Proven reliability
Sound Blaster compatible


Cons
Low bandwidth
Uses up IRQ’s and DMA’s.
Limited to 85-dB signal to noise ratio

PCI

Pros
Higher bandwidth allows better audio effects, i.e. positional audio
Requires less resources
Allows 90-dB of higher signal to noise ratio

Cons
Higher cost
Sound Blaster compatibility must be done via a workaround.

You will need to install software with your sound card. This installation process will make changes to your Autoexec.Bat, Config.sys, and Win.ini files. So, to be safe, you may want to make backup copies of these files.

Lastly, make sure you have enough hard drive space to hold all the various files that come with the sound card. The manual will tell you just how much space you need. The newer sound cards are bundled with lots of software, and sometimes, it is installed automatically whether you like it or not.

1. As in all other installations, turn the system off, unplug it, and take the case cover off.


2. Now find a spare slot for the board on your motherboard. Some boards require an ISA slot, while many newer ones use a PCI slot. If you plan on upgrading your sound card later with an optional daughterboard, such as with the Sound Blaster Live, make sure you choose a slot with room around it for it.


3. After choosing the slot, remove the slot insert corresponding to this slot from the back of the computer case. Save the screw.


4. Take the board out of its static proof bag. Handle the card by its edges to minimize static buildup. Line the card’s connectors up with the motherboard’s slot, then push it into the slot, just as you would any other expansion card. If you have trouble pushing it in, try inserting one side of the card, then rocking the rest of it into place. The little gold pins on the sound card’s connector should almost disappear into the slot. Don’t force anything.


5. Using the screw you saved above, fasten the card into place. The card should be in place correctly before use of the screw. Don’t use the screw to force the card into place.


6. Next, connect the sound cable, usually gray, from your CD-ROM’s audio connector to the CD-IN connector on the sound card. Some cards also have a connector for Digital. Use this if you have to.


7. Make any other connections needed for your computer, such as connection to an MPEG decoder card for DVD or possibly a TV card.


8. Connect the speakers to the back plate of the sound card.


9. Turn the computer on. When Windows boots it should automatically detect the card and ask for drivers. Follow the Windows prompts and the instructions in the manual. Every card’s software is a bit different, so I can’t really walk you through it here.


10. When complete, your computer should welcome you with some sound effects. Hopefully, it didn’t blow you out of your chair. If you get absolutely no sound, first make sure the volume settings are adjusted correctly, on the speakers, and in the Windows Volume Control.  Also make sure that the wire going to the speakers is plugged into the Line-Out jack.

Read the drive’s manual to familiarize yourself with what you’re about to do. Any installation techniques particular to your drive will be in the manual. This page serves only as a general outline.

Also, just a reminder to remember to rid yourself of all static electricity before messing around with your computer. Just touch the case, or some other metal piece of furniture.

OK, lets get to it.

1. Make sure the computer is turned off. Unplug it and disconnect it from the wall outlet.


2. Remove the cover from the drive bay you want to install the drive into. This is done by taking the case cover off and pushing the little tabs that hold the bay cover in toward the center of the computer so that they are no longer holding it. Next, remove the drive from the wrapper. 


3. Adjust the jumpers on the back of the drive according to the manual. Most drives come with the most common setup already configured with the jumpers, but you may want to doublecheck, or change the settings for your situation.


4. Now slide the drive into the vacant drive bay. You may need to move other cables out of the way, but don’t disconnect them.


5. Now that you have the drive in, you need to hook the cables to it. It may be easier to do this now before actually screwing the drive into place. In cramped cases, you may not have much room to work once the drive is in. First hook the DC power to it from the power supply. Then connect the ribbon cable and audio cables to the drive. These cables are usually supplied with the drive. Make sure your ribbon cable has the red edge aligned with Pin 1 on the drive. Usually, there is a little map of pins printed on the drive which shows which pin is Pin 1.


6. Next, connect the other end of the ribbon cable to one of your IDE controllers, either on the motherboard, or on a separate interface card. Usually, people connect the cable to IDE2 on the motherboard and have the drive configured as master. This might vary, though, depending on your situation.


7. If you had to use a separate interface card, install it now. Save the screw, use it to fasten the interface card after you have installed it. In most cases, you will not need a separate IDE card, but instead will just use the one on the motherboard.


8. Next, install the audio cable that runs from the drive’s audio-out to the CD-IN connector on your sound card. This connector is usually well-labeled. Most consist of a series of pins, usually four. Some, such as the AWE64, require you to plug the cable into a port-like connector that is mounted sideways.


9. Your drive is pretty much installed now. Turn on your system with the case off in case you need to do anything else.


10. Now all you have to do is install the drivers.  Windows 98, 2000 and XP should take care of this step automatically.  If you’re using a different Operating System, use the drivers on the diskettes that came with the drive if drivers are not automatically installed.


11. If its working, you’re done. If not, doublecheck all your work before contacting tech support. Are all cables on tight? Is the software installed correctly? Are all the settings correct on the drive and the board? Do you have the settings correct for that particular IDE channel in your BIOS?

The DVD acronym is a little vague. Some call it Digital Video Disk while other call it Digital Versatile Disk. It doesn’t really matter, though. It is indeed the next step beyond CD-ROM. Each disk can hold anywhere from 4.7GB to 17GB! A standard CD can hold only 650MB. While this is good, DVD also plays a big role in bringing the computer to the level of the TV. Many movies are now distributed on DVD-ROM. These movies often allow the user to select custom camera angles or view it in different languages.

The CD was a major innovation to the world of the PC. It caught on quickly because it was cheap to make and could hold quite a lot of data, especially when you consider the fact that the next best alternative for mass-distribution of software was the floppy disk. It would take 450 floppy disks to equal the capacity of a CD-ROM. But, believe it or not, the CD-ROM itself began to pose limitations for users. Data-intensive applications saw capacity issues with only 650 MB of available space. This is where DVD comes in. DVD stands for digital versatile disc. The “versatile” comes from the fact that it can hold data as well as sound and video. This is not very telling, seeing as CD-ROM can do this, too. But, however you determine to name it, DVD significantly increases capacities, with double-sided, double-density DVD discs able to hold up to 17 GB of data.

DVD is more common as a platform to distributing movies than it is as a computer data medium. Hollywood has played a major part in the rapid boom of DVD in this arena. While there is computer software distributed on DVD, it is rare when compared to CD-ROMs. Usually, only niche software that requires lots of space comes on DVD. Some programs that used to span several CD-ROMs (encyclopedias, for example) are good candidates for DVD distribution.

Movie Distribution = Code Protection

As we all know from the war of RIAA against the likes of Napster, artist groups take protection of their works very seriously. This is no different when it comes to movies, and obviously, distributing movies on DVD makes the desire of the motion picture industry to protect those movies all that much stronger. There are severals ways to go about doing this.

• Region Code Control - Hollywood studios often release movies at different times in different areas of the world. So, the industry wanted to be able to implement regional control on DVDs so that they could maintain control over timing. Each DVD player is given a code to correspond to the region in which it is sold. That code must correspond with the regional code on the DVD, or it won’t play. Region codes are optional and if a DVD has no such codes, it will play on any player.


• Macrovision 7 - This is a proprietary protection spec that takes advantage of the non-displayed portion of the video signal to prevent copying. The portion of the signal in question is that which controls the automatic gain control or a recording deck, so copying a movie with such protection would result in a blacked-out video that is not watchable.


• Content Scrambling System - Uses a method of encryption/decryption using keys to decrypt content.


• Digital Video Express (DIVX) - DIVX is like big brother, if you ask me. It is a proprietary encoding scheme that requires a special DIVX player which includes a dial-up connection to a DIVX online service. DIVX discs were cheaper than regular DVDs, but when you played it for the first time, you had 48 hours to watch it until the player disabled the disc and did not allow you to watch it. It also registers the disc with the online service, and disconnecting the player from the connection will disable the player until it is re-connected. If you wanted to view the movie again, you had to purchase additional viewing time. You could also purchase the whole disc and it would unlock. DIVX drives are more expensive than regular ones, and they were plagued with compatibility issues.

CDs are coated with aluminum to reflect light and imprinted with a series of pits and flat areas. Reading these pits or flats denote 0’s or 1’s, the building blocks of binary language which the computer uses. A thin laser beam reads the pits or the flats while the disk is spinning. Light reflects from the flat surfaces, not the pits. So a photo detector reads what is reflected and sends the 0’s and 1’s to the CPU. This is simply binary code, and is how the CPU interprets data.

CD-ROM drives come in many styles. They are both external and internal. They also come in different speeds. The speed is denoted in terms of how much faster it is than a standard audio CD player. Therefore a 2X drive is twice the speed of your stereo’s CD player, and so on. Technology has advanced quite a bit. Today, 24X, 32X all the way up to near 50X is quite common. Another choice is what interface you want. CD-ROM drives come in IDE, SCSI, or other proprietary interfaces, such as that of Creative’s original multimedia kit. Most drives are IDE, and that is the easiest type to install.

CD-ROM drives are included in just about every PC on the market today. They are pretty simple at the end-user level, but there is a lot more to know about CD-ROM drives than most users care to know. This article will cover some of these things, including how they work, the different types, etc.

CD-ROM Media

CDs have become more broadly used than floppy diskettes. With this, CDs themselves have to be a medium that can be mass produced. This is done today by stamping a pattern of pits and landings (discussed later) into the polycarbonate disc, called a substrate. Stamping can be done quite fast, and CD printers have complex machines that can product many CDs at the same time. But, stamping is not the only thing that does into creating a usable CD-ROM. Next, the clear disc is given a reflective coating so that it will reflect the laser light the drive shines on it. Silver is used as a basis in this coating because it spreads out evenly, coating all pits and landing uniformly. Next, a protective lacquer is coated onto the disc that will protect the reflective coating and help protect the CD from scratching. Finally, a label is printed onto the top side of the CD.

Data is stored on the medium through the use of pits and landings. “Pits” refer to the tiny holes that are burned into the CD using a laser. Landing reflect to unburned portions of the disc. The landings are coated with the reflective medium that I discussed above, and being that there is no alteration in the surface to re-direct the laser light, the laser is reflected nicely off of the landings. The pits, though, refract the laser light into many different directions, and therefore no direct reflection is seen by the detector. The drive uses a highly focuses laser light to read data off of the CD. The laser is directed at the data side of the CD. It penetrates the protective plastic layer and then reaches the reflective surface. The pits and landings reflect the laser differently. The landings generate a strong reflection back, whereas the pits do not. These two transitions correspond to the 0’s and 1’s in the binary number system. The binary signal received by the light from the reflected laser is converted to computer logic and decoded.

The process of decoding the pits and landings is referred to as eight-to-fourteen modulation (EFM). The technique equates each byte of data (8 bits) to a 14-bit symbol. The 0 or 1 in binary is determined by the transition from a pit to a landing, or vice versa, but not the simple presence of pit or landing. Each transition equates to a binary 1, whereas any lack of transition is interpretted as a binary 0. The length, then, of any pit or landing represents the number of binary 0’s.

Data is recorded to a CD disc as one solid spiral of data around the CD. It is not divided into tracks and sectors as a hard drive is. Instead, a CD is separated into minutes, and a typical CD can hold up to 79 minutes. Minutes do not necessarily correspond to music time, here, so don’t get the two confused.