For example, I don’t have to buy a new case, nor do I have to buy a new optical drive. I also don’t need new audio speakers, mouse, keyboard or monitor. In my current setup I could also transfer over my video card as well.

When you add these things up it shaves off a lot of cash you would otherwise have to spend.

Many PCMech readers have built PCs before, but if you’re someone who hasn’t yet, I can say without question that your most expensive build will probably be the first one. And this is because you have nothing to transfer from a previous build. Everything must be bought new and yes, it can get costly – but only for the first time around.

What you can do is think of the future when building your first box so it will cost less when you upgrade later. The checklist is short and easy to remember.

Future-use things to consider when PC building

Computer Case

Your case should be a full-sized tower. The reason is so you can use standard ATX or MicroATX motherboards. This gives you more choice of what motherboard you want to use now and in the future.

The case you buy should be above average. You want something built well that will withstand the test of time. Being that your intent is to use the same case over and over, build quality matters.

Motherboard

Use a motherboard that supports several different types of processors. The better ones support at least four. This Intel motherboard for example does just that. For now maybe you want a Core 2 Duo processor but later on want to upgrade to a Quad-core. Using a motherboard that supports multiple CPU types will save you cash because you don’t have to buy another board when ready to upgrade.

Also bear in mind the new board you buy should support (at the time of this writing) a minimum of 8GB of RAM which the one linked above does. If you buy a new board that only supports 4GB, that’s your limit – and that’s not good. 8GB should stay current for at least 5 years, and you can incrementally update as needed.

Optical Drive

This is something you don’t have to put a ton of cash into because more people are moving away from the optical format in favor of flash-based media.

Concerning this particular component, the key is to avoid things you don’t need that add extra cost, such as:

• LightScribe – This is more for "cool factor" than anything else. You’re better off just labeling your discs with a Sharpie marker. It’s cheaper and does the same job. True, it doesn’t look as professional, but nobody cares.
• Super fast DVD burning – Not necessary. Why? Because getting blank media that supports the higher speeds costs more and probably isn’t available on the shelf where you buy discs. Most of the time the blank media you buy will be 12x max write speed for DVD and 30x max for CD, so the fact your drive can burn faster means nothing unless you’re willing to custom order blank discs that support it – which you probably won’t.
• Blu-Ray compatible – Again, not necessary. The only people truly interested in this format are those who have Blu-ray players for their television. And yes, you will get a big-big 25GB of storage on one of these BD-R discs, but, each disc at present costs $5 – and that doesn’t include shipping. You’re better off using flash-based media, if only for the fact that write/rewrite is much easier and faster compared to optical.

Input Devices (Keyboard and Mouse)

Concerning the mouse, make sure it connects via USB. With wireless, go for RF and not Bluetooth. For example, a really kick-ass wireless mouse is the Logitech G7. It’s got a ridiculous price tag (but worth it to some) and is USB/RF-wireless based. And don’t worry, there are plenty of RF-wireless USB mice that are much lower in price, like this one.

Note that there’s nothing bad or wrong about Bluetooth wireless, but you get more choice with RF. A lot more.

Concerning the keyboard, you want something that will stand the test of time like your computer case. There are many keyboard makes to choose from, but typically the best for long-term use are made by Microsoft and Logitech. Sure, other keyboards have lots of whiz-bang features on it, but what matters most is comfort and longevity.

With Microsoft and Logitech it’s the simple things that make them better, such as not having the lettering literally wear off your keys in less than six months.

Of course, neither beat the best computer keyboard of all time, the IBM Model M. But that takes a little bit of doing (i.e. a USB converter) to make the older ones work. And lets not forget they’re frickin’ loud. A resounding CLICK-CLACK happens every time you press a key on one of those. But it’s a good sound. At least I think so.

Audio speakers

The only rule to follow here is to use an audio speaker setup that is not overly dependent on software. And what I mean by that is you should not buy speakers that require software just to hear sound come out of them.

Whatever you buy should work like this: Open the box, take the speakers out, plug the AC adapter into the wall, plug in the audio cable to the sound card, done.

Software that controls the sound card is fine (and necessary). Software that’s required just to make the speakers work is bad.

If you want an example of bad, Creative is notorious for having speaker setups that are too "attached" to software, so to speak. And without their proprietary software installed, the speakers either sound like crap or not work at all. Not good.

Final notes

Many people make the mistake of building a PC that only has "right-now" tech in it, meaning the end build will not stay current for more than 2 years at the most.

For example, let’s say you bought a brand new motherboard today but it can only use a Core 2 Duo processor as the fastest it will support. That’s a mistake. Yes, the Core 2 right now is fast – but it won’t be 2 years from now and you’ll be forced to buy another motherboard later when the time comes. What you should have done is bought a board that can support Core 2 or Quad-core. When the Core 2 becomes too slow, it’s not a problem because you can upgrade to a Quad-core and get another 2 or 3 years out of the same motherboard, thereby saving you money.

When building your first (or next) computer box, consider the future. Buying the right stuff the first time and spending a little extra means savings for the long-term.

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What’s The Best Advantage Of Building A PC?

If you’re the type that records audio and are looking for that particular sound, it’s actually much easier to achieve than most people realize.

It takes three steps.

First is how you model the sound of your own voice when you speak when recording it.

Do you use verbal fillers such as "um..", "ah…", "er…" or the like? Try not to use those. Don’t worry, a lot of people do and it’s a tough habit to break. You can kill most of the fillers by having a "cheat sheet" next to you when speaking. No, it doesn’t contain every word you’re going to say but just a topic list. When you have this list, verbal fillers will usually decrease noticeably.

There are other tricks you can use, such as saying more with each breath, purposely slowing down how fast you speak (but not by much) and trying find a nice happy medium between speaking and announcing.

Modeling your voice just in the way you speak will make a dramatic improvement in the overall recorded sound.

Second on the list is noise reduction.

On most voice recordings people get hiss (a.k.a. "white noise") and background noise they want out of there.

The easiest way to eliminate the unwanted noise is to use a mild noise reduction filter.

Audacity, a free audio recording program, has a such a filter as do most other programs that record audio. Even Camtasia Studio has one.

The reason you want to use a mild filter is because if you filter it too much it will literally cut out parts of your voice – and you don’t want that.

It takes a bit of experimentation to get the proper sound you want from a noise reduction filter.

Third on the list is compression.

Compression above all else is what most people think an "FM Radio" sound sounds like. And for those most part it’s true.

To note: Do not confuse this with file compression because that’s something totally different. What we’re talking about is using a compressor as an audio filter.

Audacity by the way also has compression filters in it.

In FM radio, music and voice are compressed with a live filter so that everything comes out at an even audio level thru your car speakers when you listen to it. Nothing is too loud or too soft. This is why a recorded piece of music sounds different on a home stereo played via CD (or computer) compared to a radio broadcast. It is the compression you’re hearing that makes it sound different.

When you examine an audio wave in an audio editor like Audacity, the original recording has peaks and valleys. When compressed, most of those peaks/valleys are "scrunched" so that it’s all evened out. Volume levels are even across the wave after the filter is applied for the most part.

Another example of compressed audio is a camcorder’s recording. All audio recorded with a camcorder is highly compressed with a live filter which is why it seemingly can "pick up everything". In reality it can’t. What it’s doing when recording is filtering on the fly so it can "hear" whatever is in range, near or far, and even it out appropriately.

If you’ve never experimented with noise reduction filters and compression, you ordinarily won’t get it right the first time. It takes practice to get the sound you want. But once you do you can repeat the process every time you make an audio recording for podcasting or music recording or whatever you do with recorded audio.

To note: I may do more detailed how-to’s on this later but would prefer if you would comment and say whether you would be interested or not. Any/all comments appreciated. I can get seriously detailed on this stuff.

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What Is An "FM Radio" Sound?

If you record audio at all with these ports, be it via a microphone built-in to a headset or having a mixing board fed a signal thru line in, you’re going to get what’s called white noise. This is a hissing sound that occurs due to fact you’re using an analog means of feeding audio to the sound card. There is no way to avoid it and you are forced to process your sound afterwards thru a digital filter for noise reduction. In other words, it never sounds good unprocessed.

My recommendation for anyone that records audio is to completely ditch using analog ports. They’re really old and sound really crappy.

If you record audio via USB instead you will be amazed at how much better everything sounds when recorded.

Method 1: Use a USB headset with mic attached

I use the Logitech Clearchat Comfort USB and people who listen to me speak over this microphone are astounded at how good it sounds. There are no tricks to using this. The difference is digital and that’s why it’s so clear.

If you game at all, having a USB-based headset with mic is a must-have especially if you use it for in-game voice chat. Not only will the audio sound clearer but your spoken voice will also be understood better.

Method 2: Use a standalone USB-based microphone

I’ve mentioned this product before but it bears repeating – the Blue Snowball is one of the best USB microphones ever made. It will record anything and I mean anything. Great for voice, great for instruments and also great as an "ambient" mic. It has a sensitivity high enough where you could place it clear across the other side of the room, speak softly from far away and it would still "hear" you. I have nothing but good things to say about this mic.

Method 3: USB mixer

USB mixers are nothing new to people who record audio, but it’s still true that most people aren’t aware they exist. The mixer shown here is an Alesis Multimix 8 USB. If you do any semi-pro (or even pro) recording at all this is a really handy mixer to have. It will accept XLR microphone input, 1/4th-inch input and feed out thru USB. If you’ve got stuff to record but can’t go digital with them, you should take a look at this.

To note: These mixers are almost never in computer retailer shops but rather music shops like Guitar Center and Sam Ash. If you need to see one "in the flesh" you’ll need to go there.

Additional note: If you’ve got the cash, yes there are mixers with more than 8 channels, rack mount flaps and those with FireWire connectivity. But bear in mind if you’re just recording yourself, the Multimix 8 will do the job just fine.

The great debate: Software or Hardware based mixing board?

Something that has been a subject of debate since the advent of software based mixers is whether or not you need a standalone hardware based mixer at all.

My response to this is if you record, yes you do. My reason for stating this is that it is far easier to control and manage your sound using tactile knobs and sliders instead of scrolling sliders on-screen. Professional studios has proven this to be true because they have never given up their standalone mixing boards. The only difference now is that the boards can be digitally controlled – but they haven’t been replaced.

Fear not adding in audio hardware when you need to. "Virtual" mixing boards, while nice, can be annoying.

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How-To: Record With USB Audio

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Configuring The Hard Drive

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Installing The Hard Drive

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Motherboard Overview

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/

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Edifier E3350 Speaker Review

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.

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Getting Started with Video Editing: Cheap Software

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.

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Screencasting: Make Your Own Tutorials!

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 judgment.

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.

Now you know how to buy the best speakers, you can also choose from an array of quality discount speakers from TheSpeakerCompany!

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

How to Buy Speakers