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Computer Universe
Your source for all things computer!
September 10 Issue #4
Matthew Zator, Editor, compuniverse@yahoo.ca
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By subscription only! Welcome to your next issue of
"Computer Universe", I haven't gotton any questions yet!!!!
Remember the question & answer section is for you, the
readers. This ezine and I are always here to answer your
computer problem questions, so email me with some.
You are receiving this newsletter because you
requested a subscription. Unsubscribe instructions
are at the end of this newsletter.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> **Survey-Do You Want Jokes??????**
=> Feature Article
=> Step By Step Course On How To Make A Website
=> Review Of The HP Pavilion 950 Computer
=> The Computer SpotLight On Digital Cameras
=> Feedback from Our Readers
=> Question & Answer Section
=> How To Submit Questions To Me
=> Classified Ads
=> How To Obtain Advertising Information
=> Next Issue.... (Guest Columnists Extended!)
=> Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
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**SURVEY, Do You Want Computer Jokes In This EZine????
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Do This Survey by emailing me with your answer. Put Your
response in the subject line. If you want to suggest other
sections, put those in the body of the email.
Thanks for doing this! I welcome your opinion.
Matthew Zator
Editor
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Feature Article, How To Get Great Sound From Your PC
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How to Get Great Sound from Your PC
By Peter Logan Senior Technology Trainer, Crutchfield
Corporation
(ARA) - When students head back to school this fall, it's a
good bet that their PCs will be used for more than just term
papers. Thousands of college students have turned their
personal computers into high-tech entertainment centers by
downloading songs from the Internet, using CD-R and CD-R/W
drives to create "mixes" of their favorites, and even
watching DVD movies.
With help from some great innovations, it's easier than ever
to get excellent sound quality from a PC -- and save the
precious dorm room space that a much larger stereo system
might occupy. Here are some pointers for upgrading your PC's
sound quality -- and saving some space:
Get a Set of High-quality Speakers
The basic speakers that come with many PCs are fine for the
blips you hear from a Windows program, but they're not powerful
enough to deliver full, rich sound. A pair of desktop powered
speakers can dramatically improve the quality of your listening
experience.
These speakers usually require only two connections -- one to
your computer's sound card through the line out stereo mini-jack,
and another to an AC power source. You'll be amazed at how much
better every audio source will sound -- especially the deep
bass notes that give music much of its flavor.
Consider Headphones for Personalized Listening
The dorm environment can be pretty noisy at times. To enjoy your
music, movies, or video games in relative peace, you might want
to invest in a set of quality headphones, especially models with
a full, "over-the-ear" design. Just plug them into your PC's line
out stereo mini-jack and immerse yourself in a private world of
CDs, MP3s, streaming Internet broadcasts, and more. Some headphones
even produce an out-of-phase signal to cancel distracting, outside
noises!
Integrating your PC with your Stereo System
If you already have a separate stereo system in place, you can use
a USB audio adapter to connect your computer to your system. This
type of adapter routes your computer's audio signal through the USB
port while it's still in digital form -- a huge plus because it
removes the analog conversion and signal routing from the PC's
noisy internal environment. The result -- all your PC sound is
"beefed up" by the more powerful stereo system.
Add a Desktop Receiver
Another way to achieve excellent PC sound without a room-hogging
stereo system is to couple your computer with a desktop receiver.
Some companies offer vertically-styled receivers, amplifiers,
and processors -- all of which work with your computer and
greatly improve its audio delivery.
These desktop components include Windows- and Mac-based software,
as well as stereo audio inputs, so it's easy to manage your music
sources. With a little imagination, you can make dorm life a little
more enjoyable, and still have plenty of room to sprawl out and
hit the books.
Before you decide what's right for you, check out the free
Crutchfield buyer's guide at www.crutchfield.com/greatpcsound.
This friendly, information-packed resource will help you get the
most from your PC audio. For info on the versatile components
mentioned above, check out www.crutchfield.com/pcaudiocomponents.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Step-By-Step Course: How To Create Your Own Website
Matthew Zator, Editor
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This course is on how to create your own business/personal
website. It explains how to make a website with little or
no HTML knowledge.
STEP 1: Find a freeweb host that offers at least 20 MB of
space, browser file manager, already created scripts,
a basic editor, and (OPTIONAL) support for CGI.
LINKS: Angelfire
Tripod
Geocities
Esmart Start (RECOMMENDED)
O Hosting (GOOD 100 MB Space!)
Pro Hosting
STEP 2: If you have a good budget, you can go with a webhost
that charges a monthly fee and gives you a domain and
a huge amount of space. This comes in handy when
you're building a business website.
LINKS: Feature Price (affordable)
IPower Web
Site And Sites (very affordable)
Apollo Hosting (high speed servers!)
STEP 3: Once you've signed up for the free/paid webhost, start
building your website. Most free/paid webhosts provide
a basic editor for HTML beginners. They give you a
template and other stuff that doesn't require HTML
knowledge.
STEP 4: (Personal websites) Start off with a simple website
without all the complications of frames and tables.
And then let your imagination run wild! You can fill
your website with photos,writings,or a whole fan site
on whatever!
STEP 5: Promote your website by going to different search engines
and directories and submitting your URL. (You can
automate this by using free auto submitters)
STEP 6: (For Businesses) Get a free shopping cart and credit
card processing from PAYPAL. (http://www.paypal.com)
Then make your website personlizing it to your business!
Now you've just made a website that you can be proud of.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION CAN BE SUBMITTED BY EMAILING ME
AT: compuniversezine@yahoo.ca
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*-----------------Computer Trick!----------------*
*---------------- Computer Trick!----------------*
*---------------- Computer Tip!------------------*
*---------------- Computer Tip!------------------*
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REVIEW: HP Pavilion 950
By Bill O'Brien
(04/02/02)
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The 2.4GHz P4-based HP Pavilion 950 debuts with a dream
configuration for power-hungry consumers. Its cutting-edge
CPU, copious memory, and fast graphics card can handle gaming
and DV editing as easily as homework and other mainstream
applications. And its DDR SDRAM, while something of a
performance hindrance, helps keep the Pavilion 950's price
reasonable. We only wish HP offered more generous support
options.
Fast and affordable
Anyone buying a 2.4GHz system would expect it to be the
fastest thing going. The Pavilion 950 offers plenty of power
for a diverse range of home uses, but it has a few limitations.
HP's selection of DDR SDRAM, even in a sizable 512MB dollop,
helped keep the Pavilion 950 at an affordable $2,409, but it
also made the system a little slower than the RDRAM-equipped
(and pricier) Dell Dimension 8200 in CNET Labs' tests. The
Pavilion 950's big (120GB), fast (7,200rpm) hard drive with a
typical 2MB buffer couldn't compete with the Dimension 8200's
larger 8MB.
Despite these differences, the performance gaps are small:
a little more than 7 percent in Quake III Arena, almost 6
percent in MPEG-2 encoding, and virtually nil in SysMark2002.
Unless you need the Dimension 8200's RDRAM and higher-end hard
drive for serious gaming and video creation, the Pavilion 950
offers nearly the same performance for a lower price.
Generous configuration
The Pavilion 950's gaming/DV talents start with its superfast
128MB Nvidia Ti 4600 graphics card. Our system also came with
both DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives; a DVD+RW drive is a $350 option.
HP bundles every Pavilion 950 with a copy of Studio DV for
editing and builds front-mounted USB and IEEE 1394 ports into
the system for easy connectivity to your DV camera. If you need
even more hookups, you have two front-accessible drive bays and
three PCI slots free.
Even the peripherals get into the act. The 15-inch, 1,024x768
analog LCD, HP's own F50, works great with DVDs and graphics,
and it'll be easy on your eyes during the hours you'll spend
staring at the screen while editing video. The Cambridge
SoundWorks SW-320 2.1 speakers with subwoofer are capable but
not imposing, delivering 12 watts of good bass and 9 watts
from each of the two wide-range satellites. We'd prefer the
optional ($30) Polk AMR-50 system, though. The power ratings
between the two are roughly equivalent, but in our experience,
the Polk's audio quality is somewhat better.
Service and support deficits
The Pavilion 950's step-by-step illustrated guide makes this
system extremely easy to set up. But the user-friendliness slows
down when you get to service and support. The computer is priced
to include HP's three-year parts and labor plan, but the company
doesn't even offer an onsite service option. Technical support is
available 24/7, but it's not toll-free.
The Pavilion 950 is a fast, well-configured consumer system with
an affordable price. Its service and support deficiencies mar an
otherwise pretty picture, but if you can get past that, you'll
find this system's a good value for home users who want to do it
all on one machine.
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2002.
All rights reserved."
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*Also, if you would like to submit a review of a product or
service you just used, email compuniversezine@yahoo.ca and
I will publish it in the next issue.
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COMPUTER SPOTLIGHT: On Digital Cameras
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What Smart Buyers Look for in Digital Cameras
By Peter Logan
(ARA) - It's time to start snapping pictures now that summer
is here. And more shutterbugs than ever are doing that the
digital way. Digital cameras combine the fun of traditional
picture-taking with versatility that you don't find in film
cameras. They use memory devices to capture snapshots, so you're
no longer buying roll after roll of film. And they make e-mailing
of images simple and convenient. Whether you're a novice or
experienced pro, there's bound to be a digital camera that meets
your needs. Before you purchase one, you'll want to check out the
free Crutchfield buyer's guide at www.crutchfield.com/digitalca
merahelp. This friendly, information-packed resource will help
you choose the right camera and avoid costly mistakes.
Here are a few pointers to get you started:
Which camera is right for me?
You'll see the word "megapixel" with digital cameras. Megapixel
refers to the number of dots that make up an image -- the more
dots, the sharper the image. Most people will be satisfied with
a 2- or 3-megapixel camera. For the highest quality enlargements
or professional photography, a 4- or 5-megapixel camera is best.
What does resolution mean?
Most digital cameras offer several resolution settings. When you
don't require super-precise images (i.e., for e-mailing or
Internet use), use a lower-resolution mode, like 480x640. When
you want crystal-clear shots (i.e., for enlargements), use a
higher resolution, like 1024x768 and up. These settings are
changed easily on the camera's menu.
What kind of memory do I need for my camera?
Most digital cameras come with some kind of removable flash
memory, like a Memory Stick, a CompactFlash card, or a SmartMedia
card. Removable flash memory is tiny and lightweight, and you can
buy extra cards for additional storage. Other cameras,
like Sony's Mavicas, use mini CD-Rs and CD-RWs, or inexpensive,
standard computer floppy disks to store images.
Can I actually delete pictures I don't want?
Yes, and this is a real advantage over traditional film photography.
You can view a digital picture as soon as it's snapped on the
camera's color display screen. If you like the shot, great --
keep it. If you wish you'd taken it from a different angle, no
problem -- delete it and snap another. Imagine -- no more wasted
film!
How do I get the pictures from my camera to my computer?
Different cameras have different ways of connecting to your
computer. USB connections are the most common; they're easy to
hook up and transfer images quickly. Plus, most cameras have
removable memory media that can be used for direct transfer to
your PC via an optional blank media adapter. The great thing
is that you can re-use your memory device over and over.
Once you've transferred images to your PC, simply erase the ones
on the memory device and you're ready to snap another round!
How do I print my pictures?
Once they're on your PC, you can print them using your
computer's printer. For even better results, though, choose a
printer that's designed for digital printing. Stand-alone digital
photo printers produce quality prints directly from the camera or
memory without using a computer. (Make sure they're compatible with
your camera and its memory). Also, some photo labs will print
directly from a disk, CD, or flash memory.
Ready to look at some cameras? Visit Crutchfield.com
digitalcameras for a wide selection of digital cameras for just
about any user.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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From our Readers:
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None This Time Around
(you can submit feedback or suggestions to compuniversezine@
yahoo.ca)
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Question & Answer Column
Where you can submit computer questions/problems
and get answers!
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Questions that I wish you asked me.....
How do I eraticate a virus I've picked up?
Well, you should get a virus scan program like Norton Anti-
Virus at http://www.norton.com/. Then once it's scanned the
virus, it will provide you with ways to remove it. If it can't
then I recommend you format your hard drive. Hopefully, the
virus will be deleted with the rest of the data on your hard
drive. (Read Issue #1 on how to do this.)
How do I protect myself from viruses?
Buy a good virus protection program and don't download
suspicous attachments in your email, and don't accept
3 1/2" disks from people. They might have hidden viruses
on it. And keep up to date on virus reports. Go to
Norton.com
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PLEASE!! Submit questions to me at compuniversezine@yahoo.ca
for the next issue.
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**NEXT ISSUE: I will allow a guest colomnist to be featured!**
So Get those articles to me this week by emailing me at
compuniversezine@yahoo.ca (if you have a business & if you get
featured, this allows you to advertise your business for FREE!)
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Copyright 2002 Matthew Zator