 Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Bob Rankin  |
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| Article Title :: Do Computers Get Tired? |
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| A Silver Bullet?Until recently, I would have dismissed the notion that electronic gunk can accumulate in a machine and cause it to act erratically. But a few months ago my high-speed Internet connection, which is normally rock solid, started getting flaky. I unplugged my cable modem, plugged it back in and voila... things were back to normal.And since then I've repeated the procedure a few times with good results, whenever I noticed a slowdown in my Internet speed. So I started thinking... maybe electronic devices and appliances really do get tired, clogged with electrons, or whatever. It turns out that there is some good science to support this layman's observation. (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Bob Rankin |
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| Article Title :: Lifetime of a CD-ROM disk |
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| How Long Will a CD or DVD Last?As with any backup medium (floppy disk, tape, CDROM, etc.) the lifetime of the data is an important consideration. Kodak has done extensive accelerated aging tests which indicate that their Infoguard CD-R should last 200 years. TDK say that their discs will last "about 100 years". Others tell horror stories that no-name CDs which they have burned are no longer readable after a few months.Optical disk manufacturers advise that storing your backup disks in a cool, dry environment will help to prolong data life, while direct sunlight and fingerprints may cause damage to a CD or DVD. A good rule of thumb (no pun intended) seems to be to (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Bob Rankin |
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| Article Title :: Get an Uninterruptible Power Supply |
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| Using an Uninterruptible Power SupplyYou may have your computer, monitor, printer and other peripherals plugged into a power strip with surge suppression, but that won't help if the power actually goes out. In the event of a power sag or blackout, whether it's for a half-second or half an hour, your computer is about as useful as a boat anchor -- unless you have an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device.A UPS is a device that protects your electronic devices from power outages, sags, and surges, and also acts as a battery backup in the event of a blackout. Like a power strip, the UPS plugs into the wall outlet and the devices you want to protect are plugged into th (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Dan Staber |
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| Article Title :: Inexpensive PCs as CNC Machine Controllers |
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| Part I, Utilizing an off the shelf PC as a CNC ControllerThere are two main groups that can take advantage of today’s low cost PCs as an effective and inexpensive CNC controller.• Retrofits to existing CNC machines with outdated or proprietary controls in need of service.• Shop built and home built CNC machines.Inexpensive PCs can cost as little as $150.00 and yet provide a dependable and effective CNC machine controller. Some sources to consider for obtaining such a system are outpost.com and dell.com. Oupost.com is an outlet for Fry’s electronics. They have one PC on sale ranging from $150.00 to $199.00. Several have successfully used this PC in c (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Scott Bulkley |
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| Article Title :: Name Brand Computer Systems -vs- Clone Computers |
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| It seems to be a popular topic online these days that when buying a computer as to whether you should go with name brand computer (i.e. Dell) or a clone system (i.e build it yourself).I have been building and repairing PC's for a good 10 years now or so, and have built over 4000 systems worldwide from the basic home user to large law firms. Each of these types of people were faced with the same question as stated above.There are pros and cons to both and without putting you to sleep with techno-babble, I will try and be brief but succinct with my response.Name Brand -Pro's --Package deals - i.e. full system with all the bells and whistles for one set pri (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Max Bellamy |
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| Article Title :: Digital Spy Cams |
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| The spy camera industry has evolved quite a bit over the last decade. People don’t want the old big cameras anymore; they want smaller and better cameras. Analog technology is no longer used, and the word “digital” is a must-have in any electronic device nowadays. That’s why even spy cams now have digital functions, digital display possibilities, and other new digital extras. It can be difficult to choose which digital camera to buy. Basically, the purpose of all digital spy cameras is the same, they are meant to be hidden and used to record a particular person or area.Many factors influence the decision in choosing a digital camera. There are usually some particulars about (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Max Bellamy |
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| Article Title :: Hidden Spy Cams |
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| Ever since the popular television show “Candid Camera” was first aired, people became more aware of the possibility of hiding a camera to spy on somebody. This fascination with seeing people’s unguarded moments, combined with the technological advances in video recording tools gave rise to the hidden spy cam industry. Camera manufacturers had to take into account that people wanted to have similar equipment to the type seen in spy movies and on television.There are various reasons to hide a small camera to spy on someone, and some of the reasons are not always wholesome. Many people use such cameras to spy on their neighbor while they get dressed, and several cases of people (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Max Bellamy |
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| Article Title :: Pinhole Spy Cameras |
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| Pinhole spy cameras are defined as state of the art cameras that are so small that they can be hidden inside a picture frame, a stuffed animal, a lamp, or anything else. Most of them are as small as a quarter, and some even newer models are smaller. As one can imagine, the lens is not as “big” as the spy cam but offers a wide viewing range and is practically the only part of the spying instrument that cannot be hidden. Since the camera is so small and can be hidden, they are virtually impossible to detect.Usually, all that is needed to operate such cameras is a VCR, and a pair of batteries or a 9V battery, depending on the model. Many pinhole spy cameras offer even more than ju (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Max Bellamy |
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| Article Title :: Spy Camera Surveillance |
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| As time passes, and society’s need for increased security advances, limitations in current technology become apparent. Police officers on the job, private eyes who need to satisfy their customers, and private citizens who want to keep their property secure all need state of the art surveillance equipment. Several companies recognized the demand and began manufacturing sophisticated spy camera surveillance supplies. This industry evolves with each passing year, delivering more versatile models by the minute.Most people have probably seen movies where detectives organize a stakeout or a surveillance operation. These activities have become much easier and simpler with the advent of (read full article) |
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| Category :: Hardware Articles |
Author :: Max Bellamy |
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| Article Title :: Spy Cams |
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| Spy cams are becoming a profitable new industry and are beginning to be used more regularly worldwide. Spy cams are often used for security or surveillance, but they are used for other means as well. A spy cam is simply a small camera that can be hidden and is very hard to notice or trace.Spy cam technology varies from model to model. There are some spy cams on the market that are as small as a battery, while other cameras cam be hidden inside a pen. Specialized shops sell a wide variety of spy cams that are versatile enough to be used in any way the buyer sees fit. Spy cam equipment can vary in price from 10 dollars for old models bought secondhand, to thousands of dollars for sta (read full article) |
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