Computer bragging rights

I use my computer for pleasure and enjoyment, I use a Mac .

coalstoves wrote: I use a Mac .

Funny you should mention that as I frequently see posts in the Mac section of videohelp where they have to run around in circles to perform a simple task where if they were using a Windows machine there is usually at least one free tool that will accomplish it with ease. The achilles heel of the Mac is and always will be the lack of software.

Richard S. wrote:

coalstoves wrote: I use a Mac .

Funny you should mention that as I frequently see posts in the Mac section of videohelp where they have to run around in circles to perform a simple task where if they were using a Windows machine there is usually at least one free tool that will accomplish it with ease. The achilles heel of the Mac is and always will be the lack of software.

I know what you speak of in regard to VIDEO software the tool most look for is a program to bootleg copyrighted DVD's ,,, I searched myself once already for something like this, I attribute it to Apples very successful attempt to market entertainment products at reasonable prices via iTunes, you cant make deals with the media companys and stab in the back at the same time.
Other than that I have never been at a loss for applications .

I use my box for playing games.
I'm a 34 year old kid.

It an older machine but its still plays the new games on high (except DX-10. No DX-10 card or Vista)

CPU: AMD FX-55
Video Card: Nvidia 7950GT
Ram: 2 gigs of corsair
Hard Drive: 2 western digital 160 sata

Sitting in my Antec SOHO case w/550 antec power supply.

Monitors are a 22" Sony Tinitron CRT and a 19" CTX CRT.


I change the parts out as I need to run the new games. I almost never buy the newest. I'm cheap. All the old parts get handed down to my kids computers.

coalstoves wrote:I know what you speak of in regard to VIDEO software the tool most look for is a program to bootleg copyrighted DVD's ,,, I searched myself once already for something like this, I attribute it to Apples very successful attempt to market entertainment products at reasonable prices via iTunes, you cant make deals with the media companys and stab in the back at the same time.
Other than that I have never been at a loss for applications .

Sorry but you assumptions are incorrect, I can give you numerous examples that have nothing to do with piracy. Or you can browse them yourself:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools

Probably the biggest example is virtualDub which is a video utility program, people like myself use it because it has thousands of filters available such as denoise, B&W etc. but that is just a small part of what it can do.

As far as I know there is currently no large scale legal distribution of DVD quality material available on the internet. There's a lot of low quality material available but those are just that, highly compressed videos with DRM that limit what you can do with them. No sense purchasing a low quality video that is going to lock you into watching it on a computer when you can go buy it for almost the same price and get the full quality version . There is a ripper for Mac but it hasn't been updated in 2 years , http://www.videohelp.com/tools/MacTheRipper

Richard S. wrote:

coalstoves wrote: I use a Mac .

Funny you should mention that as I frequently see posts in the Mac section of videohelp where they have to run around in circles to perform a simple task where if they were using a Windows machine there is usually at least one free tool that will accomplish it with ease. The achilles heel of the Mac is and always will be the lack of software.

I was concerned about that before moving to my macbook pro. I haven't yet had an issue where I couldn't find an open source or trial-ware app to solve it. I agree that there is more written for the wintel platform, but I think that is changing. I know we're seeing a significant influx of Macs this year with the students.

I took a look at those sites, I don’t think I do anything that complicated with video, for me the video and DVD tools that come with a Mac have always provided me with way more effects tools and gadgets than I have used so far . I don't even think I can take full advantage of the bundled software, this kid in the neighborhood that films skateboarding showed me some of his videos he has posted on line they are much fancier than anything I have ever done he uses a Mac and the bundled software also . I think there are quite a few high end video programs available just not Free .

I looked at Mac The Ripper awhile back the feature it lacks is the ability to compress the ripped data onto a single DVD you would need a program from Roxio I think its called Popcorn but again its not Free

coalstoves wrote:I looked at Mac The Ripper awhile back the feature it lacks is the ability to compress the ripped data onto a single DVD you would need a program from Roxio I think its called Popcorn but again its not Free

DVDShrink for Windows, there's other methods/tools as well. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/DVD_Shrink

Here's my main home system for gaming and other things.

OS: Windows Vista ultimate 64bit
Window Experience Index: 5.7 would be 5.9 but my graphics is 5.7
System: Dell Precision 690
power supply: 1KW
Proccessors: (2) intel woodcraft 5160 Xeon @3.00GHz
HD: (2) 300GB SAS using Raid 1
Memory: 4GB
Video: (2) Nvidia 4500 512MB cards using SLI for a total memory of 1006Gb, these are being replace by two Nvidia 4600 768MB cards have them just haven't had teh time to put them in yet.
Sound: Creative X-FI
Monitor: Dell 30" Dual link DVI



The two Nvidia 4600 cards sitting on top of the Dell M70 laptop

Gotta love those cooling units on the dual Xeons!

Matthaus wrote:Gotta love those cooling units on the dual Xeons!

You eve see some of those super overclocked machines? The use radiator coolant and small motorcycle radiators.

http://www.busch.nu/howto_build_a_high_performance.htm

Yeah the serious guys use water!

that is the dumbest thing I have ever seen. A liquid cooled computer. What happens if it springs a leak? bzzzzzzzttt. $5000 gone. I think U235A4 wins with his computer. How fast can it calculate Pi to 2 million?

They do it for speed, when you overclcok a computer it causes heat. the more you overclock it the hotter it gets. With water cooling they can go to ridiculous amounts. for example I have mine overclocked from 3.0 to 3.3 ghz, you can do that with just about any machine stock without any modifications. On the other hand a few years back I seen where they had a 3.2 or possibly a 3.4 overclocked to 6ghz... can't do it without some major cooling. You'll fry the chip as soon as you turn it on otherwise if it doesn't shut down.

e.alleg wrote:How fast can it calculate Pi to 2 million?

46s