Random Question Thread: Tech

**Cream Soda** · 2013-05-30 07:44

Decent 1080p monitors on amazon?

I have $50 in gift cards there and decided I need a 2nd monitor. (Actually have a second one, but when my power was out for a year, I basically gave it away and my friend's nieces watch their cartoons on that thing so I don't really wanna be a dick and ask for it back, plus it's lulz hanns-g)

Another week and I'll have $60 (Each blood/platelet donation is a $10 giftcard to one of the participating sponsors and amazon is in. I actually get something useful for my donations now lol rather than an lolshirt I'd never use)

HDMI preferred, but meh chances I'll actually use sound/speakers on it isn't that great, so best specs for the price I suppose.

Though, if I get a ps3 or something down the line, are there ways to get sounds out of other devices, such as headphones when using a dvi connection?

**hey** · 2013-05-30 12:59

Originally Posted by Cream Soda

Though, if I get a ps3 or something down the line, are there ways to get sounds out of other devices, such as headphones when using a dvi connection?

Yes, you can use hdmi to dvi for video, and either optical audio, or rca -> 3.5 mm for audio. The ps3 allows setting audio and video outputs separately.

**Siya** · 2013-05-30 15:24

Thanks Omniyoji ^-^ and thanks for the info, gives me an idea about it situation and I think we'll be ok with the cap.

**GoggleHead** · 2013-05-30 19:49

Youtube is having trouble fully buffering stuff as small as a 60 second 360p video. I remember someone mentioning the ISPs throttling it a while back and they posted a fix but I can't find it. Anyone got a lead on a fix? This is all kinds of dumb.

**Xno Kappa** · 2013-05-31 14:28

Anyway to download a Steam update via torrent? My internet here is crappy as hell and cuts off before it can ever finish downloading it when I try directly through the program.

EDIT: Processor AMD A4-3305M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics, 1900 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s) This any good for games?

**Buffy** · 2013-05-31 14:49

Originally Posted by GoggleHead

Youtube is having trouble fully buffering stuff as small as a 60 second 360p video. I remember someone mentioning the ISPs throttling it a while back and they posted a fix but I can't find it. Anyone got a lead on a fix? This is all kinds of dumb.

http://mitchribar.com/2013/02/how-to...windows-guide/

**GoggleHead** · 2013-05-31 15:44

Perfect. I'll give it a go when I get home tonight.

**Niya** · 2013-05-31 18:28

Originally Posted by Xno Kappa

Anyway to download a Steam update via torrent? My internet here is crappy as hell and cuts off before it can ever finish downloading it when I try directly through the program.

None that i know of. If you have another machine with better internet, download it via steam and then export/backup the game and re-import it on your sucky-internet-pc. Not a perfect solution, but probably still faster than direct download.

EDIT: Processor AMD A4-3305M APU with Radeon(tm) HD Graphics, 1900 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s) This any good for games?

Depends, but for anything above games with really easy graphics: no. The IGP of AMD's APUs are quite a bit faster than the Intel ones, but still a LOT slower than stand-alone GPUs. Plus, the CPU performance of the APUs sucks...
Media centre PC or just browser games: fine. Everything else: definitely not.

**Rulke** · 2013-05-31 21:21

found an unexpected answer.

**Xno Kappa** · 2013-06-01 07:29

Originally Posted by Niya

Depends, but for anything above games with really easy graphics: no. The IGP of AMD's APUs are quite a bit faster than the Intel ones, but still a LOT slower than stand-alone GPUs. Plus, the CPU performance of the APUs sucks...
Media centre PC or just browser games: fine. Everything else: definitely not.

Wow that sucks to hear. Being that it's a laptop, can I just buy a better card or am I shit out of luck?

**Buffy** · 2013-06-01 07:42

Originally Posted by Xno Kappa

Wow that sucks to hear. Being that it's a laptop, can I just buy a better card or am I shit out of luck?

You can upgrade most laptops, but shit sucks and its expensive.

**Xno Kappa** · 2013-06-01 07:49

The cards available suck or it's just a pain the ass process? Asking because I want to at least be able to play some decent games from steam.

**Niya** · 2013-06-01 11:06

Changing the (non-IGP) GPU on laptops is very hard to impossible. If you're lucky and the GPU is on a separate module (in most cases only on gaming laptops), you might be able to change it, but it's hard to find another GPU that fits, and you'd have to take half the laptop including the cooling apart. And, better GPUs produce more heat, so it might overload the cooling system.
So, long story short: don't try it. Not worth the trouble.

**Xno Kappa** · 2013-06-01 12:27

Thanks for the heads up.

**Talint** · 2013-06-01 13:15

I hate my iPhone and I hate AT&T even more.

Any cell phone suggestions? The android ones I was looking at were interesting. I'm probably going to go with t-mobile if that matters, as they're the company I've had the least problem with (AT&T is the worst, Sprint comes in at second, T-Mobile I've never had issue with).

**Mojo** · 2013-06-01 13:32

Originally Posted by Talint

I hate my iPhone and I hate AT&T even more.

Any cell phone suggestions? The android ones I was looking at were interesting. I'm probably going to go with t-mobile if that matters, as they're the company I've had the least problem with (AT&T is the worst, Sprint comes in at second, T-Mobile I've never had issue with).

http://www.google.com/nexus/4/

It works on t-mobile and comes with no contract. It has one downside, it doesn't officially support 4G LTE. t-mobile only supports this in a few areas as it stands. However, it does have the hardware to utilize LTE on band 4, which is the frequency t-mobile is rolling out their 4G on. It' been disabled through a patch though and I doubt stock users will see it unlocked again (there are legal reasons for this.)

**Meresgi** · 2013-06-01 13:42

Cellphone question for myself as well. I figured it's about time to actually get a cellphone (last phone I had was 6yrs or so again and was just a Verizon Trackphone that I used for 3 months and then threw away)

Not looking to go crazy in terms of top of the line smartphone that can wipe my ass and shoot helicopters out of the sky but something decent. Probably gonna get another once my wife's current plan ends in the next few months. I've heard Sprint was pretty decent around here (Columbia, MD) and ive read T-mobile is decent as well. Any suggestions on where best to start on looking? I don't trust BestBuy, Radioshack or any of the actual phone stores since i'm brand new to this shit so want to educate myself before hand and shop around.

That Nexus looks pretty cool, what is 4G LTE? Just a higher bandwidth wifi?

**Talint** · 2013-06-01 13:52

Originally Posted by Mojo

http://www.google.com/nexus/4/

It works on t-mobile and comes with no contract. It has one downside, it doesn't officially support 4G LTE. t-mobile only supports this in a few areas as it stands. However, it does have the hardware to utilize LTE on band 4, which is the frequency t-mobile is rolling out their 4G on. It' been disabled through a patch though and I doubt stock users will see it unlocked again (there are legal reasons for this.)

I love swift replies. d('-'d)

I should have added that the part of the reason I'm looking at T-Mobile is that if you switch from AT&T w/ an iPhone 4 or 4s, they'll give you a $150 credit towards whatever if you trade in the iPhone.

Yeah, the Nexus caught my eye as I was casually looking at phones. I dig it. I'll probably make the switch.

**Buffy** · 2013-06-01 14:15

Originally Posted by Meresgi

Cellphone question for myself as well. I figured it's about time to actually get a cellphone (last phone I had was 6yrs or so again and was just a Verizon Trackphone that I used for 3 months and then threw away)

Not looking to go crazy in terms of top of the line smartphone that can wipe my ass and shoot helicopters out of the sky but something decent. Probably gonna get another once my wife's current plan ends in the next few months. I've heard Sprint was pretty decent around here (Columbia, MD) and ive read T-mobile is decent as well. Any suggestions on where best to start on looking? I don't trust BestBuy, Radioshack or any of the actual phone stores since i'm brand new to this shit so want to educate myself before hand and shop around.

That Nexus looks pretty cool, what is 4G LTE? Just a higher bandwidth wifi?

You could look into a reconditioned iPhone 4. That would get you a smartphone at a minimal cost. I still use my original Verizon iPhone 4, it's been over two years now, very reliable for me. It should be cheap and virtually every cell phone company should have them now.

4g is 3g, faster. Unless you spend a lot of time watching videos and so forth on your phone, which based on your question it doesn't sound like you're interested in, I doubt you'll notice.

The iPhone 4 is 3g.

**Mojo** · 2013-06-01 14:16

Originally Posted by Talint

I love swift replies. d('-'d)

I should have added that the part of the reason I'm looking at T-Mobile is that if you switch from AT&T w/ an iPhone 4 or 4s, they'll give you a $150 credit towards whatever if you trade in the iPhone.

Yeah, the Nexus caught my eye as I was casually looking at phones. I dig it. I'll probably make the switch.

If you're somewhat tech savy, or at least have some determination, I recommend using a monthly prepaid plan and using VoIP calls.

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans (on the bottom left, 100 mins/unlimited text/unlimited calling)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2057887

$30/month and some know how can get you unlimited everything. You can go a step further using FreedomPop and get completely free service, although you're limited to 500 mb/month until you start paying and it requires you to micromanage your WiFi connection if you want to optimize your data usage (too much hassle imo)

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