1. GSBUG Hardware Info SIG June 13, 2002

2. 2 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Agenda – June 13, 2002 7:00 – 7:05 Administration 7:05 – 8:15 Featured Topic – CD, DVD, and Other Non-”Floppy”, Removable Media Drives 8:15 – 8:30 Hardware News 8:30 – 8:55 Random Access (Q&A) 8:55 – 9:00 Recap, Preview, and Close

3. June 13, 20023 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Administration Welcome! Please Sign In. What the SIG is…and is not. Is – an information resource for computer users and potential computer users Is NOT – a way to get your computer built or repaired (contact the GSBUG Daytime Hardware SIG) Log – Random Access/Q&A (First Come…)

4. June 13, 20024 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Administration (continued): Presentation materials will be posted at: http://gsbug.apcug.org/hwinfosig.htm Prior presentation materials are also posted.

5. June 13, 20025 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives “CD-ROM” – Compact Disk Read Only Memory. A readable/non-writeable, storage device with separable media; one of the devices used to “play” CD-ROM disks (CDs). “CD-R” – Compact Disk Recordable. A readable/writeable, storage device with separable media; the device used to record CD-R media and “play” CD-Rs and CDs.

6. June 13, 20026 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives (continued) “CD-RW” – Compact Disk Re-Writable. A readable/writeable, storage device with separable media; the device used to record CD-R & CD-RW media and “play” CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and CDs. “DVD-ROM (DVD)” – Digital Versatile Disk. A readable/non-writeable, storage device with separable media; the device used to “play” DVD disks and CDs.

7. June 13, 20027 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives (continued) DVD ”other”: DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD+RW, DVD Video, DVD Audio. For more info see http://www.dvdforum.org/tech-dvdprimer.htm (9/2000) http://www.dvdforum.org/tech-dvdprimer.htm Various “Combo” drives – usually CD-RW + DVD “ATAPI” – advanced technology attachment packet interface “SCSI” – small computer system interface

8. June 13, 20028 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) CD-ROM Drives: Some of the manufacturers – Acer (AOpen), ASUS, LG, Lite-On, Mitsumi, NEC, Panasonic, Plextor, Samsung, Sony, Teac, Toshiba Read speeds – 24X-56X (1X=150KB/s) [previously to 72X, Kenwood, now discontinued] Cost – typ under $50; frequently under $30 (ATAPI) Pros – cheap, fastest read, approx 650MB; great as base drive for audio and other CD duplication Cons – read only

9. June 13, 20029 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) CD-R Drives: Few still produced – most are SCSI Conversion to CD-RW almost complete Possible bargains for older products – watch speed vs cost of CD-RW at faster speed.

10. June 13, 200210 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) CD-RW Drives: Primary manufacturers – Acer (AOpen/Benq), Creative Labs (Panasonic), Lite-On, Plextor, Sony, TDK, Teac, Yamaha Read speeds – 24X-48X Write speeds – 8X-48X Re-Write speeds – 4X-24X Typically read “write x re-write x read” Requires recording software

11. June 13, 200211 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) CD-RW Drives (continued): Most support packet writing (software feature for D&D) Cost – typically from $75-$250 (ATAPI) Pros – writable, re-writable; back-up & restore HDD; potential for floppy and CD replacement (universality) Cons – somewhat slower reads (than CD); “expensive”; additional software required; less versatile and less capable than an external hard drive w/ USB 2.0 interface; still “need” DVD

12. June 13, 200212 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) DVD Drives: Primary manufacturers – Acer (AOpen/Benq), Creative Labs (Panasonic), LG, Lite-On, Pioneer, Samsung, Toshiba Read speeds – 4X-16X (1X=1.35MB/s); up to 48X CD Requires controller and/or playback software Cost – $50-100 (ATAPI) Pros – support for DVD movies and games Cons – read only; extra hardware or software required

13. June 13, 200213 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) DVD-R/-RAM/+RW Drives: Primary manufacturers – Hitachi, HP, Panasonic, Pioneer, QPS, Sony, Toshiba (http://www.dvdrw.com/)http://www.dvdrw.com/ Write speeds – 1X-2X (1X = 1.385MB/s); read up to 24X CD; typically 4.7GB storage (to 9.4GB double-sided) +RW also support CD-RW writing Requires recording and playback software; cartridges Cost – $375-$500+ (higher for SCSI models) Pros – high capacity plus DVD playback Cons – cost, extra software required

14. June 13, 200214 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) Combo Drives (CD-RW with DVD-ROM): Primary manufacturers –Plextor, Samsung, Toshiba Speeds – varies widely; tends to be substantially lower than best in each class Requires record (CD-RW) and playback (DVD) software Cost – $100-250 Pros – versatility; takes up only one drive bay Cons – cost; speeds are sub-optimal; extra software required

15. June 13, 200215 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG CD, DVD and Other, non-”Floppy”, Removable- Media Drives(continued) Other Devices: Castlewood ORB (2.2 & 5.7GB; ATAPI, int/ext SCSI, USB 1.1); $300 for the 5.7GB, $60/cartridge (direct) Magneto-Optical – Fujitsu Dynamo (640MB & 1.3GB), Pinnacle Micro (5.2GB), Sony (5.2GB), plus others; cartridge media Media “Readers” – both read and write to various media types, incl. CompactFlash (CF), SmartMedia (SM), Memory Stick, Secure Digital (SD), Mircodrive, and MultiMediaCard (MMC). Limited by internal transfer rate.

16. June 13, 200216 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News Processors AMD (Computex 2002, Taipei) - announced broad infrastructure support for “K8” (Opteron and next- generation Athlon/ClawHammer) from 35 major players including ALi, ATI, NVIDIA, SiS, and VIA (for chipsets) and ASUSTeK, ESC, FIC, Gigabyte, and MSI (for motherboards). Demo’d 4-way server. Released the first “Thoroughbred” processor – Athlon XP 2200+ (1.8GHz,.13 micron). Basically a die shrink and line extension. No architectural changes.

17. June 13, 200217 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Processors (continued) Intel released a 1.4GHz (Socket 370) Celeron and 1.7 and 1.8GHz (Socket 478) Celerons – the latter based on P4 core (.18 micron, 128KB L2, 400MHz FSB). Marks beginning of transition to all 478-pin, P4 core products for value and mainstream desktops. VIA released a 1.0GHz C3 processor – simple line extension. Several motherboards shown at Computex.

18. June 13, 200218 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Core Logic (chipsets) ALi announced the M1687 Northbridge and M1563 Southbridge – support for AMD “K8” (AGP 8X, ATA/133, USB 2.0, 10/100 NIC). Also announced the M1681 Northbridge – P4 with support for DDR400 (PC3200). ATI announced support for “K8” in RADEON IGP series. Intel released the 845G and 845GL GMCH (Northbridge with Intel Extreme graphics) – the 845G supports an external AGP port, the 845GL (lite) does not.

19. June 13, 200219 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Core Logic (chipsets) (continued) NVIDIA drops plans for nForce 615 and 620 chipsets. Announced support for “K8”. SiS announced the SiS648 Northbridge – P4 with 533MHz FSB and AGP 8X. VIA released the P4X333 (VT8754) and P4X266E Northbridges – the P4X333 supports 533MHz FSB, DDR333 (PC2700), AGP 8X, max 32GB RAM; the P4X266E adds 533MHz FSB to the P4X266.

20. June 13, 200220 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) System RAM RAMBUS announced RIMM 4200 design – dual-channel support on a single module; uses PC1066 RDRAM; 232- pin modules; requires CT-RIMM (continuity and termination RIMM). Motherboards Computex 2002 (Taipei) - “K8” motherboards “shown” by ASUSTeK, ECS, FIC, Gigabyte and MSI. VIA had a supposedly running version in their showroom. AMD had demo systems running for the press. Intel and other released 845G and 845GL-based boards.

21. June 13, 200221 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Graphics processors & cards – nothing new Hard Drives Serial-ATA interface shown on many new motherboards at Computex. Still no drives released. Hard Drive Controllers Serial-ATA controller chips and cards shown at Computex - Highpoint and Promise (xx376); no web announcement. Other Drives Lite-On “showed” a 48x24x48 CD-RW at Computex; no web announcement.

22. June 13, 200222 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Hardware News (continued) Sound processors & cards – nothing new Modems & NICs – nothing new Chassis & power supplies – nothing new

23. June 13, 200223 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Random Access (Q&A)

24. June 13, 200224 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Recap, Preview, and Close Recap Preview Featured Topic for July 11 – Graphics Processors, Video Cards, and Monitors Close (please police up the area)