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Written by Mikhail Ivanenkov
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Monday, 03 September 2007 |
The ASUS Xonar D2 also boasts a wide range of DSP options, including Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Virtual Speaker, and DTS Interactive, though as we've seen in the past, C-Media likes to take care of the DSP processing in software, which can mean extra CPU overhead when DSP options are enabled.
TiVO HD at TheTechLounge:
The Series 3 units have been a long time coming. TiVo originally unveiled the Series 3 at CES 2006 (and unofficially talked about it at CES 2005), but had no expected release date in sight. The unit, costing $800, ended up shipping in September 2006. The price was a barrier for many people.
SilverStone FM123 fan at DVHardware:
The fan is made out of white plastic and SilverStone says the fan rotor has a Bullet Hub design which allows aerodynamic airflow toward the fan blades. White isn't really a commonly used colour for fans - most fans I've had in my hands were black - but it looks alright. On the photo you can also see the 3-pin fan connector and another connector which is used by the fan controller.
Before we move on, it's worth mentioning in passing that the HDMIs accept 1080p signals and carry Viera Link: Panasonic's version of the increasingly common technology permitting the TV's remote control to operate HDMI-connected sources. Please note, though, that unlike the similar systems of a number of competitors, Viera Link only works with Panasonic equipment, not different brands.
The rear on the UPS is where all the connections are made. At the very top is a jack for the USB communication cable, which provides status information to the PC. Below that are an RJ-11 (telephone/data) connection and a coaxial cable connection. These two are very important, as often lightning will enter a PC through these connections more than the power connections. Below are eight standard three-prong outlets, four of which are surrounded in white. These four outlets provide battery backup for the computer, monitor and other critical equipment. The other four outlets provide surge protection only, and should be used with printers and all non-critical equipment. The bottom-most outlets have an extra bit of space between them and the ones above so that larger power adapters can fit there. There are vents located at the top and bottom to help provide the necessary ventilation for the unit, which does get slightly warm.
The problem with the halt state is that it does nothing to reduce voltage, only current draw by stopping clocks from going to the CPU. Since Power varies linearly with both current and voltage (P = I * V), you're effectively only addressing half of the problem. The Enhanced Halt State, as Intel calls it, does two things: it reduces the clock speed of the CPU by decreasing the clock multiplier down to its minimum value (on the EE 965 series, that's 14x, or 2.8GHz), then reducing the voltage. The clock speed is reduced and then the voltage is dropped, to maintain stability.
Now they are extending their portfolio even further by throwing the gauntlet down to Creative and attempting to challenge them at their own favourite event; maybe even leaving with a gold medal too. All this remains to be seen but top marks right off the bat for having a crack at Creative who in my opinion have had far too much leg room in the sound card arena.
From the front, it's clear that the T4215 is not as svelte as some ultra-thin Tablet PCs. It measures 244(h) x 295(d) x 38(h) mm and, with a standard six-cell (56WHr) battery and optical drive, weighs in at just under 2.2kg. However, the two-tone colouring is pleasant enough and the build quality is more than reasonable - as it should be with a machine costing around £1,250, including VAT.
The 80mm side fan attached to the clear panel was clear to see and something added over the older Case-51. I think most would agree that the clear plastic does open up the side, but the rest of the side cover just covers up your drive bays, but do we need to see your RAID 5 setup, or additional wires that you may not want to clean up as you sport the case to a friends house?
The Sonata III is created for near-silent operation, but it is very appealing to look upon. Its sleek lines would be at home on a luxury car. The entire case is an elegant piano black with the I/O ports situated on the front are chrome. Looking at the front of the case, we see that Antec has gone beyond the usual I/O ports included on a case and thrown in a eSATA port and an HDA & AC'97 Audio In/Out ports. This shows that Antec is forward-thinking. In a few years, we’ll probably see more and more cases with these ports on them. The double hinge door opens up to reveal four 5.25 drive bays for DVD-ROMs and the like. The door itself is capable of swinging 225°. This will allow for the option of putting the case to the right of your desk without fear of blocking access to the front panel and optical drives. Below we see two attractive vent holes. These make the case look elegant, but are very much functional. Underneath, we can pull out the washable dust filter.
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