PC Tech Thread

If you're running one cable, run a couple.

Cat6e, speaker, maybe coaxial. Trunk it if you're worried about critters chewing it.

I've got a PC in my cellar with HDMI and USB cables running up to the living room for that clean look. Ethernet cable running through the walls of the flat (including to PC in cellar, wi-fi access point in kitchen, hi-fi and projector in kitchen). Projector also has a HDMI cable going to it from the PC in the cellar as well as an analog out to the kitchen hi-fi.

I've also got a hi-fi in the living room which has speaker cables running to the speakers in the cellar and a DAC in the living room next to the hi-fi with an optical out running to the kitchen hi-fi.

What this means is I can have proper multi room audio throughout the flat and a huge variety of inputs (I think every single input is used on the kitchen and maybe also the living room hi-fis).

My advice would be plan it - properly - but also if you're erring about running a particular cable cables are really cheap but taking up floorboards/plasterboard isn't. You'll never regret running a cable and not using it whereas not running a cable...

Sam_w about half a dozen posts up

Yep, I would say run lots of cables! cable itself costs no money at all really, and you don't need to terminate them all, can just leave them in the walls ready to use. I have speaker cable going to the corner of every room (only using 2 in each room currently), and have at least 2 ethernet running to each room, and most have 5+. there are handy converters that convert hdmi single to ethernet and back again, so I didn't put long hdmi cables in, as they aren't great over long distances and get pretty expensive.

How do I backup (or rather: move) videos from my iPhone to a win7 PC.
I would like to have the files available, not encrypted in an iTunes backup file I can't access.
Thanks.

I can't remember. Are you against Google Photos and similar services? When I still had an iPhone I had everything back up to Google photos instead of iCloud. It's just the easiest. No action on your part. I still have the same with Android but it's native to the OS.

Thanks, yea I don't want google services.
Heard dropbox would work, trying that now.

SynciOS should do it, for free, and convert them into Windows friendly files automatically

Thank you, will check that out if dropbox won't do it!

So I am having a small form factor PC built by Scan to do work on, which is heavy excel usage as well as some bespoke programs which are processor heavy. The build is based around a AMD Ryzen 9 3900x processor, which I am pretty happy with. The issue I am having is the Scan are struggling to get hold of the motherboard they are recommending which is the Gigabyte X570 I AORUS PRO WIFI Mini ITX AM4. I don't know enough to make any comments on whether there are any viable alternatives, anyone got any thoughts? I am massively out of my depth so have relied on the customer team at scan to help me spec it all.

https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/user/samwatts1984/saved/#view=LJKMcf

https://www.anandtech.com/show/14161/the-amd-x570-motherboard-overview/38

There are a LOT of them out there.... but it's unlikely you really need top of the line. That said there's not a huge amount of mITX so you should be able to cut the list down quite a bit

Thanks that’s a useful article, was struggling to work out which features I really need. Essentially just want to make sure I have a decent machine that I don’t have to worry about upgrading for a couple of years

no worries. I aim for 3 years for my machines, but then I'm a gamer so they get out dated quickly... a decent machine should last you 5... just don't forget Nvme hard drive (not m2.SSD), and throw as much ram as you can afford (32 is probably fine, but ram is low price atm).

Yeah I quizzed about the ram, apparently the Ryzen 9 doesn’t play well with any ram that is not at least 3200mhz and there aren’t many 64gb pairs out yet, it’s one thing I plan to upgrade in the next year when they start appearing.

Nvme hard drive (not m2.SSD)

Interested in why not M2.SSD? Also do you mean NVME SSD or do you actually mean NVME HDD?

I guess it's rare now, but M2 SSD used to be interchangeable with "m2 SATA" rather than m2 NVME. Basically a SATA SSD with an m2 connector (think laptops still use them). Also some older motherboards don't support anything other than m2 SATA.

Is there a simple answer to 'what to get a parent whose Win7 desktop will shortly reach end of life, as it can't be upgraded to Win10'? Win7 support finally ends in Jan.

Needs to be Windows for familiarity. Web, Word docs only I think. Existing screen is OK, so I think a small desktop is the way to go.

Complete Intel NUCs seem to start at £400 for a dual core Celeron, which is probably adequate, but a bit more money than expected.

Edit: I guess the answer is probably a small-ish refurbed corporate desktop like: https://www.ebuyer.com/767949-refurbished-hp-elite-8300-core-i5-4gb-250gb-sff-desktop-pc-cb-pc-hp-8300-sff-i5-4-250-w10pro
maybe adding a small SSD, for about £250.

I have had a few of these for various people and have not been disappointed.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DELL-OPTIPLEX-SFF-upto-i7-16GB-RAM-2TB-HDD-120GB-SSD-WINDOWS-10-DESKTOP-PC/273117641034?hash=item3f9714794a:m:m8spSE1RP69g1w409lsZJBw&var=572381882070

Ebay is full of refurbed business machines for a good price which is the way I'd go.

The NUCs are nice for the size but you're paying for the form factor.

Is there a simple answer to 'what to get a parent whose Win7 desktop will shortly reach end of life, as it can't be upgraded to Win10'? Win7 support finally ends in Jan.

Can't be upgraded to Win10? Minimum specs for W10 are the same as W7.
~£35 on a 256GB SSD and give it a go?

But yeah, there are plenty of cheap fast Dell and IBMs knocking about on ebay and refurb sites

Can't be upgraded to Win10? Minimum specs for W10 are the same as W7

I can't be bothered to recheck, but it's something pretty fundamental like CPU or chipset not being supported. Used some MS upgrade advisor tool.

Looks good...thanks!

I have one of those dells spare you could probably use, for a good price, if you can send me a PM i'll reply with the specs when I get it out of storage tomorrow

Did you make this purchase? I have a Vega 56.

Collecting this weekend hopefully, will let you know if it falls through for some reason.