Entering the HD world, My P4 comp is definitely too weak to handle the HD graphics and 7.1 surround audio.

Let's see what I can do to it.


Upgrading display card is a must. My old display card ( not using internal cause I need dual out) is Nvidia GeForce fx5200 128MB.

It is very hard to find a display card that's strong enough for HD while the interface is AGP.  Lucky I searched through the internet and I found this. More lucky, I actually saw this card in local computer center, more more lucky, it is not pricy.

  

ATI Radeon HD 3650
- 512MB DDR2 RAM
- supporting 1080p (Full HD)
- Dual DVI out (with s-video for TV)


Red one is the old card, green on is the new one.

 

 

 

Extra added: 7.1 sound card. With this I can manually build 7.1 surround stereo.
 

Installing the graphic card.
 

 

Afraid it will get too hot while running HD graphics, I added some copper heat spreader to the memory blocks.



Now the P4 2.6GHz 5yrs old comp is ready to run HD videos.

It works. I downloaded some HD trailers online and they could be played smoothly.... except 1.

Trailer of PIrate of the Caribbean . 1 moment there was latency.

This leads to further upgrade......

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P4 3E Ghz. 90nm 3.0GHz Hyper Threading support. ( this ancient CPU I got it off Yahoo. almost as pricy as the display card.............)


Latency good bye~~~~

I bought these puzzles from Jap ................... last year..........


In 08/2007. I didn't even open them until last night..............


How big is it... how tiny??

See the tweezers? I gotta use the tweezers.



See the 20cents? comparing with a piece of puzzle.


And it can be fit into a 4R frame. Took me 1hr to complete this 204piece puzzle. But there is no special shape piece and the cutting line is wide. they are all so similar.

But the picture is cute.

This is it. I don't wanna waste my time spraying the keys.... But i pulled them out and cleaned them all with soap water.


What was it look like?

This is one of those ancient keyboard still using those 5pin DIN plug. Makes loud noises when you type.

I changed it to standard 6pin PS/2 plug and wrapped with black fiber cable tube.


The PS/2 plug was from a 5pin DIN socket -> 6pin PS/2 extension. I broke the original cable and the extension to murge the cable with the ps/2 plug.


Then I'd decided to spray the keyboard frame with chipping spray (粒粒膠). This is the only bottle of spray I had at home.


It is a kind of rubber coating with rough finish. I bought it for the grip of my racing pistol so it won't be slippery and I could grip better. Now I use it for keyboard.


But this finishing is cool. abit soft and rough, I could hold it firmly.