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Hi Guys
Anybody know of any good guides on the internet, about building your own pc, because that might be a possibilty for me, as i am quite technical and i like that sense of achievment you get once you have built something like that!
Thanks

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Ed


Canon 40D + Grip | Sigma 10-20 EX | 17-85 | Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX II | 50 F/1.8 | 430 EX II + Other Stuff
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Type "build your own pc" into google and you'll get a million and one hits. There's plenty of good information at your fingertips.

Here's a starter for you: http://www.buildeasypc.com/

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Nikon D700 | 20mm f2.8 | 28mm f2.8 | 50mm f1.8 | 70-300 f4-5.6 | SB800 | flickr | serial photography

It is very easy.

You just need to buy a good motherboard with the right socket for your processor. Now it is very popular socket 775 for Intel processors.

Buy a good processor with the right socket for your motherboard.

Buy TONS of RAM Memory, let's say, 4GB. You have to check your motherboard for the right type and the quantity that supports. Maybe your motherboard supports only 2GB or 4 GB of DDR2 @ 667Mhz/1000Mhz or different, you have to look at that.

Buy a good and big enough Hard drive. Maybe two. Let's say, 320GB. You'll prefer SATA II.

Buy a CD/DVD writter.

Buy a very good case. Enough air flow, good build. Strong. Also a good power source, enough watts to handle the system, let's say above 650Watts.

If you want to have better graphics, buy a good video card, 256MB PCIExpress at least.

When you have all that, it is realtively easy to connect everything. The motherboard instructions are generally clear enough to follow.

Oh, I forgot, a very good display, a 19 Inch LCD is fine. Samsung maybe?

Right now my choice for building a PC is a Quad Core @ 2GHZ, Intel Mother Board, 4GB RAM, 2 x 500GB Maxtor, Seagate or Western Digital, an ATI FireGL V7100 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express video card, Thermaltake Case M9...

Cheers

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Carlos - Caracas Venezuela
EOS 40D
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD/50mm f1.8II
my flickr

@Camut, you virtually read my mind in terms of specs! I have already found similar items you metioned!

@welly, yeh i did do that, and found the one which you posted a link to, but i meant anyone who has used a pacific guide to building one.

Thanks Anyway

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Ed


Canon 40D + Grip | Sigma 10-20 EX | 17-85 | Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX II | 50 F/1.8 | 430 EX II + Other Stuff
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Right, i have done a rough estimation of the cost of it all and i reckon its going to probably cost me around £650 for the spec i would like, (thats allowing for a few extra bits). So i would probably be able to get the spec i wanted, for the same price, or a bit more, so i am not sure it is worth the hassle!

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Ed


Canon 40D + Grip | Sigma 10-20 EX | 17-85 | Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX II | 50 F/1.8 | 430 EX II + Other Stuff
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Any decent motherboard manual has pretty detailed information on how to assemble it with the necessary components. If you know which MB you want download its manual and have a look-see. Good chance it will tell you most things you need to know. What it doesn't tell you you can find on-line.
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When in doubt..... Press the shutter.

Remember that puzzle game when you were a kid, where you put the different shapes into the ball throught the different shaped holes? Building a PC really isnt much different than that at all. ive done it a few times.

The price on the Intel Q6600 has dropped pretty solidly over the last little bit, its just over $200 CAD right now and that get you quad core at 2.6ghz.
Id buy an Asus motherboard, ocz or crucial ram, Seagate or Western digital hd, usually sweet spot on price right now is between 500-750GB.

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Nikon D60 | AF-S 18-200mm VR f/3.5-5.6 | ML-L3 Wireless Release | Slik Sprint Pro Tripod | Lowepro Topload Zoom 2

I'd agree with Asus and Crucial but I'd also suggest looking at the Samsung SpinPoint HD103UJ F1 1000GB.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Yeah, the samsung f1 is indeed really really nice but is also quite a bit more pricey compared to others. I dont think you would notice the speed quite as much with photo work as you would with video editing per say.

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Nikon D60 | AF-S 18-200mm VR f/3.5-5.6 | ML-L3 Wireless Release | Slik Sprint Pro Tripod | Lowepro Topload Zoom 2

Don't forget to buy a good psu and case, that's the first mistake people make! They'll buy all the big name brand parts then buy a cheap chinese case that has no ventilation and a psu that shorts out and blows their rig.
I recommend either the Corsair HX-520 or Seasonic 550w S12+ power supply, both are high quality psu's. Don't even bother looking at buying a 700+ watt psu because most PC's don't even come close to using that much power. And depending on what style of case your after, Antec, Silverstone and Lian Li all make great cases.

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Nikon D40 || 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 kit lens || Tamron AF70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro 1:2
Nikon SB-600 || Nikon ML-L3

i built my own pc a few years ago now i'm a mac user, just be really carefull with the procceser when your installing it, because mine had microscopic nic on one of the corners and it wouldn't work i had to buy another one

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Canon 40D + 70-200mm f/2.8L IS + 50mm f/1.8
Manfrotto 055CX3 + 496RC2
www.thomaslowe.com

Tomis, was that pre-64 Athlon? As I think that was the last *desktop* processor to have an exposed core. The A64, P4 and I think everything since then has an IHS which protects the core. It's not a problem now unless you remove the IHS which some hardcore overclockers do.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I haven't built my own PC since the 90's.

It's just too much hassle, and here in the UK once you've clobbered the parts together it costs the same as most prebuilt machines. The advantage of a prebuilt machine is you have one point of contact to go to in the event where a device fails. With a self built computer, you've got to chase down manufacturers on your own.

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PhilipGoh.com

The main advantage of built it yourself is that you can get exactly what you want. Agreed that often you can get a similar spec for less price pre built.

Getting what you want is more important if you're an overclocker. But as with lots of technology products, once it gets to a "good enough" performance level, cost becomes more important.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I'd certainly echo that. It's taken me a week to get an authorisation for a refund of a solid state disk drive.

I'd also agree with the point that if you want anything out of the normal run of the mill then self-build is a more attractive option but you are very unlikely to save money.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.