Issue #3
This month I'm going to concentrate on all of the computer toys I've
gotten to play with. I will let you know what flew and what flopped.
I'm going to break this into catagories, and next month I will try
to do an all music gear issue.
Scanners
HP 5100cxi
I've set up 6 different scanners in the last couple of months and
have really only liked the HP scanners.
There are some simple things to look for in a scanner like those that
use parallel port and those that use scsi. Parallel port is what your
printer uses. It is built in and therefore easy to install. It is also
slow. SCSI comes built in on a Mac but if you own a PC you will have
to install a card.
I'm not a graphics expert but some of the scanners went in like a charm.
The HP and Umax installed without incident. Microtek and Visioneer were
a bit of a headache and I never want to see another Memorex scanner
again.
All of these were flatbed except the Visioneer PaperPort Strobe which you
feed standard sheets of paper through. It is great for any office needing
to scan hundreds of documents.
The color difference was quite varied. It ranged from great on the HP and
Microtek to horrible on the Umax. Speed more or less stayed right along
these same lines.
Prices stayed pretty much on the line of "you get what you pay for".
The HP, which was on the high end, was $300. The Visioneer was the
low end at $150.
Models
HP Scanjet 5100Cse - $300 *****
Microtek ScanMaker X6 $179
Umax Astra 1220S - $229
Umax Astra 1220P - $149
Memorex SCF 6120P - $149
Visioneer PaperPort Strobe - $149
Computers
Dell
The computer itself is a tricky one. Everyone seems to be lured away
by these too good to be true deals. If it sounds incredible that a
computer costs $800 then it is probably true. But unless you know
how to tear the thing apart every time there is a little glich, stay
clear. My advice, buy a $2000 computer and submit to the fact that
3 months later new systems will come out that are cheaper and faster.
Now, who makes good computers? Actually, not too many companies do.
Personally I think if you stay with 5 companies you are probably
safe. The big 5 are Compaq, Dell, Gateway, HP, and IBM. My personal
favorite is Dell. But it seems to change quarterly. They have the
one thing that everyone should take advantage of, Technical Support.
If you get it free then use it. Dell happens to have friendly people
who seem to be able to talk to you no matter what level of expertice
you have.
One thing to think about is that the computers that they sell as
"home computers" are usually a lesser quality than the one the sell
as a "buisness computer". The term "desktop" usually refers to the
home computer, where the term "workstation" is referring to the
buisness model.
Printers
HP 1120C
Printers are easy for me. I long ago gave up on canon. Ebson has
never excited me. My pal Scott talked me out of even concidering
Lexmark and Minolta. That leaves Hewlett Packard.
You would think I was on the take for all of my rave of old HP.
The truth is that they make computer periferials that run great
and last a long time. That said There are four HP models that
I would like to mention.
The HP1120C is my personal favorite. Sure it costs $500, but it
prints 11"x17", the color looks great and it is fast.
The HP 890Cse is the same engine as the 1120C but it only does
standard size. It sells for $400, looks great and is fast.
The HP 722C is there scaled down model. It runs for $300 and
is perfect for someone who rarely prints graphics. Hell you
can run to kinkos 3 times a year and save yourself a bundle.
On a different note is the HP 4000N LaserJet. This is the only
laser printer on my list mainly because I haven't worked with
any other models that were outstanding and affordable. This
printer is extremely fast and starts at about $1150.
3COM
PalmPilot Professional and PalmPilot III
I know, I know, eveybody wants a Palm Pilot. Well I've played with
one for about 3 months now and my verdict is : Wait. Sure they make
a great date book and you look cool. But how cool are you going to
look next year when real e-mail, web browsers, pagers and synch
programs that work will actually be a reality.
So listen up cyber-dork, let your cell phone answer your e-mails for
another year and get yourself a black book for those really hot dates
because really useful PIF's will be along in about a year or so.
Diamond Multimedia Systems
Stealth II G460 Graphics Board
This one is on my wish list. I've been reading one great review after
another. This video card comes with 8Mb Ram and the new monster
processor from Intel. All this for only $130. The prices have hit
rock bottom for anothe piece of hardware. I'm installing one on
a friends computer next week and will let you know asap.