Category: Hardware

Lifetime PC User Buys a Mac

For all my life I’ve been loyal to PC. It’s been a pretty good relationship, certainly with its ups and downs like in any relationship. It started back in 1992 with my dad’s i486-based computer, and after that there was no stopping us. Fast forward to today, and I’ve been through more than a dozen machines and numerous rebuilds. I’ve even built a couple of water cooled rigs just for the hell of it.

I’ve been a steadfast supporter of the PC platform and what it stands for. I’ve regularly argued against Apple whenever they’ve done bad things, such as locking down pretty much everything they make to suit their business models, or enforcing unfair censorship of publishers’ content – all the while pointing fingers at other. So, I hope my point is made clear: understand that it would take a lot to make me buy an Apple product.

Just a few days ago in July of 2011, however, I decided to do just that. Continue reading

Hacking a Brother: Force your Printer into Printing in Black and White

Old Dusty

This may still work in 2019, but perhaps not on some newer models

I wanted to print a document the other day, so I switched on my dusty and trusty inkjet printer, only to find a nice red blinking error on the display greeting me. The message was something along the lines of “Printing is impossible, replace yellow ink cartridge”.

I tried printing in black & white (greyscale actually), by specifiying this in the print options (click to see how), but a friendly popup message just stated something along these lines: “Cannot retain printing quality, please replace ink cartridge yellow”.

So I couldn’t print in black and white because my yellow ink was empty?! I couldn’t believe it. Or rather, I could, seeing how printer manufacturers are almost giving away printers for free, they have to make money somehow – why not in sleazy ways like this?

Checking the black cartridge, which is double the size of the colored ones, it was still half full (or half empty, whichever you prefer). Only the yellow one was completely empty. So, what is a man to do? Continue reading

A First Look at Windows 8 – Finally Some Tablet Power!

Microsoft posted this first of several upcoming “Building Windows 8” videos a few days ago.

I think it showcases some interesting features that look very promising for a good tablet enabled OS, such as a logical app layout and full seamless multi-tasking support for the apps.

We learn that HTML5 and JavaScript are going to be the core technologies for developers looking to make apps for (codename) “Windows 8”, so if you’re aspiring to do so, you might as well get started on sharpening up those skills asap.

Anyways, moving pictures say more than a thousand words, plus Jensen Harris does a great job at presenting through the spoken word. Check it out:

TommyNation Gamer Rig update May 2011

ASUS P8Z68-V, Socket-1155

ASUS P8Z68-V, Socket-1155 motherboard

I’ve updated the TommyNation Gamer Rig recommendation page with a brand new setup today.

This new setup is based on the new Intel Z68 platform, which combines all the best of P67 and H67 – or in short: it enables improved video processing performance – previously only found in the H67 – whilst offering the overclocking power and performance benefits of the P67.

DisplayPort to DVI Adapters Explained

With many new graphics cards, unless at least one of your monitors has DisplayPort support or is connected using VGA*, an active DisplayPort to DVI adapter is needed in order to get a picture on more than two digitally connected monitors at the same time. As DisplayPort is only found in the most expensive monitors, this is a fact that many buyers miss.

This problem applies especially to AMD Radeon EyeFinity enabled cards such as the Radeon 5xxx and 6xxx series, which enable use of three monitors simulatenously for a combined resolution of up to 7680×1600 pixels, or even six on certain models, for a combined maximum resolution of up to 7680×3200 pixels.

The first active DP to DVI adapters made available were and can still be very expensive, at around $100 each. Also, they have to be plugged into a USB port for external power.

For HD monitors supporting resolutions of up to 1920×1200 (max resolution of DVI Single Link), manufacturers solved this problem by creating an active DP to DVI Single Link adapter, that requires no extra power, and can be had at more reasonable prices.

Continue reading

DVI Connector Chart

DVI is not DVI! This DVI Connectors chart will help you figure out which type of DVI cable or DVI adaptor you need.