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Paul H.

Paul H.

Joined on 05/25/01

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 5
Most Favorable Review

Professional Quality Cable

StarTech 15 ft DVI-I Dual Link Digital Analog Monitor Cable M/M
StarTech 15 ft DVI-I Dual Link Digital Analog Monitor Cable M/M

Pros: I got my first FCC license in 1967, so I've seen a lot of video (analog and digital) cable over the years. Even if you don't need the extra reach of a cable of this length, you'll be surprised at the top-notch build quality and the gauge of cable used. Don't waste your money on M*nster; Buy this.

Cons: *Not* shipped from California, so take that into account when estimating shipping time to your location.

Overall Review: Team this up with an Ergotron LCD stand and you can put your monitor anywhere on or over your desk, but remember, the further away, the thicker the cable you should use.. like this one.

Most Critical Review

Windows chokes on ASRock drivers

ASRock Z77 OC Formula LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard
ASRock Z77 OC Formula LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Extended ATX Intel Motherboard

Pros: I'll let you know once I install Windows on it but the BIOS screen is pretty compared to the old Phoenix blue. The faux-velvet bag could have held power supply adapters.

Cons: Although connected to the proper Intel 3.0 ports, and setting up an 2 SSD disk RaidO array, Win 7 Enterprise and Ultimate will not accept any of the iaAHCI.inf and mvs91xx.inf files AS Rock provides either on the install CD or on their support website. I've tried multiple BIOS versions, and have even tried slipstreaming the provided drivers into a USB flash OS install. Also, even if you're using a $300 PSU from just a couple of years ago, you still may need some power adapter plugs. Perhaps that's something common for the SandyBridge/IvyBridge, but it wasn't mentioned and this mobo does not come with them.. it requires an ATX12-1 and an ATX12-2 power plug or adapters, which are not easily found here. (I was impatient and drove to the giant tech chain store and spent $8, only to run into the driver issue above.)

Overall Review: NewEgg shipping sat on a $2000+ order from December 27th until January 2nd.

Gaming and Home Office use

Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound, Wireless Headphones with Microphone
Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound, Wireless Headphones with Microphone

Pros: Once you've loaded the new software from the Logitech site (don't use the CD), you get the best approximation of surround sound of any wireless headphone I've tried. Remember, this is a simulated 7.1 sound. There are not 15 individual speakers in each headphone.

Cons: 1. Because the vinyl padding on the earphone totally encloses the ears, it can get warm and humid inside after extended use. The good news is that it blocks outside noise, so it's great for use in a home office. 2. The "G-keys" featured here are not the "G-keys" of other Logitech devices, but look on Google for mods; I'm able to control Spotify's forward, skip and pause buttons from the headset, as well as the volume.

Overall Review: I've used Sennheisers for work and play since the 70's, but needed a bit more noise-reduction and an improved wireless interface for home-office work. Haven't tried the included mike yet, but it's the best physical implementation I've seen so far. The standard price here is often discounted extensively, so be patient.

Long Wait for game.. and UPS

Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 Game
Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360 Game

Pros: Incredible game. It was GTA:SA that got away from PC based FPS games and into the realm of consoles.. at the age of 50!

Cons: Mine was shipped via land UPS from Ohio, which means it takes a full three weekdays to arrive in Mountain and Pacific Time Zones. NewEgg doesn't like to make the shipping origin obvious for some reason, so it's best if users like us mention it here for other (impatient) NewEgg console gamers. I had hoped it would be shipped from California, but my pre-order didn't arrive in Las Vegas, NV until May 1st, three days after the game was released on April 29th. Don't get me wrong; I could have paid for overnight delivery. But items shipped by NewEgg from California to much of the West often arrive overnight without paying the express premium. NewEgg has ALWAYS kept its word; I've just been surprised at the shipping origin.

Overall Review: The dry wit, incredible soundtrack, stable of vehicles and politically incorrect satire, along with mini-games, means the game would be fun without any actual shooting. But.. for heaven's sake.. shoot!

No LCD, But 19 Macro Keys

Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboard
Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboard

Pros: After a rare Las Vegas power outage and a surge after, my old G15 Keyboard (this model but with an LCD display) got fried. I found that the LCD features, while nice, wasn't used by much software out there. In fact, the old G15 Keyboard (LCD and 18 macrokeys) is no longer being built! The new G15 with LCD has dropped 12 of the 18 macro keys for a narrower profile on the desk. Why do you need 18 keys? In truth, a three-way macro selection switch actually offers a total of 54 macro keypresses, rather than the 18 possible with the newer board. You'll find printable templates on the wen so you can custom-create a cheat sheet that fits over/between the macro keys. If you're willing to put in the effort to create your own macros, this is the ideal keyboard.

Cons: Black rubberized-texture plastic is a magnet for dust and crumbs, and the keyboard is difficult to clean. The blue backlighting of keys at highest setting can barely be seen in normal office lighting.. but perhaps this was designed not to blind those playing WoW or CS at 4am. USB ports on the keyboard seem to be USB1 rather than 2. Fairly short USB cable to PC.

Overall Review: If they had developed a Vista SideShow app for the LCD, and if I thought Vista was mission-critical ready, I would still be lured by the LCD. But it was under-utilized. Go ahead.. search for software!