FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 004 (07/05/96)

RAM-IFICATIONS

What is the difference between, and the significance of DRAM, VRAM and WRAM?

J.B.G., Milton Keynes

A

Dynamic Random Access Memory or D-RAM  is the commonest type of microchip memory inside a computer, it’s used to store the software for the work in progress. They’re the RAM chips you see quoted in the basic specifications for a particular machine,  i.e. Pentium 75 with 8Mb RAM etc. Video or V-RAM is a type of D-RAM, specially configured to handle data on video adaptor cards. It’s called ‘dual-ported’ memory because it allows two devices to access it at the same time, increasing the speed of screen graphics and reducing the workload on the main memory and processor chips. W-RAM (the W stands for Windows) is a form of V-RAM specially designed to speed up the operations of certain display functions in Windows software, including animation and moving video.

PC IN CONTROL

I have a Sony CCD750 camcorder and a moderately new Tiny 486/100 PC. Which would you say is the best computer editing package, that would allow me to tidy up my holiday movies?

S.R., Bristol

A

There are literally dozens of computer editing systems on the market, ranging from full post-production suites --  rivalling the facilities in some professional video studios -- to simple camcorder edit controllers. Video Director Home, from Gold Disk, is probably the right one for you. It sells for £50 and it comes with all the necessary leads and connectors needed to operate both a camcorder and the VCR where the final production is compiled. Your camcorder, and a few other machines, have the necessary Control L or LANC editing terminal, which allows the PC to control the camcorder’s tape transport, and read the tape counter. You tell it precisely where each wanted scene starts and finishes by clicking the mouse on a virtual control panel on the monitor; the results are displayed on the PC screen, in the form of a simple script. The VCR is controlled by the PC via an infra-red ‘wand’ placed near the machine. Video Director software includes a library of the IR command codes for pretty well all VCRs sold in this country. It will even help organise your tapes, and print cassette labels for you. Call Gold Disk on (01753) 832383, or drop into their Web site at http://www.golddisk.com.

TAKE-AWAY CHIPS

I am extremely concerned about the possibility of chip-theft from the half dozen PCs used by my company. They are all highly specified machines, two of them are fast Pentiums with 32Mb of RAM and we have two Power Macs. The premises are heavily alarmed but that hasn’t been a deterrent for two companies in adjacent business units, who have been broken into in the past three weeks. What can be done to protect my equipment and my business against this threat?

T.F., Dundee

A

The Association of British Insurers estimates that IT theft costs UK firms more than £600 million a year and that up to one in four companies have been affected. Moreover, once a company has been broken into thieves often return a few days or weeks later, and steal the replacements.

Protection should start with insurance -- check you’re fully covered --  and if your business is totally dependent on PCs then it might be worth considering a specialist rental scheme, such as the one being offered by Adam Associates, which can re-install complete systems and networks, and have the company up and running again in just a few hours.

Security is a question of risk analysis, you have to work out how much you’re prepared to spend to safeguard your equipment. However, the bottom line is that most of the PC security products on the market can do little to stop really determined villains, armed with a jemmy or bolt-cutters. You can certainly slow them down by securing cases and monitors to a desk or the floor, though it’s quite likely they’ll cause damage trying to remove them. Moreover, if they’re only after high-value components, like memory and processor chips, or hard-disc drives, they’ll simply smash their way into the cabinets. Marking cases and components with visible or invisible dyes is a sensible precaution, though clearly it has limited deterrent effect and will only be of value if the items are retrieved. Steel security cabinets, large enough for base units and servers afford the best all-round protection for equipment and data, though monitors, printers and fax machines remain vulnerable so it’s wise to keep them well away from ground-floor windows. In any event it’s worth seeking specialist advice from a security consultant or your insurance company.  Contacts: Adam Associates (01635) 521500, Boxx Security (cabinets) (01494) 440000