FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 085 (25/11/97)

BOARD TO TEARS

We are thinking of getting a home PC over the next few months, probably a Pentium 166. In order to keep pace with technology, the plan is to upgrade after a couple of years, probably to a Pentium II 266 MHz, but I've been told I would need a new motherboard, as well as a new processor. If so, does this mean that all existing 75-200 MHz Pentium I machines are going to be as difficult to upgrade to Pentium II as a 486? Would that make buying a second-hand 486 even more of a bargain if you can merely skip the Pentium I generation and move straight to Pentium II?

Nick Rowe

A

Pentium II is basically an upgrade of the Pentium Pro processor, with added MMX instructions, combining speed with advanced graphics handling capabilities. To improve manufacturing yields Intel omitted the usual on-chip, second-level cache memory. Instead, separate cache chips are mounted alongside the processor. The whole caboodle is built inside a small module, that fits on to the motherboard using a new type of connector, called ‘Slot One’.  So yes, you will have to replace the motherboard to upgrade. Pentium II has little to offer most home users at the moment, that can’t be found on a 200MHz MMX PC. A P166 system should be adequate, unless you’re interested in the very latest games or graphics-intensive software. A 486 PC would only make sense if you plan to run home office applications, like a word processor and spread sheet, or use it for Email and internet access.

NET ASSET?

In Connected,  11/11/97, in the feature, ‘The ones that slipped away’ under the heading ‘Net TV’ a device was described, that connects an ordinary TV to the internet. This is precisely what I have been awaiting since it was first mentioned in Connected last March. I would be grateful if you can tell me where to obtain one as at the age of 82 I do not want to play games any more, but I do like the idea of browsing the net, home banking and shopping, and anything that can make my life a bit easier.

C.W. Eggleton, Weybridge, Surrey   

A

That was a reference to NetStation, the first set-top internet box to reach the UK. It costs just under £300 and is about the size of a satellite receiver.  Installation is very straightforward, there’s only a mains lead and a couple of simple connections; one goes to the audio-video input socket (SCART connector) on back of the TV, the other one plugs into the phone socket. Once the preliminary log-on procedures have been completed -- including authorising a credit-card payment for a £14.95 monthly subscription -- you’re ready to surf. There’s a few points to bear in mind. Firstly the supplied remote handset is a pain to use, the optional cordless keyboard (£80), is worth having, especially if you want to send more than an occasional Email.  NetStation has limited audio capabilities, and no on-board mass-storage. The latter is a disadvantage if you want to download long documents or files, though it does have a printer port. On the plus side, the Net Channel user interface is well presented and it’s easier to set up and use, than a PC. You can get details of your nearest stockist by telephoning: (0845) 6050560. 

SAVE THE PLANET!

In F!F!F! 11/1197, in reply to a question about using a PC as a telephone answering machine, you say the computer will have to be left on constantly. Is there some problem with leaving a PC on that I'm not aware of? They don't consume much power when idling, and they're certainly not going to burn out. Where I work we leave dozens of PCs switched on all the time, the monitors power down but the machines sit there happily, year in year out.

Alan M. Davies

A

PC power supplies are generally safe, and can be left running all the time, though whether that’s a good thing is another matter. The most recent models -- fitted with energy-efficient motherboards -- with all of the power-saving facilities enabled, still consume around 30 watts. Over the course of a year that adds up to something like £20 worth of electricity; the majority of older PCs cost substantially more to run. Heat generated by the power supply will reduce the life of some components inside the machine, and all of that heat ends up in the atmosphere. Office air conditioning systems have to work harder, consuming yet more power, and then there’s the global impact on the weather of the heat spewed out by of tens of millions of PCs. Help save the planet, buy an answering machine...

LOST GOLD

In an answer to a question in F!F!F! (07/05/ 97), headed ‘PC Control’ you recommended a piece of software, called Video Director Home from Gold Disk, for editing home video movies, using a PC and a camcorder. I have been unable to contact Gold Disk using the phone number given. Have they moved?

Brian Saunders

A

Video Director is now distributed in the UK by Pinnacle Systems, they can be reached at: (01895) 424200