• RAM Memory Upgrade

If your computer experience has s-l-o-w-e-d to a c—r—a—w—l, whether surfing the Net, composing documents, or printing (for example), it's probably time for a RAM Upgrade. Upgrading your computer's RAM will make your entire computing experience much, much faster and enjoyable.

Most computers ship with minimum RAM memory requirements to run basic processes. As technology advances, the minimum usually can't keep up with these advances. Almost always I find my client's equipment can be upgraded with RAM to enhance their computer's speed and their user experience.

Just a quick phone call to me, along with the specs of your machine (make, model, and serial number), and I can tell you what kind of RAM your computer shipped with, and how much it can handle in an upgrade. I can source the RAM for you, or give you the specifications so you can find it and buy it yourself, whatever you prefer. I am happy to assist you in this purchase any way I can.

The brands of RAM that I recommend and use are "Crucial", "Micron", "Mushkin", "Corsair", and "OCZ." The reason for the RAM upgrade will often determine which brand of RAM to choose. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to give me a call, I am most happy to help you. Again, all advice about upgrading and purchasing RAM for your computer is absolutely FREE.

Fortunately RAM is one of the least expensive upgrades you can invest in, and the time it takes for me to install it for you is almost nothing. In the end, upgrading your RAM is one of the least expensive and most rewarding Upgrades you an do, giving you "the most bang for your buck!

• CD Drive to DVD Drive or Blu-Ray™ Drive Upgrade

Any internal CD Drive (Desktop or Laptop) can be replaced with either a DVD Multi-Drive or a Blu-ray™ Disc Drive. Depending on what type of DVD Multi-Drive or Blu-ray™ Disc Drive you purchase, they can be capable of being a Disc Reader, a Disc Writer, and a Disc Re-Writer. However there are advantages and disadvantages in choosing which Disc Drive type you want for your Upgrade.

A Video/Graphics Card Upgrade may be needed when you either: (a) upgrade your OS (Operating System), (b) install high definition videos or games, or, (c) install graphic and photo editing software that requires the highest level of visual resolution output possible by your CPU.

The "job" of the Video/Graphics Card is to turn the data your computer recieves into images. You may have noticed upon close inspection that some images displaying on your Monitor (either photos or videos), appear not to be solid, but to be made up of little squares which when combined all together made up the sum total of the image. This is known as "pixelation."

A "pixelated image" may not be the highest resolution output of the image available, but often is as good as it gets if your Video/Graphics Card is outdated or inadequate with regard to the the latest technology.

According to the manufacturer, the ATI Radeon HD 5970 Graphics Video Card is "[e]ngineered for speed" and "delivers an unrivaled HD gaming experience" so you can play the latest, most demanding HD titles like never before.

Your CPU or Central Processing Unit, is the "brains" of your computer. The "Chip" is located on the "central nervous system" of your computer, "the Motherboard."

As the name implies, "the Motherboard" contains all the various microelectronics which make your computer operate via the commands of your Operating System (OS) and Programs/Applications.

The CPU is THE Information Data Processor in your computer, via its complex micro-electronic circuitry. The CPU understands and implements software instructions, mathemmatical calculations and comparisons, makes logical decisions (based on "true" or "false" boolean algebraic statements), keeps track of and follows steps in software programs/applications, and communicates with the other components of the entire computer system.

If you have updated your OS software, or upgraded a powerful graphics editor or "office" type software such as MIcrosoft Office Suite®, you may experience that your computer is lagging in processing commands such as opening files, editing documents and graphics, printing or other multi-function commands. This is a sign that you need to either upgrade your RAM Memory, and/or upgrade your CPU.

The simplest thing to do is to update your RAM Memory, but if you have already upgraded your RAM to the maximum your Motherboard can hold, you will need to upgrade your CPU Chip in order to keep your computer running at top speed for your application programs. Upgrading your CPU Chip, is an easy and affordable upgrade. There are a few qualifiers however, which must be met in order for the Upgrade to be successful.

First, we must determine which new CPU Chip is compatible with your existing Motherboard. This is a FREE SERVICE I offer. All I need is the Make, Model, and Serial Number of your existing computer. Usually there are no incompatibility issues and the new chip can be easily and quickly installed putting you back in business at a much, much faster speed.

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The quality of sound and how it is perceived is comparable to fine art: the beauty is in the eyes, or, in this case, the ears of the beholder. That being said, there is a difference in sound quality produced by various sound cards available for your computer.

If you are a musician or a serious audiophile, the quality of sound produced by your computer will certainly be a consideration as you listen to and enjoy the nuances of Bach, Beethoven, or Tchaikovsky, for example. For the serious Gamer, sound quality can make the difference as to whether your character wins or loses, lives or dies. And for all of us, nothing is more enjoyable than cozying up on the couch and watching our favorite movies through a Home Theater set-up, experiencing the movie just like we would at the local movie house. All of these features are available through what is known as 3-D Surround Sound.

3-D Surround Sound is a system of speakers, usually two in front and two behind you, plus a "sub-woofer" which captures those really low, "lows." Their placement and function allows the sound to surround you giving you the experience of being right in the middle of the action in a game, or sitting on a chair with the orchestra, or as if you were a character in your favorite movie.

Orignally 3-D Surround Sound was available through only one manufacturer, and was known as "Dolby Surround Sound®." Today there is "digital surround sound" and other manufacturers besides Dolby® make this type of sound available in the marketplace. As might be expected, with Digital Surround Sound you must have Digital Speakers for the sytem to work as it was designed.

There are a few different 3-D Surround Sound sound cards that I recommend to my clients, depending on their needs and the reasons for upgrading their existing sound cards.

With an "X-Fi I/O" drive you'll have front panel connections for your headphones, headset, and other audio gear. Additionally for the Gamer, the performance in your games is boosted due to the hardware accelerated audio and X-RAM of this sound card.

Whether you choose this particular card, or another, you can expect the cost for a digital sound card providing these types of rich features and high-end technology to cost you between $150 to $250, depending on which features are most important to you.

Both of these cards can be easily installed, the process taking less than an hour to complete.

Additionally, it is a very simple to run a connection from your computer to your home sound system and television monitor, giving you a Home Theater or Big Screen experience without the costly outlay for additional equipment.

Laptops require an external sound card through a USB or FireWire connection.

In this case, I recommend "Creative Professional's E-MU 0404 USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface Sound Card", (Stereo / Hi-Speed USB, 24-bit - 192 kHz - 117 dB SNR).

The E-MU 0404 USB delivers outstanding performance to your Macintosh or Windows PC Laptop, with premium 24-bit / 192 kHz A/D, D/A converters, and pristine XTC pre-amps.

Featuring "plug - and - play" functionality, and signal - to - noise specs that are simply unrivaled by any other USB interface on the market today, the E-MU 0404 USB is my top choice for an external USB Sound Card device for Laptops.

Additionally, the E-MU 0404 USB comes with a "Production Tools" software bundle giving the serious audiophile and musician everything they need to create, record, edit, and master their music.

Whether you choose this External USB sound card, or another providing similar technology, you can expect your new sound card to cost you between $150 to $250, depending on which features are most important to you.

Upgrading your Sound Card is an easy addition to your computer, bringing more richness to your computing experience and greater enhancement and enjoyment of your music and movies.

Please give me a call to discuss your needs for Upgrading your sound card. I am most happy to give you a FREE Evaluation of which card would best suit your needs, determining which ones are most compatible with your current hardware configurations.

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Most computer users are now familiar with a "USB Port" (Universal Serial Bus). Most Desktops and Laptops in use today will have at least one, if not two USB Ports to connect peripheral devices such as a printer, a scanner, a digital camera, or an iPod®.

The biggest difference between USB and FireWire® is the data transfer rate. FireWire® transfers data at a minimum of four times faster than a USB connection can operate.

For those folks with huge video files, music files, or other data intensive files which need an external Hard Drive to store their data, a Hard Drive with a FireWire® Port makes the most sense. This will give you the fastest way to move that data from your computer's internal Hard Drive to the External Drive.