best cheap/free scores 1.1

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

The benchmarks beg to differ.

Well, yes, the 9500 does have higher benchmark numbers, but when it comes to games, it's not a night-and-day difference from the HD3450. I guess it all depends on what games you plan to play on it (if any?).

however the 9500 has a bad fan so it's "on blocks" for now (I ended up nabbing a PNY 9800 PE 1gb from a buddy anyway)..

Dammit, I knew it! That cheap-looking aluminum heatsink was asking for trouble. So far, I've only seen MSI, XFX, and PNY use those cheap fans on some of their lower-tier video cards, and they never ever last.
Is the fan just seized or is the rotor hub starting to melt too? If it's the latter, then it's one of those cheap fans.
I feel bad now for giving you the link to that card :\ .

By the way, I have a question for everyone.
There is someone on my "local" Craigslist selling a pair of oldschool Sony SS-U230 floor speakers for $10. I'm wondering if they are worth the drive or not (it's not exactly close to where I live). I can't find much info online on these things. Going by what I found, they have the following specs:
8 Ohms impedance
200W max
2-way system, ported design. Probably made in early 90. They look a bit cheap and similar to my Nova-18 - big when viewed from the front, but not very deep when viewed from the side. That makes me think small subwoofer magnet and probably small subwoofer voicecoil (i.e. boomy bass in the upper range and nothing in the lower range :\ ). Subwoofer cone looks about 10", but that's all a guess based on the pictures. Here's the link:
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/d...739461730.html

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I tossed the fan. The sleeve bearing rattled and it was sealed (no plug).

If I can find a cooler that fits, I'll add it and put in my parents box (they currently have a poly modded 7600GT)

[Compgeke]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Picked up a free 1200W Champion generator with a screwed up carb.

Not sure what the engine is based on. It sounds like a Honda and looks like a small Honda GX120 but 80cc. If it ends up needing more than $50 in repairs I'll probably try and swap something like a Honda GXH50 or GX100 into it for shits and giggles....

After looking around it seems this here's the exact same as the Predator 79cc engine, same parts location, size, carburetor, etc. I believe it's a Briggs clone but don't quote me on that.

[Dan81]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

What I found in the dumpster today....was a ATX case in almost PERFECT condition.

Just the front has a crack (which can be masked away with superglue anyways) but otherwise it's good. I've already moved my Pentium 4 rig to that case.

It sadly doesn't have any company name,however a CD cable that was in it seems to say "BEST" on it.

[stj]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

dont use superglue, it interacts very badly if you use spraypaint on the front later.
i found out the hard way.

[Dan81]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

dont use superglue, it interacts very badly if you use spraypaint on the front later.
i found out the hard way.

Don't worry, I won't spraypaint the case since it's one of those retro beige cases that I like.

[Heihachi_73]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Found a complete Core 2 Duo (I think) system in Cooler Master ATX case a few days ago, haven't tried it yet. It has an ATI video card with two DVI connectors (and no VGA) and an Antec power supply (which I will check later to make sure it doesn't have the Fuhjyyu plague). For some reason it also had a floppy drive, but it was not hooked up. IIRC it was a Gigabyte board from 2008 (according to the few ICs I could find without taking everything apart).

[Behemot]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Just found Electrolux Ergorapido hoover the other day. Most likely only batteries are bad, we do them all the time. Pity there was not the charging dock.

[C152Heavy]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

And the count continues.....another Samsung, this time a 920NW.

This time it was a bit more challenging, not caps but intermittent connection at one of the CFLs in the backlight but thanks to those who have gone before me, the legwork was done and posted up here (Thanks!) and "all" I had to do was a bit of soldering plus a few choice words putting the panel back together.

And the watch continues.

D

Answering my own post LOL! The watch didn't take long to bear fruit again, another 2220WM rescued from the recycling and after a quick re-capping it's back.

There are still a bunch of them to go.

D

[Dan81]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Alright,here's a pic of the PC case. Sorry that the crack on the case isn't seen.

The other one in the background is my sig rig.

[Behemot]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Mediocre at best, does it at least have some rear fan positions?

[SuperDuty]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

This is the kind of case I keep around only to have a reason to go to the recycling center to pick up more interesting stuff
One of my first dumpster find was a complete Pentium 4 system in a cheap case like that in mint condition, no yellowing, no scratch, no dust, so it houses my brothers computer now.
I've also found a ginormous badass 2002 Chieftec Dragon full tower three years ago, my rig is in it now

[Dan81]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Mediocre at best, does it at least have some rear fan positions?

Of course. It has 2 of them.

BTW I noticed that the only removable panel is the one that covers the innards.
The other panel isn't removable as it's used for the standoffs.

The parts inside it are a Pentium 4 1.8GHz,2.5GB RAM,80GB WDC SATA HDD,MSI FX5200 128MB PAL,Samsung DVD drive and a 400W Delux PSU. Board is ASRock P4VM800 (aka ASUS P4V8X-MX)

[edgars_ab]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Recently I got a perfectly good 17" LCD monitor right from our recycling center. As the lcd screen had no cracks, I expected some problems with capacitors, ccfls, or transformers, so I disassembled it without even trying to power it up. I have a bad habit of that, lol, and this time was not the first one, this habit punched me in face - all circuits was in perfect condition - no bulging capacitors, no signs of overheating, NO other defects. Even no dead pixels on the lcd panel. Assembled it back, powered up, worked on it for more than 4 hours - no signs of any defects.

Before that day, i was visiting my client to fix his PC. I was surprised, that he was still using a CRT monitor, after all these years.

In the same way, i'm actually shocked till right this moment, and i can't understand - why people throw out a perfectly good things, if they can simply give it to others or SELL it to others. Even these days, you can't buy a used lcd screen without 20$-30$ bucks in your pocket. It's not much but it's still a money.

[Behemot]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Could have had dozen of 17'' LCDs for couple of bucks a piece but nobody wants it for decent price for the effort of renovating it…

[Jooo]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

Recently I got a perfectly good 17" LCD monitor right from our recycling center. As the lcd screen had no cracks, I expected some problems with capacitors, ccfls, or transformers, so I disassembled it without even trying to power it up. I have a bad habit of that, lol, and this time was not the first one, this habit punched me in face - all circuits was in perfect condition - no bulging capacitors, no signs of overheating, NO other defects. Even no dead pixels on the lcd panel. Assembled it back, powered up, worked on it for more than 4 hours - no signs of any defects.

Before that day, i was visiting my client to fix his PC. I was surprised, that he was still using a CRT monitor, after all these years.

In the same way, i'm actually shocked till right this moment, and i can't understand - why people throw out a perfectly good things, if they can simply give it to others or SELL it to others. Even these days, you can't buy a used lcd screen without 20$-30$ bucks in your pocket. It's not much but it's still a money.

I have been trying to sell perfectly working, scratchless 17" - 19" 4:3 LCD monitors including all the cables for 6 to 12$ with not a single person contacting me.
Had around 50 working LCD monitors, and they took so much space,
I ditched at recycling place all of 15" LCD's, monitors with only VGA, and every monitor that had even a single scratch on it. I found that nobody wanted those kind of LCD monitors.

[stj]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

you can sell the 19" ones to arcade machine collectors to replace burned crt's
they may need one of these though.
http://www.sintron-hk.com/GBS-8220-a...-P2699965.aspx

[edgars_ab]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

This is getting more interesting.. You say, not a single person is interested to buy from you a 19" 4:3 monitor? I think you would have a demand at my country, where minimal salary is only 320 Eur/month. Even with 400-500 Eur / month it's getting pretty uncomfortable to live here, but many people do. Salesman, shop assistants, janitors, even teachers, nurses, policeman and fire fighters, all of them mostly have a salary <= 500 Eur / month.

Many people simply can't afford to pay 100$ or more for a new LED screen (without a loan), because of such a low salary I mentioned before, and big expenses, so in result they are fixing their old LCDs and buying used ones (prices are - $20-$30 for LCD 17" 4:3, $35-$50 for LCD 19" 4:3).

From the other point of view, we have a bit different values here too because of this economical nonsense - even I am working still on a 4:3 19" lcd, but not because i couldn't afford to buy a new one. I simply don't feel a need for a new screen, because the one i have currently works great. Maybe next year when cost of electricity will go up, i will make a decision about changing my LCD-CCFL screens to LED ones .

If it's still a surprise for you guys, please take a look at our local listing (most popular) service and take it as a proof:

https://www.ss.lv/lv/electronics/com...ware/monitors/

Please keep in mind, that prices are listed in Eur. In Riga prices are a bit cheaper than other cities, but as you see, there is even some guys who try to sell their 17" old CRTs for a price of $8-$10, hah.

I would start to think about opening a second hand computer store here in Latvia, if i would have an option to get LCD screens and used computers / computer parts in such a quantity for almost nothing, lol.

[Behemot]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

I don't know any 4:3 LCD other than 20''. I gues you mean 5:4?

But anyway, even here the demand is quite low. I got several good S-PVA displays with fancy stuff like repro or USB hub, pivot OFC. Nto being able to sell it for 45 bucks…everybody wants wide (even if that is crap for anythign than watching movies!), they are sold within a week usually, but not old 5:4.

If you want, than go ahead, open the shop, I can supply you with monitors. Latvia is not THAT far away, we can load a van with displays and go to you from time to time.

[popeye]

Re: Your Best Dumpster Finds

the aspect ratio is 4;3 that is what we had before FST and LCD and PLasma

Screen size is a mesurement diagonaly ie: 4" across by 3" up same ratio as 16:9