. . . Final Fantasy XIV

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The months, then weeks, and finally days that had to come and go before the release of Final Fantasy XIV were often filled with stray thoughts like "wow it sure will be nice when I can actually play that game" because, and I am being honest here, I missed the original FF based MMO (Final Fantasy XI) that I used to play a lot with friends but that I honestly do not have time to play today, or tomorrow, or really whenever.

That is sort of the point, really. Total lack of time. But when something is new and shiny and has that new MMO smell you will be surprised at how much time you can MAKE to play it. Plus there is the added fact that several of my best mates live a long way away from me, and the only time that I get to spend time with them, as well as having an excuse for rambling hours-long VOIP sessions, is when we are playing MMO's.

OK, so where was I? Oh yeah, looking forward to playing FFXIV...

So the game arrives via Sir UPS, and I pop it into my PC and load it -- the PS3 version will not be arriving before March 2011 at the earliest, so it was PC or nothing -- which meant that I also had to locate my PC gamepad and plug that in. Then I had to find the drivers for it because (surprise) I have not actually used that device since before I made the switch to Windows 7.

Once FFXIV is installed and I have my gamepad plugged in with the drivers installed, I go to run the game and... It has to patch.

Three Hours Later

The patch is finally downloaded and installed -- and it only took 3 hours! How cool is that?! I remember patches for FFXI taking 8 to 12 hours, so this one was not bad at all! With the game properly patched, and even though I know that my best mate has not finished installing his copy yet, I go ahead and run the game. I create my character, I do the appearance edit and decide on the basic stats, and finally I am ready to play. I hit play.

I appear in the game, and wow, the graphics are WAY better than those from FFXI. There is an almost haunting realism to them, and as I have created a Mithra, my human-like cat chick, or maybe cat-like human chick... I am not sure... Whatever! Stands at the entrance to a long avenue in a city made of stone, and there she stands. I cannot move. The gamepad is not working.

The lights on the gamepad that are lit when it is properly loaded are lit; clearly the drivers are there, so it should work. And yet not. A quick web-search and I know why! I need to actually configure it to work for FFXIV, which means quitting the game and loading a separate config program. I do that, and five minutes later I am once again standing at the entrance to this long avenue made of stone. There are NPC characters around me, but oddly no player characters.

I push forward on the right joystick and start to walk -- Cool! The gamepad is properly configured!

I take three steps.

The game freezes.

A message pops up: The Server is now going down for Maintenance.

Oh man!

I check the message board on the official site and learn that this "Maintenance" will take 8 hours. I go to bed.

The Next Evening

The soonest that I can log in and play is late the following evening, because as much as I want to play, there are all these other things that I have to do, like work, and family, and you know, stuff. But here I am, and bonus! My best mate has installed and patched his copy, so I get to do my initial exploration of the city with him! Very awesome.

This is NOT Final Fantasy XI...

It is sort of like FFXI, but not. A lot is different. For one thing the leveling system and the jobs are much more complex and require a great deal of careful study of the conversation dialogue that I am having with NPC's. Confusion is everywhere, but slowly things begin to make sense.

I spend an hour and a half exploring this new city, but I am unable to locate the player housing area. I know -- I KNOW -- that there has to be one, and yet I cannot find it. Finally in a fit of desperation I Google it, and I learn that the reason that I cannot locate it is because it is not there. There is NO player housing in this game. The good news though, is the proper way to express that fact is: "There is no player housing in this game... Yet."

OK, so there will be. There is also no follow command, and the help button leads to a notice telling me I should load a website whose URL it provides. That was not optimal. Ideally when you are looking for help in a game, the help should be IN the game.

My first impressions of FFXIV

This game was published before it was finished. So much is missing that I am actually in a slight panic as to why they released it at all... Of course that just means that it can only get better from here, right?

When the game was originally announced years ago, I was still playing FFXI at the time, and I remember thinking that a new MMO would ruin FFXI because it would draw players away. But then at the time I did not realize that I would be one of the players who would stop playing FFXI due to time and life issues, so I sort of imagined that I would still be playing FFXI at the time, which would have made picking up a new MMO almost unthinkable. Now not so much.

First impressions... I like the crafting system better than its implementation in FFXI but I do not really understand the finer points of the crafting system here, so I am not sure how valuable that opinion really is...

I really like it that you no longer have to find a moogle to change jobs -- that your job is totally dependent upon the tool/weapon you have equipped. That is very cool. But I do not understand the different jobs other than the obvious ones -- I mean a fighter is a fighter, but what I think must be White Mage actually feels like a combination of Blue and Black Mage... Obviously if you are not familiar with those classes that does not mean much to you, but there you have it.

There is a strong feeling of a tighter information density here, and a distinct and almost painful lack of community cohesiveness. In the previous MMO you had this definite sense of belonging to your home city -- which was like in this mew MMO pitted in a pseudo-war against the other cities. But the other cities are largely unknown quantities at this point... And still there is this glaring absence of any sense of identity and community.

I am hoping that this is just that fuzzy period of time in which you are just getting to know a new environment and not a true lack of cohesiveness, because that identity factor is a very special part of what made playing these games so attractive.

The other players in the game are a LOT less chatty than those in FFXI... Perhaps it is simply that everyone is new. The game has been publicly available for only a week, and I am clearly overwhelmed by the newness of it all, so I have to presume that so are the other players. Sure, some of them have been playing for almost a month if they bought the Collector's Edition (I did not), because they got early access to the game. So at least SOME of the players should be confident enough to start to be chatty... But no.

One pleasant surprise is that Mithra have tails! That may sound strange, but you see some of the early information that was released about the game two years ago and that was a subject of conversation in FFXI was that Mithra were losing their tails in the new game. I am happy that this is not true, but I cannot explain why that makes me happy.

With games like this you really cannot write a review for months because it takes months to really get a sense of the game -- so if you are expecting a review to appear in Game On you will have to be patient.

My first impressions are that I need some more first impressions. But there is a lot here to like, and assuming that they get busy adding into the game the things that should already be in it, this looks like it will be a very cool MMO home for years to come. They just better get housing in before Christmas, because I am looking forward to the traditional Christmas Quests and setting up my tree, and oh man... Must resist MMO....

. . . MPCU: Power Supplies

Modular PC Upgrade Series Part 5
(from the Cape Cod Times Digital Grind Column)

A Brief Foreword on this Series

This post is part of a multi-part series on the subject of Modular PC Ownership.

The system of Modular PC Ownership espoused in this series follows a green conservation approach to technology that is intended to reduce your individual carbon footprint, save you money, improve your computing satisfaction, and increase the value in many respects that you receive from your personal computer. Each posting on this blog has been created to support and enhance a related column published in the newspaper.

Today's posting supports the column: Upgrading? Now's the time to seize power, which is the August 3rd, 2010 Cape Cod Times Digital Grind Column.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Table of Contents

Part 1: Speaking of MPCU -- Introduction
01: Preface
02: Introduction
03: The Economics of Modular Upgrading
04: Introduction Conclusion

Part 2: Speaking of MPCU - Keyboards
05: Introduction
06: Connectivity Options
07: Keyboards Conclusion

Part 3: Speaking of MPCU - Controllers & Sound
08: Introduction
09: Controllers
10: PC Sound
11: Controllers & Sound Conclusions

Part 4: Speaking of MPCU - Computer Cases
12: Introduction
13: What a Case Should Do
14: How to Begin Building your Foundation

Part 5: Speaking of MPCU - Power Supply Units (PSU's)
15: Introduction
16: Selecting a Power Supply
17: Quality vs. Cost

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Power Supplies

15: Introduction

The history of the Personal Computer can trace its origins to a complex collection of parts that were packaged with an instruction manual requiring more than a passing familiarity with a soldering iron, multi-meter, and firm grasp of Ohm's Law. In fact the establishment of the PC as a legitimate piece of office equipment -- let alone a device for the home -- owes a considerable debt to a common device found on most business desktops: the calculator.

Arguably the first true personal computer -- called the Altair -- was created as a product of desperation by a man named Ed Roberts, who owned an electronics assembly kit business whose principle line was largely electronic calculators. The invention of the Integrated Circuit (IC) fomented a radical change in the manufacture of calculating devices, which up until the mid-1960's consisted largely of the masterful engineering of moving parts. These largely mechanical devices -- whose output was invariably printed on narrow strips of white paper that were clipped to the document being totaled -- were a product of a conservative approach to the process of number manipulation, created for industries that were thought to be resistant to change.

The bulk of Roberts' business consisted of hobbyists who assembled electronic calculator kits, but once the manufacturers of calculators embraced the IC and began to produce product lines that were centered around it, Roberts' found his customer base drying up. In what might be described as a defensive reaction, Roberts looked for other devices that might appeal to the electronic hobbyist and concluded that the personal computer was the answer. Shortly after he created the Altair kit, Roberts found himself unable to keep pace with demand because the public was clearly ready for the personal computer, and his success with the Altair did not go unnoticed.

In just a few short years other manufacturers recognized that untapped market, and Roberts soon found history repeating itself, as his competition used innovation and their established manufacturing base to move the PC beyond a device that consisted of a complex system of switches to the more recognizable keyboard based computer that we use today.

Along the way other devices were integrated into the design of the PC, starting with the video display screen, which in early PC's was built into them rather than connected as a peripheral. Next came the removable disk drive, and eventually the fixed disk (hard drive), sound circuits, and upgradable components like serial ports, parallel ports, and pointing devices. All of these optional add-on devices altered the basic power needs of the PC, which previously were served by a fairly simple built-in power supply that provided a clean source of single-voltage power that the device used.

As the PC grew more complex and capable its power needs also altered, until we find ourselves with the current state of the PC, with an average requirements of three different voltage requirements that all come from the same power supply. Building this as a kit is no longer a practical approach, and not simply because it can be done cheaper and more efficiently by way of mass production, but because the power requirements for the modern PC are exacting, with a list of needs that include clean power in specific voltages that must be consistent.

The power supply for early PC's was, like its case, an integral part of the system design, and was not easily swapped out; when a power supply on the IBM PC went bad the usual course of repair was just that: a technician replaced the part in it that was bad. Modern PC's are built upon a modular approach, and the low cost of their devices promotes a different approach -- when a piece of your computer goes bad or breaks, you replace that piece rather than repairing it, both because it is cheaper to do it that way, and because the skilled repair infrastructure no longer exists in the market.

With that approach to PC components being the standard, it should not be a surprise that the power supply industry began to specialize in the 1990's, producing different models of power supply for different purposes. The general-use PC with its limited needs required what is today considered to be the basic power supply, while the high-performance gaming rigs currently popular have a more specialized set of requirements, which created a highly competitive market for user-installed power supplies and replacement power supplies.

This change in how the device is considered has had the effect of elevating the power supply from a minor factor for a PC build to the level of a core consideration, with most PC builders and owners giving the power supply as much importance as the motherboard or CPU. The end result of this is a market that includes branded power supplies with product lines with so wide a variety of features so that choosing a PSU is now almost as confusing as the process of choosing a CPU! The result for the end-user is similar to what has happened with motherboards, CPU's, and video cards -- the process of selecting the power supply is one more compromise in the build that often comes down to the issue of price rather than features or tech.

16: Selecting a Power Supply Unit (PSU)

At last count, when you consider the different models of PC created as boxed offerings as well as the variations of PSU that are offered for new and original PC builds, there are an estimated 25,000 different types of PSU on the market. If you narrow the selection just to PSU's that are suited for consideration for a new custom PC build, that number still surpasses 4,000 and that does not take into consideration the units that are designed as part of the standard case in a generic build.

A quick check of websites like Newegg, Tiger Direct, Geeks.com, or Fry's -- just to name a few -- turns up around 97 different manufacturers of PSU's, and each maker has an average of 6 product lines, within which are often a dozen different models per product line. With numbers like that it is not just the average consumer or hobbyist who is contemplating a custom PC build who end up confused and struggling to make sense of the market -- professional PC builders also find the choice of PSU to be an often confusing proposition!

The major difference between the professional builder and the average hobbyist however, is simple enough: the professional knows that there is a certain minimum level of features that must be maintained, and invariably makes their PSU choice using that standard combined with an estimate of the future power needs of a system based upon what they know the end-user will do with it, and where they think the future of PC hardware will develop.

• Replacement PSU's

The process of selecting a replacement PSU for a damaged unit is perhaps the most simple choice when power supplies are the part being replaced, because the choice for general-use PC's is often simply the same model that has gone bad. Replacement for a system that is used for Computer Assisted Design / Computer Assisted Manufacturing (CAN/CAM) is a bit more complex, while replacing a unit in a system that is used for gaming is even more complex. Often the process of replacing a PSU is viewed as an opportunity to expand the capability of the PC in ways that the original equipment manufacturer did not consider when they spec'd out the original design.

The first major consideration in replacing a PSU is whether the user is considering an upgrade of their video card. Only three years ago the vast majority of video cards drew all of their power from the PC bus, which means that plugging the card into the PC expansion slot was all that was necessary in order to power the video card. That is no longer the case -- most modern video cards today require additional power using special cables that are part of the modern power supply -- but having one of those cables as part of the PSU is only one element to consider.

Video card technology is moving in new directions today, with the standard being built-in components on cards that duplicate or replace processing responsibilities that previously fell to the PC itself. Modern cards now feature onboard RAM that is often faster than the system RAM, and often include multiple CPU's that are built into the card to take over processing graphics. These two expanding technologies represent pivotal methods for increasing both the capabilities of a PC and its speed that is independent of the computer!

Manufacturers of graphics cards try to address the needs of the software companies whose products best utilize their cards, with video game studios being the greatest demand source for graphics card technology. An office productivity suit is not going to stress a video card, but a modern video game that uses complex layers of graphical display will, and often to its limits. The result of this has been a movement to combine the inherent capacity and processing abilities of multiple video cards in a single system!

• Multi-Head vs. Multi-Card

In the past when a user wanted to add additional video displays to a single computer the choice usually involved adding an additional video card. Most modern high-end cards can usually support more than one display -- and on a general-use PC that is often enough -- but when the system is used for gaming or graphically-intense engineering or design programs, hanging more than a single display off of a card can actually degrade performance of the system.

In that case adding a second or third video card is absolutely required, with the configuration in that situation largely dictated by the desired effect. For graphics rendering, design, and using programs like Adobe Photoshop, the configuration is usually independent, meaning that each display is connected to its own graphics card, and given sole control over that cards resources.

High-end gaming and certain types of computer assisted design often require a more flexible use of the graphics resources in the PC, so in those circumstances it is preferable to have all of the cards in a PC linked together, their resources shared, and the utilization of their processing power and RAM shared out among the displays.

Ultimately the installation of multiple high-end video cards means a much higher set of power requirements on a system, which means that this potential draw must be taken into consideration when selecting a replacement power supply! A general-use PC might never require more than 500 watts of power, which means that selecting a 650 watt power supply is more than adequate for the current and future needs of the PC, but at the other end of the spectrum it is often necessary to over-compensate for power needs in order to provide the foundation for future expansion.

After tallying up the current needs for a system and arriving at 800 watts, the builder may be tempted to pick an 850 watt power supply for the build and call it a good day -- but if that build includes three graphics cards the simple act of replacing them at a later date with newer more powerful models could easily push the minimal system needs above 1,000 watts. That means that the 850 watt PSU that seemed more than adequate when it was chosen as a replacement PSU now must be replaced not because it is failing, but because it fails to meet the minimum power needs of the system! In that case a 1,250 watt PSU would have been the correct choice, even if it seemed like overkill at the time.

• Balancing Price and Capability

The difference between the price of an 850 watt PSU and a 1,250 watt PSU is considerable, and though we do not like to admit it, price is often the higher measure of consideration when we are contemplating replacement, or selecting components for a custom build. The old saw that you get what you pay for applies here -- that $250 savings in selecting the lower wattage PSU at the time may end up being a total wash; the original savings of $250 ends up costing the PC owner way more in the end, because they are out the $300 spent on the original PSU plus the $550 that they now have to spend on a properly powered unit, so the cost of saving $250 at the time of the replacement or build turns out to be a whopping $850 in the end.

When considering a replacement PSU or picking one for a new build, the first step is determining the current power needs for the hardware that has been selected or is already present in the system. The second logical step is to estimate what the worse case scenario could be for future power needs. How many devices are in the system? Take a look back at the development cycle of these devices to see how big the power needs changed between versions going back two or three generations.

If the jump in power needs for a video card of the type that is used in the system averaged 100 watts, use that number to estimate the potential future needs -- but multiply that by three, because you may end up adding two additional cards to your system. Use the same approach for the storage devices, and do not forget to factor in devices that receive power from the bus, in particular USB devices. Once you have that new total, add an additional 20% just to be safe, and you now know what your base power need may be for the future.

The most popular form of custom-built PC today is based upon the Bare Bones Systems that are offered by practically every PC and parts website on the Internet. Many PC manufacturers offering out of the box systems also have lines of Bare Bones Systems that are sold via third-party vendors, because this approach removes most of the headache of spec'ing out a system.

Most generic builds -- what are called Bare Bones Systems -- consist of a medium grade case and power supply rather than a high-end case and modular PSU as a result of the basic economics of the product. Bare Bones Systems are created to permit the average PC owner to select a system using a key set of criteria -- CPU capabilities, motherboard, and basic RAM. It is fair and accurate to view these systems as "kits" to which the user will then add components to complete and customize them.

A Bare Bones offering usually includes a minimum level of RAM, the CPU and motherboard, a case and power supply, often a keyboard and mouse. Usually the graphics capabilities of these systems is represented by whatever card is built into the motherboard, and for general-use builds that is often perfectly adequate. Some offerings include a hard drive, and it is common to find a discounted selection of Windows OS included as an option.

When the user is putting together a more specialized system -- a gaming rig for example -- they will be upgrading and adding components to the purchase. More RAM, hard drives, a better CD/DVD or BluRay drive, and a better graphics card that will replace the onboard graphics. The one thing that they rarely every consider, let alone upgrade, is the PSU.

• Medium Grade PSU's

Identifying the quality level of a PSU is not a difficult process. The medium grade PSU's that are usually included as part of a Bare Bones build have a distinct appearance.

The unit illustrated here is typical of the medium grade modular PSU that is used in these builds. The dimensions are uniform, and the quality of the cabling and connectors typical of that pictured here. One aspect in particular is that the cluster of cables is hardwired into the unit -- whether you use them all or not, they are present. Devices that require special cables can only be used with these PSU's if a form adapter is available. This type of PSU is the perfect example of how a component is built when the specification is for the cheapest cost possible.

Medium grade PSU's will get the job done, but that describes the entire approach to these PSU's from quality to form factor. They are less than a compromise, but fortunately like their higher grade cousins they are built using a standardized system of attachment, which means that they can be easily replaced.

Pictured here is an example of a high-grade PSU. The differences between this and the previous example are immediately evident upon inspection, with the appearance and the system of cabling being the most obvious. The cables that supply primary power for the motherboard are the only cables that are hardwired to the PSU, while the cables that provide power to the peripherals use a modular plug-in approach that is color-coded and based upon unique plug forms in order to prevent confusion.

Supplied with the PSU is a set of modular cables, allowing the user to install just the cables that are needed, which cuts down upon clutter in the case, and permits proper cabling without the use of adapters, which often represent the weakest point in a power scheme. The dimensions of the PSU are similar to those of the previous lower grade, and while larger capacity PSU's may be slightly deeper than the average sized units, they will still fit easily into most Bare Bones cases.

Upgrading the PSU for a Bare Bones build, or selecting a higher quality PSU as a replacement unit is a sound approach for several reasons. The cheaper grade PSU's often have very limited warranty coverage if any. If any flaws in the PSU are not apparent within the first 90 days of ownership, chances are the maker will not replace the unit after that time period, because 90 days warranty coverage is typical for this grade of PSU. The higher grade units like the Toughpower 750 watt PSU pictured above come with 5 year warranty coverage, and their manufacturing process is structured to include a much higher level of quality control, which means that they are much less likely to develop problems related to manufacturing.

There are other equally obvious benefits to using better grade components, but not having to replace a bad unit is a major plus in my book. The quality of design in the higher-grade models includes better thermal management, which means that these PSU's are often nearly silent, as they do not require a built-in fan set at its highest revolution to provide cooling. In addition to that, and acknowledging that the effect is superficial to the consideration of PSU tech, these units simply look cool!

Part 17: Quality vs Cost

When phrases like "higher-grade" are raised with respect to computer components both for replacement and as part of a custom build, the average user presumes that there is a cost to them. In many areas of technology that principal holds true -- you get what you pay for. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. Quality costs. While that may be true in most cases, personal computer tech is often an exception to the rule, or more accurately, the cost is often less than you might suppose.

• A good example of quality and costs

If you visit the website for Tiger Direct (http://www.tigerdirect.com) and select Barebone Computers from the main menu, and you are presented with a selection of the Bare Bones Systems that they offer for sale. Pick a mid-range general-use system with your emphasis being economy that is intended as a Home Entertainment PC -- for our example we will use the B69-1205 Kit -- which is a fairly common design for multimedia home entertainment PC systems.

The base cost of the unit is $189.99 and for that relatively low cost here is what you get:

• Biostar G41-M7 Motherboard
• Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 Processor
• Kingston 2GB PC5400 DDR2 Memory
• Power Up Black ATX Mid-Tower Case with 450-Watt Power Supply
  

That is a pretty good starting point for a general-use build. The CPU is actually a bargain unit considering that it is a generation old, but it is perfect for general-use computing and can even handle most modern games, including MMO's as long as the system has a decent video card installed in it.

The system comes with 2GB of RAM, which is perfectly adequate for a 32-bit version of Windows 7 or Windows XP. To this you would be adding a hard drive, CD/DVD drive, and a good video card, which will add anywhere from $325 to $700 to the cost of the build, but you end up with a very nice system for less than it would cost to purchase an out-of-the-box brand name model with similar capabilities.

Now let's say that the PSU failed after the warranty expired on the purchase. This is a standard 450 watt medium-grade PSU, and to replace it with a similar unit will cost around $49.99 for a generic 450w PSU. Or you could replace it with a high-grade name brand unit like Coolermaster's Elite Series 460w PSU -- for $8 less. That is not a mis-print, the cost of a Coolermaster Elite Series 460w PSU is $41.99, $8 less than the cost of replacing that PSU with a generic 450w PSU!

Now let's say that you want to add some extra watts since you plan to upgrade your system later anyway, and as you have to replace the PSU you may as well install some extra capacity in the process. For a little more than twice the price -- $109.99 -- you can replace it with one of Thermaltake's TR series 800w PSU's, which comes with their standard 5 year warranty and modular cabling system.

There is truth in the saying that you get what you pay for, but it pays to shop around. Often it seems to me that I am proselytizing when it comes to the modular building and upgrade approach to PC ownership -- and perhaps I am -- but the benefits to this approach so outweighs the drawbacks, and it is such a logical means of maintaining computing power that it is worth the effort.

Computers -- and specifically the Personal Computer -- are often part of the relationships that we have in our life. I don't mean to imply that there is a reciprocal relationship present such as that which exists between two sentient beings -- obviously a computer cannot return your affection. But that does not stop people from identifying with their computers! Most owners pick a name for their computer that has subtle but significant meaning to them. Most owners feel a sense of pride in ownership, and care that their PC can meet their computing needs. Like their automobile, most owners have a minimum level of expectation for their PC, and considering that they spend a great deal of time sitting in front of and using it, that makes sense.

I am an observant person -- in fact people watching is one of my hobbies -- and one thing that I have noticed among my friends, relatives, and acquaintances, is that rarely ever do they get rid of their old PC when they replace it with a new one! Invariably it is either placed elsewhere in the home as a second system, or re-purposes to preform another function, as a file server, print server, or entertainment system. With the addition of another hard drive and software many of my friends turn their old system into a digital DVR to record their favorite TV shows and movies and offer basic web surfing capabilities to their living room entertainment center.

Those who do not re-purpose their old computer pass it on to some other family member -- it is fairly common for a parent to give their old PC to a child when they replace it. Why do they do this? I am sure that part of the reason is the value that they feel for the PC, and for its inherent and intrinsic value, but there is also the question of the emotional attachment that they have for the PC. After all, it gave them years of useful service, and was their gateway to the online world.

When you adopt a modular ownership system, instead of replacing your PC you upgrade it, replacing the various parts and thus its capabilities. By doing this you not only save money, but you get the full measure of the value of what you spent on this system, which for most people is a very attractive element in the process.

Replacing the case and the PSU for your system with a more robust and option-rich case and powerful PSU is the first logical step in the process of shifting to modular PC ownership. If you read my column and blog entries on cases, and do a little research of your own online, you are certain to find more than just a few case designs that lock-in to your idea of what a computer should look like, and what its basic capabilities should be.

We are constantly reminded of adopting a green lifestyle, to recycle, and to reduce our carbon footprint -- this modern day era of conservation is not simply an extension of the earlier notion that material responsibility is good for the planet, but is a logical extension of the bad economy and the very real need to save money. Modular PC ownership neatly fits into that scheme and approach on multiple levels, and offers not just the opportunity to save money, but to increase the value of the money that you have already spent on your PC.

So far this series has covered the basic introduction, keyboards, controllers and other input devices, peripherals for enhancing the sound and music in our PC's, the cases, and now the PSU's. There is still a lot to cover in the series both here on the blog, and in the column, and you can expect me to address motherboards, graphics (video cards), media and storage, thermal management, and the many types of peripherals that attach to our computers, as well as the different kit that we can use for networking them together to give us a wired house and shared access to the Internet.

Each piece in this series will include an updated entry in the Table of Contents -- so you can jump to the top of any entry in the series and navigate to the next, or to the one covering the tech you are interested in, even when there are other blog entries that appear in between the series pieces. While I have previously touched upon it, I want to remind you that these blog postings are intended to compliment the columns from the series that appear in the Cape Cod Times -- and remind you that to best use these posts, you should start with the related column in the newspaper -- the online version of which can be easily accessed from the paper's site, or through the link that appears at the beginning of each post on the blog.

As I conclude this section of the series I want to thank you for reading the paper, thank you for reading the series, and thank you for considering Modular PC Ownership as a viable and green solution that lets you save money while improving your overall computing experience!

Thanks!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CM Boots-Faubert is a freelance writer, author, and columnist. He writes the Digital Grind Column for the Cape Cod Times, and the Game On: Cape Cod Gaming Blog at the paper. He writes extensively on video games and gaming, both as a freelance journalist and as a walkthrough writer, reviewer, and previewer. His books include the soon to be published title Games Journalism 101, that discusses how to establish a career writing on video games, and his title in the Hand's On Series, Hand's On: Home Networking which is a complete guide targeted at the average PC user on how to design and build a home computer Ethernet network.

. . . MPCU: Computer Cases

Modular PC Upgrade Series Part 4
(from the Cape Cod Times Digital Grind Column)

A Brief Foreword on this Series

This post is part of a multi-part series on the subject of Modular PC Ownership.

The system of Modular PC Ownership espoused in this series follows a green conservation approach to technology that is intended to reduce your individual carbon footprint, save you money, improve your computing satisfaction, and increase the value in many respects that you receive from your personal computer. Each posting on this blog has been created to support and enhance a related column published in the newspaper.

Today's posting supports the column: A couple of case studies in cool computing, which is the July 6th, 2010 Cape Cod Times Digital Grind Column.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Table of Contents

Part 1: Speaking of MPCU -- Introduction
01: Preface
02: Introduction
03: The Economics of Modular Upgrading
04: Introduction Conclusion

Part 2: Speaking of MPCU - Keyboards
05: Introduction
06: Connectivity Options
07: Keyboards Conclusion

Part 3: Speaking of MPCU - Controllers & Sound
08: Introduction
09: Controllers
10: PC Sound
11: Controllers & Sound Conclusions

Part 4: Speaking of MPCU - Computer Cases
12: Introduction
13: What a Case Should Do
14: How to Begin Building your Foundation

Part 5: Speaking of MPCU - Power Supply Units (PSU's)
15: Introduction
16: Selecting a Power Supply
17: Quality vs. Cost

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Computer Cases

12: Introduction

The computer case is the most visible part of a PC, and is often what determines how a system is thought to place in terms of power or how modern it is. This is odd, considering that what is inside the case and largely hidden from view are the key components that relate to those questions, but it is also understandable; as consumers, how something looks is often as important to us as how something works. Automobiles are the perfect example of this: a Ford Mustang from the 1960's is faster than a modern Japanese sports coupe, but the modern cars simply look faster due to the design of their body and carriage work, and so to the casual observer, they are faster.

Carrying that relationship further, in the world of the modern PC there are two distinct areas of concern with respect to computer cases, the first, which we just touched upon, is utilizing the appearance characteristics to imply different values with respect to performance or value. The second, which is a much more important consideration, is the underlying functionality of the computer case, including aspects such as materials, quality, and function.

Large PC makers employ engineers whose job that it is to design the outward appearance of the computer -- its case -- and who do so with a set of goals already in mind. Usually the criteria that is used to determine the appearance of the computer has nothing to do with performance or function, and everything to do with image. Making the computer look appealing, making it look powerful even if it really is not -- especially if it is not!

The design engineers are fulfilling an important role in the process of creating a new computer model -- a role that is essential for the sales process. Their goal is to make that new model stand out, and instill in the viewer a sense of what the manufacturer is trying to sell to them. That may be confidence, in which case they go for a solid-looking design that suggests reliability and strength, or it may be speed, in which case they make the case look sleek and fast and sexy.

Lately the big-names in mass-produced PC's have come to recognize that the PC gamer represents a very significant piece of the market, so they are superficially copying the design elements that have been created by custom case makers, like windows in the side of the system that allow for a view of the motherboard and internal components, or fancy lights that make the PC stand-out at LAN parties. These are features that are often found in custom case designs, but like other aspects of case function, the big name PC makers have lost sight of -- or never understood -- the purpose of those style elements in the first place.

Speaking plain, when you purchase a brand-name PC, if you are lucky what you end up with is a system that will work to the specifications on the box. For the most part the cases are not designed to the same exacting requirements as those made by custom case manufacturers, they are simply part of the package. That they fail to perform in areas that are critical to system safety, and also fail to provide the controlled environment that is key to longevity for the high-end PC is not the point; those big name makers expect you to replace the entire PC in a year or two anyway, which is why those concerns are not part of the process in creating their products!

So what is it that the custom case makers do that is different? The most obvious difference is in the engineering process that is applied to case design -- specifically the function of the case, which is not simply to house the internal bits of your computer, but to function in specific ways, and provide a specific set of functions that are critical elements in maintaining a cutting-edge system.

You may have the best CPU in the world inside your name-brand PC, but your investment in that often expensive piece of hardware has a limited shelf life by design, and even though you may feel a sense of brand loyalty because it delivers performance that makes you feel good about it, the idea of selling you your next computer is never a distant concern for the company whose brand you identify with, and that fact alone should be a considerable concern to you!

13: What a Case Should Do

Considering that brand-name PC cases are just there to hold the internal bits, and look good doing it, while at the same time projecting the image that the maker desires, you may be wondering what a case should do beyond those?

The most important function of a modern computer case should be managing heat. The process of controlling and removing heat -- what is called Thermal Management -- is the single most important element in the design and engineering of any computer case. Considering this, it is often shocking to realize that for most name-brand PC manufacturers this is the last concern that they have, if they worry about it at all beyond the point of ensuring that there is enough airflow to keep the system from overheating.

Let us be clear here: "enough airflow to keep the system from overheating" is a completely inadequate approach to thermal management in the personal computer!

Consider that the heat that is created by a PC -- and almost every device and subsystem in a PC from the motherboard to the hard drives generates heat -- also happens to be the element most often responsible for system or component failure, and you should be able to understand why the first concern in the design of a good case should be to manage that element. But why is heat a bad thing? What does it do that shortens the life of your PC?

When a system sits idle, with the power on, it is generating a base level of heat. When it is in use, it generates more heat, and when it is used in a way that stresses its subsystems or demands peak performance -- for example when it is being used to play a modern video game -- its thermal signature can triple!

When the PC is turned off after being given a heat-generating workout, the system and its components rapidly cool to room temperature. Almost all of these bits are out of sight inside the case, and even if you could see them, you would not notice the physical manifestation of the changes that are taking place -- the changes that eventually lead to a failure of one or more of the internal bits of your PC.

For a simple demonstration of this process and the damage that it causes, imagine in your mind a stack of quarters that are connected to each other by solder. When electricity is applied to the stack, it heats up -- and because each of the quarters -- and the solder that binds them together -- are metal, a natural side-effect of that is that as they are heated, they expand slightly. When they are cooled, the metal contracts, but because the quarters are made of different types of metal, pressed into layers, and the solder is also a different type of metal, they do not cool at the same rate, so one part of the stack size does not conform to the others.

Eventually as the stack goes through hot and cold cycles repeatedly, the layers of different metal inside one of the quarters begins to separate. Even though a small gap has appeared, the quarter still functions, passing the electric signal through the stack, but as the process of expansion and contraction continues, eventually that gap grows too large, and the signal can no longer pass through it efficiently, and so that component fails. That is what happens to the subsystems of your computer.

A circuit might separate from the motherboard, or a capacitor or resistor might break its connection -- this can happen on the motherboard, on a hard drive, even on one of your memory sticks. The end result is that that subsystem fails, and its failure is an event that would have been prevented with proper thermal management.

The engineers who create the different bits that make up a PC design the different bits to compensate for this effect, adding in heat sinks and fans to moderate the process of thermal build-up. They try to design the parts so that they heat and cool at uniform rates, and so that they do not over-heat. The cooler that they can keep a part running, the less likely it is that it will fail due to effects from heat. In an ideal world that should be all that is necessary to guarantee that your motherboard continues to function properly for years, but we do not live in that ideal world.

When a motherboard is placed inside of a case that is smaller than what was used to establish the base line of thermal management, or it is placed in a case that has a less than ideal amount of airflow, the likelihood that it will suffer a heat-related failure grows. Considering that most PC makers try to use as little material as they can get away with in making things like the case, it is easy to understand why their cases do not handle thermal management very well.

• Custom Cases
  

The custom designed computer case industry was created partly as a result of this problem, and partly to provide the components needed by custom PC builders. The cases created by companies like Coolermaster and Thermaltake are not simply cool looking cases (okay, they are cool looking cases but that is not the point), but are in reality carefully engineered for performance.

You might think it odd to apply a word like performance to something that just sits there, but make no mistake, these cases do have a level of performance that is not only important, but is key to the health and longevity of your PC!

Where a name-brand computer might have a single fan on its power supply, a small fan on the heat sink that is installed on the CPU, and a case fan to suck air in, custom designed cases are created with thermal management as one of the key criteria in their design. It is not unusual to find a custom designed case with six or more fans, all moving the air in a specific pattern.

Some of these fans will be dedicated to ejecting hot air from the case, others to pulling cooler air into it, and still others that are positioned specifically to cool an area of the motherboard or one of the devices in the system. Hard drives can generate a lot of heat, so it is common to include a fan or fans that pull air into the hard drive bay and push it across the drives, to help them to run cooler. This is important, because hard drives are not built to dispose of their own heat!

The heat sink that comes stock on most CPU's is a slab of metal with fins on it that is attached directly to the CPU using a layer of thermal paste to bond them into a single unit. Often a small fan will be attached to the top of the heat sink, and attached to the motherboard, which regulates its speed to help keep the CPU from overheating. Under ideal conditions -- in an air conditioned office for example -- this is enough to address the basic cooling needs of the CPU. But when you are using the computer in a room with poor air conditioning or the computer is placed in a restricted area -- under your desk for example -- this is no longer an adequate solution.

A wide range of after-market heat sink and fan combinations exist, and most serious PC owners and the folks who build high-performance PC's use those. They are large -- often six to eight inches high -- and they will not fit into the inadequate cases that are built for name-brand systems. To use this sort of cooling product, you have to replace your computer case -- but you should be doing that anyway, as keeping the stock case is just not an option when it comes to properly managing heat.

As a result of this, the custom computer case industry was created, and they offer a wide variety of case designs that address specific system types. A gaming system using the most current of the cutting edge hardware available has different thermal management needs than say, a system that is used for CAD/CAM or graphics rendering. Though the design of a case for these systems has similar concerns, the appearance of the cases and their features are distinctly different.

• Filling a Need
  

In the process of building two computers -- a General Use system, and a high-end gaming system -- we developed different basic requirements for our case needs.

For the General Use system we needed to control heat, but we also wanted features that would add to the usability of the system. Backing up data is a concern, and the use of extra hard drives has become one of the preferred methods for doing this. The case that we chose from Coolermaster includes a SATA mounting slot on the top, covered by a plastic door, that permits the user to slide a hard drive into the top of the case and have the system recognize and use it.

To perform a back up, all that the user needs to do is take the hard drive out of their desk drawer, slide it into the slot on top of the case, and power on the system. Once it is booted, they simply copy the files that they want to back up to the temporarily installed hard drive, and then shut down the system and remover the drive, closing the cover of the mounting slot. For the average user this is a twenty-minute chore once a week, and this built-in capability makes restoring data just as easy!

For the gaming system we had other concerns that needed to be addressed -- among the most important was expandability. We needed to be able to add four to eight hard drives, plus optical drives and a fan monitoring and control screen, and still provide proper cooling to the case. For that we went with a gaming case from Thermaltake.

Each of these cases are well documented and easy to install to, each is readily available online or through the makers, and each provides a solid foundation from which to begin the process of Modular PC ownership!

14: How to Begin Building your Foundation

Regardless of whether you are building a PC from scratch or are just beginning your journey into Modular Ownership, your first decision is going to be what case you use. Ideally this will be the last computer case you ever need to buy for your PC, because the modular nature of their design means that it will accommodate new hardware -- including motherboards and CPU's that have not been invented yet!

The case that you choose should meet all of the requirements that you have for your PC, from expansion slots to the number of external bays for your devices. After you sit down and decide what you need by making a list of what you plan to have now, and perhaps have down the road, you will have a better idea of what you need. Then you can spend some time looking at the case technology currently being offered by reliable custom case manufacturers.

To start with, take a look at the current lines from Thermaltake and Coolermaster, two of the biggest names in the industry. Both of these companies design and engineer cases that address all of the important points, starting with thermal management all the way to expansion, and they both tend to build into their cases small conveniences that have created a loyal following. Coolermaster's SATA dock is a good example, and the built-in light and fan controls on some of Thermaltake's cases are another.

If you are building a system or are converting a system that you own for gaming, adding a little bling to the project is not a bad idea. Windows that allow you to view the internal components are not there simply to allow you to add neon lights to the inside of the case and highlight the fact that you have three video cards in your system, or fire-engine red cables -- they actually serve a practical purpose. They allow you to visually verify that all of your internal fans are functioning properly, and that all of the wires are connected where they should be. They also look good, too, and provide you the opportunity to customize your case with details like cut glass with your initials or personal emblem, and artistic metal fan slot covers -- two ideas that are popular among the LAN gaming set.

Decorating and customizing a case are valid parts of the process, but the underlying foundation that you are building when you go this route is one of taking control over your computing tech. It allows you to hand pick the components that you use, control the quality of your PC, and the cost.

• Getting your feet wet
  

The case and power supply are your starting point when you are converting an existing name-brand PC to a Modular PC. Once you decide on the case and PSU, spend some time familiarizing yourself with how the different components are installed in the system -- read the manual for the case, and then go on to YouTube and watch some of the hundreds of videos on the service that illustrate exactly how the components are installed.

You do not need a tech to do this for you -- with a little study you can safely and properly do this yourself. Just make sure that you have the right tools, and enough time to do it properly. Moving your motherboard into the new case, then the expansion cards, and finally the devices is only the first step. Once you have everything transferred and properly functional, you have in effect completed the foundation.

You can use your system now, and take your time to begin improving it as your budget allows. A new heat sink and fan for your CPU is the best first step in the process, and there are plenty of styles available so that you should be able to find one that both appeals to your tastes and budget, and also provides the cooling level that you need. With that in place, a heat sink and fan set for the motherboard chipset, or cooling fins for your RAM might be the next place to look -- all of this is possible because you now have the foundation -- a properly engineered case.

A year or two down the road when you need to upgrade your motherboard and CPU it is simply a matter of swapping them into your case, rather than spending thousands on replacing your computer. The benefit of this approach is not just in savings, it is being able to hand-pick the brand and type of motherboard and CPU, and in not having to deal with getting rid of your old computer. The control that this method of ownership provides is paired with the satisfaction of learning more about your PC, knowing how it works, and what each type of tech does -- in many ways it becomes an adventure itself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CM Boots-Faubert is a freelance writer, author, and columnist. He writes the Digital Grind Column for the Cape Cod Times, and the Game On: Cape Cod Gaming Blog at the paper. He writes extensively on video games and gaming, both as a freelance journalist and as a walkthrough writer, reviewer, and previewer. His books include the soon to be published title Games Journalism 101, that discusses how to establish a career writing on video games, and his title in the Hand's On Series, Hand's On: Home Networking which is a complete guide targeted at the average PC user on how to design and build a home computer Ethernet network.