Laptop and DVD-RB

[nwg]

My main PC which I use Shrink and DVD-RB has screwed up for the second time in six months. It now won't boot up.

Anyway, does anyone use a laptop to encode with DVD-RB. I already done some with Shrink but, I am concerned about encoding for hours at at time and heat being an issue.

The encoding with HC on my other computer was like six hours. CCE and Quenc was three hours and more.

I don' think it is worth repairing the computer and maybe looking at using the laptop full time. I just want to know if the laptopn can take the encoding . I would also need to install TMPGEnc DVD Author as well.

The laptop is a Pentium M 1.6ghz with, 512MB RAM (may put another 512MB in).

[blutach]

I've done an encode on Firey's laptop nwg and it didn't stop due to heat. But it is definitely something to worry about - it needs plenty of air.

Regards

[nwg]

For reasons I can't explain. My main PC is now working. It wasn't booting up and suddenly it is now. I will leave it on for now and won't turn it off.

I do wonder if these fans do work (which I have posted about before).

USB Laptop fan (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-USB-Laptop-Notebook-Cooler-Cooling-Pad-Quiet-Fans_W0QQitemZ6824551934QQcategoryZ96915QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem)

[blutach]

I've actually found if you elevate the laptop with one of those plastic stands (which is ergonomically better, too), you get better airflow. Sit it down on glass and you run a risk.

Regards

[megamachine]

I've used nothing but a laptop (Pentium M 1.6, 512) for about three years, and never had a problem with it heating up. I prefer the portability, and use an external monitor sometimes when my eyes need a rest. I do tons of ripping, encoding, editing, you name it, and have been happy with how it works. I have noticed, however, that some of my friends laptops get really hot when doing encoding and other heavy tasks, so it might depend on model.

[nwg]

My laptop isn't that old. It is a Acer Aspire 1691. It does get a bit warm. I have also seen a laptop get so hot, that it cannot be touched.

[megamachine]

Mine's a ThinkPad, and actually I've had two, a T-30 and now a T-42. They are similar, except the T-30 had 256, which I upgraded to 512 before getting the T-42, and both of them worked well. But I agree, on some machines you can nearly fry an egg! Not sure how to tell that before buying one, though, because most reviews of laptops don't put them through the kind of testing needed for doing video rendering.

[Chewy]

@nwg
did you get the 1, 2, or 3 yr warranty?

nice laptop, but I would hesitate to use it for anything heavy duty much
unless I had the 3yr warranty.
After 3 yrs they aren't worth much, before then they are very expensive to
repair.

[nwg]

I just have the normal 1 year warranty. The laptop cost £580 and they wanted £180 for a 3 year warranty.

This is the laptop (mine has smaller hard disk and shared graphics).

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2495

[Chewy]

I would fix the old desktop and baby the laptop.

[megamachine]

I agree, rbrtpl, laptops have a shorter lifespan. The HDDs often go first, and sometimes the DVD drive, too. Most of the time they are not worth repairing. But I'm sold on their portability, and have been generally satisfied with the ones I have had, so I keep on using them anyway, despite short lifespans.

[Chewy]

I advise all my clients and friends to get the 3 yr warranty, especially since
I can't work on the hardware, one guy got burnt real bad with an HP and a
1 yr warranty, another got about $1500 in repairs done on his 3 yr warranty.
YMMV

at least the prices have come way down

[nwg]

I would fix the old desktop and baby the laptop.


The PC is still working at the moment. I didn't switch it off last night and put it in hibernation instead.

When it was playing up, it recognised the CPU then hanged. On startup from hibernation, I noticed there was a CPUID number briefly onscreen under teh words Athlon XP 2000. This number was not on the screen when it played up.

[nwg]

at least the prices have come way down

My first laptop was a Compaq. It was 486DX33 with 16MB of RAM. It was the first time TFT screens were out. The laptop cost £3000 (£1000 of it was for the screen on its own)!!

[Chewy]

The desktop's
getting a little old, but faster than the laptop, probably power/heat and/or
dirt/dust issues. Wouldn't believe what dirty fan blades will do?
I had put an 486 cpu fan on a vid card heat sink and after several
months it wouldn't finish loading windows, took days to isolate.

[nwg]

It's not heat as teh computer was off all night and did it as soon as I switched it on. It also had a good clean out as I had to replace the motherboard a few months back.

[Chewy]

If it takes several tries to boot?

POWER ISSUES/BAD BEARINGS

isolate by disconnecting various components(non essential ones)


that's why I always keep a few extra power supplies around

[jeo]

power issues?
i agree.
i was technician for 32 years and loose my atlon200xp+.
the power supply don't damage the cpu,was me because when i start the pc,came one advice(sound): "
the cpu must be damged.or not installed properly..etc,change the cpu."
then i only remove the cpu and put it there again and work.
days later ,came the advice again and i did the same.
removing and back the cpu thousands times,in the end i break the cpu and got a new one.
some days later,the advice about cpu damaged back(oh no!!!)
to check what was really happen,i remove the power plug and don't found anything wrong.
i plugged the power energy again and the pc start as normal.
conclusion: my power supply had components damaged(capacitors eletrolitcs-don't know the right name in english)
was only chamge this filters inside the power supply and the problem gone forever.

in the end my friend nwg,check your power supply!
:)

[nwg]

in the end my friend nwg,check your power supply!
:)

The thread has come a bit off topic now :)

The power supply isn't that old. The original one went as the fuse inside blew. It was replaced about three months ago.

[jeo]

The thread has come a bit off topic now
true my friend but the central point now is solve your problem. :)

The power supply isn't that old. The original one went as the fuse inside blew. It was replaced about three months ago.
ok.if my poor english help you will understand what i mean.
the power supply of your laptop after work for long time encrease the temperature too much.
this componets that i was talking called eletrolictics capacitors(or something like that) have oil inside.
with high temper this oil evaporate(just a little) and the capacity of this filters decrease and the voltages(+5v,+12v,etc) get noises.
this noises can create issues in the whole work inside the pc.
when the pc is left working for long time,this capacitors are hot and the issues decrease but when you start the pc again and everything is cold,the problem can appear again.
trust me,call one good technician to change this filters,and the price of this components are tiny,just a few U$.
this have good change to be a solution of your problems.
:toast:

[Chewy]

anything can be drawing down the voltage rails, and that's what may have eaten the old supply, it's your thread sorry if I hijacked it

[blutach]

The thread has come a bit off topic now :)Agreed - moved to General Computing.

Regards