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HTPC Building Series: Choosing the MSI 7411 motherboard

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Movies, PC / Laptop,

MSI 7411

Check out our HTPC on a Budget series and join us in building a great HTPC for under $1,000.

In this installment of the Home Theater PC building log, we wanted to focus on the core of our system. Previously, we took a look at the process of selecting hardware along with a look at the overall mission to build the best HTPC we can, on a budget. To understand what we are aiming to do, though, I thought it would be best if we were able to take a look at what’s going to be at the center of everything: the MSI MS-7411 Media Live DIVA 7.1 motherboard.

That’s a mouthful, we know - but it’s also an amazing centerpiece for our system. The foundation is MSI’s MS-7411 micro-ATX motherboard featuring AMD’s 780M chipset with UVD support and side-port memory for smooth 1080p playback. This motherboard can be ordered with either pre-amp or amp audio card solutions (one purchase package) directly from your distributor of choice. Note that this motherboard uses the mobile variant of the 780 for additional power savings features that are useful in a home theater environment. It pulls less power, and it doesn’t get as hot, which means much less fan noise. Nothing kills a movie experience like fan noise, seriously.

Click to continue reading HTPC Building Series: Choosing the MSI 7411 motherboard


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Newegg Deals: Kodak EasyShare C913, AMD processors, gas cards

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop,

We are back with another list of the latest , and they are even throwing gas cards in with some of their stuff! Peeps the AMD Phenom X4 package:

As always, you can find other non-expiring Newegg promo codes and deals on our forums.


AMD releases new performance and energy focused Phenom processors

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, PC / Laptop,

AMD X4 9950 Black Edition just announced the newest additions to the chip lineup. The flagship here of AMD’s desktop processors is the quad-core Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition, which is selling for a cool $235 USD. In case you aren’t in the know, Black Edition refers to the chips affinity towards those wholike to overclock and otherwise tweak their systems. The chip is unlocked, so it’s ready for you to fire up AMD OverDrive so that you can play with it to your heart’s content. Now, this chip certainly isn’t as fast as the top-of-the-line quad-core desktop chip, but the price is certainly right if the Black Edition seems to strike your fancy.

Hit the link below for info on the Phenom X4 9350e and 9150, the two other chips that AMD is touting today.

Read More | AMD's new Phenom X4 chips

Bleeding Edge TV 272: Computex 2008 - AMD Live! Home Theatre hardware

Posted by Nate True Categories: Gizmatic, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Household, PC / Laptop, Videocasts, Videos,

AMD shows us how the home theatre PC arena is getting exciting again. Thanks to AMD Live!, manufacturers are finally creating affordable high-quality and high-performance components for the home theatre PC. Inexpensive platforms supporting full-resolution 1080p HD and 7.1 channel surround sound are being manufactured and will be out for sale real soon.

We love the intiative AMD has taken on this one! We talk with Jay Taylor of AMD Live! and have a look at the new components.


Bleeding Edge TV 269: Computex 2008 - A Talk with AMD’s Pat Moorhead about Turion X2

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, PC / Laptop, Videocasts, Videos,

We caught up with Pat Moorhead of and had a chat with him about the new Turion X2 chipsets and the new Hybrid Graphics technology, which allows dynamic switching between integrated and discrete graphics cards, with no restart required.  The technology promises better battery life and enhanced rendering performance (although, unfortunately, not necessarily at the same time).

Stay tuned for more news from Computex 2008.


Unboxing Live 032: OLPC XO-1 - One Laptop Per Child

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Laptop, PC, Videocasts,

In this episode of Unboxing Live, we open up the OLPC XO-1. If that doesn’t sound familiar, this is the infamous One Laptop Per Child computer, aimed to help children in third-world countries with learning. The XO-1, previously known as the $100 Laptop or Children’s Machine, is an inexpensive laptop computer intended to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world, to provide them with access to knowledge, and opportunities to “explore, experiment and express themselves”. The laptop is developed by the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) social welfare organization, and manufactured by the Taiwanese computer company, Quanta Computer.


AMD CTO Phil Hester resigns

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News,

Phil HesterUh-oh, this one can’t be good for . After AMD’s latest chip release was met by disappointment by the benchmarking crowd, some were kind of bummed out about waiting for the new Phenoms. Then, just a few days ago, the company vowed to cut their workforce by 10% by September after lowering their Q1 sales expectations. Now, we have even worse news, as AMD CTO Phil Hester has voluntarily resigned from his position. MarketWatch says he is doing this to “persue other opportunities,” which is what we hear from just about any high-level exec who suddenly decides to leave a company. No word yet on who his replacement will be - in fact, AMD says he won’t be replaced. Um, what?

Read More | MarketWatch

AMD announces new Phenom line headed by X4 9850 Black Edition

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, PC / Laptop,

AMD Phenom x4 has just taken the wraps off their newest Phenom processors, and we think we are impressed. The entire lineup, which ranges from a triple-core low-end, to a quad-core beast, are all 65 nanometer chips. That means more efficiency - they retain the performance of AMD’s previous 90nm chips, but with reduced power consumption. Of course, that is likely not what you care about most when it comes to the new Phenoms - you want the details, right? Well, we have the Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition, Phenom X4 9750, Phenom X4 9100e Energy Efficient, and the Phenom X3 triple-core. The X4 9850 and X4 9750 feature true quad-core chips - if you don’t know what that means, here’s a video explanation of true quad core from AMD themselves.

The X4 9100e Energy Efficient chip is just that - it’s the world’s first 65-watt quad-core desktop processor. Lastly, the X3 triple-core Phenom chips are another first - these are the world’s first x86 triple-core processors. A nice bump up from dual core chips for those who can’t afford to go all out with a quad core. These will be available in 2.1 GHz and 2.3 GHz options. We have the specs on each after the jump.

Click to continue reading AMD announces new Phenom line headed by X4 9850 Black Edition


CES 2008 Video: AMD PUMA demonstrations

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gizmatic, Short Bytes, CES, CES 2008, Features, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Videocasts,

In this segment, we look at two similarly equipped Dell notebooks to examine the benefits provided by ‘s integrated graphics option versus the competition’s, and take a first-hand look at a Half-Life 2 demo run on a Puma-based reference system, in hybrid mode, utilizing both the system’s discreet and integrated graphics chips over Crossfire.


CES 2008 Video: Tour the AMD Smart House

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, CES, CES 2008, Features, Handhelds, Home Entertainment, Household, PC / Laptop, Podcasts, Portable Audio / Video, Video Games, Videocasts,

While at , we got the opportunity to check out the Smart House. The Smart House is a demonstration by AMD of all the different ways that their processors can help enhance day-to-day life of every day consumers. The Mother/Father/Daughter/Sun schtick is a bit thick at times, but the potential of the smart home of the future shines through nonetheless.


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