I want to buy an LCD TV; the viewing distance will be 8 to 10 feet. Kindly suggest what brand and size to buy. My budget is between Rs 75,000 and 1,00,000 for a 32-inch (or above). I’d also like to know the significance of features such as Dynamic Contrast Ratio and Full HD.
Amit Jain
Dynamic Contrast Ratio (DCR) refers to the ratio of luminosity of the brightest and darkest colours that a display can produce over time. Static Contrast Ratio (SCR) measures the luminosity values at a particular point of time. DCR values will be typically higher than SCR values because DCR simply neutralises the effect of the room lighting. DCR values are therefore inflated, and an LCD with an SCR of 3000:1 will outperform an LCD with a DCR of 3000:1.
Full HD simply means HD viewing at its (currently) highest possible resolution, which is 1080p. This equates to a progressive-scanned display consisting of 1920 x 1080 pixels non-interlaced. The next-best thing would be 1080i, that is, 1920 x 1080 pixels interlaced.
Samsung has some real beauties in their LCD TV range. The Bordeaux series, for one, proves that beauty isn’t always skin-deep. I liked the body shape of the series; build quality is also very good. Choose between the LA32R71W (white) and the LA32R71B (black). Both cost around Rs 70,000 (Mumbai street price).
Can You Do Better?
I want to upgrade from W550i SE to a new handset. I have zeroed in on the K790i SE for its 3.2 MP camera and the loads of other features. Any other suggestions for the same price and features?
Vikas Maurya
You seem to primarily want a good camera phone. The Nokia N73, too, has a 3.2 MP camera, and outperforms the K790i when it comes to camera quality. The N73, too, is feature-rich, with greater application support mainly due to its Symbian platform. Another advantage is a better screen (320 x 240). Music playback quality is around the same on the two. The only negative as far as I can see is that the N73 will cost at least Rs 3,000 more, going by today’s street prices. If you’re willing to upsize your budget, go with the N73, else stick with the K790i.
Core 2 Duo Rules!
I am assembling a PC for animation work with some gaming on the side. I am stuck between two processors-the Pentium 630 and the Pentium D 820. Which would perform better? Could you also suggest a suitable motherboard?
Ganesh Badgujar
Of the two processors you mentioned, a Pentium D 820 would perform better on multithreaded applications or while multitasking, simply because it’s a dual-core. Since you’re building a new PC, I suggest you scrap the idea of both those processors, and invest in a Core 2 Duo instead. The E6300 (1.86 GHz) would easily outperform both of them while costing just a couple of thousand rupees more. A good motherboard to pair a Core 2 Duo with is the MSI 965P Platinum.
eXtinct Digital?
I have an Olympus FE-170 digicam. I am planning to buy an xD memory card. My budget is in the range of Rs 1,500 to 2,000. What capacity of memory card will I get within this price range, and what brand should I choose?
Neeti Shah
xD (eXtreme Digital) is patented; for this reason, there are a limited number of brands that make this type of memory. Only Olympus and Fujifilm digital cameras use xD memory as far as I know. I’d recommend Olympus branded memory. A 1 GB card will cost you Rs 2,300. A 512 MB will cost around 1,500.
Board Overload?
I use a 300-watt SMPS and am planning to upgrade to a 400-watt model, since I’m planning to soon attach one more hard drive and a CD drive. Will a higher power supply overload my motherboard? What brand should I look at?
Tushar Mathur
I assure you, using a higher-rated SMPS will not damage your motherboard in any way. The processor, motherboard, graphics card, memory, and other peripherals only draw as much power as they need. The reason people use higher-rated power supplies is that power supplies perform optimally when they are under a maximum load of 60 percent, after which their efficiency decreases. This is partly because most manufacturers state inflated output figures. Some 400-watt power supplies may actually be capable of supplying only 300 watts.
VIP is a brand known for their reliable power supplies. I’d suggest a 400-watt VIP PSU.
Bad Ad!
I am in the market for a laptop and have decided on the HP DV2119tx.
My usage is mostly office applications, but I want something stylish and responsive. Have I made the right choice, or is there something better you can suggest?
Shashank Jaiswal
The HP DV2119tx is a very decent laptop with a lot of features. You’ve made a wise decision as far as I’m concerned. I just checked on www.hpindia.com, where upon searching for the exact model I got a message saying its been discontinued. You might want to phone them to confirm. In case its not available there’s a Dell Inspiron 9400 whose specifications are very similar. You can visit www.dell.co.in for more details.