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If you’ve been shopping for blank CDs or blank DVDs recently, you may have found yourself a bit confused by all of the choices - CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R,DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. Trying to figure out the abbreviations between them can be a bit mind racking indeed. To make matters worse for those who aren’t up on the latest marvels of technology is the rate at which the industry of technology is evolving. Just when you think you’ve caught on to the concepts of MP3s and burning CD and DVD media, new twists on blank media hits the market and you find yourself more confused than you were to start with.The “R” found in CD-R and DVD+/-R media stands for recordable. It will tell consumers that these disks are blank recordable media. You can record movies, data, music, and photos on the disc, but the discs cannot be erased.

The “RW” on CD-RW and DVD+/-RW media stands for rewritable. This lets you know that media with RW on them can be recorded and erased several times. Even though the prices for blank CD and DVD media are inexpensive, you can expect to pay a bit more for RW type media. The biggest source of confusion stems from DVD-R and DVD-RW (minus) and how they are different from DVD R and DVD+RW(plus) media. In order to avoid a long technical speech on the differences, you simply need to know that each DVD typs can record movies just like the next type. DVD+R and DVD+RW are a newer more expensive technology that offers a few technical advantages over DVD-R and DVD-RW. Non- the-less, DVD-R has greater compatibility with more DVD players than any other format of blank DVDs. If you have a newer DVD player or if you use your computer to play back media, you should have no problems with DVD+R/DVD+RW media. Some say that they provide a better range of quality, although the quality is actually very similar. Keep in mind that all recordable CD and DVD media do the same thing regardless of their particular brand or extension. Because there is not an industry standard that involves DVD technology, not every DVD player is compatible with each and every format you see on retail store shelves. For this very reason, you should always check with your DVD player manual to see which type of recordable media it will play back. This way, you’ll know what to buy the next time you go shopping for Blank CD or DVD media. The first thing you must know is that there are many different ways to duplicate CDs . Some of them happen to be illegal, which is why you will need to make sure that the CDs you are duplicating are allowed by local laws and regulations. The CD duplication process is basically taking one CD and making a copy of it, or if you prefer, many copies of it. A CD can store information of many forms, such as pictures, movies, data, and even music. Therefore, you will need to determine which type of duplication you are interested in. You’ll also need to think about how many copies you plan to make, as the costs of equipment will vary. Most computers that you buy these days will come with a CD-RW drive, and the software you’ll need to make copies of the CD disks. CD duplication is very easy to do, as all you have to do is make a few clicks. Even if you are new to computers, you will find that duplicating CDs is one of the easiest things you’ll do with your computer. With common software, you can copy an audio or even a data disk in just a few minutes. The most common program is Nero, as it does wonders for CD duplication and CD-RW drives. If you have access to Nero, you will find it very easy to use and very handy to have installed on your computer. Once you begin to copy CDs, you can make copies of your audio CDs, back-up your computer; even make copies of your pictures. The sky is the limit with CD duplication - which is the main reason it has become so popular over the years. As always, you can read all of my past articles at http://www.plaintechtalk.com/blog . If you are interested in obtaining a website for your family or business give me a call at (423) 613-5590 or go to http://www.newportwebsites.com .

Ok brainiacs, sometimes, even you have to consult a pro. It’s alright to admit it. You will not be kicked out of the hallowed halls of geekdom. With the ever-growing presence of computer technology in both our personal and professional lives, many of us have become quite familiar and comfortable performing routine maintenance on our computers. In fact, many have become so comfortable that they take it upon themselves to try and perform ALL upgrades, ranging from simple sound card upgrades to more complex motherboard upgrades. Despite the increasing comfort level in dealing with technology, there are still times when a professional should be consulted to assist with your hardware needs.

Warranty Maintenance

Working with a professional can even save you some money in the long-run. Some computers and computer hardware warranties will be void if a professional is not consulted for installation or repair. Though it might initially be cheaper to be a do-it-yourselfer when installing hardware, the protection provided by a warranty is well worth the added cost.

Furthermore, work performed by a professional is generally backed by an additional warranty of the professional’s service. In this way, if there is a problem with the hardware that was installed by the professional, there is a guarantee that the problem will be fixed for no additional cost.

Troubleshooting

If your computer is just not “up to par”, a professional can help troubleshoot the problem. For example, the current memory might be sufficient, but just needs to be cleaned up by removing some worthless files or repairing broken files. Similarly, the computer might already have a great sound card, but it just needs new speakers to improve the sound. A professional will be able to help make this determination and possibly even save you some money by preventing unnecessary hardware or software purchases.The professional can also check the connections of currently installed hardware to make sure it is hooked up and installed correctly.

Not all hardware is created equal. Not all hardware is even compatible. Do-it-yourselfers who try to select and install new hardware might be disappointed when the hardware doesn’t perform like expected. Problems with incompatibility can be costly and time consuming.

Ensuring that all hardware components will properly work together can be a difficult task. A sound card that works just fine with the current motherboard still might not work as a cohesive unit with a new video card. A professional will be able to look at the computer as a whole, to make sure all components work together, so you receive optimal performance from each piece of hardware.

Getting The Most For Your Money

A professional deals with computers every day. It is his job to be up to date on the most recent technology and to know what great new hardware is looming on the horizon. A professional will be able to explain the different hardware choices in layman’s terms to help ensure the customer makes the choices that are best for his personal needs. This also helps the customer determine what hardware is truly necessary to achieve the desired levels of performance. At the same time, the professional has the necessary knowledge to choose hardware that will be easy to upgrade in the future. Planning ahead when upgrading makes future upgrades less costly and easier to perform.

Peace of Mind

A professional can easily make sense of the diagrams and inner workings of a customer’s computer. Most likely, he has already worked on dozens of the same type of computer. Going to a professional prevents the stress and confusion of having to figure out how to choose the right hardware, how to properly dismantle the computer, and how to install the new hardware without damaging the hardware of the existing computer.

Furthermore, do-it-yourselfers run the risk of having the computer out of commission for an extended period of time while trying to figure out how to put it back together or while trying to troubleshoot the problems encountered during hardware installation. A professional can generally install the new hardware in one or two days, getting the computer up and running in a very short period of time.

Many people think that it is less expensive to do the job themselves when it comes to computer upgrades and replacing hardware. While it may seem cheaper to begin with, the professional knowledge and expertise provided by a professional computer service provider generally results in less costs in the future. In addition, having work done by a professional provides a peace of mind that you simply can’t put a price tag on.

One of our local computer professionals, Jeremie Reid, gives his top 5 reasons you should consult with a professional.

1. “I need a new computer.”

In today’s market, there are a lot of options for purchasing a new computer. A pro can get you the best deals on the newest technology for a lot less money than your local retail store.

Even the big mail order companies such as Dell or Gateway usually don’t give you a copy of Windows with your purchase. The operating system is just pre-installed, therefore you have to use their replacement parts or your restore cd may not even work!

2.”My computer died.”

A majority of the time that a computer just won’t do anything, and appears to be “dead”, it can still be fixed with a simple repair. A lot of computers find an early grave, because the owner thinks it is “dead”, but it may just need a $20 power supply for example.

3. “Uh-Oh! What just happened?”

Hardware problems such as USB ports that quit working, CD drives that stop functioning properly, or any number of other physical problems that may occur should lead you to consult with a pro. After checking for driver issues or port conflicts you may need to seek a professionals help in determining what the problem is and which brand or type of new component you may need to purchase.

4.”My computer makes a funny noise!”

A common complaint among computer users is noise. This is usually due to a faulty fan or the machine is just in need of a good cleaning. Either way, it usually sounds a lot worse then it actually is. Sometimes, depending on the hardware in your machine, it will require more than just popping open the case and blowing it out. It is best to break down the processor and the video card to make sure that everything is clean and free of dust for proper operation and longer life for your components. I wrote a whole article dedicated to “Noisy Computers” a few weeks ago titled, “When All Else Fails.”

5.”I can’t bear the thought of losing my old machine.”

There are usually some upgrades can be done to your computer, giving you the results that you want, without the cost of a whole new system. A computer that was purchased a couple of years ago could possibly be upgraded to an up-to-date machine for less than a couple hundred dollars.

To read all of my past articles please visit my site at http://www.plaintechtalk.com . To contact Jeremie Reid call 423-487-5215. If you would like to receive my free e-course on internet marketing, visit http://www.12headers.com/secret . If you are interested in having your own website and need a professional design, you can contact me at xrah2@bellsouth.net .

Everyone would like to have the latest and greatest computer on the market but the cost of doing so keeps the average user from being able to justify the expense. To keep up with the continual changes as

technology becomes more and more advanced; it requires complete upgrades on the

computer but what are the best computer upgrades available?

Adding RAM

One of the most popular computer upgrades is a memory upgrade or RAM. A memory upgrade

is one of the easiest ways to boost the performance of a PC. Before making a memory

upgrade, first check the BIOS operating system to determine how much memory is

already on the machine. If you are using Windows, you can go to Start/My Computer/View System Information.

To upgrade you RAM, it is necessary to open the case of the computer to find

how many modules are already installed and how many slots are still empty. It may be

necessary to take some out and replace them with larger modules if all of the slots are

already full.

After learning the current memory situation, review the operating system and

application programs to determine how much memory is needed to make the computer

perform at its optimal level. In general, these programs provide a minimum and a

recommended, rating. To reach the fullest potential of the computer, the memory should

meet or exceed the recommended level.

Before running out and buying a memory upgrade, however, check the computer manual

or go directly to the motherboard to find out what type of memory is supported by the

current computer operating system. If this information isn’t gathered, the memory

upgrade may not work.

When buying a memory upgrade, it is best to purchase the largest amount of memory

with the least number of modules. This way, there is room for growth in the future. For

examples, instead of buying two 256MB modules, purchase one 512 MB module.

Upgrade Your Visual Experience

A video card upgrade makes it possible to play all of the great games that are currently

available on the market. In fact, some games are so advanced that they will not play at all

without a very powerful video card.

Since there are literally dozens of video cards available, it can be tough choosing the

right one. It is important to first look at the motherboard to determine what

type of video cards can be supported by the system. The best video cards are the ones

that transfer data the fastest. In order from fastest to slowest are PCI express, AGP 8x,

AGP 4x, AGP 2x, AGP, and PCI. Of course, with the speed of technological advances, this could be different by the time this article is printed.

The Sound Of Music

A sound card, as common sense would dictate, improves the sound produced by the computer. This makes computer gaming, as well as listening to music and watching digital media, much more enjoyable. To install a sound card, locate an available ISA slot on the back of the computer. These slots are the longest sockets on the motherboard and there might be other cards already

installed in the sockets. There are two internal openings on each of the slots at the back

of the computer. So, remove the access plate at the rear of the socket to insert the

sound card. Make sure the access plate on the sound card covers the hole created by

removing the initial access plate. But, be sure to gently insert the sound card with a

slow back and forth movement; otherwise, the sound card can be damaged. There is nothing like experiencing your favorite game, in complete surround sound, with the subwoofer vibrating your body.

Upgrading The DVD Player/Burner

With digital video becoming so popular, many people are looking to upgrade to a

DVD player and burner combo. The most powerful DVD player/burner currently available at an affordable price is the DVD+R/RW. These do tend to, however, be incompatible with older DVD-ROM drives and DVD players. Current big names in the industry, such as Sony, HP, and Phillips,

support these players. DVD+R/RW drives are faster than previous models and are

capable of formatting while burning data to the disc. You also have dual layer technology available as well as Blu-Ray discs, but the price of the latter puts it out of reach for the average computer user. Like all computer technology, you can expect the cost to drop significantly over the next couple of years.

Meet Your New Mother…Board

For those who are truly serious about upgrading their computer, motherboard upgrades

are another popular option. A motherboard upgrade is the most difficult upgrade to

accomplish. Those who can manage, however, will enjoy the freedom of never having to

buy a new computer. Instead, the motherboard can be upgraded as technology

advances.

In addition to eliminating the need to buy a new computer, a motherboard upgrade also

makes it easier to upgrade other components on the computer. This is because

purchasing a motherboard ensures receiving the most up to date technology, which is

then compatible with other new upgrade components.

Upgrading the motherboard, however, requires serious advanced planning and reading of

the computer manual. If done incorrectly, the computer will become nothing more than

a paperweight. If finished correctly, however, the computer will remain on the cutting

edge of current technology.

As with any upgrades or repairs, if you are not fully confident in your ability to perform the task, ask a professional. Remember, always use static discharge protection when doing any work on your computer and be aware that any advice that I give is just that, advice. Performing any of the above upgrades is done at your and your computers own risk.

To read all of my articles you can go to http://www.plaintechtalk.com/blog .If you are interested in learning how to market online please check out my e-course at http://www.12headers.com/secret

Until next week, enjoy your pc, but get off the darn thing and go outside every now and then.

Nathan Hull