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I am still on a quest for an ultimate laptop. And with the new generation of Ivy Bridge based computers about to hit the market in April-May, I figured it's time to start a new thread, similar to the one from last year.
Although some of this discussion may also apply to Macs, I do ask Mac fans not to derail this thread, as it is intended to be about Windows laptops. And as last year, I suggest we focus mostly on features, rather than specific brand recommendations.
Ok, let me start by sharing my thoughts and recommendations and you all are welcome to share yours!
RAM
Memory is cheap these days! Although 4GB might be enough for most people, I do recommend 8GB, especially if you run RAM-intensive programs or multiple virtual machines, as I often do. Ideally, I would like to have a possibility to expand to 16 GB down the road. (Remember, you need 64-bit Windows to take advantage of RAM above 4GB!)
USB 3.0
This is a must have in 2012! USB 3.0, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0, has a lot of hardware already available: hard drives, flash drives and adapter cards, etc. Most importantly, USB 3.0 is backward compatible with all older USB devices. Intel is finally supporting USB 3.0 in the upcoming chipset, so this should become standard in the next wave of laptops.
CPU
The talk of the day is the new "Ivy Bridge" line of CPUs from Intel launching in April-May. Similar to last year's "Sandy Bridge", but smaller (22nm production process), faster, more power efficient and with a much better integrated graphics.
Video
Although a good video card might still be required for gaming enthusiasts and graphics designers, the newly redesigned integrated graphics in the Intel Ivy Bridge architecture might be quite sufficient for most of us.
Display
I find 15" adequate for most professional applications, without requiring an external monitor. I would be looking for nothing less than full HD resolution. If you require accurate colors, look for IPS displays. IPS (stands for In-Plane Switching) is an LCD technology which aligns the liquid crystal cells in a horizontal direction. IPS technology provides more accurate colors with no color distortion from any angle.
Update: It might be a good idea to look for touch-screen capability in preparation for Windows 8.
Form factor
The latest buzz is "Ultrabook", a term trademarked by Intel. Light, less than 0.8-inches thick, with good battery life, but mighty and with bigger 13 or 14" screen (think 13" MacBook Air). Some ultrabooks are already available, much more will show up later this year with Ivy Bridge. Although ultrabooks are excellent for travel and make much more sense than underpowered netbooks, I suspect they will still be too limited in features and upgradability. We'll see!
Hard drive
As far as I am concerned, the bigger, the better! 750 GB 7200 RPM would be my starting point. But I am also intrigued by the SSD technology - just wish it was more affordable. One great option offered by some computer manufacturers is a dual drive configuration: a small system SSD drive and a bigger hard drive.
SATA III (6.0 Gb/s)
Perhaps not so important for HDD, but for the latest SSD drives this faster SATA interface can make a big difference.
SDXC card reader
It is very convenient to have a built-in card reader to transfer photos and videos and also as an external storage. SDHC is limited to 32 GB. The new SDXC spec breaks that limit and supports cards up to 2 TB.
Other common features
These features are pretty standard these days: HDMI output, built-in webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (preferably 3.0), ideally a backlit keyboard.
Although some of this discussion may also apply to Macs, I do ask Mac fans not to derail this thread, as it is intended to be about Windows laptops. And as last year, I suggest we focus mostly on features, rather than specific brand recommendations.
Ok, let me start by sharing my thoughts and recommendations and you all are welcome to share yours!
RAM
Memory is cheap these days! Although 4GB might be enough for most people, I do recommend 8GB, especially if you run RAM-intensive programs or multiple virtual machines, as I often do. Ideally, I would like to have a possibility to expand to 16 GB down the road. (Remember, you need 64-bit Windows to take advantage of RAM above 4GB!)
USB 3.0
This is a must have in 2012! USB 3.0, which is 10 times faster than USB 2.0, has a lot of hardware already available: hard drives, flash drives and adapter cards, etc. Most importantly, USB 3.0 is backward compatible with all older USB devices. Intel is finally supporting USB 3.0 in the upcoming chipset, so this should become standard in the next wave of laptops.
CPU
The talk of the day is the new "Ivy Bridge" line of CPUs from Intel launching in April-May. Similar to last year's "Sandy Bridge", but smaller (22nm production process), faster, more power efficient and with a much better integrated graphics.
Video
Although a good video card might still be required for gaming enthusiasts and graphics designers, the newly redesigned integrated graphics in the Intel Ivy Bridge architecture might be quite sufficient for most of us.
Display
I find 15" adequate for most professional applications, without requiring an external monitor. I would be looking for nothing less than full HD resolution. If you require accurate colors, look for IPS displays. IPS (stands for In-Plane Switching) is an LCD technology which aligns the liquid crystal cells in a horizontal direction. IPS technology provides more accurate colors with no color distortion from any angle.
Update: It might be a good idea to look for touch-screen capability in preparation for Windows 8.
Form factor
The latest buzz is "Ultrabook", a term trademarked by Intel. Light, less than 0.8-inches thick, with good battery life, but mighty and with bigger 13 or 14" screen (think 13" MacBook Air). Some ultrabooks are already available, much more will show up later this year with Ivy Bridge. Although ultrabooks are excellent for travel and make much more sense than underpowered netbooks, I suspect they will still be too limited in features and upgradability. We'll see!
Hard drive
As far as I am concerned, the bigger, the better! 750 GB 7200 RPM would be my starting point. But I am also intrigued by the SSD technology - just wish it was more affordable. One great option offered by some computer manufacturers is a dual drive configuration: a small system SSD drive and a bigger hard drive.
SATA III (6.0 Gb/s)
Perhaps not so important for HDD, but for the latest SSD drives this faster SATA interface can make a big difference.
SDXC card reader
It is very convenient to have a built-in card reader to transfer photos and videos and also as an external storage. SDHC is limited to 32 GB. The new SDXC spec breaks that limit and supports cards up to 2 TB.
Other common features
These features are pretty standard these days: HDMI output, built-in webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (preferably 3.0), ideally a backlit keyboard.
19 Replies
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4737 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
I was reading this article
thehill.com
That said this-
Last summer, for the first time, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime claimed the largest share of the television viewing audience, surpassing both cable and broadcast TV. Streaming captured 34.8 percent of July viewers, according to Nielsen data, compared to 34.4 percent for cable and 21.6 percent for broadcast.
And then, sometime in the second half of 2022, cord-cutters became the majority. The share of cable and satellite television subscribers dipped to 48 percent, according to a report from Samba TV, a television technology company.
Now I do not consider those with YTTV and the likes, Cord Cutters, but they still do not have Traditional Cable/Satellite delivered Live TV, so I decided to do the math.
There are, now, 129 Million Households in the United States.
In 2015, there were 100 Million Cable/Sat Subscribers , no streaming Live TV Service.
Today, there are 66 Million Live TV subscribers, including Cable, Satellite and Streaming.
Roughly, Streaming Live TV has 14 Million subs including all of them.
So that means, Cable/Satellite now has, roughly, 51 Million Households
So in just 8 years, lost 49% of their subscribers and by the end of this year, expected sub count to be, roughly, 45 million households.
That means a total loss of 55% since 2015 at the end of 2023.
But out of 129 Million households, 45 million will mean only 35% will get Cable/Satellite Delivered Live TV by the end of 2023.
Imagine what 2024 will be like.
Cable TV ‘cord-cutters’ became the majority in 2022
The steady decline of cable and broadcast television, and the rise of streaming services, reached a sort of inflection point over the past year. Last summer, for the first time, streaming ser…
thehill.com
That said this-
Last summer, for the first time, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime claimed the largest share of the television viewing audience, surpassing both cable and broadcast TV. Streaming captured 34.8 percent of July viewers, according to Nielsen data, compared to 34.4 percent for cable and 21.6 percent for broadcast.
And then, sometime in the second half of 2022, cord-cutters became the majority. The share of cable and satellite television subscribers dipped to 48 percent, according to a report from Samba TV, a television technology company.
Now I do not consider those with YTTV and the likes, Cord Cutters, but they still do not have Traditional Cable/Satellite delivered Live TV, so I decided to do the math.
There are, now, 129 Million Households in the United States.
In 2015, there were 100 Million Cable/Sat Subscribers , no streaming Live TV Service.
Today, there are 66 Million Live TV subscribers, including Cable, Satellite and Streaming.
Roughly, Streaming Live TV has 14 Million subs including all of them.
So that means, Cable/Satellite now has, roughly, 51 Million Households
So in just 8 years, lost 49% of their subscribers and by the end of this year, expected sub count to be, roughly, 45 million households.
That means a total loss of 55% since 2015 at the end of 2023.
But out of 129 Million households, 45 million will mean only 35% will get Cable/Satellite Delivered Live TV by the end of 2023.
Imagine what 2024 will be like.
820 Replies
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69348 views
Comcast Corporation, one of the largest telecommunications and media conglomerates in the United States, has shed more than 13 million pay-TV subscribers since reaching its zenith in the late 2000s. The company's video subscriber base, which includes traditional cable television services, stood at approximately 24.2 million customers toward the end of 2008. By the close of the first quarter of 2026, that figure had plummeted to roughly10.95 million, representing a loss of about 13.25 million subscribers, or more than half of its historical peak.
cordcuttersnews.com
Comcast Has Lost Over 13 Million TV Subscribers Since It Peaked Back in 2008 - A Look Back At This Historic Fall That Saw It Lose More Than Half of Its TV Subscribers | Cord Cutters News
Comcast Corporation, one of the largest telecommunications and media conglomerates in the United States, has shed more than 13 million pay-TV subscribers since reaching its zenith in the late 2000s. The company’s video subscriber base, which includes traditional cable television services, stood...
cordcuttersnews.com
Comcast Corporation, one of the largest telecommunications and media conglomerates in the United States, has shed more than 13 million pay-TV subscribers since reaching its zenith in the late 2000s. The company's video subscriber base, which includes traditional cable television services, stood at approximately 24.2 million customers toward the end of 2008. By the close of the first quarter of 2026, that figure had plummeted to roughly10.95 million, representing a loss of about 13.25 million subscribers, or more than half of its historical peak.
Comcast Has Lost Over 13 Million TV Subscribers Since It Peaked Back in 2008 - A Look Back At This Historic Fall That Saw It Lose More Than Half of Its TV Subscribers | Cord Cutters News
Comcast Corporation, one of the largest telecommunications and media conglomerates in the United States, has shed more than 13 million pay-TV subscribers since reaching its zenith in the late 2000s. The company’s video subscriber base, which includes traditional cable television services, stood...
Couldn't happen to a nicer company!
The average monthly cost of cable television in the United States has climbed to $147, marking a significant increase that reflects broader trends in media consumption and rising operational expenses for providers. This figure represents the baseline expense for standard television packages across major cable operators, excluding additional fees for premium channels, equipment rentals, or taxes that often push household bills even higher.
This is without Broadband services ( bundled), also, paying a lot more for a lot less new scripted content and now….sports.
cordcuttersnews.com
This is without Broadband services ( bundled), also, paying a lot more for a lot less new scripted content and now….sports.
The Cost of Cable TV Has Jumped Almost 55% Over the Last 10 Years | Cord Cutters News
The average monthly cost of cable television in the United States has climbed to $147, marking a significant increase that reflects broader trends in media consumption and rising operational expenses for providers. This figure represents the baseline expense for standard television packages...
cordcuttersnews.com
Wasn't there a law passed a long time back mandating service providers level the sound from one ch. to the next? Or was that just for within any single given ch., and not letting commercials be boosted? Regardless it's a pain on DiSH with some ch's way louder than others, and having to jockey the sound up & down. Is there some fix? Can some TVs compensate for this?
11 Replies
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685 views
maybe he should post his gear so we could look into it
.. t.v. soundbars AVR whatever he's running.. our home theater has volume leveling but so does our soundbar in the bedroom
T
Most stuff has all this volume leveling, almost all them dont work the way should or advertised as. maybe "ai" versions of volume level will work closer to way we would like to which make all channels and inputs same defualt sound level, including commercials
There is reason my entire mp3/audio music collection on my pc was changed to have same defualt "dB" for all files via something like MP3Gain so there all same defualt volume level and there for I never have to play around with my volume. I know Winamp could change dB defualts but never worked as good as just manual changing all the audio/mp3/music collection files to just be all the same
maybe he should post his gear so we could look into it
Most stuff has all this volume leveling, almost all them dont work the way should or advertised as. maybe "ai" versions of volume level will work closer to way we would like to which make all channels and inputs same defualt sound level, including commercials
There is reason my entire mp3/audio music collection on my pc was changed to have same defualt "dB" for all files via something like MP3Gain so there all same defualt volume level and there for I never have to play around with my volume. I know Winamp could change dB defualts but never worked as good as just manual changing all the audio/mp3/music collection files to just be all the same
S
That's a fundamental issue with volume levels - it's not just that people want some "level" but that the material itself can demand (or at least so says the creator) a wide dynamic range or a smaller one. ie: do you boost the typical conversations upward and use most of your range just for voices? Or do you leave room for the explosions and jet engines. Creators and viewer/listeners all vary in their priorities, and most volume-leveling products are trying to do things in real time so they have very little context to work with. Even when using a tool that reads a whole file and displays a peak volume, you can wonder how often such a volume occurs and then you can disagree on how important it is for something like an explosion to have any clipping/distortion.
I think the OP refers to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, AKA the CALM act. But as the name suggests, I think it only has to do with commercials and not different sources.
By the way, if you watch westerns with realistic gunshot sound levels, I recommend hearing protection.
I think the OP refers to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, AKA the CALM act. But as the name suggests, I think it only has to do with commercials and not different sources.
By the way, if you watch westerns with realistic gunshot sound levels, I recommend hearing protection.
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sometimes a thread gets so many posts in it that is can cause issues for the server so that why today we introduce The Song Name Game Part 3!
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
So let the game continue!
The last song was added by Bobby who posted...
One Meat Ball - Andrews Sisters
CONTINUE ON AND HAVE FUN! WELCOME HOME TO SATELLITEGUYS.US!
Here are the original rules for the game as posted by WebbyDude back in 2006. http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/68645-Song-Name-Game
Just name a song title and the band who performed it. The next person does the same thing, but needs to list a song title or band name which includes a word from the previous entry. Pick songs from any genre.
Example:
Long Live Rock and Roll -- Rainbow
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
Another example:
Ride the Lightning -- Metallica
Lightning Strikes -- Ozzy Osbourne
Get it?
An additional note: we all know that song titles, sometimes, use profane words. Because this is a family friendly website it is advised that you clean up that title up a bit. This is accomplished by using something like sh!t instead of the real word. Thanks....
67108 Replies
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2662318 views
Supporting Founder
Lifetime Supporter
This is a thread that will keep you apprised of 4K events that will be showing on Dish channel 540. Keep looking here for information.
As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
As of today, 9-27-17, there are no scheduled events posted for the next 2 weeks. That is subject to change on a daily basis.
699 Replies
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164669 views
Staff member
Pub Member / Supporter
Cutting Edge
The TPN Map Excel Presents all DIRECTV Channels:
Understanding the TPN Map
Making Sense of the TPN Map Display Conventions
National (50-States or wide/NAT+PR beams)
Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Local (Local-Into-Local or narrow/Spot beams)
Additional tabs provide:
OTA the (Over-The-Air) Database
VOD (Video On_Demand) Records
Offline Records
Engr Records
Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
VOD (Video On_Demand) Records
Offline Records
Engr Records
Net Decoder a graphic presentation of all satellites and transponders
Domestic Satellites
@99W...... D11, D14
@101W.... D9S, D16
@103W.... D10, D12, D15
@110W.... D5
@119W.... D8
@99W...... D11, D14
@101W.... D9S, D16
@103W.... D10, D12, D15
@110W.... D5
@119W.... D8
See also
Understanding the TPN Map
Making Sense of the TPN Map Display Conventions
1971 Replies
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910655 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
Did anyone have a price increase today on their equipment? I own my VIP211k's, and they have been $5.00. My bill that I received last week shows the "add-ons" as being $5.00. However, I just logged into my Dish account, and my "add-ons" are now $10.00. Did the additional receivers go up by $5.00 recently?
As I mentioned, my last bill shows $5.00 and under the notes, nothing is mentioned about a price increase.
As I mentioned, my last bill shows $5.00 and under the notes, nothing is mentioned about a price increase.
10 Replies
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145 views
Pub Member / Supporter
Lifetime Supporter
I feel like this was discussed in another thread, but I can't find it. I have T-Mobile and my last iPhone upgrade was in 2020. I want to get a new iPhone, but what is the best way to go about doing it? Should I order the iPhone from T-Mobile directly, or should I buy from the Apple Store? I feel like there are pros/cons to each option.
0 Replies
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8 views
Hello everyone, new guy here. I'm trying to solve problem I'm having with Dish bonus view channels. When I'm watching the bonus view channels then I switch back to regular dish channels, after few minutes the screen flips to black and after 30 seconds flips back to regular channels and continues to flip back and forth until I turn off TV. After I wait 30 minutes and turn back on , I can use regular channels again. So, its after I switch from bonus view channels to regular dish channels the problem starts. Been trying to fix this for a month, but no luck
Here what I've done.
i contacted Dish support and they sent me a new Joey3, but no help. Switched to a different HDMI input on TV, no help. Used different HDMI cable , no help. Used different electrical wall plug, no help.
Finally got a Dish tech to check it. He ran all systems check and was OK. Finally he brought in a small TV and plugged in the HDMI out from the Joey to the small TV. He could not get the problem to occur on his small TV, so the new Joey was working OK. So, then the problem must be myTV. He made some phone calls and came back with the answer that there must be a problem with the analog to digital switch in my TV. Has anyone ever heard of a problem like this, or is it time to be looking for a new TV? My tv LG OLED65C8PUA. TV has been trouble free til now. Thanks
Here what I've done.
i contacted Dish support and they sent me a new Joey3, but no help. Switched to a different HDMI input on TV, no help. Used different HDMI cable , no help. Used different electrical wall plug, no help.
Finally got a Dish tech to check it. He ran all systems check and was OK. Finally he brought in a small TV and plugged in the HDMI out from the Joey to the small TV. He could not get the problem to occur on his small TV, so the new Joey was working OK. So, then the problem must be myTV. He made some phone calls and came back with the answer that there must be a problem with the analog to digital switch in my TV. Has anyone ever heard of a problem like this, or is it time to be looking for a new TV? My tv LG OLED65C8PUA. TV has been trouble free til now. Thanks
2 Replies
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44 views
TWiT Tech Podcast Network
Time for another AWESOME video from the TWIT Network!
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DkXuzAfZyJY
Direct YouTube Link - You Can Dial Back the Prominence of Liquid Glass in iOS 27
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DkXuzAfZyJY
Direct YouTube Link - You Can Dial Back the Prominence of Liquid Glass in iOS 27
TWIT's Website
TWIT Live Feed
0 Replies
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5 views
Mexico takes on South Africa to open the World Cup Final (it is called the Final... this just isn't the World Cup Final... Final). The tournament has been plagued with rife malfeasance as FIFA has been committing all sorts of fraud with the ticket sales. Hotel rooms have gone unfilled as the prices to attend a game and stay somewhere are through the roof. I swear this is impacting Mansfield, OH hotel rates which are higher than average for the Indycar race. And there is a broadening VAR presence which will ruin things as nothing worse now when scoring a goal and knowing you can't quite celebrate yet as they check to see if a player was offside by a pixel a half-hour ago.
The Group Stage used to mean something, but now 32 of the 48... yeah, 48 teams are going to the Knockout Round. Getting into the Knockout Round used to be a big deal, even for the US. But now... if you don't lose all of your group stage games, you get to move on. Oi! And this is avoiding all the political stuff!
I have never been so unexcited for a World Cup before. Every game used to matter. But FIFA be darned if they don't try to squeeze out every dime they can out of the players, refs, and fans.
The Group Stage used to mean something, but now 32 of the 48... yeah, 48 teams are going to the Knockout Round. Getting into the Knockout Round used to be a big deal, even for the US. But now... if you don't lose all of your group stage games, you get to move on. Oi! And this is avoiding all the political stuff!
I have never been so unexcited for a World Cup before. Every game used to matter. But FIFA be darned if they don't try to squeeze out every dime they can out of the players, refs, and fans.
0 Replies
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12 views