Jonathan Mendoza17 said:Height is a huge factor for me because my desk setup features one of those sliding keyboard trays, and space is at a premium there. I’ve measured the clearance at about 1.7 inches. My concern is that if the height measurement doesn't account for the actual keycaps, the keyboard might end up feeling cramped once I slide the tray back under the desk.
As for the layout, I’m honestly a bit lost—if I just switch the input settings to American, will all the symbols actually land where they belong (like next to the Enter key), or does the OS decide to scatter them across the board based on some internal, chaotic logic? If I opt for a keyboard with a standard US layout, would I need to mess around with custom software configurations, or can I simply toggle the language in Windows and have everything line up perfectly? Is it really that straightforward? If it were that easy, why would they even bother developing such complex software?
And don't even get me started on the stickers; that's my biggest headache. Honestly, it would be much cleaner to just 3D print custom keycaps. I think I'll ultimately settle on an American layout keyboard, though this whole situation really narrows my options significantly.
It seems you haven't quite grasped the essence of what I was saying. 🙏 The link you provided refers to layouts for languages that Microsoft doesn't even support. Since when does Microsoft fail to support the American language? 😁
What you've shared are just two standard layouts used for full-sized keyboards. You plug them in, and they work—it's really not that deep.
Is height really such a dealbreaker when you're picking one out? 😬 If we're talking about hand positioning and ergonomics, I actually keep a firm foam pad right at keyboard level ( 😁 ), which keeps my palms from resting awkwardly against the desk. It came bundled with my keyboard, but honestly, DIYing something similar wouldn't be hard, and you could probably just buy one anyway.
At the end of the day, the layout in Windows is the only thing that truly matters; you could have hieroglyphics, tattoos, or Chinese characters printed on the physical keys for all I care, because as long as you've mapped them correctly in Windows, they’ll function exactly how you want. Personally, my keyboard doesn't have any markings at all since I never bother looking down at it—it actually looks quite sleek this way, though it's a shame to ruin such a beautiful matte black surface. 😁 If you're dead set on having specific US symbols on your board, here's your roadmap: 1. Just buy a keyboard that comes with the standard US layout already printed on it. 2. Order a custom keyboard with whatever wild designs you desire from a specialist site like http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/. 3. If the keyboard uses mechanical switches that allow for easy keycap removal (like the ones in the link above), you can simply pop the old caps off and swap in new ones featuring the symbols you want. 4. Or, you could try the "low effort" route... markers, acrylic paint, or stickers... though they'll inevitably start peeling and fading before you know it.
If you're looking to get that hard drive up and running, an external drive bay is probably your best bet, and honestly, there are plenty of budget-friendly options out there. You just need to make sure the dimensions actually match your specific drive so you aren't left with a useless piece of plastic. Of course, if you happen to be working with a desktop tower, you could always just mount it directly inside the chassis if you’re feeling particularly adventurous; all it really takes is plugging in a SATA cable and a power lead, provided you have the extra ports available.
It sounds as if everything inside is being slow-cooked at some constant 50-plus degrees. Beyond that, if this is a used machine, you really ought to consider repasting the processor, giving the chassis a thorough internal cleaning, and perhaps even swapping out—or adding—a more robust cooling system.
I've got these RAM sticks sitting in my rig, and I'm looking to offload them... they've been living inside my case for about two years now. What would be a realistic asking price if I wanted to sell them?
😬 I’d happily let you take my Dell off my hands, but honestly, I haven't quite committed to pulling the trigger on "something" else just yet. Is that going to be an issue for you?😉
Well, it’s pretty much common sense that a 27" monitor stands about 15 inches tall by default 😬, so don't expect anyone to start manufacturing them with some absurdly thin 4-inch bezel just to satisfy a whim, right? Honestly, your best bet is to just grab whatever model you like that features an adjustable stand—one that actually lets you drop it down to its lowest setting. Then, just tilt it toward your line of sight... unless, of course, you happen to be exceptionally short. 😁
analogtiger19 said:Does anyone know of a decent 1440p monitor that stays under about 18.5 inches total height? Honestly, is there even any point in chasing 1440p if you can't get a 27" screen? I'm guessing those standard 27" models won't fit my setup anyway. 🤷
I’m currently using a Dell U2713HM, which is 27"... it stands about 15 inches tall, and if memory serves, you should be able to drop it right down to the desk surface with the stand.😬 Mine is mounted to the wall at the moment, but looking at the stand I have on hand, it seems like it should be perfectly doable.
I managed to blurt out a response before I even realized you were actually looking to swap out your laptop. The most straightforward fix would be to simply pick up a backlit keyboard for your laptop—assuming, of course, that such a thing actually exists for your specific model.
From what I can gather by scouring the internet for photos and various teardowns, it looks like these laptop keyboards aren't designed with any sort of clever workaround involving LED strips or fancy lighting setups to fix that gap issue. Since the internal keyboard plate itself is completely opaque, there’s just no way to shine a light through from underneath anyway.
Look, until someone significantly more intelligent than myself comes along to set the record straight, I’d suggest you actually learn how to type before you go smashing your keyboard and parading around claiming you're some kind of elite hacker. 🙏 😬
Anything is technically possible, isn't it? But the real question you have to ask yourself is why on earth would you want to go down that road? There are plenty of much more straightforward alternatives available to you—which, if you actually bother to look, are all laid out right there in the linked article. 😁
Give me a break. 4K resolution has absolutely nothing to do with the h265 codec itself. My old Haswell chip can chew through 4K just fine, much like any other processor whose integrated graphics actually meet the necessary specs. However—and this is the crucial part—if you lack native support for the h265 codec, your CPU is forced to handle everything via software; if your processor is even remotely underpowered, you won't just be struggling with 4K h265, you might find yourself stumbling through 1080p or even 720p content at that rate. 😁 It’s probably not worth losing sleep over "future-proofing" unless you are desperate for h265 support this very second. Once the technology truly takes hold, we’ll likely see a market flooded with fanless graphics cards available for next to nothing that offer native hardware support—provided, of course, you have an available PCI slot.
Carl Sanchez4 said:What did the whole thing end up costing you? Just eyeballing it, I'd say $1333... That's a great case, though; it looks really sharp. I suppose I might have to put something together myself eventually...
To be perfectly honest, the total cost actually climbed north of $6,000, though I’m factoring in a few things I already had on hand—like a Kingston 240GB SSD that was sitting around (worth about $50-$267), that incredibly silent, low-profile Noctua cooler (the NH-L9i), and a massive 6TB hard drive (because, unlike you, I happen to be a bit of a data hoarder 😁). My main motivation for picking this specific motherboard was honestly just the sheer number of SATA ports available, plus I needed a processor capable of handling integrated graphics that can actually chew through any video or audio format I throw at it without breaking a sweat.
I’m currently running an ASUS ROG Maximus paired with an i3 4330 processor and 4GB of RAM. It’s housed in a Fractal Design Node 304 case, complete with a Be Quiet power supply, an SSD, and all the other little bells and whistles. Since the motherboard actually has built-in Wi-Fi, you could easily pull this off much more affordably than you might think. Honestly, do you even really need a remote? If you’re absolutely dead set on having one, you can just grab those USB receiver kits on eBay to handle the startup process (<$50). Or, if you want to go the free route, just install VLC Media Player along with some Apple Bonjour services and enable smartphone control directly within the media player. There’s a default app for VLC Media Player, sure, but why settle for mediocrity when you can use TradingView? It’s significantly more polished.
Jack Alvarez said:Do I actually need to worry about HDCP 2.2 if I'm planning to use this PC strictly as a dedicated Plex server? Also, looking at the CPU side of things, would an Intel Core i5-6600K be enough to get the job done? Since my current office setup is running an Intel Core i7-4770K, which performs pretty much right in the same ballpark as an Intel Core i5-6600, I'm wondering if it's worth dropping an extra $100 to go with an Intel Core i7-6700K and a brand-new motherboard. I could always repurpose the Intel Core i7-4770K by moving it over to my old ASUS Z87-Pro, or am I just throwing money away on something I don't really need?
They aren't really "in the same ballpark," are they? You see, the Intel Core i7-4770K doesn't support HEVC, meaning you'll be stuck decoding everything via software rather than leaning on the integrated graphics.
If you want to find out if your current hardware can even handle the load—and just how much of a struggle it will be—you might want to check out this link from fadedorca66: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.ph...14#post1735714
At the end of the day, isn't it probably wiser to just pick either a dedicated graphics card or a newer processor that handles the heavy lifting natively? It really comes down to whatever is more practical for your specific workflow and, more importantly, your budget.
Well, it looks like the Skylake 530 actually pulls it off... my 520 struggles quite a bit when it comes to 4K HEVC, though I suppose that’s hardly surprising given it's just a laptop processor. Still, there is the catch: if you happen to need HDCP 2.2, then that integrated graphics chip is basically useless.
If you have the know-how, it’s always better to just build it yourself, isn't it? Any decent graphics card—even a basic Intel integrated chip—can handle 4K playback without breaking a sweat. However, when it comes to hardware-accelerated HEVC decoding, we're pretty much limited to the GTX 900 series if I recall correctly; otherwise, you're stuck relying on software, which means leaning heavily on your CPU. And let's be honest, when dealing with HEVC at 4K resolution, you really need a beefy processor, or else you'll be staring at a stuttering mess. (I'm not entirely sure where things stand regarding transcoding within Plex, but I can almost guarantee that's going to be just as demanding.)
darkowl72 said:Even though I haven't actually held the device in my hands yet, I’m fairly certain we aren't looking at a native RJ45 port, but rather some sort of adapter. Honestly, if you aren't planning on using every single USB port available, does it even matter? Whether it's M.2 or non-M.2, it's all the same when you realize that trying to squeeze a second drive into an Ultra is essentially a fool's errand 😬 There is barely enough internal real estate to accommodate what's already inside. Let's be realistic: unless you're doing something truly bizarre, who actually needs more than 8 GB of RAM alongside an SSD? If your technical requirements are truly that extreme, why bother with an Ultra at all? You might as well just wait a few years until manufacturers move toward even smaller, more refined production processes.
It really comes down to how thin they make it 😁; obviously, the thinner the chassis, the fewer ports you'll find on the sides. You see Ethernet ports on ultra-portable laptops just as often as you see them on tablets—and my poor, misguided machine actually features a micro HDMI, presumably because a full-sized one simply wouldn't fit 😁. I am quite certain that 13.3" models can house two drives (I know of several that do), especially if one is an M.2, but realistically, is there even a need? For any serious storage tasks, you're going to end up relying on an external drive anyway.
