Audio

How to Use the SPDIF Output from Sound Blaster X-Fi Sound Cards July 30, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres A list of all Sound Blaster X-Fi models released to date and how to add SPDIF connectors to them. Updated to include X-Fi Titanium sound cards. Audio Codec Comparison Table February 5, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres A series of quick reference tables showing the main specs of the most popular audio codecs you can find on motherboards. How On-Board Audio Works February 2, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how the sound card that comes embedded on your motherboard works. How Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) Works April 21, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres An in-depth explanation about analog-to-digital conversion in a very easy to follow language. How to Connect 5.1 Speakers to Your PC December 28, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to connect 6-channel speaker systems to your PC in this step-by-step tutorial. What is High Definition Audio December 22, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about High Definition Audio, a high-quality audio standard present on Intel PCI Express chipsets. How To Connect Your PC to Your Home Stereo or Home Theater December 7, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to hook your PC to your stereo or receiver in order to enhance you audio experience while playing games, watching videos, listening to music or even editing audio. Convert your LPs into CDs April 23, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step tutorial on how to convert your old vinyl records into CDs. Installing Frontal Audio Plugs November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to correctly connect the frontal audio jacks that many cases have to the motherboard. SPDIF Connection November 25, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about the SPDIF (digital audio) connection. How to Record Phone Conversations in the PC November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to build a circuit to record phone conversations using your PC. Sound Blaster 16 Unsupported Device October 22, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Sound Blaster 16 audio cards list an "Unknown Device" under Windows 9x. Learn how to correct this problem.

Bus

How To Build Parallel Port Prototypes October 13, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to build circuits using the PC parallel port. PCI Express Bus Tutorial September 6, 2005 - By Cássio Lima Everything you need to know about PCI Express bus. AGP Bus Tutorial June 23, 2005 - By Cássio Lima Everything you need to know about the AGP bus: types, speeds, voltages, etc. Installing Frontal USB Ports November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to correctly connect the frontal USB ports that many cases have to the motherboard. Why Serial? October 25, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Understand why new buses like PCI Express, USB and Serial ATA are using serial communication instead of parallel. AMR, CNR and ACR slots October 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn what are the AMR, CNR and ACR slots found on motherboards.

Camera

Everything You Need to Know About Digital Camera Lenses December 10, 2008 - By Sandy Berger Learn everything you need to know about lenses for digital cameras to make a smarter buying decision. Everything You Need to Know About Camera Sensors November 27, 2008 - By Sandy Berger In this tutorial we wil teach you everything you need to know about one of the most important components of digital cameras: the sensor. Everything You Need to Know About Megapixels November 12, 2008 - By Sandy Berger With the first digital cameras a model with a higher megapixel value was better than one with a lower value. This isn't necessary true today. Learn why. Everything You Need to Know About Digital Cameras October 7, 2008 - By Sandy Berger Everything average users need to know before buying a digital camera, including types of cameras, megapixels, sensors and more.

Case

Everything You Need To Know About The Screws Used on The PC December 11, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres In this tutorial you will learn the difference between all screws that come with PC cases and you won’t get confused anymore when building your own PC. Cases: How to Avoid Overheating May 19, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to avoid overheating in your PC by choosing the correct case. Also learn about the correct airflow inside your PC and how to install an auxiliary fan to cool down your system.

CE

Everything You Need to Know About TV Technologies April 10, 2008 - By André Gordirro Learn how to choose from amongst the several types of television technologies available, like CRT, LCD, Plasma, DLP, LCoS and OLED. How to Manually Clean Your VCR Heads July 12, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to clean your VCR heads to get a better image quality. HDTV Tutorial April 20, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about HDTV, including its resolutions and a step-by-step guide on how to connect HDTV panels to your PC. Digital TV Standards April 19, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn more about the digital television standards that exist around the world (ATSC, ISDB-T and DVB-T) and the difference between them. Protecting Your PC Against Animals November 4, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Amazingly enough, you can have ants, hornets, cockroaches and even mice living inseide your computer. Check out our amazing pictures and learn how to avoid such menace.

Cooling

How to Create a Three-Speed Fan Control Without Spending a Dime November 16, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to configure the speed of any fan located inside on your PC (CPU, VGA, chipset, case, etc) to low, medium or high speed without spending any money at all. Typical PC Assembling Problems August 15, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about some common problems related to PC assembling that can cause your PC to overheat, malfunction or prevent it to achieve its maximum performance. How To Correctly Apply Thermal Grease January 12, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres and Daniel Barros and Cássio Lima Everything you need to know about thermal grease: learn how to correctly apply it in order to prevent your CPU from overheating. A complete guide full of pictures. How to reduce the noise produced by the PC November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to make a fan control system to reduce the noise produced by your PC fans. Water Cooling November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn what water cooling is. ATX Case Cooling Problem October 17, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Some ATX cases have their power supply fan inverted, overheating your PC. Hard Disk Fan August 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Your hard disk may also need some cooling.

CPU

All Athlon 64 Models October 7, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon II X2 and Athlon II X4 models released to date. Updated to include the new Athlon II X4 CPU. All Core i7 Models September 25, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres A quick reference table showing the main specs of all Core i7 models released to date. Updated to include socket 1156 and socket 988 (laptop) models. All Phenom Models September 23, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables showing the main specs of all Phenom and Phenom II models released to date. Updated. All Pentium Dual Core Models September 14, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Pentium Dual Core released to date. Updated. All Sempron Models August 28, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Sempron processors released to date. Updated to include socket AM3 model. All Atom Models August 21, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho A quick reference table comparing the main specs of all Atom models released to date. Updated. All Core 2 Models August 18, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres A series of quick reference tables containing all Core 2 Solo, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Extreme CPUs released to date. Updated. All Turion Models May 27, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima and Rafael Otto Coelho A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Turion 64 and Turion 64 X2 processors released to date. Updated. All Core Duo and Core Solo Models March 31, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Core Duo and Core Solo processors released to date. Updated. All Celeron Models March 19, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Celeron models released to date. Updated to include Celeron Dual Core E1500. Inside Atom Architecture September 12, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Atom is a CPU from Intel targeted to laptops and mobile internet devices running normal x86 instructions and dissipating less than 3 W. Let’s take a look on this processor. Including a sneak peak on the future “Moorestown”platform. Everything You Need to Know About the CPU C-States Power Saving Modes September 5, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres The CPU has several power saving modes called C-states. In this tutorial we will explain what these modes are, what they do and the modes supported by each processor. Inside Intel Nehalem Microarchitecture August 26, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Nehalem is the codename of the new Intel CPU with integrated memory controller that will reach the market next month and that will be called Core i7. Everything you need to know about this CPU is here. Everything You Need to Know About The QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) August 25, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres QuickPath Interconnect is the name of the external bus used by the Intel forthcoming CPUs with integrated memory controller, like the Core i7. In this tutorial we will explain how this bus works. All Xeon Models January 21, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Xeon processors released to date, including Pentium II Xeon, Pentium III Xeon, Xeon, Xeon MP, dual-core Xeon and quad-core Xeon. Updated to include 45 nm models. Maximum CPU Temperature October 11, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima Learn what is the maximum temperature your CPU can reach without burning and how to measure your CPU current temperature. All Opteron Models October 4, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Opteron processors released to date. Updated to include third-generation ("Barcelona") models. All CPU Sockets September 26, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A table containing all sockets and slots used by all PC processors released to date, with examples of compatible CPUs and pinouts. Updated to include Socket AM2+. All Pentium 4 Models September 15, 2007 - By Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Pentium 4 models released to date. Updated. All Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition Models September 15, 2007 - By Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition processors released to date. Updated to include 915, 925,935 and 945 Pentium Extreme Edition models. How The Memory Cache Works September 12, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about cache memory in an easy to follow language. Inside AMD K10 Architecture September 3, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about the new K10 architecture that will be used by forthcoming AMD processors, like Phenom and Opteron “Barcelona”, including roadmaps. The HyperTransport Bus Used By AMD Processors August 30, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about the HyperTransport bus used by AMD processors, including the most common mistakes people say about this bus. Updated to include HyperTransport 3.0. All Pentium M Models August 16, 2007 - By Cássio Lima A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Pentium M models released to date. Updated to include new models. How to Upgrade Your CPU March 9, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres A series of tables showing which processors you can install on your system without replacing your current motherboard. How to Enable Processor-Based Security February 27, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to correctly enable NX/EVP/XD/DEP technology on your PC, allowing the CPU to detect malicious code and block it automatically. Athlon 64 Overclocking July 20, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to overclock your Athlon 64 CPU, with useful tips that will please even users with some experience on the subject. Inside AMD64 Architecture May 16, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres An in-depth look on how CPUs based on AMD64 architecture work, like Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX, Turion 64, Opteron and some Sempron models. Inside Intel Core Microarchitecture April 12, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres An in-depth look on the new microarchitecture that will be used by the new Intel CPUs to be released this year, codenamed Merom, Conroe and Woodcrest. Inside Pentium M Architecture January 4, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how Pentium M processor works. Intel LaGrande Technology Explained December 20, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about the new LaGrande Technology from Intel, which improves computer security and will be shipped on next generation Intel CPUs (Merom, Conroe and Woodcrest). Intel Virtualization Technology (VT) Explained December 16, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about the new Virtualization Technology (VT) from Intel that is being shipped with the latest Pentium 4 CPUs. Intel EM64T Technology Explained December 15, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about Intel's 64-bit technology available on Pentium 4 6xx and Pentium D CPUs. How Chips are Manufactured November 24, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how chips like microprocessors, video processors, memories, chipsets etc are manufactured. Athlon 64 Cores October 25, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres A quick guide to all Athlon 64 cores released to date: ClawHammer, NewCastle, Winchester, Venice and San Diego. Inside Pentium 4 Architecture October 18, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how Pentium 4 processor works. How a CPU Works September 26, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how a CPU works in an easy to follow language, including topics such as clock, memory cache, CPU block diagram, an overall view on the basic CPU units, pipeline, superscalar architecture, out-of-order execution and speculative execution. How to Identify 64-bit Sempron CPUs September 20, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to detect if your socket 754 Sempron CPU has the AMD 64-bit extensions (x86-64) or not. How to Overclock a Socket 775 Pentium 4 September 15, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres and Daniel Barros It is not so easy to overclock socket 775 Pentium 4 since Intel 915 and 925 chipsets have a protection against overclocking. Learn how to be successful in overclocking this type of CPU. Sempron vs. Celeron D September 8, 2005 - By Cássio Lima Learn the main differences between Sempron from AMD and Celeron D from Intel, two processors targeted to the entry-level market. How to Enable Cool April 26, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to enable AMD's Cool'n'Quiet technology, present on Athlon 64 CPUs, which lowers the CPU temperature and system noise. Sempron vs. Athlon XP April 25, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres and Daniel Barros What is the difference between Sempron and Athlon XP processors? Learn in this tutorial. Includes tables with specs of all Sempron and Athlon XP models. How to Correctly Assemble PCs with Pentium 4 Prescott March 16, 2005 - By Daniel Barros Pentium 4 with Prescott core has new specs for cooling, case and power supply. A lot of people is assembling PCs using "old" products with their new Pentium 4 and the PC is overheating, slowing down or the power supply is simply burning. Pentium 4 Thermal Throttle March 10, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres What is the Thermal Throttling feature? Learn how to check if your processor is overheating using this feature. On-Board Processors November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about on-board CPUs found on motherboards from PCChips, ECS and Amptron that use a bogus naming system. Intel is going to Identify Their Processors Through Numbers November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about the new numbering scheme that Intel is applying to their new processors. Athlon XP Overclocking Tape November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about Speed Strip, a tape that you can install on your Athlon XP pins to unlock its clock multiplier. Counterfeit Athlon XP Processors November 4, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about counterfeit Athlon XP processors that reached the market and how to identify them. All Pentium III Models October 13, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Pentium III models released to date. Activating the Hyper-Threading October 12, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres See how to enable the HyperThreading tecnology on your PC. How to Transform an Athlon XP into an Athlon MP October 12, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres With a small modification on the body of the Athlon XP CPU you can transform it into an Athlon MP processor.

Input

Logitech G5 Laser Gaming Mouse: Battlefield 2142 Edition Review December 18, 2006 - By André Gordirro Review of the special edition G5 Laser Gaming Mouse based on BattelField 2142, featuring resolution up to 2,000 dpi and adjustable weigth system. Adapting a Sony Playstation Joystick to a PC June 17, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to adapt a Sony Playstation joystick to use it on your computer. Adapting a Nintendo 64 Joystick to a PC November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to convert a Nintendo 64 (N64) joystick to use it on your PC. Adapting a Super Nintendo Joystick to a PC November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to convert a Super Nintendo (SNES) joystick to use it on your PC. Adapting a Sega Genesis Joystick to a PC November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to convert a Sega Genesis joystick to use it on your PC. Programming Your Keyboard August 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to tranform some keys into shortcuts to programs.

Memory

Everything You Need To Know About DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 Memories August 27, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres Curious about the technical differences between DDR3, DDR2 and DDR memories? In this tutorial we explain them all. Everything You Need to Know About Dual Channel July 16, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about dual channel technology, which is used to double memory transfer rate. Includes how it works, how to set it up, how to calculate transfer speeds and more. Understanding RAM Timings June 13, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Learn in details what numbers like 2-3-2-6-T1, 3-4-4-8 and 2-2-2-5 after the memory specification mean. Corsair Flash Voyager: The Unbreakable Broke December 26, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres You won't believe this: our "unbrekable" Flash Voyager from Corsair broke. Take a look on the pictures to see what happened and also how we were able to recover the data that was stored on it. How FB-DIMM Memories Work December 23, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about the new FB-DIMM memory standard, created to increase the capacity and speed of the memory system. How to Upgrade your Notebook Memory September 4, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to upgrade your notebook memory. DDR vs. GDDR Memories July 20, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn the main differences between DDR (DDR2 and DDR3) and GDDR (GDDR2 and GDDR3) memories. Memory Overclocking June 19, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to overclock your RAM memory in order to increase your computer performance without spending a dime. Memory Cards Tutorial May 19, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn the differences between the several memory cards available for digital cameras on the market: Compact Flash (CF), Memory Stick (MS), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Secure Digital (SD), SmartMedia (SM) and xD. Identifying Faked PC100 Memories October 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Some PC100 SDRAM DIMM modules are in fact relabeled PC66 parts. Learn more about this problem. Memory Upgrade October 25, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about the most common incompatibility cases when upgrading your RAM memory.

Mobile

Everything You Need to Know About The Centrino Platform April 7, 2009 - By Rafael Otto Coelho and Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima A quick guide for you to understand what is the Centrino platform, what are its requirements and what are the differences between its several generations. Updated to include Centrino 2 platform. Does Celeron Centrino Exist? October 24, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Some stores are offering "Celeron Centrino" notebooks. Are they for real? Innovations in Notebook Expansion November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about Express Card and MXM, two new technologies created to improve the expansion capability of laptops. Palm Overclocking November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to overclock your Palm to get a better performance.

Modem

How to Transform a SpeedStream 5200 modem into a Router November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to transform your SpeedStream 5200 ADSL modem into a router! V.92 Standard August 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn more about the new V.92 standard for 56 K modems.

Motherboard

Everything You Need to Know About The Motherboard Voltage Regulator Circuit September 16, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres An in-depth explanation on how the motherboard voltage regulator circuit works, including components, phases and design. Intel Chipset Codenames Cross-Reference Table November 20, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres A table listing all codenames used by Intel chipsets and the corresponding commercial product name. How To Perform a BIOS Upgrade July 27, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to upgrade your system BIOS. Building an Infrared Transmitter for Your PC May 9, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to build an infrared transmitter/receiver for your PC, in order to connect IR devices to it, like cell phones. How to Find Out Your Motherboard Manufacturer and Model October 20, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to find out your motherboard manufacturer and model, a required information if you want to download a new BIOS, drivers and manual for it. Everything You Need to Know About Chipsets September 7, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about chipsets is covered in this tutorial. How To Desolder Components July 9, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to correctly desolder electronic components from printed circuit boards like motherboards and video cards. Customizing the BIOS Boot Logo May 29, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to change the small EPA logo that appears every time you turn your PC on to anything you like: a small personal logo, your company logo, etc. How to Install a Motherboard May 25, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to correctly install a motherboard. Small Details on Motherboards May 6, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres In order to face competition more and more motherboard manufacturers are adding extra small features to their motherboards, such as fancy boxes, diagnostics display, two BIOS chips, etc. Take a look on what you can find today as small extra features. Replacing the Motherboard Battery November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to replace the motherboard battery from both old and new motherboard models. Your nForce 2 may be an nForce 2 400 Ultra November 4, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Some nForce 2 SPP based motherboards have in fact the nForce 2 400 Ultra chipset. Check if this is your case. Cloned Motherboards November 4, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Many motherboard models from Amptron, Matsonic, Eurone and PCChips are actually relabeled models from ECS. In this tutorial we show a cross-reference table for the most popular models of cloned motherboards. Chipset Aliases: TX Pro, VX Pro & Co. October 31, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about relabeled chipsets used on PCChips motherboards, like TX Pro, TX Pro II, VX Pro, VX Pro II, HX Pro, BX Pro, VIA GRA, Xcell 2000, etc. Explosive Motherboards October 25, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn more about capacitors on the motherboard that leak or even explode. BIOS Backup October 17, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to backup the BIOS of your PC to recover it later if your PC is attacked by a virus or in the event of a bad BIOS upgrade. Recovering Dead Motherboards Killed by the CIH Virus October 17, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to reprogram BIOS chips erased by the CIH (a.k.a. Chernobyl or Spacefiller) virus. The describe procedure can also be used to recover your BIOS in the case of a bad BIOS upgrade. Deciphering the BIOS Serial Number October 13, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to decode the BIOS serial number and find out informations like the motherboard manufacturer, chipset and BIOS date. BTX Motherboards October 12, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about the new BTX form factor. Forgotten Motherboard Functions August 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn more about functions like suspend to RAM, wake up on lan, wake up on ring, etc. ITX Motherboards August 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about the ITX form factor, introduced by VIA. BIOS Setup July 2, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about BIOS setup.

Networking

How to Build a Wireless Network Without Using a Broadband Router September 2, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to build your own wireless network without using a broadband router or an access point. Updated. How to Build a Wireless Network Using a Broadband Router September 1, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres A complete guide on how to build your own wireless network using a wireless broadband router. Updated. Basic Security in Wireless Networks August 24, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to do after building your own small home or office network: changing the default password, how to upgrade the router firmware, how to enable encryption and which encryption to use. How to Build a Web Server with PHP 5 and MySQL 5 Support April 19, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Building a PHP 5 web server with MySQL 5 support isn’t as easy as it seems. PHP 5 doesn’t come with embedded support for MySQL, making it tricky to compile PHP 5. Read this step-by-step tutorial and avoid all the pitfalls you may face. How TCP/IP Protocol Works - Part 2 April 10, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Complementing our previous tutorial, we will explain other protocols and other TCP/IP functionalities we didn’t cover before, like Telnet, SSH, TFTP, DHCP, DNS, ICMP, RIP, OSPF, BGP, ARP and more. How TCP/IP Protocol Works - Part 1 March 28, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how the TCP/IP network protocol works. The OSI Reference Model for Network Protocols March 22, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how network protocols work by studying the OSI reference model. Includes a correlation between TCP/IP and the OSI reference model. How to Build a Network Using a Cross-Over Cable March 2, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Did you know that is possible to build a small network between two computers by just connecting them with a very simple and inexpensive cable? Learn how. How To Make P2P Programs to Work on Networks Using a Broadband Router February 15, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to configure your broadband router to enable P2P file sharing programs to work on your network. Anatomy of a Broadband Router February 5, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Ever wondered what is inside a broadband Internet router? In this tutorial we will show you what is inside the box! How to Discover Your Network Card Real Manufacturer January 16, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima Learn how to discover who really manufactured your network card in order to get support and updated drivers. Connecting Two PCs Using a USB-USB Cable November 16, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to connect two PCs using an USB-USB cable to transfer files and share your Internet connection. How to Share Folders and Printers on Your Network November 14, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to share files and printers on your home or office network. How to Build a Small Network Using a Broadband Router November 13, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to build your own network using a broadband router, allowing you to share Internet access, files and printers among your computers. How Gigabit Ethernet Works October 10, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about Gigabit Ethernet. Introduction to Optical Fibers June 21, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres and Cássio Lima Learn about optical fibers basic anatomy and types. Protecting Your Computer Against Invasions May 10, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Basic procedures to protect your computer from being attacked by hackers. Testing Your Computer Security October 13, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to test your PC or your network for security breaches.

Other

Fixing the IE8 Black Bar Bug September 23, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to remedy the IE8 bug where the menu and the favorites bar go black with no apparent reason. How to Identify Japanese Electrolytic Capacitors July 31, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Solid and Japanese capacitors provide a higher quality over regular electrolytic caps. Learn how to recognize Japanese electrolytic capacitors. What to Do If Your Computer Doesn’t Turn On April 22, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Learn what you should do if you computer doesn’t turn on in order to identify and solve the problem. What’s New on Windows Vista For Hardware Enthusiasts February 28, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres A complete description of all new hardware-related features found on Windows Vista. How to Buy a PC Without Being Fooled February 2, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Tips on how to buy a PC without being fooled and how to check if the computer you've bought really has the parts you ordered. Introduction to Logic Gates October 21, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about logic gates, the heart and blood of digital electronics. RoHS Explained October 11, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about RoHS, the European environmental law that will affect the computer industry. Information on ”Unbranded” Cards May 23, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to discover the manufacturer of an "unbranded" device (a.k.a. "generic") in order to find its manual and drivers.

Power

Understanding the 80 Plus Certification June 22, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres The 80 Plus certification for power supplies is around for a while, but recently they created three additional classes: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Learn what they really mean. Everything You Need to Know About Power Supplies May 29, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about power supplies, including cables, connectors, efficiency, PFC, protections, form factors, ripple & noise, voltage stability, maximum power, virtual rails and much more. Anatomy of Surge Suppressors October 9, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about surge suppressors, how they look like inside, the components they use and some buying tips. Anatomy of Switching Power Supplies October 25, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to learn about the power supply internals: how it works, what are its main components and how to identify them. Including block diagrams, schematics and lots of pictures from inside the power supply. Completely updated. How to Discover Your Power Supply Real Manufacturer August 31, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Several famous PC power supply brands don’t really manufacture their products. Learn how to discover who is the real manufacturer of your power supply. How To Replace Your Power Supply August 8, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Step-by-step fully illustrated guide on how to replace your PC power supply with a new one. Grounding October 6, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about grounding and how to correctly setup a grounding system for your PC. UPS August 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn more about UPS, Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Printer

How to Unclog Epson Print Heads August 6, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres and Alexandre Souza Learn how to unclog the print heads from Epson printers, a very common problem on printers from this manufacturer. How to Refill Epson Cartridges November 4, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to reset the Epson cartridge chip, allowing you to refill the cartridge.

Storage

Everything You Need to Know About Serial ATA June 27, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about Serial ATA (SATA) hard disk drive technology is here. Updated to include important information on the SATA-150/SATA-300 jumper. How to Install a Floppy Disk Drive November 17, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide showing you how to install (or replace) a floppy disk drive. Hard Disk Drives Capacity Limits October 1, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Your system doesn’t recognize your new hard drive’s full capacity? Learn all capacity barriers that you may face when installing a new hard disk drive on your system. How to Setup a RAID System October 23, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to setup a RAID system on your PC in order to increase your hard disk drive performance or to improve data reliability. How Perpendicular Recording Works June 26, 2006 - By Cássio Lima Everything you need to know about the new perpendicular recording hard disk drive technology. NCQ (Native Command Queuing) and TCQ (Tagged Command Queuing) Explained April 16, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about NCQ and TCQ command queuing tecnologies, which improve the hard disk drive performance. Cleaning Up Your Windows-Based PC March 15, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to clean your PC for freeing up hard disk space and improving its performance. Data Recovery Myths November 12, 2005 - By Edson Buriche Coutinho Have you ever heard about freezing the hard drive, opening it in a bathroom full of steam or swapping its logic board in order to revive a dead hard drive? These are just a few of the several data recovery myths we have debunked in this tutorial. Solving Problems in Windows XP File System September 16, 2005 - By Cássio Lima Learn how to solve Windows XP file system problems. Anatomy of a Floppy Disk Drive August 16, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Take a look how a floppy disk drive looks like inside and learn about its main components. Anatomy of an Optical Drive August 10, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Ever wondered what is inside an optical drive? In this tutorial you will learn all about the main optical drive components. Anatomy of a Hard Disk Drive August 4, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Ever wondered what is inside a hard disk drive? In this tutorial we will show you the main hard drive components, both internal and external. How to Install Hard Drives over 8 GB in Older PCs August 3, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres If you install a HD over 8 GB in an older PC it will format it as 8 GB. Learn how to correct this problem. How to Really Delete your Files May 11, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres When you delete a file or format your hard drive your data isn't really deleted and can be recovered. If your have sensitive data, you must learn how to really erase data from your hard drive. How to Buy a DVD Recorder February 21, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Some tips on how to buy a DVD recorder. Transforming your Single Layer DVD Recorder into a Double Layer One February 16, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Some 4.7 GB DVD recorders can be transformed into 8.5 GB DVD recorders. Learn how. Unlocking your DVD Unit February 15, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to break the area code protection that DVD units have, allowing you to play any DVD disc from any country in the world in your PC. Recovering Scratched CDs November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to recover scratched CD discs. How to Create a Bootable CD-ROM November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to create a bootable CD-ROM. DVD Media November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn the difference between the several DVD media types available at the market: DVD-RAM, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, etc. How to Transform a CD-ROM Drive into a Car CD Player November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to transform a CD-ROM drive into a car CD player. Everything you need to know about RAID November 20, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres RAID is not target to servers anymore. Even mainstream motherboards are coming with this feature nowadays. Learn what it is and are the advantages of using this system. Measuring CD-ROM and DVD-ROM Performance November 4, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to correctly measure your CD-ROM and DVD-ROM performance. Everything You Need to Know About CD-R Media October 27, 2004 - By Alberto Cozer Understand in depth how a CD-R media is made and why there are media that is better than others. Explosive CD-ROM October 25, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Some CD media literally explodes inside the CD-ROM drive. Learn why this happens. Everything you Need to Know About ATA-66, ATA-100 and ATA-133 Hard Disks October 23, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to achieve the maximum performance from ATA-66, ATA-100 and ATA-133 hard disks. It is not just a matter of plugging in your new hard drive. Recovering Hard Disks Erased by the CIH Virus October 17, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres How to recover hard disks erased by the CIH (a.k.a. Chernobyl or Spacefiller) virus. Recovering Hard Disks with Bad Blocks October 13, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to remove "bad blocks" from hard disks.

Video

AMD ATI Chips Comparison Table October 14, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres A table comparing the basic technical specs from all AMD/ATI graphics chips available on the market, from Radeon 9200 to Radeon HD 5870. Updated to include Radeon 5750 and 5770. nVidia Chips Comparison Table October 14, 2009 - By Gabriel Torres A table comparing the basic technical specs from all nVidia graphics chips available on the market, from GeForce 4 MX 420 to GeForce GTX 295. Updated to include GeForce 210 and GeForce GT 220. How to Use The SPDIF Connector Available on GeForce Video Cards August 8, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres Some GeForce video cards have an SPDIF connector. Learn when and how to use it. Everything You Need To Know About LCD Monitors July 22, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres All the basic features of LCD video monitors you need to know before buying one. DirectX Versions July 2, 2008 - By Gabriel Torres What are the main differences between the several DirectX versions released? Find out in this tutorial. Video Connectors November 29, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Everything you need to know about video connectors found on PCs and CE products: RF, Composite (RCA), S-Video, Component, RGB, VGA, DVI and HDMI. How to Install a Second Video Monitor to Your PC November 12, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to check if you computer accepts a second monitor without the need of any extra hardware part and how to physically install a second monitor to your PC. Testing the 3D Performance of Your PC With Quake 4 June 26, 2007 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to use Quake 4 to measure the performance of a PC. Updated to include information about the new demo included on the latest 1.4.2 patch. How to Overclock Your Video Card November 28, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A step-by-step guide on how to overclock your video card in order to achieve a higher gaming performance, with several tips and tricks. How to Use Battefield 2142 to Benchmark your PC November 10, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to use Battlefield 2142 to benchmark your PC and also how to create your own Battlefield 2142 demo. High Definition TV Basics June 12, 2006 - By Steve Kovsky Everything you need to know about HDTV explained. How To Convert VHS Tapes Into DVDs – Part 1 April 25, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A step by step guide on how to convert VHS tapes into DVDs. This part covers the hardware setup. Inside HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) February 13, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres A more in-depth look at the HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) connection, used by DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray players, high-def cable/satellite converters and HDTV sets. Video Compression Basics February 1, 2006 - By Gabriel Torres Learn the basics about video compression: what delta frames and key frames are. Enabling 2D Enhancements on GeForce 6 and 7 Series July 23, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres GeForce series 6 and 7 chips have a processor for enhancing 2D videos, but it is not automatically enabled. Learn how to enable it. 3D Glossary April 26, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Confused with so many hard to understand quality configuration options on your favorite game? Learn here what the most common 3D-related terms mean. TurboCache and HyperMemory April 21, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Watch out to not be deceived by nVidia's TurboCache and ATI's HyperMemory technologies. Boards with these technologies are being announced as 256 MB memory while they only have 64 MB or 128 MB memory. Transforming your Radeon 9800 Pro into a Radeon 9800 XT February 18, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres You can tranform your Radeon 9800 Pro into a Radeon 9800 XT with a BIOS upgrade. Learn how. Testing the 3D Performance of Your PC with Doom 3 and Far Cry February 16, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to measure the 3D performance of your PC using the two of the most "heavy" games available today: Doom 3 and Far Cry. TV, FM, and Video Capture Boards Glossary February 16, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn the most common terms related to boards with TV tuner, radio tuner, and video capture functions. Counterfeit GeForce 2 MX 400 Boards January 18, 2005 - By Gabriel Torres Learn about counterfeit GeForce 2 MX 400 video boards that reached the market some time ago. Video Card BIOS Upgrade November 26, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to upgrade the BIOS of your video card to improve its performance. How to Transform your Old GeForce into a Quadro Chip November 24, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Learn how to transform your old GeForce 256, 2 MX, 2 GTS or 4 Ti into a Quadro chip, which is faster. Transforming a Radeon 9500 into a Radeon 9700 October 25, 2004 - By Gabriel Torres Yes, it is true. You can transform your Radeon 9500 into a Radeon 9700. Learn how.