Advice please on buying a computer, what is ddr etc

[dicky113]

I am thinking of buying a dell computer but am not sure about a couple of the options. Any help would be appreciated.

1 -
1024MB Dual Channel DDR400 (2x512MB) add �0.00

1024MB Dual Channel DDR333 (2x512MB) [Included in Price]

If the ddr400 is �0 to have, is it worth having? is ddr400 better than the ddr333 that is included in the price?

2 - IEEE 1394 PCI Adapter card �17 what is this? is it worth the �17 ?

Thanks.

[vehelpfulguy]

The number following the DDR is the speed of the memory, so DDR400 is faster than DDR333. If you can get it for nothing then go for it.

Note that the motherboard defines what memory speed it can take, and it usually offers a range of speeds, for example 300 to 450. So as long as the mother board can take DDR400 go for it (Dell will let you know if it cannot).

IEE1394 is something called Firewire. It is mainly used for transferring large files from external devices, such as say a digital video camera, to a PC.

I believe USB 2.0 (which will be in your PC) is just a fast so unless you plan to transfer files from a digital video camera to your PC you can probably forget it. See here

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IEEE_1394.html

 

    

[dicky113]

Thanks very much, I shall go for the 400!

I do have a digital camera and a scanner, both of which have a usb connector. Will they work with the firewire or is it a different type of connector?

[fo3nix]

no its a different type.

see if you can find out if it already comes with a firewire port or two on the motherboard; most do now. the PCI one offered is just for more ports. I only have one use for it, and that's my iPod.

apple firewire = IEEE1394 = sony iLink

different names for it, same stuff. You'll find quite a few DV cameras use firewire.

USB2 is now technically slightly faster at max rate than firewire, but it is a different thing altogether. USB was made for having lots of devices plugged in, all using the bandwidth. firewire was developed for one device to plug in, as a direct connection from computer to computer. that's why you'll find lots of USB hubs, and not so many firewire hubs.

[vehelpfulguy]

Firewire is a different type of connector so you cannot use a USB cable in a Firewire socket. 

You can read the latest on USB here, but I think it is now faster than Firewire (although I know little about Firewire).

[dicky113]

Thanks very much both. I shall go with the ddr400 and forget about the IEEE thing.