PC / Monitor

Hello!

What kind of PC and monitor do you recommend for CAD-software? I'm just a
student, so it shouldn't be too expencive!

Thank in advance,
Thomas

 

17"/1000x800 dpi minimum

You'll have a hard time finding that kind of DPI.

Also don't look for a graphics display w/ exactly those numbers. 1024x768 is
common and close and agreed, the minimum you'd really want to try. I'd hate
it and strong suggest going up to 1280x1024. Now, I don't know what monitor
prices are like at this time. If you stick in the 1024 or 1280 range you
should be able to find a flat panel that is affordable. Or just get a 1600
pixel capable tube if you don't mind the size and weight (Viewsonic and
Optiquest are BY FAR my recommendation for tube monitors (all the others
suck tremendously)). You should be able to get a 19" at a perfectly
reasonable price that will do 1600. IMO, 1600 is starting to get
respectable. (I have to use 1280 when I'm on campus (and it's interlaced (or
maybe just a really low refresh)) and yeah, I guess it isn't THAT harsh.
(Though I have to set it up from 1024 which the lab likes them at (probably
because of stupidity or (more wisely) hating the flicker at 1280.)))

I use a P3-800 at work. AutoCAD, have done some 3ds max on it and some 3d
ACAD. It's fine for 2d production and perfectly passable for lower weight
(hey, you are a student ;-) 3d work. I did, mostly because of Photoshop,
make them put it up to 512meg. Now, you'll have a hard time FINDING an
800MHz machine, I should think, that isn't priced as an expensive collectors
item ;-). Look for the sweet spot in pricing, I'm not sure where that is,
but maybe 2.4 or 2.8 Giga(frickin')hertz. That will be MORE than fast
enough. If you can save money that you think is worth saving I'd guess maybe
a 1.8 would be OK. Double check the prices, you don't want to bother going
too slow just to save ten bucks.

You will need RAMs. Not sure what cutting edge and normal bus speeds are,
but guessing... maybe 400MHz or more at this stage? Anyone wanna chime in
here? As I said, the 512Meg at work seems OK enough. I use less on a slower
(but dual) at home and... I'd like more ;-). If it's cheap, get a whole Gig.
If it isn't cheap don't get less than half a Gig.

Some video card or other. Because of Earthviewer 3D's nVidia version, I'm
stuck on nVidia but the hot 3d (you will play some games ;-) cards seem to
be the other company's this quarter... ATI. Radeon. Something with numbers
;-)

Disk space is always good and it's cheap. Don't skimp.

Some kind of shiney silver disk writer. Don't get one that writes really
slow.

If you are on campus or have a roomie you'll probably want ethernet. It'll
probably be on board. If not, 10/100 is cheap, add a NIC.

Don't forget internet access. If on campus that'll be through them and come
across the ethernet. If off campus there's cable, satellite, phone, DSL...
you'll need to determine what's available, what you want to pay for and get
the appropriate doohickey.

Consider a laptop. Know that Dell has some very nice large displays (can you
tell I like pixels?). Past roomie had a 1440 and just new got their 1920.
Starts to get big but dang... pretty. Cost was good too. I like being able
to lug off to the coffee shop and do some coding there or write some emails
in the comfy chair... My boss brings her laptop to and fro each day and it
is her normal primary actual "desktop" in the office. Doesn't even plug in a
real monitor or a mouse (she's a freak ;-).

None of the above applies if you are going to be doing just released last
week 3d gaming.

- gruhn

 

man if your a student do what I did. I am a self employed cad technician and
for the first 2 years of my business I ran autocad r14 on a pentium II
333mhz laptop with 96mb ram and a 4 meg graphics card, it had a 13.3" screen
with 1024x768 resolution. Okay it wasn't that fast at rendering (the
cadillac sample that comes with r14 took about 15mins to render) but never
froze or crashed and worked perfectly ok for 3d wireframe etc...I used it
mainly for survey work of existing buildings and it had no problem handling
quite complex floorplans elevations sections etc..in 2d and 3d and the regen
wasn't really comprimised. Don't listen to people who tell you you have to
spent a shit load on a top of the range pc or laptop because you don't,
especially if your a student and just learning. and when you start making
some real cash then invest in a top spec machine and start broadening your
horizons like using packages like 3d studio max and maya etc....thats when
you start having the real fun. trust me.

Mark

 

Don't listen to people who tell you you have to spent a shit load on a top
of the range

Things have changed in pricing/capability in recent years. As noted, you can
get a bottom of the line machine and it will do. Machines that are so bottom
of the line they aren't even made any more would do. But prices are a good
bit lower than they were not very long ago and you might as well make sure
you use your money wisely if you can afford to do anything other than look
at the immediate single cost expense.

Hey, some people only have $37 in their pocket and no matter how many orders
of magnitude more useful and longer term prospects they could get for $450,
they still only have $37.

 

make sure your dot pitch is .24 or less.
Dont be fooled by this "horizontal" dot
pitch business that some manuf.
advertise. It's the diagonal dot pitch
on the invar shadow mask screens thats
important.

your refresh rate should be at least 72
Hz at 1024x768 DPI for best eye comfort.

other than that any 17" or 19" CRT
monitor will suffice - Viewsonic is a
good name for example...

I use a Viewsonic G790 - would have
liked to get the P790 but it was too
much $$ at the time.

garth.

w/ exactly those numbers. 1024x768 is

minimum you'd really want to try. I'd
hate

1280x1024. Now, I don't know what
monitor

stick in the 1024 or 1280 range you

that is affordable. Or just get a 1600

the size and weight (Viewsonic and

for tube monitors (all the others

able to get a 19" at a perfectly

I'm on campus (and it's interlaced (or

yeah, I guess it isn't THAT harsh.

which the lab likes them at (probably

done some 3ds max on it and some 3d

perfectly passable for lower weight

did, mostly because of Photoshop,

you'll have a hard time FINDING an

isn't priced as an expensive collectors

pricing, I'm not sure where that is,

Giga(frickin')hertz. That will be MORE
than fast

think is worth saving I'd guess maybe

prices, you don't want to bother going

cutting edge and normal bus speeds are,

at this stage? Anyone wanna chime in

seems OK enough. I use less on a slower

more ;-). If it's cheap, get a whole
Gig.

Earthviewer 3D's nVidia version, I'm

will play some games ;-) cards seem to

ATI. Radeon. Something with numbers

writer. Don't get one that writes really

you'll probably want ethernet. It'll

campus that'll be through them and come

there's cable, satellite, phone, DSL...

available, what you want to pay for and
get

some very nice large displays (can you

a 1440 and just new got their 1920.

Cost was good too. I like being able

some coding there or write some emails

her laptop to and fro each day and it

in the office. Doesn't even plug in a

going to be doing just released last

 

make sure your dot pitch is .24 or less.

Good point which I always forget.

Would the "horizontal" thing maybe come about because of Trinitron screens?

Speaking of Trinitrons, they are usually pretty nice (though I dont favour
them, myself) but a few years back we got some through Dell that were
HORRIBLE. Caveat emptor.

Disagree re: "any" ;-). There's some unusable garbage being sold.

 

Would the "horizontal" thing maybe come about because of Trinitron screens?

No. There are two types of screens:

Invar Shadow Mask which is a series of dots.

Aperture Grille which is a series of slits. I think the trinitron is this type.

Anyway, the dots are basically in a triangle pattern (ie; every 3 dots form a
triangle) so the horizontal distance between two dots (or pixels) is less than
the diagonal distance between 2 dots. This gives a false impression of the
dot-pitch being less than other monitors who give the "proper" diagonal
dimension.

garth.