Dimension 8250

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@Kanti wrote:

I am about to place an order 'Online' for my new dell 8250. I will appreciate your comments on the configuration as copied below. I am particularly interested to get opinions on "Primary CD-ROM Drive: 4xDVD+RW/R Drive W/CD-RW including roxio's Easy CD Creator", Dell P992 19" and Keyboard Logitech Wireless & Optical Mouse.

What do I attach at the Serial Connector? Can I use it to attach the cable included with the APS Back-UPS ES 350c as a data port? btw I have recelty bought this APS Battery Back item.

Many thanks in advance,

Kanti

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Dimension 8250 with Integrated Audio & NIC:   Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor at 2.40GHz w/ 533MHz FSB, 512K L2 Cache & Integrated Audio   DA824HE   [221-1380] 
Memory:   Free Upgrade from 256MB to 512MB PC1066 RDRAM   P512M2   [461-7902] 
Keyboard:   Logitech® Wireless Keyboard & Optical Mouse Desktop Solution   WIREKM   [310-2264]
Monitor:   Dell Trinitron P992 19" Monitor (17.9" v.i.s. .24dp) - Midnight Grey   P992   [320-7897] 
Video Card:   64MB nVidia GeForce 4 MX 420 Graphics Card w/ TV-Out   64NV420   [320-0440]
Hard Drive:   Free Upgrade from 30GB to 60GB Hard Drive   60P   [461-8325]
Floppy Disk:   3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive   3   [340-1927]
Operation System:   Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition (English)   WHXP   [313-7222][412-0304][420-3079]
Mouse:   Dell 2-button Scroll Mouse   SM   [310-1871]
NIC Card:   Integrated Intel Pro 100 M PCI Ethernet Network Card   IN   [430-0412]
Modem:   Conexant V.90/56K Telephony Modem for Windows   56KWS   [313-1583]
Primary ROM Drive:   4 x DVD+RW/+R Drive W/CD-RW including roxio's Easy CD Creator®   4DVDRW   [313-1464][430-0426][430-0428]
Sound:   Integrated Audio   IS   [313-2758]
Speakers:   harman kardon HK-395 Speakers   HK395   [313-7284]
Productivity Software:   Microsoft® Works Suite 2002 (English Only) - Includes Word   DWORKS   [420-0133]
Security Software:   Dell SecurityCenter by McAfee, 90-day Introductory Offer   MCAFE90   [412-0326]
Jukebox Software:   Dell Jukebox powered by MusicMatch   MMBASE   [412-0246]

Warranty:   4 Year Limited Warranty, 4 Year at Home/On-Site Service, 24x7 Phone Tech Support, 365 days a year   W44OS   [900-1333][950-1300]
Installation:   No On-Site Installation   NOINSTL   [900-9989]
Shipping:   Shipping   SHIP   [009-4365] 
Internet Access:   3 Months Rogers Hi-Speed Internet Service (Requires Network Card)   ROGERS3   [009-7273]  

Dimension 8250

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Hello Kanti,

How have you been?
I guess by now your pond is frozen over?
Yes, you can use the serial port for your battery backup.
What do you want to know about the DVD Burner?

You do know how expensive the RDRAM for that system is? Might I suggest a 4550 system for you?

Mis Dos Centavos,
Darrell
Helping Dell talkers here since 1997
Memory upgrade information
Find the ...
"How much can my system hold?"
"What kind is it?"
... and other memory information.

Hi Darrell,

For sound: I don't have a choice to make. It is shown as Integrated Audio? Am I misssing something here?

Kanti

Hi Darrell,

How are you my friend? (My lost friend!!!). Yes, my pond is frozen but it is not so solid frozen yet as we don't have real winter so far (touch wood). It is every year end January and the whole February as a survival time for us when we get fed up with the snow.

Thanks for your approval on my query on 'serial connector'. I need to know what 4xDVD stand for? 4 times of what? Would I be able to burn DVD+RW/R to DVD CD media disks  like CD-RW/R media disks? Any problems on this item?

I agree with your comments on 4550 but we are having "On line" offers on selected purchases. That is $50 off, 150 off and $300 off on selected price ranges. As a result I get $300 off on 8250 compare to $150 off on 4550. Free memory and hard drive upgrades are on both the systems. I have to place my order on line before January 10.

Kanti

 

 

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@Kanti wrote:

Hi Darrell,

How are you my friend? (My lost friend!!!). Yes, my pond is frozen but it is not so solid frozen yet as we don't have real winter so far (touch wood). It is every year end January and the whole February as a survival time for us when we get fed up with the snow.

Thanks for your approval on my query on 'serial connector'. I need to know what 4xDVD stand for? 4 times of what? Would I be able to burn DVD+RW/R to DVD CD media disks  like CD-RW/R media disks? Any problems on this item?

I agree with your comments on 4550 but we are having "On line" offers on selected purchases. That is $50 off, 150 off and $300 off on selected price ranges. As a result I get $300 off on 8250 compare to $150 off on 4550. Free memory and hard drive upgrades are on both the systems. I have to place my order on line before January 10.

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Hi again,

I hope you got your snow blower before the snow set in and prices went up.
Yes that DVD/RW will burn to DVD disks and also to CD-RW and CDR disks.
4x means that it will burn very slowly compared to todays CDRW drives. The 4x is a measure of how fast the drive will burn compared to the first CDR burner made. I might suggest not using the supplied burning software though and buy a copy of NERO burning software.
It sounds as though you thought through getting the 8250 system, and with a free memory upgrade you should be set for some time to come.

Mis Dos Centavos,
Darrell
Helping Dell talkers here since 1997
Memory upgrade information
Find the ...
"How much can my system hold?"
"What kind is it?"
... and other memory information.

Many thanks for your detailed explanation on 4x DVD+RW/+R Drive. I appreciate your help. Now I know 4X is not slow for me.

Kanti

In measuring speed of DVD drives, 1X is the normal operating speed for reading a DVD movie, which is about 9 times faster than 1X speed on a CD drives (1X being the speed the drive runs when playing an audio CD). So a 4X DVD burner is equivalent to a 36X CD burner in terms of write speed. This particular drive will burn CD_R's at 16X and CD-RW's at 10X.

In particular, for CD media, 1X is 150KB/sec while for DVD media 1X is 1.3MB/sec.

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@Kanti wrote:

Hi Darrell,

For sound: I don't have a choice to make. It is shown as Integrated Audio? Am I misssing something here?

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Hi again,

I don't think that integrated sound would be too bad for you, unless you really use the computer a lot to listen to good music.
If that is a problem, you need to start from the 8250 configuration page and select "Premium" sound. And then choose your options from the menus from there.

Mis Dos Centavos,
Darrell
Helping Dell talkers here since 1997
Memory upgrade information
Find the ...
"How much can my system hold?"
"What kind is it?"
... and other memory information.

Message Edited by Thereal-dbk4297 on 01-05-2003 07:47 PM

Kanti,

If you are not satisfied with the integrated sound after you try it, may I suggest getting another sound card retail.  This would probably be cheaper than reconfiguring a system with the  premium sound.  Also, the quality of the sound is most dependent on the quality of the speakers.  They too would be a more cost effective option being purchased retail.

Have fun with your new system.

Jane

Jane & Darrell:

I did not find digital photography software available in the configuration of 8250 (Build & Price configuration). Am I right?

I might have to decide for 4550 for digital photography. Anybody have an experience in using dell's digital photography software;  Dell Picture Studio Image Expert Standard or Premium?

Kanti

I saw an option to add Dell Image software on the Dell.com website on the 8250 the build and configure your machine section.

I wouldn't worry too much about the imaging software.  You can find MS Picture It, Adobe Photoshop Elements and a bunch of others on sale quite often at BestBuy, CompUSA, Staples, Office Depot, et al.

Dave

Dave,

Thank you. You are right. It is not a big deal. I can use the programs came along with my Digital Canon A40.

Kanti