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More Hardware Buying Tips

Scanners: If you want to turn photographs into electronic images that can be emailed to friends, printed in newsletters, or posted on a web site, you will need a scanner. Scanner prices have dropped significantly in the past year. Prices for scanners that more than meet the needs of home users start at $150, and include image editing software. Both UMAX and Microtek are good names. Professionals need the color accuracy, detail and clarity of an advanced scanner. These cost $800 or more. We think the AGFA Arcus II provides the best price vs. performance ratio. (NOTE: Unlike Wintel systems, you won't need to purchase a SCSI card to use a scanner, because most Macs have SCSI ports built in. For an iMac, you'll need to use a scanner with a USB connection.)

External Speakers: If your Mac or monitor don't already have built-in stereo speakers, you can buy almost any brand of external speakers to provide better sound for gaming, or listening to your favorite music CD while you're working. (NOTE: Unlike most Wintel systems, you won't need to purchase an extra "sound card" for your Mac because advanced stereo circuitry is built in.)

Trackball or Enhanced Mouse: If your desk space is limited, you might consider a trackball. Many include several buttons which you can program to quickly do specific tasks. A multi-button mouse also lets you use "one-click shortcuts" that aren't available with a standard mouse. By far, Kensington is the leader in trackball and expanded mouse options for the Mac.

Graphics Tablet: Some publishing professionals use Graphics Tablets instead of a mouse to draw, write or paint more naturally. Wacom is the largest name in Graphics Tablets for Mac systems.

Digital Camera: Digital cameras may someday replace standard film cameras. Simply take a photo and download it into your computer. No scanner required. Most connect to your Mac via a standard serial cable. (NOTE: The iMac requires a special camera version that connects via the new USB interface.)

Video Editing System: Want to produce "television" programs on your computer? Digital video editing systems let you connect a camcorder or VCR to your Mac and create videos with editing, special effects, sound and more. Home systems start for as little as $300, while professional systems can cost $4,000 or more. (NOTE: Some Macs already have video circuitry and connections for your VCR or camcorder built in. All you'll need is video editing software.)

Surge Suppressor: Most people overlook this relatively inexpensive insurance policy for their computer system. But power surges occur in homes and offices every day. If you aren't protected, even a small surge could fry the delicate circuits inside your machine.

The cheapest surge suppressors cost only a few dollars at the hardware store. However, we recommend you spend a little more ($30) for a quality suppressor that includes insurance for any damages caused by a power surge or lightning strike. Kensington makes good products, but we prefer the well-designed APC (American Power Conversion) Surge Station Pro, which can handle bulky transformer blocks, and will protect your phone, modem or Ethernet lines. You can buy APC products through most of the mail-order companies. APC also manufacturers UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems.

Removable Storage: In the future, as the number of files you've created grows, you might consider investing in a removable storage device. These work like a portable hard disk, allowing you to share files with other computer users, and backup your own system so that you don't lose irreplaceable files in the event of a computer failure. Some of the most popular and affordable removable drives are Iomega's ZIP and JAZ Drives. (ZIP drives are built in to some Mac models.) Or, for a slightly higher price, you can enjoy absolutely permanent, trouble-free backups and file exchanges by using a CD-Recorder.

About Our Computers: Considering all the recommendations we make, it's really not surprising that many people want to know which Macintosh models we use to manage our business.

Although we always have a variety of machines hanging around, Don's computer is the office workhorse. His current configuration:

Macintosh Performa 6400/180 Tower (8x CD-ROM drive)

MacOS v8.1

104 MB RAM

ATI Xclaim 3D Graphics Accelerator with 8 MB VRAM

Sony 17" Fixed Frequency Monitor (1024x768)

Apple Multi-Scan 15" Monitor (832x624)

1.6 GB internal IDE Drive

4.2 GB internal SCSI Drive

3.2 GB external SCSI Drive

Iomega ZIP Removable Storage Drive

Yamaha 4x/8x CD Recorder

JBL Media-4 External Speakers

Global Village 56k v90 External Modem

AppleTalk Network using Farallon LocalTalk Connectors

Hewlett Packard DeskWriter 660c Color Ink Jet Printer

QMS Postscript 810 Turbo Laser Printer (well used)

Two APC Surge Station Pro Surge Protectors

Assuming that business remains profitable, we plan to replace this machine in the nest few months. Our new "workhorse" will most likely be a PowerPC G3 or (when they arrive) G4 "Yosemite" tower.

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Resources: 4 of 10
More Hardware Buying Tips Scanners: If you want to turn photographs into electronic images that can be emailed to friends, printed in newsletters, or posted on a web site, you will need a scanner. Scanner prices have dropped significantly in the past year. Prices for scanners that more than meet the needs of home users start at $150, and include image editing software. Both UMAX and Microtek are good names. Professionals need the color accuracy, detail and clarity of an advanced scanner. These cost $800 or more. We think the AGFA Arcus II provides the best price vs. performance ratio. (NOTE: Unlike Wintel systems, you won't need to purchase a SCSI card to use a scanner, because most Macs have SCSI ports built in. For an iMac, you'll need to use a scanner with a USB connection.) External Speakers: If your Mac or monitor don't already have built-in stereo speakers, you can buy almost any brand of external speakers to provide better sound for gaming, or listening to your favorite music CD while you're working. (NOTE: Unlike most Wintel systems, you won't need to purchase an extra "sound card" for your Mac because advanced stereo circuitry is built in.) Trackball or Enhanced Mouse: If your desk space is limited, you might consider a trackball. Many include several buttons which you can program to quickly do specific tasks. A multi-button mouse also lets you use "one-click shortcuts" that aren't available with a standard mouse. By far, Kensington is the leader in trackball and expanded mouse options for the Mac. Graphics Tablet: Some publishing professionals use Graphics Tablets instead of a mouse to draw, write or paint more naturally. Wacom is the largest name in Graphics Tablets for Mac systems. Digital Camera: Digital cameras may someday replace standard film cameras. Simply take a photo and download it into your computer. No scanner required. Most connect to your Mac via a standard serial cable. (NOTE: The iMac requires a special camera version that connects via the new USB interface.) Video Editing System: Want to produce "television" programs on your computer? Digital video editing systems let you connect a camcorder or VCR to your Mac and create videos with editing, special effects, sound and more. Home systems start for as little as $300, while professional systems can cost $4,000 or more. (NOTE: Some Macs already have video circuitry and connections for your VCR or camcorder built in. All you'll need is video editing software.) Surge Suppressor: Most people overlook this relatively inexpensive insurance policy for their computer system. But power surges occur in homes and offices every day. If you aren't protected, even a small surge could fry the delicate circuits inside your machine. The cheapest surge suppressors cost only a few dollars at the hardware store. However, we recommend you spend a little more ($30) for a quality suppressor that includes insurance for any damages caused by a power surge or lightning strike. Kensington makes good products, but we prefer the well-designed APC (American Power Conversion) Surge Station Pro, which can handle bulky transformer blocks, and will protect your phone, modem or Ethernet lines. You can buy APC products through most of the mail-order companies. APC also manufacturers UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems. Removable Storage: In the future, as the number of files you've created grows, you might consider investing in a removable storage device. These work like a portable hard disk, allowing you to share files with other computer users, and backup your own system so that you don't lose irreplaceable files in the event of a computer failure. Some of the most popular and affordable removable drives are Iomega's ZIP and JAZ Drives. (ZIP drives are built in to some Mac models.) Or, for a slightly higher price, you can enjoy absolutely permanent, trouble-free backups and file exchanges by using a CD-Recorder. About Our Computers: Considering all the recommendations we make, it's really not surprising that many people want to know which Macintosh models we use to manage our business. Although we always have a variety of machines hanging around, Don's computer is the office workhorse. His current configuration: Macintosh Performa 6400/180 Tower (8x CD-ROM drive) MacOS v8.1 104 MB RAM ATI Xclaim 3D Graphics Accelerator with 8 MB VRAM Sony 17" Fixed Frequency Monitor (1024x768) Apple Multi-Scan 15" Monitor (832x624) 1.6 GB internal IDE Drive 4.2 GB internal SCSI Drive 3.2 GB external SCSI Drive Iomega ZIP Removable Storage Drive Yamaha 4x/8x CD Recorder JBL Media-4 External Speakers Global Village 56k v90 External Modem AppleTalk Network using Farallon LocalTalk Connectors Hewlett Packard DeskWriter 660c Color Ink Jet Printer QMS Postscript 810 Turbo Laser Printer (well used) Two APC Surge Station Pro Surge Protectors Assuming that business remains profitable, we plan to replace this machine in the nest few months. Our new "workhorse" will most likely be a PowerPC G3 or (when they arrive) G4 "Yosemite" tower.
BACK		NEXT

HOME . SERVICES . HELP DESK . RESOURCES . WHY MAC . CREDENTIALS
Copyright 1998, 5-Minute Mac Consulting, Wampum, Pennsylvania, USA