What store to go and see for myself in LA before buying a case?

[phantom]

I'm being shopping for a case online sometime but couldn't
decide on one. I want to go some store in LA to get a look
and feel before I buy one. Can you suggest some stores have
a big collections of cases?

 

[bobb]

I'm being shopping for a case online sometime but couldn't
decide on one. I want to go some store in LA to get a look
and feel before I buy one. Can you suggest some stores have
a big collections of cases?

Fry's Electronics.

u made it sound like Des Moines, Iowa.






-bobb

 

[bobb]

Louisiana? Any large computer store, but Fry's (UG!) would have the biggest
on hand display that I have seen.

I know some of you like to make fun of Fry's, but u gotta remember
Fry's was born from Silicon Valley, a place where your run of the mill
customer has a Master in Electronics/Material Science/Physic
engineering. So salespeople's knowledge of the products was
unnecessary and unwanted, all we want to know is what shelf the
stuffs we want is, and if I can pick up a six-pack coke and a razor at
the same time, that's groovy. Don't go to Fry's expecting in-depth
explanation and forgive the temporary cashiers (they don't last long),
and yer fine. They got the best return policy of any electronics
retailer I know, and that's mighty important when there is no way to
find out about a product (really) until you bring one home.






-bobb

 

[Guest]

I'm being shopping for a case online sometime but couldn't
decide on one.

Keep in mind that the most important dimension for an ATX case isn't
the height or width but the depth because depth determines whether the
motherboard and disk drives will have enough clearance for one
another, and it has to be at least 18", excluding the front bezel
(bezel adds as much as another 1.5"), for the largest motherboards to
not overlap with any CD drives. Many cases are only 16" deep.

Sometimes it costs less to buy a cheap case that includes a power
supply and buy a separate high-quality power supply than to buy a high
quality case that c omes with a good power supply. Don't ever risk
your equipment to a bad power supply; stay with quality, such as Antec
or Fortron/Sparkle.

 

[Guest]

I'm being shopping for a case online sometime but couldn't
decide on one.

Fry's has everything from the worst to the best, but the most
important factors are the quality of the power supply and the depth.

Many cheap cases come with the worst power supplies, including brands
such as ICTronics, Transworld, King Case (King Star), Raidmax, Allied
(one of the many Deer brands, some others being Codegen, L&C, Mercury,
Foxconn). These can't be trusted to deliver 100% of their rated
power, last long, or not interfere with TV/radio reception. But a high
quality case that includes a good power supply often costs more than a
cheap case with a bad power supply and a high quality supply bought
separately. Some good power supply brands are Antec and
Fortron/Sparkle, and www.directron.com and www.newegg.com have the
latter at good prices.

The height and width of a computer case aren't as important as the
depth because depth determines whether the motherboard and disk drives
will clear each other, and the largest motherboards need a case with
at least 18" of depth (excluding front bezel, which adds up to 1.5"
more) to avoid overlap with the CD-ROM drive. Most cases are only 16"
deep.

 

[JAD]

without stating how many of those brands of cases I've used that are still
running after 3years,I can tell you about as many antec/cases entermax psu's
I have had go out. Its pretty much a damn crap shoot, Quoting brands and
marking them untrustable based on your opinion will only get you a hundred
replies stating the opposite..I agree quality is important but hardly means
definte longevity or trustability. The rest comes down to the basics, How
much room you have Where the Case will reside. Then there is cooling.

 

[JAD]

Fry's was born from Silicon Valley,

Isn't everyone Out of work in silicon valley?

So salespeople's knowledge of the products was

unnecessary and unwanted,

Things haven't changed

and if I can pick up a six-pack coke and a razor at

the same time, that's groovy

That's true...Never had to return a coke I have gotten from there before

They got the best return policy of any electronics

retailer I know, and that's mighty important when there is no way to
find out about a product (really) until you bring one home.

They need to have, mainly because 4 out of ten purchases have to be
returned. Which in "returns" you'll find the guy who should be out on the
floor, cause they are the only ones who know anything. I web shop around, I
go to Frys, , Look at specific products I have researched, if they have the
price I'll Buy it. I don't buy ANYTHING with a FRYS repackage sticker on it,
That's a deadly move, Cause EVERYTHING goes back on the self at least 2
times before it hits the BIN. This is because some people believe they don't
really know a product until they plug it in, usually BEFORE they read the
instructions.

 

[Strontium]

I have to agree, totally, with this reply.

-
JAD stood up, at show-n-tell, and said:

 

[jaster]

I know some of you like to make fun of Fry's, but u gotta remember
Fry's was born from Silicon Valley, a place where your run of the mill
customer has a Master in Electronics/Material Science/Physic
engineering. So salespeople's knowledge of the products was
unnecessary and unwanted, all we want to know is what shelf the
stuffs we want is, and if I can pick up a six-pack coke and a razor at
the same time, that's groovy. Don't go to Fry's expecting in-depth
explanation and forgive the temporary cashiers (they don't last long),
and yer fine. They got the best return policy of any electronics
retailer I know, and that's mighty important when there is no way to
find out about a product (really) until you bring one home.






-bobb

You work for Fry's? Yep, the best return policy I've ever encountered. I
really don't like returning merchandise and I only return merchandise that
doesn't work.

Here's an employee tip for you. For all merchandise placed on the floor
Fry's should also place the merchandise manual. That might help with
the questions and returned merchandise. I've noticed this is usually done
for m/bs, a/cs on display but Fry's should do this with all appliances, home
theater receivers, audio receivers, tv, radios, refrigerators, pc systems,
speakers, washer/dryers, etc.

I'm returning a Sony home theater because it doesn't support a phono which I
would have noticed had a manual been available and features (like OSD,
universal remote control ) that don't work as implied, but the sound is
perfect.

 

[bobb]

You work for Fry's?

Heavens, NO. They hire no cute girls for me to get interested.

I really don't like returning merchandise and I only return merchandise that
doesn't work.

Well, it's certainly no fun standing in that long returns line
specially weekends, but I gotta do what I gotta do. Hey, Fry's
management are no dummies and I don't presume so.

Here's an employee tip for you. For all merchandise placed on the floor
Fry's should also place the merchandise manual. That might help with
the questions and returned merchandise. I've noticed this is usually done
for m/bs, a/cs on display but Fry's should do this with all appliances, home
theater receivers, audio receivers, tv, radios, refrigerators, pc systems,
speakers, washer/dryers, etc.

I'm returning a Sony home theater because it doesn't support a phono which I
would have noticed had a manual been available and features (like OSD,
universal remote control ) that don't work as implied, but the sound is
perfect.

Not a bad idea, but a simple look at the back panel for the phono jack
is easy enough. These day, I'd imagine if you insist on built-in phono
input, you are cornering yourself to a few models.






-bobb

 

[bobb]

Isn't everyone Out of work in silicon valley?

We prefer to call it quality family time before the next fun ride.

I don't buy ANYTHING with a FRYS repackage sticker on it,
That's a deadly move, Cause EVERYTHING goes back on the self at least 2
times before it hits the BIN.

Hey, it's solid states, I ain't gonna sweat it if two guys plugged it
twice to test it.

This is because some people believe they don't
really know a product until they plug it in, usually BEFORE they read the
instructions.

True enough, more people ough to RTFM, but boxes are printed by
marketing, and the manuals typically don't tell you any pitfalls.

There was no way for me to know my new &^%$#% video capture board
insists on displaying the video (no way to disable it) therefore using
extra bandwidth that I can't spare. I just wanna record video, not
watch it in real time, how hard is for these people to put a disable
display option there? Noooooooo! Going back!






-bobb

 

[JAD]

Why not a minijack to RCA (stereo) patch cord? almost all connections in
this manner would need to go through an amp anyway.?

 

[JAD]

For gen-Xers music

was recorded by engraving tracks on vinyl platters before CDs.

Lp's ! I have many......and lots of mp3/CDA conversions from those
LP's..oldest genX alive today...thats me. ;^)

Its not the connection that's the problem it's the lack of preamp

thats what I was saying you need an amp between the phono and the soundcard
input anyway....it doesn't have to be anything fancy, just enough to boost
the signal. Then you use the patch cord i mentioned.

. It's
like a bargain on a cpu + mb combo until you add in the cost of hsf.
I guess vendors figure if you can buy a high end receiver you can afford a
preamp or in Sony's mind replace your vinyl with CD. >

Why not a minijack to RCA (stereo) patch cord? almost all connections in
this manner would need to go through an amp anyway.?

 

[Guest]

Its pretty much a damn crap shoot, Quoting brands and marking them
untrustable based on your opinion will only get you a hundred replies
stating the opposite..I agree quality is important but hardly means
definte longevity or trustability

Damn I didn't see that one coming......you got me....baited me
into a electrical engineers post, flinging around 20$ words,
Its your opinion remember that, you would have to spend a few thousand
dollars and a couple of years R&D on your theory before it would
even be considered fact.

We're not talking about meeting a 6 sigma standard of proof here, and
you've given no evidence to show that all power supplies are equaly
reliable or unreliable. And while reliability is a crap shoot, it's
not always the same crap shoot, as owners of Toyotas and Yugos can
tell you.

I'm saying the odds are better if you get a power supply that contains
heavier components, was assembled better, doesn't have any parts
intentionally left out, and, during the design process, was analyzed
and tested more thoroughly to weed out instabilities. Why would some
power supply makers waste time on those details if they didn't think
they improved reliability?

And if you have been around the corner a few times then this convo
is mute, because you already know its a crap shoot when buying
ANYTHING, that's its going to work when you get home.

Irregardlessly mute, right?