best cheap/free scores 1.1

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

The same store that I got the $5 Wonder from yielded 2 more epic scores today.

I found two things:

1. ($2.50) Bearcat 210xl Police scanner:





The only fault with it is that it is missing the antenna... I can get a new on eBay for $12 shipped. It otherwise seems to work... the one knob is partially busted but is still 100% functional. It looks like it sat for a while based on that the 9V backup battery expired in 1998.

2. ($5) Sanyo Betamax VCR:



Based on the datecode it was made on March 5, 1981. The only fault with it so far is that the Vacuum tube display has some wear (some dimmed segments). I bought this because my mom has a beta tape somewhere of my Grandpa giving a Gideon's Address/sermon that we'd like to digitize. That said, until that tape turns up, I can't do much beyond powering it up.

Good scores?

[BigTroll]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

wow that betamax is amazing, i like how it doesn't have the 70s wood look.

[Wester547]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Of course that also happens to be more of a problem as Barracuda ATA IV uses a BGA microcontroller. You'd think that if they went to the expense of adding a large metal shield that they would also use it to cool down the board components. Instead they let it insulate them...resulting in the microcontroller and motor driver getting hot enough to discolour the foam touching them . I also know of a member (severach) who seems to hate BGAs with a passion. Guess what I see coming???

Wow... that's bad. I hate BGA too, along with QFN and CSP (guess what - RDRAM - which runs 55C-60C hot without active cooling - is based on the CSP package - great job Intel). But I hate lead-free solder much more. BGA is still far more durable than lead-free solder. And well, I guess I understand the shield - Seagate wanted to preclude users from accidently inducing static and possibly shorting the PCB. A flaccid but somewhat understandable attempt.

7200.7 uses a QFP microcontroller so no need to worry about thermal stress doing that in.

I wonder if the 7200.8 and 7200.9 series do as well? Since Seagate went to lead-free (or RoHS compliant) hard drives with the 7200.8 series. All my 7200.7s have a protection chip - a ST BUX small chip somewhere on it, and I've heard those are notorious for eventually smoking and averting the drive from operation unless soldered off. So the 7200.7 drives were not exactly free of PCB issues either. Only a 250GB 7200.9 I have is, maybe - though it has a 25 series flash ROM chip from ST that may or may not fail.

I'd say just take it off. The only useful purpose it ever served was ESD protection. (And that was more to protect Seagate from user damaged drives being RMAed than anything.)

Maybe, but... you said it could have caused discoloration which could lead to further risk.

I have an ST360021A (not the renowned ST340016A). With AAM off (which I did for a short time, before switching it back on) seeks were a bit noisy, but nothing unbearable (I didn't test the performance in that state, but I assume about 14ms?). With AAM on seeks were rather quieter (but still noticeable). Average access time was 15.5ms when tested with h2benchw (though the maximum was rather astronomical at 194ms ). I also have ST380011A and it's noticeably quieter, slightly quicker average access (14.9ms) than ST360021A with AAM (and the maximum is much more reasonable at 26.1ms). Then I have ST340014A, which is very quiet (unnoticeable seeks). So quiet that I'd actually recommend it for a silent PC (as long as you're fine with PATA only, small capacity and outdated technology). Either of those drives would of course have higher transfer rates, run cooler, and potentially be more reliable than a Barracuda ATA IV.

The ST340016A is hardly unreliable. Still much more reliable than any drive from today, especially without SeaShield. Not sure what causes their high scores of reallocations - I have one that's rock solid at 50 reallocations (though with 73 data address marker errors and 291 errors in the S.M.A.RT. log, but note that its last error was at 3,050 hours of use where as it's now at 16,000 and 6,500 power cycles). Another one hasn't gone past 1 reallocation and 4 errors in the S.M.A.R.T. log and it's at 17,000 hours and 4,500 power cycles.

WD800JD-00LSA0 (a 2-head 80GB FDB drive like ST380011A, but with 8MB cache and SATA) with AAM off is about equal for performance and power consumption. Idle noise is somewhat louder/hollower (due to lighter top cover), but it doesn't add up to much when you factor in fan noise in a complete PC. Seek noise without AAM...I didn't notice it in-situ (I have 2 of these in my current PC), but I will assume it being louder than ST340014A. Seek noise with AAM may well be quieter still, but I don't feel it worth the performance sacrifice.

I don't notice the difference in performance with AAM on or off considering it only affects random access time numbers by milliseconds. My guess is, though, that AAM being enabled is easier on the read/write heads, maybe, even if slightly. Though, it also might lead to slight temperature increases because the read/write heads take longer to do their job at that point.

Another drive worthy of being used in a silent PC. I'd even recommend it over the Seagate opposition (ST380013AS). There are some reservations though. One of them is that if you buy one on eBay and don't check the suffix, you stand a chance of getting a nasty ball-bearing drive. Then where does the advantage go??? At least with the Seagate drive you know what you're getting. (Unless the product was misrepresented by an eBay seller, though I doubt they'd go to the trouble to do that for such an old obsolete drive.)

The only other drive I have that may be of interest to someone interested in silencing is Maxtor 6L040L2.

6L = series
040 = capacity
L = FDB (J would be BB)
2 = number of heads

I haven't actually used it in a PC though so I can't comment on seek noise.

Some Maxtors I've seen use a ST Smooth chip, which is bad in saying the least...

Not to lay doubt to you, but how do you know that the ST340016A has a BGA microcontroller chip? Is it because it's an ST chip?

[Shocker]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I wonder if the 7200.8 and 7200.9 series do as well?

I'm pretty sure every subsequent Seagate drive does too, though the recent models may have BGA RAM chips (dictated by availability).

Since Seagate went to lead-free (or RoHS compliant) hard drives with the 7200.8 series.

you stupid politicians.

All my 7200.7s have a protection chip - a ST BUX small chip somewhere on it, and I've heard those are notorious for eventually smoking and averting the drive from operation unless soldered off. So the 7200.7 drives were not exactly free of PCB issues either.

Do they blow even if the power supply has 0.1% voltage regulation and 3mV of ripple???

Maybe, but... you said it could have caused discoloration which could lead to further risk.

It was just the foam (where it was touching the chips) that discoloured, and not drastically so. Still, the microcontroller must be getting too hot for its own good.

The ST340016A is hardly unreliable. Still much more reliable than any drive from today, especially without SeaShield. Not sure what causes their high scores of reallocations - I have one that's rock solid at 50 reallocations (though with 73 data address marker errors and 291 errors in the S.M.A.RT. log, but note that its last error was at 3,050 hours of use where as it's now at 16,000 and 6,500 power cycles). Another one hasn't gone past 1 reallocation and 4 errors in the S.M.A.R.T. log and it's at 17,000 hours and 4,500 power cycles.

Sorry again for being unclear - that was a relative comparison, not saying the Barracuda IV sucks. Also, I have to say that I'd only put 7200.7 higher up on the list if it has (A) an Agere combo controller and (B) SH6950 driving the spindle/VCM. Yeah, that's a major reservation.

Oh and by the way - my ST360021A has 0 reallocations.

I don't notice the difference in performance with AAM on or off considering it only affects random access time numbers by milliseconds. My guess is, though, that AAM being enabled is easier on the read/write heads, maybe, even if slightly. Though, it also might lead to slight temperature increases because the read/write heads take longer to do their job at that point.

I understand that. But if you can't hear the drive even with AAM off, might as well have the extra few performance points. (Unless you really are made of fear...)

Not to lay doubt to you, but how do you know that the ST340016A has a BGA microcontroller chip? Is it because it's an ST chip?

By removing the SeaShield. How else???

EDIT: Oh, and by the way:

WD800JD-00LSA0 (a 2-head 80GB FDB drive like ST380011A, but with 8MB cache and SATA) with AAM off is about equal for performance and power consumption. Idle noise is somewhat louder/hollower (due to lighter top cover), but it doesn't add up to much when you factor in fan noise in a complete PC. Seek noise without AAM...I didn't notice it in-situ (I have 2 of these in my current PC), but I will assume it being louder than ST340014A. Seek noise with AAM may well be quieter still, but I don't feel it worth the performance sacrifice.

Another drive worthy of being used in a silent PC. I'd even recommend it over the Seagate opposition (ST380013AS). There are some reservations though. One of them is that if you buy one on eBay and don't check the suffix, you stand a chance of getting a nasty ball-bearing drive. Then where does the advantage go??? At least with the Seagate drive you know what you're getting. (Unless the product was misrepresented by an eBay seller, though I doubt they'd go to the trouble to do that for such an old obsolete drive.)

The only other drive I have that may be of interest to someone interested in silencing is Maxtor 6L040L2.

6L = series
040 = capacity
L = FDB (J would be BB)
2 = number of heads

I haven't actually used it in a PC though so I can't comment on seek noise.

This wasn't the correct quoting sequence.

This is:

WD800JD-00LSA0 (a 2-head 80GB FDB drive like ST380011A, but with 8MB cache and SATA) with AAM off is about equal for performance and power consumption. Idle noise is somewhat louder/hollower (due to lighter top cover), but it doesn't add up to much when you factor in fan noise in a complete PC. Seek noise without AAM...I didn't notice it in-situ (I have 2 of these in my current PC), but I will assume it being louder than ST340014A. Seek noise with AAM may well be quieter still, but I don't feel it worth the performance sacrifice. Another drive worthy of being used in a silent PC. I'd even recommend it over the Seagate opposition (ST380013AS). There are some reservations though. One of them is that if you buy one on eBay and don't check the suffix, you stand a chance of getting a nasty ball-bearing drive. Then where does the advantage go??? At least with the Seagate drive you know what you're getting. (Unless the product was misrepresented by an eBay seller, though I doubt they'd go to the trouble to do that for such an old obsolete drive.)

The only other drive I have that may be of interest to someone interested in silencing is Maxtor 6L040L2.

6L = series
040 = capacity
L = FDB (J would be BB)
2 = number of heads

I haven't actually used it in a PC though so I can't comment on seek noise.

[Wester547]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Do they blow even if the power supply has 0.1% voltage regulation and 3mV of ripple???

No idea how it happens. I imagine, though, that power cycles expedite the process.

It was just the foam (where it was touching the chips) that discoloured, and not drastically so. Still, the microcontroller must be getting too hot for its own good.

Unless you put active cooling over the drive.

Sorry again for being unclear - that was a relative comparison, not saying the Barracuda IV sucks. Also, I have to say that I'd only put 7200.7 higher up on the list if it has (A) an Agere combo controller and (B) SH6950 driving the spindle/VCM. Yeah, that's a major reservation.

SH6950s are good. Every 7200.7 and 7200.9 I have has it, as do some of my older Seagate drives. I've seen other Seagate drives have a ST chip in place of that, though...

Oh and by the way - my ST360021A has 0 reallocations.

I panic whenever I see a drive that has 0 reallocations suddenly have 1 or more because then either 1) the drive is dying quickly or 2) the drive is dying slowly.

I understand that. But if you can't hear the drive even with AAM off, might as well have the extra few performance points. (Unless you really are made of fear...)

I can hear my ST340016A with AAM off. But that's because it's worse for wear at this point so it's become louder. That said, it spins up faster than 7200.7-7200.10 drives.

By removing the SeaShield. How else???

So the PCB itself is BGA?

[Shocker]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

SH6950s are good. Every 7200.7 and 7200.9 I have has it, as do some of my older Seagate drives.

And my ST360021A. (I don't think SMOOTHs existed on Barracuda IVs. Of the 7200.7s I mentioned, only the dead ST380011A has a SMOOTH.)

So the PCB itself is BGA?

[Agent24]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I panic whenever I see a drive that has 0 reallocations suddenly have 1 or more because then either 1) the drive is dying quickly or 2) the drive is dying slowly.

From manufacture day all drives are dying slowly.

[Wester547]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

You meant only the microcontroller/combo controller, then? And I know all drives die slowly. But I mean, die quickly, or die super quickly. :P

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Guys, Quit crapping in the thread. If you want to continue our argument, start a fresh thread... Any more BS in this thread will deleted.

[mockingbird]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Your reaction is a bit capricious.

[shovenose]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Your reaction is a bit capricious.

How helpful.
/sarcasm

[BigTroll]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I bought this power supply from this forums specials, 1kw came out to 61 shipped, not bad. its PC POWER AND COOLING 1kw TUBROCOOL SR
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1711427

[ratdude747]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Made a HUGE score today.

Found one of these for $1:

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Media.../dp/B0002SAF3C

It had the mouse, reciver, and USB extender/stand.

What was wrong with it? Busted USB port. It cracked at the shield's solder joints, the plug actually cracked, not the solder joint.

For now I soldered in a USB cable to test it (it works just fine). I'll order some new USB through-hole plugs and redo it the right way. I'll either use it with my HTPC or I'll flip it.

I guess that counts as the Electronics "Best Deal" of the week?

Edit: I'll order 10 of these:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detai...7117-ND/857603

They often do break and besides, I'll take Genuine Molex of no-name trash any day.

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Found one of these for $1:
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Media.../dp/B0002SAF3C

Any mouse that costs over $50 should be considered robbery!
Good score, though.

[Hondaman]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Today at a garage sale:

HP w1907 widescreen monitor, manufactured August 2007, for $15. Smoker's house. Top resolution 1440 by 900. ZERO bad pixels. 15-pin and DVI inputs. Beautiful monitor.

Should I take it apart, and use Simple Green on the boards, etc.? Or should I run it as is?

Also came with a USB Microsoft Mouse. How do I put this? Coated with smoke so bad, Satan himself could have used it!

(This is not as good as the super-great deals you guys seem to get, but.....)

[stevo1210]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Any mouse that costs over $50 should be considered robbery!
Good score, though.

I paid $100 for my Apple Magic mouse... and $110 or something like that for a Logitech G9x.

[momaka]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I paid $100 for my Apple Magic mouse... and $110 or something like that for a Logitech G9x.

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...9&d=1309586300
$1 and I still have a hard time breaking it.

[Logistics]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

I know it's not dumpster-diving or a curb find, but saw a couple of these on craigslist and had to snag them as I've never seen anything like them before. Guy said they were load-balancers or something for Disney. One has a dual-3GHz Xeon setup on a Tyan S2720 with two additional Gigabit Ethernet cards and the seller rigged a 512MB Cardflash as a form of SSD with PFSense on it... whatever that is.





Hoping to turn them into mild HTPC's or something similar as I think they would look great next to other stereo equipment.

[Hondaman]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

Forget my 19" monitor 3 or 4 posts above this one. Took it apart, removed most of the nicotine, panel ruined.

[kc8adu]

Re: best cheap/free scores 1.1

from the trunk of a tow yard car.
these rigs are rare.