{"id":29927,"date":"2018-01-03T09:52:04","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T13:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=29927"},"modified":"2018-01-03T09:52:04","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T13:52:04","slug":"time-for-a-new-shack-pc-any-suggestions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/time-for-a-new-shack-pc-any-suggestions\/","title":{"rendered":"Time for a new shack PC&#8211;any suggestions?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/HP-Tower-PC-e1514986886191.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-29949\" src=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/HP-Tower-PC-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"625\" height=\"625\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>My trusty Gateway tower PC here at <em>SWLing Post<\/em> HQ is finally showing signs of wear&#8211;the boot drive is getting noisy, the cooling fans are being taxed and Win 10 can&#8217;t even complete the latest update. I purchased the Gateway in 2012 as a &#8220;shack&#8221; PC and loaded it with SDR applications, logging programs and very little else. It has an Intel core i5 processor 2320 which has handled running multiple SDR applications simultaneously with little problem.<\/p>\n<p>I could tear apart this PC, try to find the issues and replace parts, but I think I might do better simply upgrading the whole system.<\/p>\n<p>I no longer feel like I <em>need<\/em> a tower PC configuration&#8211;I&#8217;d rather have something with a smaller footprint&#8211;though I do appreciate the accessibility inside to swap parts and make incremental upgrades. I also like having a built-in optical drive and SD card reader which are typical features on tower PCs.<\/p>\n<p>Since I connect no less than three or four SDRs and an external hard drive all at once, USB ports are a necessity.<\/p>\n<h2>Any recommendations?<\/h2>\n<p>I&#8217;m out of touch with current PC models, but here are a list of my needs and wants.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Needs:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recent generation Intel i5 or i7 processor<\/li>\n<li>Minimum of four USB 3.0 ports<\/li>\n<li>Quiet power supply (to minimize RFI, of course)<\/li>\n<li>Affordable: $500-600 budget<\/li>\n<li>Windows 10 operating system<\/li>\n<li>Potential for longevity (6 years+)<\/li>\n<li>12+ GB of RAM (or the ability to add)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Wants:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Solid state boot drive (or the ability to add later)<\/li>\n<li>Dual display support<\/li>\n<li>Optical drive (CD\/DVD)<\/li>\n<li>Small footprint<\/li>\n<li>No bloatware to delete<\/li>\n<li>Quiet<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>I&#8217;m currently considering:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.samsclub.com\/sams\/hp-570-p027c-dt-towr-intel-core-i5-7400\/prod21041631.ip?xid=plp1118-elec:product:1:12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this HP Pavillion tower<\/a>\u00a0($529 with discounts, though might need to upgrade the power supply eventually)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B073YHNPC6\/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this Acer Aspire desktop<\/a>\u00a0($480)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.samsclub.com\/sams\/del-dt-12gb-1tb-intel-core-i5-7400\/prod21229711.ip?xid=plp1118-elec:product:1:9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this Dell Inspiron Desktop Tower<\/a>\u00a0($599)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apple.com\/mac-mini\/features\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a Mac Mini<\/a> (knowing it&#8217;ll be the priciest and slowest option after a Windows 10 purchase)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Any other suggestions or advice?\u00a0 Please comment!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My trusty Gateway tower PC here at SWLing Post HQ is finally showing signs of wear&#8211;the boot drive is getting noisy, the cooling fans are being taxed and Win 10 can&#8217;t even complete the latest update. I purchased the Gateway in 2012 as a &#8220;shack&#8221; PC and loaded it with SDR applications, logging programs and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[4804,6723,6724],"class_list":["post-29927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-computers","tag-pc","tag-personal-computers"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-7MH","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48062,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/03\/looking-for-linux-mini-pc-recommendations\/","url_meta":{"origin":29927,"position":0},"title":"Looking for Linux Mini PC recommendations","author":"Thomas","date":"March 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Even though I do most of my blogging from a MacBook Air and use a Windows 10 PC in the shack for SDR work, I'm a huge fan of Linux. Over the past decade, I've used a number of Linux distributions including Puppy Linux, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Raspian. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Accessories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Accessories","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/accessories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Levono-IoT.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Levono-IoT.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Levono-IoT.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Levono-IoT.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4282,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/08\/using-and-setting-up-the-alinco-dx-r8te-receiver-as-an-sdr-software-defined-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":29927,"position":1},"title":"Using and setting up the Alinco DX-R8T\/E receiver as an SDR (software defined radio)","author":"Thomas","date":"August 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Some time ago, I posted a review of the Alinco DX-R8T\u2013a surprisingly capable, flexible and affordable dedicated tabletop receiver.\u00a0 In that review, I explored its capabilities as a tabletop unit, and was favorably impressed. But I knew then that one of the virtues of the DX-R8T is that it's more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Radios&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Radios","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/radios\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/AlincoDXR8TFrontFace.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":33915,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/09\/software-defined-radio-primer-part-1-introduction-to-sdrs-and-sdr-applications\/","url_meta":{"origin":29927,"position":2},"title":"Software Defined Radio Primer Part 1: Introduction to SDRs and SDR applications","author":"Thomas","date":"September 2, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The following article originally appeared\u00a0in the June 2018 issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine: SDR Primer Part 1: Introduction to SDRs and SDR applications I author a radio blog known as the SWLing Post; as a result, I receive radio-related queries from my readers on a daily basis. \u00a0Among the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AM&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Photo by Kody Gautier","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Money-Budget.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Money-Budget.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Money-Budget.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Money-Budget.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10135,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/running-sdr-on-a-toshiba-encore-tablet-pc\/","url_meta":{"origin":29927,"position":3},"title":"SDR# on a Toshiba Encore tablet PC","author":"Thomas","date":"July 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"SWLing Post reader London Shortwave recently moved\u00a0the Software Defined Radio (SDR) application\u00a0SDR#\u00a0(\"SDR Sharp\")\u00a0off of his MacBook Pro and onto a Toshiba Encore 8\" tablet PC. He recently posted this video\u00a0of SDR#\u00a0running his\u00a0FunCube Dongle Pro+ on the Toshiba Encore tablet: His reception of the Voice of Korea's Spanish service is most\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"SDRSharp-ToshibaEncore-LondonShortwave","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/SDRSharp-ToshibaEncore-LondonShortwave.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/SDRSharp-ToshibaEncore-LondonShortwave.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/SDRSharp-ToshibaEncore-LondonShortwave.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10968,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/shortwave-listening-in-a-hospital-lobby\/","url_meta":{"origin":29927,"position":4},"title":"Shortwave listening in a hospital lobby","author":"Thomas","date":"October 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning,\u00a0at 6:00\u00a0am,\u00a0I had to take a friend to the hospital for a scheduled (minor) operation. The hospital waiting room is spartan for a projected three hour wait, but the complimentary wi-fi Internet is quite speedy.\u00a0I had planned to catch up on a movie or two via Netflix, but the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;How To&quot;","block_context":{"text":"How To","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/how-to\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ExcaliburviaTeamviewer","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/ExcaliburviaTeamviewer.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":53108,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/06\/microtelecom-introduces-the-perseus-22-four-channel-wideband-sdr\/","url_meta":{"origin":29927,"position":5},"title":"Microtelecom introduces the Perseus 22 four channel wideband SDR","author":"Thomas","date":"June 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Microtelecom has just announced their latest SDR receiver: the Perseus22.\u00a0 INTRODUCING NEXT-GEN SDR RECEIVER Perseus22 is a 4 channels, direct sampling receiver with a continuous frequency coverage from 10 KHz to 225 MHz and a typical image rejection larger than 70 dB. All channels are synchronously sampled by an high\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;New Products&quot;","block_context":{"text":"New Products","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/new-products\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microtelecom-Perserus22-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microtelecom-Perserus22-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microtelecom-Perserus22-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Microtelecom-Perserus22-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29927\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}