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CPU
You should purchase a fairly fast CPU. Although the use of stills
does not require a fast processor, the use of video certainly
will. Also, some of the animated effects will skip or crawl if the
processor cannot keep up. A CPU speed of 1.6GHz or higher should
be fine. Processor type is a matter of preference, however we
highly recommend the AMD CPU mainly because of its lower price.
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Motherboard
The use a quality 'motherboard' in the computer system is another
must. Again, the reliability of your computer is largely dependent
on the quality of the motherboard. Avoid using first generation
motherboards - a motherboard that has been on the market for 8 to
10 months will have had the kinks worked out of it. Asus has been
making quality motherboards for many years and we are confident in
recommending their motherboards.
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Dual
Video Card
To run your system in dual video mode, you will require a dual
video Card. A dual video card allows you to easily plug your
monitor and projector into your computer system. Some dual video
cards do not work well when displaying overlay video. The GeForce
FX chip set is fairly stable. A video card we have found that
works well in video overlay mode is the Asus V9520. Make certain
that the video card has a minimum of 128mb of ram if you intend to
use video.
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Memory
You should have a minimum of 512mb of memory (RAM) installed in
your computer. This will allow you to use video and open multiple
presentations without slowing down your system. For the few extra
dollars it costs to increase the computer's memory, we recommend
installing 1Gig.
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Hard
Drive (IDE)
Choose a reliable brand name hard drive. You should purchase at
least an 80GB drive as graphics will take up a fair amount of
space over time. If you have the money, you may elect to invest in
a high revolution hard disk such as a SCSI. This will allow you to
run live video directly off of your Hard Drive without dropping
frames.
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CD
ROM (Writer)
You will need a CD ROM drive in your computer to load or install
software. We recommend purchasing a CD Writer which will allow you
to efficiently backup your materials. Graphics and Video files can
be fairly large and backing up onto a CD is fast and safe. A DVD
writer can be used in place of a CD writer and will give you 8
times the backup capacity.
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Sound
Card
A sound card enables you to run sound from your presentation
through your sound system. You will also be able to play music
CD's or mp3's through your sound system. Sound Blaster, the
industry standard in PC audio over the last 3 decades, offers a
full range of quality audio cards and accessories. Some
motherboards have quality sound boards built into them.
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Monitor
A good quality monitor can serve your needs for many years to
come. While computers require upgrading or replacement, monitors
tend to last for quite a long time. It is best to get a monitor
capable of a resolution of 1280x1024 or higher. Larger screens
give you more viewing area which is helpful in Projector System
applications. 17" - 21" monitors are recommended and if you have
extra money, flat panels will use up substantially less space.
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Keyboard
When using PowerPoint in slideshow mode with a dual screen system,
you will be constantly using your keyboard. Invest in a quality
keyboard. A keyboard one or two price steps up from the low end
keyboard will do. Examine the keyboard and make certain that you
can feel when you've pressed a key.
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Mouse
When using a worship program, you will be using your mouse a fair
amount as well. When you are using the mouse, you will often be in
a hurry to get something on screen. Purchase a quality mouse. We
recommend an optical mouse as their movement is more accurate.
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We don't recommend playing DVD movies with the computer DVD
player/writer. It is much cheaper and easier to operate a stand alone multi
DVD/VCR player and plug it into your sound board and the video feed on the
projector. Although the computer can handle it, the sound board on some
computers will not always play the audio properly when connected to a sound
system. It also means that someone must understand the computer system to
properly play a DVD.
Although it is a good idea to purchase a name brand computer like Compaq or
Hewlett-Packard, some of these computers have video cards built into their
motherboards. Verify that you can install a Dual Video Card in the system
before you purchase. Laptops also have built in Video cards and they cannot be
changed.
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