FS/FT Announcements / [H]ot Deals 2010

Thank you, PS-RagE. This thread is now appropriately dated (after 4 years!) and stickied. :cool:
 
Hmm so it'll be properly labeled for 3 months?

Maybe it would have been smarter to remain dateless.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
Cheap Bias lighting strips. For those who don't know what this is, you would rig a bias light behind your TV to enhance your perception of contrast, it's a neat trick that works well "usually".

Get the "white" 6500K unit here:
- http://www.coolerguys.com/840556088707.html (needs a cheap 4 pin molex power supply)

- 4 Pin Molex powersupply ($10 + S/H): http://www.coolerguys.com/840556087885.html
- A less expensive 4 Pin molex power supply ($3): http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-5V-AC-Adapter-Power-Supply-HDD-HARD-DISK-DRIVE-IDE-/260491050625 <-- Great deal
- On/Off power switch: http://www.coolerguys.com/840556088707.html


Or check out remote controlled Bias lighting units here: http://www.barlighting.com/order.html
More inexpensive Bias lighting + related accessories here: http://www.inspiredled.com/back-lighting.html


Or you can go to Walmart and pick up their thin T5 fluorescent light strip for $10, then pick up a cheap 6500Kelvin T5 bulb to swap out the wrong colored bulb it comes with (2700K). You would find this T5 light strip in the light bulb section in walmart, it'll be the one with the thinnest looking fluorescent bulb, looks a lot like this one and almost 2ft long. I think it's around 13 watts + very low heat. You'll have to figure out your own way to attach it to the back of your TV however. Note how much this merchant is charging for a similar T5 setup.

If walmart doesn't carry 6500K T5 replacement bulbs then i'm sure either Home Depot or Lowes would have them.

Sorry for quoting myself but i wanted to keep this information together.
 
Last edited:
As an eBay Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
Last edited:
As an eBay Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
WD 120gb USB powered hard drive only $29.99 shipped.

Deal link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136606

Deal source + discussion: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1036230416

Looks like convenient inexpensive storage suitable for travel etc etc, pack your favorite movies on there and take it with you, USB power makes it that much more convenient.

It would probably need full powered USB to get the hard drive to spin up, some laptops and netbooks have lower powered USB ports but many of them have bios settings that correct that.
 
WD 120gb USB powered hard drive only $29.99 shipped.

Deal link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136606

Deal source + discussion: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1036230416

Looks like convenient inexpensive storage suitable for travel etc etc, pack your favorite movies on there and take it with you, USB power makes it that much more convenient.

It would probably need full powered USB to get the hard drive to spin up, some laptops and netbooks have lower powered USB ports but many of them have bios settings that correct that.

I have this drive and its great. Work fine on my Dell netbook. Not sure if its full power USB or not, but i didnt have to change anything. Definitely a solid buy.
 
Dayton Bookshelf speaker sale. $29 a pair.

Shipping on 1 pair is $11, or $15 for 2 pairs, and free shipping for any order over $98.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-652

I don't think they sell a matching center channel but you can lay one of these on it's side and use it as a substitute.

An inexpensive upgrade for those using TV speakers or tiny plastic home theater in a box speakers.
 
As one with with a CAT5 fed bedroom, I'm keeping a close eye on that one...
 
AMD Athlon II X2 Processor 210e 2.6ghz 45 watt approx $45 shipped at Ewiz.

Beats the next lowest online price by about $5-$6, at least that i could find.

Link to deal: http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?p=AD210EHDK

Link to source + discussion: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1553275
Price drop + a coupon code was found, now comes out to approx $37.90 shipped total.

Hit up the discussion link for the coupon code + details: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1553275
 
Last edited:
wow, might pick one up just to have as a backup for my x4 635 in my htpc. sure would be easier to cool.
Heck i couldn't resist, this will be replacing a warm running Kuma in one of my HTPC's.

$38 total for something faster and cooler? A complete no brainer imho :)
 
wow, might pick one up just to have as a backup for my x4 635 in my htpc. sure would be easier to cool.
Supposedly these 210e's have two other cores that you can unlock with the right motherboard, and some luck:

Source:


http://www.cpu-world.com/news_2010/2010091701_AMD_quitely_introduces_Athlon_II_X2_210e_CPU.html

http://www.cpu-world.com/news_2010/...Athlon_II_X2_210e_CPUs_are_now_in_stores.html

And today i received an "AD" core as discussed in that second link :)
 
Last edited:
LG 42LD450 42-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD $499 + Free TiVo DVR + free S/H

The lowest price for that Tivo on Ebay is $180 shipped for BRAND NEW units, so you can always sell yours quickly for $175 shipped which would lower the price of your TV to around $360-$370 after ebay fees etc.

A mega hot deal whether you sell the Tivo or not.

This deal will not last long, i guarantee it. So if you are in the market then right now is definitely the time to buy.

Link to deal + discussion: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1557302
 
Sent it to my dad, thanks :)
Nice,

Knew a good deal when you saw one :D

Pretty sure it'll be S-IPS, so give it a test run, after dad sets it up, just to see what you think of it. There's a chance it may be AUO-VA but those panels are always in development and pretty advanced, so dad wins either way.

Maybe hit up the AVS forums for some calibration settings on that model.
 
We'll see if he bites, he would want the tivo over the TV

edit: He didn't bite, no good place to put the TV.
 
Valve, maybe your dad wants to split the deal with my dad? My dad wants the tv, not the tivo
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
Edit dead deal

Samsung F4 2TB hard drive $60 or $65 shipped depending on if Newegg charges you state sales tax.

Deal link, coupon + discussion: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1559481

That price is low enough for an impulse buy, especially if you can use the extra storage.
 
Last edited:
yea, saw it over on slickdeals after it had already expired. My 2TB green is already full, so another 2TB at that price would have been amazing
 
Refurb lovers:

Refurbished MSI 785GTM-E45 AMD 785G motherboard with supposedly all of the accessories for $37.99 shipped free via Ebay BuyitNow: http://cgi.ebay.com/MSI-785GTM-E45-AMD-Phenom-II-Socket-AM2-Motherboard-/200527507481

Newegg info, pics and reviews: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130237

HDMI, DVI, VGA + Gigabit lan, 6 sata ports, no spdif port but a separately purchased cheap spdif bracket would fix that. FrontX may have a couple more spdif modules to choose from(?)

Only 3 motherboards left and note how fast they are selling.



Pick up an inexpensive AMD cpu from Ewiz (google search for Ewiz coupon codes to get it even cheaper): http://www.superbiiz.com/category.php?categry=1&name=CPU-Processor

Throw it into a dirt cheap Silverstone case + PSU: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1529544

And you have the foundation for a dirt cheap, but still capable, HTPC.

Just picked up that MSI motherboard to finish off a "hand-me-down" HTPC i'm building for a relative.
 
As an eBay Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
That price sounds about right, maybe a little too high.

That particular motherboard is given away free with AMD CPU purchase at Microcenter on a regular basis.

I personally bought two of that exact mobo through Microcenter's promo, and killed both of them.

Once was with an overclocked X6, which, TBH, is probably more CPU than this mobo was designed for (despite the X6 being officially supported by MSI on this mobo). I replaced it with a Biostar 890GXE.
My second 785GTM-E45 died at stock speeds with an Athlon II X4 635. I replaced it with an ASUS 880G.

Also, FWIW, MSI seems to be a frequent offender in the "my thuban killed my motherboard" thread.

Not saying it's not a good fit for a hand me down HTPC with a low power CPU. But buyer beware.
 
Ahh, i didn't expect the best but are you sure you're not referring to the AM3 DDR3 flavor of this board? That Microcenter advertisement makes it seem likely (?)

The newegg reviews for the Ebay AM2+ board are good overall but peppered with the usual duds, and or minor issues.

For a hand-me-down rig, i better not get any complaints even if it burns up ;). I'm going to pair it with a X2 240 regor processor, undervolted hopefully, and minimal hardware add-ons. Been buying refurbs for years so i've learned to brace myself for the risks involved, been extremely lucky till now though.
 
Oh yeah sure enough. I was referring to the P45, the DDR3 version. Board looks identical.

Either way, once you get it, I would burn it in with a stress testing app for a while.
 
Back
Top