Breaking the Computer Buying Cycle

That New Computer Smell

If you are like most people when they go out and buy a new Personal Computer you probably get excited when you take it out of the box, turn it on and marvel at how fast it runs. When a computer is new it always seems to run faster and boot up quicker than your old computer. The applications and games seem to run without any slow down and when you get on the internet the pages load instantly on the screen, and you can quickly surf from one website to another. Overtime though, your computer can slow down and not run as quickly as it did when it was new.

This slow down can occur for a variety of reasons and when it happens it can be frustrating and spoil your computing experience. Often times when this happens it can be corrected by either cleaning up your hard drive, or running some diagnostics. Perhaps the computer has a virus and once you remove the virus, performance can be restored. What do you do though if you have done all those things and your computer is still running slow?

If your computer is running slow even after you have removed any viruses and attempted to improve system performance, it could mean that the demands you are now placing on your computer have exceeded the computer's capability.

As we use our computers we tend to install new software applications and attempt to run more applications simultaneously. The new software we install can require greater computer resources such as more computer memory and a faster CPU, or central processing unit to run the software applications or games properly.

If you are like me you like to have multiple software applications running or multiple internet browser windows open at the same time and that can utilize greater amounts of computer resources as well. The more resources you use, the slower the computer will run.

This is a constant problem in computing because computer technology doubles roughly every 18 months. In a demand for more feature rich software applications, software developers create more resource consuming software programs. To meet the increased demands of the software, computer manufacturers continue to build faster, more expensive computers. This, in my opinion, is a vicious cycle where in order to maintain a fast and enjoyable computing experience, the computer user is forced to go out and buy a new computer every few years.

Fortunately for me I have never had to worry about that problem. I am a certified computer professional and have been building and repairing computers for over 15 years. When I want a faster computer I do not go out and buy a new expensive computer. I have learned how to break the new computer buying cycle by upgrading my computer. By upgrading my computer rather than buying new, I can simply make myself a faster computer at a fraction of the cost.

You can break the computer buying cycle too and you do not have to be a computer professional like me to do it. You only need to know a few things about computers, be handy with a screw driver and be able to follow a few simple instructions; but before you begin to think about upgrading your computer, it might be important to get a brief overview on how a computer works.

Computer Basics

Computers are made up of a combination of hardware and software working together. When you aren't familiar with how a computer functions then they can seem very complex. You can reduce that complexity, once you understand how a computer works at a basic level.

At its most basic level a computer receives input and produces output. A computer receives input through input devices such as the keyboard and mouse (hardware). Every time we click the mouse on a link or move the mouse across the screen we are giving the computer input or an instruction to do something.

The computer receives the input as an electronic signal created by the mouse click or keystroke on the keyboard. This signal is transmitted through the computer and is converted into digital data where it can be interpreted as an instruction by the operating system, software application or game.(software)

The computer processes digital instruction data and produces output as either an image or words on the computer screen or perhaps as a printout on a printer.

What makes a computer fast is its ability to receive input, and produce output quickly. There are several components a computer needs in order to function but there are three primary components that directly affect how fast a computer can operate.

The three primary computer components which handle the processing of input and make a computer fast are the:

Motherboard or Main System board
CPU or Central Processing Unit
RAM or Random Access Memory

The Motherboard

Without getting too technical, the Motherboard is the computer component that connects all the hardware together on the computer. You could think of the Motherboard as a data freeway that links together all the components of the computer and allows them to transmit data between each other and and communicate.

Every computer component on the computer connects to the Motherboard either by being connected directly to the Motherboard or connecting via a data cable. The devices or components that connect to the Motherboard are the CPU, RAM Memory, Hard Drive, CD ROM/DVD drive, Video Card, Sound Card, Network Card, Modem, Key Board, Mouse and Monitor.

There are additional peripheral devices which can connect to the Motherboard as well through a variety of data ports which are connected to the Motherboard such as a printer, digital camera, microphone, and even a HDTV. These devices can connect to the Motherboard using one of several ports such as a USB, Parallel, Fire-Wire, SATA (Serial-ATA), or HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) port.

In short the Motherboard provided the data communication infrastructure which allows communication between all the devices. What makes one Motherboard faster than another is the volume of data it can support being transmitted across what is called it's data BUS and the speed at which it can transmit the data. One way to think of it is in terms of a street. Think of the data bus as a street and the data are like cars driving down the street. Older Motherboards communication was the equivalent of a two way two lane street with a speed limit of 25 MPH. Today the new Motherboards are like 8 lane highways with 200MPH speed limits.

New Motherboards are faster because they can allow more data traffic at higher speeds.

The CPU

The CPU or Processor is the brain of the computer. The CPU carries out all the instructions that you in conjunction with the Operating System, like Windows XP or Windows 7, asks it to do. CPUs can only carry out one instruction at a time but they do it so fast it seems like they are doing multiple tasks at one time or "Multitasking".

Newer CPUs are faster because their "clock speed" or "clock cycle" is faster. The clock speed is the speed at which a CPU can carry out instructions. You can think of clock speed like the timing of a metronome, the device that helps musicians keep the right musical time. A metronome has a hand on the front of it which swings back and forth at a timing interval you set. As it swings back and forth it ticks like a clock. Like the metronome the CPU also ticks at a set interval but a CPU ticks at an incredibly fast rate which is measured in Mega or Gigahertz. The CPU carries out an instruction on every tick of its clock cycle.

New CPUs can not only carry out instructions at very high clock speeds but they can also be made up of multiple CPU Cores. Each Core can carry out its own instructions. When you have a Dual Core CPU it can carry out two instructions at the same time and a Quad Core CPU can carry out four. There are even six Core CPUs out now and like the newer Motherboards these CPUs also have a larger Data BUS to send and receive data faster through the Motherboard enhancing the computers overall performance.

RAM Memory

RAM or Random Access Memory is what stores all the instructions you have asked the computer to carry out. Every time we interact with our computer we are creating instruction data for the CPU to process and even the simplest interaction, like moving the mouse across the screen, requires many single instructions the CPU must carry out. You can imagine that playing a computer game or running an application like Adobe Photo shop can create a tremendous amount of instructions for the CPU. The CPU is fast and can execute a lot of instructions quickly but it can't do them all at once which is why we need a place to store the instructions until they can be processed. This is why RAM was created.

RAM is basically the storage place for all the instructions that are waiting to be executed by the CPU. You can sometimes tell when you don't have enough RAM when you have clicked on the mouse or hit the enter key to initiate a program and the hour glass just sits there spinning on the screen. It can appear that our computer has locked up or froze but what is actually happening is the computer is completing the series of instructions it has been given before it can perform any further instructions. When this happens we usually see it as the computer briefly locking up. It is also very frustrating.

The best way to resolve this problem is by simply adding more RAM to your computer. Adding more RAM is possibly the easiest way to increase the performance of your computer. Increasing the amount of RAM in your computer can help your computer run faster because it allows your computer store more instructions. This lets the computer carry out a lot of instructions while you continue to do your work and it reduces the computer freeze ups.

The speed of the RAM you use can also help the computer. If you use RAM that has a faster Data Bus speed it can send the instructions it is storing to the CPU at a faster rate. The faster the CPU gets the instructions the faster it can carry them out and the faster your computer will run.

The amount and type you can use is dictated by the type of CPU and Motherboard you use. The Bus speed of the CPU and Motherboard as well as the capacity of RAM the Motherboard can recognize will determine what type of RAM and how much you can use.

Some Motherboards will allow you to install as much as 32GBs of RAM and most Motherboards will recognize multiple Bus speeds so you can use several different types of RAM. Generally speaking the faster the BUS speed and the larger storage capacity of the RAM, the faster your computer will perform. The important thing to remember though is that with larger capacity and speed comes higher price.

What's nice about upgrading RAM is most Motherboards can accommodate several different speeds and capacities of RAM so you can start out with a slower speed and smaller capacity, which will be less expensive reducing your initial upgrade cost and then later down the road you can upgrade your RAM to a larger capacity and high speed.

Replacing the Motherboard, CPU and RAM is actually a lot easier than you may think. The CPU and RAM are directly connected to the motherboard so you can replace all three components at the same time by simply swapping out the motherboard.

To do this you must first determine what kind of form factor of motherboard your current computer supports.

The Motherboard Form Factor

Many computer manufacturers such as HP, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, eMachine, and Acer build their computers based on 4 primary motherboard form factors or design specifications and they are:

ATX = Full Size Motherboard generally found in full size Desktop computers and Towers
Micro-ATX = Mid Size motherboard found in Mid Tower and Smaller Desktops
Mini-ATX = Small Motherboard found in Mid Towers, Smaller Desktops
Mini-ITX = Newest motherboards very small size found in new smaller towers and desktops

These form factors refer to the size of the Motherboard itself. The computer case is designed to accommodate a specific size of Motherboard. Once you have determined which form factor your computer model is, then all you need to do is purchase the correct form factor Motherboard that fits your computer models case.

It would work like this. Let's say you have an HP Pavilion 750n desktop computer. This is an older computer with a single core processor. Nice computer when it first came out but very slow by today's standards. You decide that you want to make it faster by upgrading it to a Quad Core CPU but you need to determine if you can upgrade it.

You can determine whether or not you can upgrade that particular computer by going to the HP support website. On the site you would type in your computer model and look at the hardware specifications for that computer. HP will list the form factor information in the specifications guide. Having done this many times, I already know the 750n uses a Micro-ATX form factor.

Each computer manufacturer I named has a support site on their webpage where you can go to determine your models form factor. You can also do a search on Yahoo, Google, or Bing and ask what form factor your computer model is. If that doesn't work simply email me or leave a comment on this article and I can help you locate it.

Once you know the type of form factor your computer model supports you are now ready to decide what performance level you would like to upgrade your computer to.The performance level of the computer is generally dictated by the CPU it uses. You may recall I indicated the CPU is often referred to as the brain of the computer because it processes all the instructions and it sets the computers overall speed based on it's clock speed.Since the computers overall speed is set by the CPU, you typically start your upgrade by determining the CPU performance level you want.

How you decide which performance level you would like to upgrade to can be based on how you use your computer and how much you want to spend to upgrade it. Generally speaking if you only use your computer to send and receive email, browse the web, and save and share digital images from a digital camera, then you may only need to upgrade to a Dual Core CPU to significantly improve you computing experience.

If you play lots of games, burns DVDs, edit movies or sound files, and work with high resolution images or graphics, then you may want to select a Quad Core CPU to increase performance and improve your computing experience.

From a cost perspective you can expect to pay more for a faster CPU than you would for a slower CPU and Quad Core CPUs are generally more expensive than Dual Cores. As a rule I believe you should purchase as much as you can for as little as possible that way you get the most for your money and you won't have to upgrade again for quite a while.

When you are ready to select your CPU you will have choices based on manufacturer and type and there are also some differences between the various types of CPUs from each manufacturer which you should be aware of.

There are three primary CPU manufacturers Intel, AMD and Motorola, but for the purpose of this article we are only going to focus on Intel and AMD. Motorola is primarily responsible for making CPUs for Apple Computers. Apple computers, are a proprietary computer model and it can be more difficult and more costly to upgrade an Apple computer.

This article is focused on helping the budget conscious, who own what is generally referred to as an IBM compatible computer, upgrade their computer easily and inexpensively. IBM compatible computers are identified as those computers which primarily run a Microsoft Windows based operating system such as Windows XP or Windows 7. Intel and AMD manufacture CPUs that support IBM compatible computers so those are the two manufacturers we will focus on.

For the purpose of this article I am not going to go into great detail about the differences between Intel and AMD CPUs. There is already a significant amount of detailed information available on the internet which describes each manufacturers CPU chip architecture, as well as gives side by side comparison.

I would invite you to do a little research on how each manufacturers chips are designed and then review a website that benchmarks each CPUs performance. There are many links on CPU design, comparisions and reveiws on the weband this can help you make your CPU choice.

The prevailing sentiment regarding AMD vs. Intel is that both CPUs, in either Dual or Quad Core configuration, perform similarly with Intel being slightly faster. Intel CPUs have always been associated with executing business applications quickly while AMD CPUs run multimedia applications quickly. As you research their benchmark scores you will see Intel on a graph seems to dramatically out perform AMD but when you look at the duration of time between the two it is minimal.

Where you will see a significant difference between the two manufacturers is in cost. AMD CPUs are almost always less expensive than Intel CPUs. The question I always ask my clients is, "Is a 4 second faster speed difference worth an extra $200 or $300 dollars more by buying an Intel CPU?" To me it is not.

I am looking for an overall performance increase compared to what I am currently using. Once you upgrade your computer you are not going to be comparing it to another computer of equal performance, you will be comparing it to the speed of your last computer. If after your upgrade, you find your computer runs significantly faster than your last computer and it didn't cost much for you to achieve that performance increase, you will be happy with your upgrade and that is what is important.

CPU Cache

Earlier I indicated that RAM stores all the instruction data being transmitted to the CPU and throughout the computer. The CPU Cache is another form of high speed memory only it is specifically devoted to the CPU. It has been shown that a CPU can process data faster if more of the data it must process can be stored on memory located closer to the CPU itself.

All CPUs come with a cache but some newer CPUs will come with an additional cache that is faster and can hold more data closer to the CPU. Typically CPUs operating at a higher clock speed and having an additional, faster cache will offer higher performance.

A good example of this is the difference between the AMD Athlon and Phenom Series of CPUs. Both the Athlon and Phenom series come in Dual and Quad Core configurations but the Phenoim Series has an additional L3 cache making the CPU faster. It also makes a Phenom series CPU more expensive than the Athlon Series.

Another interesting tidbit is there is now a version II for both the Athlon and Phenom Series. The version II offers a more faster cache hence both CPUs are supposed to be faster than their predecessors however the benchmark numbers show a relatively small increase in performance.

Be sure to do a little research on the differences between the AMD and Intel CPUs and select the one you feel will be appropriate for your computing needs while meeting your budget goals. Once you have chosen the CPU you want you will then be ready to select the Motherboard that supports not only your CPU but your computer form factor as well.

One last thing regarding CPUs are both AMD and Intel have different CPU form factors so when you are selecting a Motherboard for the form factor that meets your computers specifications you also need to select the one that fits your CPU choice. This may seem complicated but it is not that difficult once you start looking at the Motherboard and CPU combinations.

The resellers I have showed you have filtering options on their web pages which allow you to select Motherboards that can support either AMD or Intel. You can also filter by both CPU and computer form factor as well which can help you narrow down your decision making.

Once you have made a decision on the CPU, you want to select the Motherboard that will support the CPU you have chosen. As far as Motherboards go there are several major manufactures of Motherboards and they all produce the 4 main types of Motherboard form factors. The major manufactures are:

ASUS
Biostar
Gigabyte
MSI
Foxconn
ECSJetway
Zotac

This may seem like a lot to choose from but as you begin to filter on the CPU type you can narrow down your focus and make selecting the right Motherboard easier.

Each motherboard will come with common features that are necessary for standard computer operations and some can come with additional features that may or may not be beneficial to you. The primary thing to remember about the Motherboard is that all of the components connect too it and you can choose to customize your computer upgrade as much or as little you want depending on the Motherboard you purchase.

For example, you can purchase a Motherboard which has the video and sound card integrated into the board. This saves you both time and money because it eliminates the need for you to choose a video or sound card, but if you want a specific video or sound card, you can select a Motherboard that does not come with those integrated components and then pick the video and sound card you would like to install as add in cards onto the Motherboard.

Here is a list of common Motherboards features:

Keyboard and Mouse input often referred to as a PS2 connector
USB - Universal Serial Bus ports for connecting computer peripherals such as (Keyboard, Mouse, Printer, Digital Camera, external Hard Drive etc...)
Parallel Printer Port (not as much in newer motherboards as printers use USB)
Local Area Network or LAN connection for a network or internet connection
Dial-up Modem (not as common in newer boards due to high speed internet connections)

Optional Motherboard Features:

1394 or Fire-wire connection (higher speed data connection)
External SATA or Serial-ATA connection (higher speed data connection designed to connect external SATA devices such as a Hard Drive)
HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface to connect an HD Monitor or TV, or to an external High Definition Audio component

We touched on RAM earlier and we know that the RAM you choose must be supported by the CPU and Motherboard you choose. To make it simple it breaks down like this when upgrading. The CPU determines the type of Motherboard you have to choose and your computer model determines the type of Motherboard form factor you select.

The Motherboard will dictate what type of RAM you will be able to use so that will make your selection easier. The only thing you will have to decide when it comes to RAM, is the size of RAM meaning the amount of Gigabytes, Gigs or GBs of RAM you choose and the RAM speed you select.

One other thing you must be aware of is the newer Operating Systems such as Windows Vista and Windows 7 require a minimum of 2GBs of RAM to run properly so you will want to select at least 2GBs of RAM when you upgrade. Knowing this can make your decision regarding the amount of RAM pretty straight forward. As far as the speed of RAM you select that again will depend on the speeds the Motherboard will support, the amount of performance you want and how much you are willing to spend.

As far as determining the speed of RAM your Motherboard will support that is not difficult to determine. As you begin to look at Motherboards you will see they clearly specify the type and speed of RAM they support.

I have covered a lot of information up to this point and I hope you have a better understanding of what is required for you to be able to identify the Motherboard, CPU and RAM components you would need to upgrade your current computer. Buying these components and upgrading them your self is far less expensive then going out and buying a new computer and I am confident with this information as a starting point you too can save money buy upgrading the computer yourself.

There are however, two important additional pieces of information you should know before you attempt to upgrade your computer.

1. Before you upgrade your current computer you should back up all of your important data on to an external storage device such as an external hard drive, USB jump drive or burn it onto a CD or DVD.

The reason this is important is when you upgrade those components you will be forced to reinstall the operating system and that will erase all the current data on your hard drive. In additional if you don't have an installation disk for your current operating system, you will need to purchase a new copy of Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 to install once you have upgraded the components. This may not actually be a major concern for you if you were already considering upgrading to a newer version of Windows. Also I can help you find an inexpensive copy of the Windows operating system if you it.

2. The new components you will install in you current PC will be more advanced from a power consumption standpoint and upgrading them will most likely require you to also upgrade your power supply.

The upgrade is not expensive and is a very easy to accomplish. The type of power supply you will want to select will be roughly 400 watts at least and will need to be a 20x4 pin or 24 pin power supply. This is the type of power supply supported by the newer Motherboards. Again the Motherboard specifications will indicate the power supply requirements.

To make your computer faster all you need to do is upgrade the Motherboard, CPU and RAM. You start by identifying the type of Motherboard form factor your current computer will support, and the performance level you want to upgrade to. Then you buy the CPU that fits your performance needs along with the Motherboard and RAM that fits both your computer model and CPU specifications.

The one thing I didn't cover is the actual installation of these components once you have purchased them and are ready to install. At a high level the process is nothing more then:

Unplugging the computer and disconnecting all peripheral components such as the keyboard, mouse and monitor from the case
Before you open the computer, discharge yourself electrically or purchase a static strap to ground yourself to the chassis, this will help you avoid static discharge which can fry a computer component.
Removing the side cover off the computer case
Disconnecting all the power cables and Data cables from the old Motherboard
Unscrewing and removing the old Motherboard from the case
Unscrewing and removing the old power supply
Install the new power supply
Install the new Motherboard into the case
Reconnecting all the power and data cables
Powering the computer back up and listening for proper post sound
Now you are ready to install the operating system

I know once you decide to start this process you will have many questions which is why there is one last thing I would recommend you do before you begin to upgrade you computer.

There are many do it yourself computer repair and upgrade manuals available online and they can provide you all the help you need to do your computer upgrade. Many of the books will provide you step by step explanation on how to replace just about every component on your computer and provide you with detailed diagrams so you can see how to actually perform the removal or install. I would suggest you make a small investment and purchase one of these books.

If I could recommend any do it yourself computer manual it would be "Self Computer Repair Unleashed".This book covers all aspects of computer upgrade and repair in a clear concise format and provides full color diagrams and step by step instructions to help you through any computer upgrade or repair. I can't recommend this book enough. I have provided a link to this book on the links page of my website below in my signature.

I thank you for reading my article and I hope it has inspired you to go out and tackle what you may have originally thought was an impossible task. You can upgrade your computer yourself and save yourself a lot of money too.

David R Doohen
http://www.djmusickaraoke.com/links
IT Professional with 15 years of experience specializing in Computer Upgrade and Repair
MCP, CCNA, Net+, Server+, A+
Check out Tech Nibble for great computer repair and upgrade content and information.
http://www.technibble.com/

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Things to Consider When Buying a Motherboard

If you are interested in building your own customised personal computer, then it's important that you buy the best possible motherboard, one that is able to meet all your requirements. The performance of your system will depend greatly on the quality of motherboard that you choose to buy and put inside it. The motherboard affects the systems performance a great deal as all the other components will connect to it and work off it. That is one of the primarily reasons why you should do your own independent research to find the best possible motherboard for your new system. Another thing that you should do is compare the different motherboards that you may be interested in buying.

One of the most important aspects of a motherboard is its chipset. That's the component that ensures that all the other components connected to it are able to communicate and function together optimally. It's essentially the bridge between the Central Processing Unit and the other data components that will be connected to it.

The next component that you should think about is the memory. It's important that the amount of memory you have in your system is enough to cover all the things that you intend to do on it. Before you go out and purchase a motherboard, more sure you already know how exactly you intend on using it.

If your intentions are to build an office computer, then a high performance graphics card will not be required. Your attention should be drawn towards purchasing memory and possibly a high performance CPU. Focus on what you intend to do with the computer system and then compare the different motherboards that are able to meet those requirements. If you intend on playing graphics-intensive games on your new system, then you must consider the type of graphics card that you'll have to buy for it.

One of the last things that you should consider when buying a motherboard is its form factor. ATX is the most common form factor that you'll find in the vast majority of computer systems today, microATX on the other hand is similar to the ATX standard only it's designed for smaller cases. There are a number of other form factors out there, but chances are they'll be of limited to no use to you.

It's important that you have all your information in order and double check over everything to make that the motherboard of interest fulfills all your needs. If this is done correctly, then there's little doubt in my mind that you'll have no difficulty building and operating your new computer system.

Uchenna Ani-Okoye has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. Not only does this author specialize in health, computers and weight loss, you can also check out his latest website free computer fax software at http://www.freecomputerfaxsoftware.info/

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Quick Guide to Buying a Computer Motherboard

The motherboard of your computer is considered the most essential part because it connects all the major components that allow them to communicate to get your computer running. It is important to understand the types of motherboard and the kinds of hardware it houses so you will know what to choose when buying a computer motherboard. Below is a quick guide that will help you in your choice of a suitable motherboard for your computer:

Form factors or the size:

- The ATX or Advanced Technology Extended - the standard size/form which can accommodate more ports and allows expandability.
- BTX or Balanced Technology Extended - this is larger than the standard size supposedly to address overheating and to lower power consumption rate but it failed to outpace or dislodge the ATX.
- MicroATX and MiniTX - smaller in size ideal for compact and low power boards, however, the expansion slots and ports are limited.

Take note that when buying a computer motherboard, always check your computer casing if it can support the form of your choice.

Classification according to the type of microprocessor:

Socket A, Socket 939 & Socket AM3 - These types are intended for the AMD processors with Socket AM3 as the latest to come out in the AMD market.

Socket 370, Socket 378, Socket T and Socket H - are compatible with the Intel Celeron, Pentium, Core 2 and Core-I series of processors.

Both the Intel and AMD are the microprocessors of choice nowadays. However, buying a computer motherboard will depend on the classification of the processor that you select.

Other factors to consider:

Front side bus (FSB) - refers to the pathway where the connection or flow of information to and from the processor and the rest of the hardware passes. The speed of the flow is measured in megahertz or MHz and gigahertz or GHz. Depending on your needs, the highest rate is currently at 3.6 GHz.

Random access memory (RAM )- the data and information stored in a ram is only temporary while your computer is switched on, and it is totally deleted once you switch off the system. The size of your ram which is now measured in gigabytes affects the speed of your computer. The higher the ram the more data and information it can support to speed up the processing of your computer. And because you motherboard houses the ram, it is very important to choose one that matches the size and the capacity of your ram when buying a computer motherboard. Like an ATX provides at least four slots for ram that can go as high as 32GB.

Whatever is your budget and the features that you may need for your computer, a basic knowledge of the hardware that you intend to purchase will always come in handy. Like in this case, buying a computer motherboard is no longer an overwhelming task once you have a better appreciation of its technical aspects.

Article written by Jeffrey Frasco. For more information about Buying Computer Motherboards visit BuyComputerComponents.com.

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Information On Buying A Motherboard

When you are buying a new computer, or perhaps looking to upgrade the motherboard of your computer system, you should be sure to know what you are looking for, as the motherboard acts as one of the most powerful parts of the computer system. This article will be referencing motherboard buying when you are upgrading, not buying a brand new system.

The first thing you must check is to ensure that the brand you wish to replace allows for this replacement. Many computers such as Dell or HP require proprietary parts. Once this has been established you should then find out the size of your case. Not all motherboards will fit into all towers. Generally the sizes are called Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX and EATX.

You will want to determine what your computer will be used for, and for future expandability. If you are a gamer, you will want to be sure there are enough slots to allow for a video card, ram, controllers, etc. Many motherboards will have integrated video graphics chipsets built onto it.

It is also important to buy a motherboard that will have enough ram slots, and be sure to check to see what the maximum amount of RAM that it will allow. If you are able to upgrade later, it could be rather beneficial. Sometimes a simple addition of a GIG of RAM will speed up your computer immensely.

One of the most important factors to consider is what the chipset design to your particular motherboard is. Often times you will be able to buy the CPU, heat sink along with the motherboard. This is typically referred to as the chipset. The chipset will follow set structure and designs for Intel and AMD.

There will be other factors such as the amount of PCI slots, USB slots, and things such as sound chip built in. There are quite a few manufacturers that are leaders in this product such as ASUS and Gigabyte. There are also ports and connections that are things such as Firewire, HDMI and eSata. You should also check for integrated LAN.

Lastly, it is important that you also replace the computer's power supply. A newer motherboard may need more juice then the older one. Be sure to fully understand the motherboard buying guide before you buy the first product on the market.

If you are looking for a motherboard buying guide, please visit computertooslow.com to help you select which brand and model you need and to give you the help you computer help needed. Motherboard buying does not have to be confusing if you have the correct information first.

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Sourcing and Buying a Dell Motherboard Online

It has to be said that the Dell motherboard is one of the most complex motherboards among laptops, this can make rebuilding or repairing a Dell motherboard a long and tedious task, but there are some other options we can look at, that will not cost a fortune in time or money and can at times, even save your finances to a greater degree as opposed to when you try to repair or replace components on the current motherboard in your Dell machine.

The other options we can look at to get your machine back up and running are as follows we can look for a Dell motherboard from the Dell site online, however we know that as with most manufacturers, purchasing the part from Dell gives us the assurance of quality, but not so much assurance on the price that they will charge us for the Dell motherboard - so it's a good idea, but not perfect.

The next idea, we could look at popping into our local computer repair centre, they would be able to source the part for us surely? Indeed they can, but this time we may get a more competitive price for our Dell motherboard, but what assurances of quality do we receive here, very little or worse still, none at all.

This leaves us yet another alternative and the ability to combine the advantages of both of the above. We can seek for a store online, this we know, will offer a very competitive price, maybe even lower than the other two sources of the Dell motherboard, and to combine the great price with quality we can seek around online to find a store that will offer us warranty or a guarantee. One guarantee that is completely undisputable and difficult to ignore is the Never Fail guarantee offered by a well renowned laptop parts and accessories store, and to make this an even more perfect solution for the Dell laptop motherboard replacement they offer a great variety for all models of Dell, meaning your new motherboard is waiting just around the corner.

Dell are great machines and when something goes wrong it is a shame to lose it all, the comforting thin now is knowing that we can obtain a new Dell motherboard [http://www.laptopaid.com/store/cat-products_11_Motherboards.aspx] quickly, easily, cheaply and comfortably online with a site such as LaptopAid.com, so we can continue to have many happy years with our laptop knowing it has a quality Dell motherboard installed that will never fail on installation as secured by the guarantee.

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Have Your Motherboard Repaired Rather Than Buying a New One

Say goodbye to your motherboard problems, there is still hope. When most people say that defective motherboards are irreparable, that is not true to some. Motherboards can still be revived if you go to skilled professionals who can repair it.

It can get annoying sometimes when your computer suddenly turns off for no specific reason at all. You immediately reboot it but still nothing appears on the screen. This seems to be the worst thing to happen to your computer and you think that it's the end of it. The most common symptom of a fried motherboard is when your hard drive's activity light does not blink anymore no matter how many times you put it on. This tells you that your computer has crashed and your motherboard has failed.

A hardware problem as mysterious as this has to be taken seriously. When your computer crashes it keeps you from doing all your work effectively. It displays real write errors and other uncommon irregularities. As an immediate response, you open your hard drive to check it out. Or you want to install new drivers that you think might be needed while others check for the computer's BIOS for other options. Hardware like memory might even be replaced to troubleshoot the problem. You can go in circles just looking for possibilities.

This kind of problem is usually linked to the wear and tear of your machine. It could be that you have been using your computer for ages now and it couldn't handle long hours of use. It is part of its life cycle but there is not exact time frame as to how your hardware will last. Even high-end hard drives with quad core processors and terabytes encounter motherboard failures.

Why not consult your local computer technician to see if there is any thing he can do? Have your motherboard checked to see if they can repair it or if you need a new one. It is your computer's backbone and all the wires are connected in it inside the hard drive. Other hardware like the memory, optical drive, CPU, hard drive, video card, sound card and ports connects to the motherboard. That certainly explains why the motherboard fails in time as it handles technically everything.

Be responsible enough when using the computer. Long hours of use can cause overheating and this can affect your motherboard. Treat your computer with sufficient care with proper cooling and when it gets hot switch it off to all ow it time to cool down for a while as overheating can cause the chips to lift off the motherboard. It will be less expensive to have your motherboard repaired than to buy a new one and at least your data will more than likely be saved.

Go to the best computer shop in your area and see if they are equipped with the latest technology and strategies to handle a faulty motherboard. They should have the necessary equipment to reflow solder on to your motherboard and get it back as good as new. Smaller companies will not have this sort of equipment so do your research first before booking it in for repair.

Problem with your Motherboard? The solution is here at Crawley Computer Centre Services.

Unit 4 Bank Precinct
Gatwick Road
Crawley
West Sussex
RH11 9RF

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Buying a Motherboard - What to Consider

Buying a motherboard can be a tricky process, and it is important to pick the right motherboard for you system, as it is the backbone through which your processor (the brain) communicates with the rest of the system.

The main thing to consider is that your motherboard is compatible with all the components in your machine. The most important component is, of course, your CPU, and a lot of CPU's come in many different factors, with pin count and size being the two most often differentiating features as far as compatibility with the motherboard, but speeds can also be a consideration.

The chipset on the motherboard is a very important consideration, too. As this is built into the board and not upgradeable or changeable like other components, choosing a motherboard with an aging chipset will ultimately limit your system's potential capabilities. Many motherboards use the same standard chipset, so there may be times when you'll have to look at the little things (such as the number of PCI slots) to ultimately decide which motherboard will best fit your needs.

Next in line of important aspects to consider is the graphics hardware. Generally speaking, motherboards will come with onboard graphics that serve the most basic necessities, but anything beyond that requires a dedicated graphics card. If you need a card, you have to look at whether or not your system has an AGP or a PCI Express connection. As PCI-E has mostly replaced AGP as the standard in this field, this is becoming less of a factor as time goes by.

Other connected devices to consider, such as hard drives or RAM, are mostly a non issue as the standard connections for those devices have been around for a while. Just make sure you know whether or not your motherboard supports DDR2 or DDR3 memory so you don't waste money buying the wrong type of RAM, as those are currently the most prolific standards of memory on the market today.

Storage is also an import factor to keep in mind. Most hard drives today connect through SATA, and every relatively new motherboard has SATA. Disk drives can also connect through SATA, though the older PATA standard is still generally used for this. There's also USB and Firewire ports to think about in regards to external storage, but practically every motherboard has USB today.

Other connections, such as sound or networking, are usually already taken care of on the motherboard. If you need a dedicated card for these needs, though, most connect to the standard PCI port.

The last thing to consider is form factor: ATX is the general form you'll find in the vast majority of desktop machines, with microATX filling the need if your computer case is tiny. There are other special form factors out there if you have very specific needs.

So long as you keep all of these little bits of information straight and double check everything to make sure it will all work together, you shouldn't have any trouble building and running your new computer. 

Matthew Kerridge is a computer hardware engineer. If you are looking to buy a motherboard please visit http://www.ebuyer.com/

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A Guide to Buying Asus Motherboards

There are some who are unable to get their needs met with many of the computers that are offered out there. When people are into building their own computers, they have to consider many things. Asus motherboards are always one thing to consider and here are some of the reasons why.

As with anything, it is always important to evaluate the reason that you need the specific thing. You should think of the main reasons that you will be using the computer for and if it will pertain to things as gaming or other professional uses. As with most people, you are probably going to want to have a computer that is stable.

Most of those who build their own computers have concerns that relate to capabilities regarding expanding to when they want in addition to a system that is stable and a larger capacity. So, this means ports are something to consider, as well as add ons and RAM and hard disk space. The motherboard as many know is one of the most important components of the computer.

Generally, the kind of motherboard that a person gets for the computer will have to do with the operation of the computer. Often, the quality of the motherboard will relate to the overall operation of the computer. This has to do with the components on the circuit board.

This is the reason that you are going to want to make sure you get the kind of motherboard that will meet the needs that you have. The Asus motherboards tend to accommodate all of the needs that a person has, such as the P7H57D-VeVO motherboard.

This motherboard features two SATA 3. 0 along with two USB ports. Additionally, there are a number of outputs on this motherboard as well. In addition it houses PCI-e x16 slots in order to support the CrossFire setup it has. At this time however this motherboard has not come out on the market yet and there is no release on information pertaining on what kind of price range this will be in.

In any case, you are going to want to make sure the motherboard that you buy is capable of handling your needs. One of the things that is your best bet is to read all the things that you can that pertain to Asus motherboards. This way you will ensure that you are getting the right mother board for your needs.

Matthew Kerridge is an expert in electronic products. If you want more information about varieties of Asus motherboards or are looking for a reputable computer retailer please visit http://www.ebuyer.com

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Buying a Motherboard for Gaming: What Features You Need to Consider

The motherboard defines the computer's system. It also determines the computer's speed, capacity and other important functions necessary for a fully functional unit. In using the computer for gaming purposes, it is important to consider the functions present in a motherboard and determine if it can handle intensive gaming applications. Be guided with the following features that must be present in a preferred motherboard for gaming purposes:

High Memory Capacity

For a good gaming experience, at least 1 GB RAM is needed. You can get either a DDR SDRAM or a DDR RDRAM. If lower than 1 GB of RAM, the game's speed and graphic quality can be compromised so it is always critical to get at least 1 GB RAM capacity.

Adequate RAM Slots

Since gaming computers have high RAM requirements, a minimum of 4 RAM slots is required. The RAM slots should be compatible with the RAM used which should have at least 1100 MHz capacity. Without adequate RAM slots, it may not sustain high RAM requirements since RAM modules are connected equally and separately for a highly functional RAM module.

256 MB to 512 MB Graphic Card

Gaming applications rely heavily on graphics, so it is important to have a high video memory capacity around 256 MB up to 512 MB. Usually, a standard motherboard has 64 MB up to 128 MB of built-in video memory, so an additional graphics card is needed. Whenever an additional graphic card is installed, just make sure that it is compatible with the motherboard in use.

Compatible Processor

No matter how great the purchased CPU is, it will not perform well if it is not compatible with the motherboard. For this reason, choose only from the motherboard's advised CPUs to ensure compatibility. At the same time, make sure that the CPU is fast and powerful enough as these features are typically required in a good-performing gaming PC. But remember, to be careful as certain motherboards have maximum allowable processor speed. In this case, just check the quoted limit in the motherboard's specifications and check if the chosen CPU meets the requirement.

Adequate USB Ports and PCI Slots

The PCI slots are designed to accommodate additional cards to the motherboard such as Ethernet card, sound card and modem. For optimum gaming experience, additional cards may be connected to PCI slots in order to meet most gaming application demands. The USB ports must be critically considered as well for other additional capacity options.

Avoid On-Board Video and Sound

There are some motherboards made with built-in video and sound capabilities. But remember that on-board video is not good for 3D games, so a separate graphic card must be installed. On the other hand, on-board sound function is just fine as the sound quality is almost the same with the sound produced in a separate sound card.

Make sure to consider the above mentioned critical features when choosing gaming motherboards. The listed features can also be used for assessing gaming ready motherboards sold in the market, so it can be determined if the motherboard could really perform well with gaming applications.

Now that you know how to choose the right motherboard for gaming, learn more about other motherboard features you'll need to consider at http://www.TheComputerHardwareBlog.com/understanding-motherboards/

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How Social Media Is Transforming the B2B Buying Experience

This past year we've witness a meteoric explosion of social media, social business, and many other peripheral digital communications channels. Without question, social media has dominated the business news in terms of conventional media channels as well as digital media channels. B2B organizations are either dipping their toes in the social media waters while some have dived in nose first with elaborate presence. One thing is clear, many are trying to do "something" with social media even if unsure what that "something" is. Undoubtedly, there is pressure emanating from an executive view that most likely sounds like "we've got to do something with this social media thingy" since it's in the news everywhere. Perhaps sounding eerily similar to that recent conversation you've had with your teenage son or daughter who answers your "why" question with "because everyone is doing it."

Predictably,when there is a high degree of the unknown, we begin to see the conventional terms arising to be applied to something new. Clamoring to show ROI, accountability, measurable results, tracking results, the ROI calculator, and etc. This clamoring attributable to a classic tension point of those who want to invest in a rising force with those who must see predictive returns to justify. Leaving both sides to exit a meeting screaming about that old adage of what comes first - the chicken or the egg?

So what really is going on? This is the million dollar question without a clear answer yet. The only thing we can be sure of is that buying behaviors have changed and that expectations about the buying experience have changed. The picture of each of these changes continues to be fuzzy at best. While there have been many reports that show quantifiably how buyers are accessing social media, what is going on qualitatively remains murky. What follows are some views on how social media is qualitatively transforming the B2B buying experience:

Scripted Talk Tolerance: buyers are demonstrating a low tolerance for what has been the traditional use of scripted talk. It is puzzling to see that companies continue to "arm" their sales and marketing organizations with scripts. Even in social media platforms you see "scripted" talk being used. Treating social media basically just as another form of a brochure.

Listening Post: social media represents the new "listening post" to buyers. Buyers have always by nature gravitated towards a listening post. From the old western frontier saloon to the modern day conferences buyers have listened. Social media has created a widespread availability for buyers to listen in on what is new, what others are saying, and for good sound advice without having to reveal who they are.

Online Education: we are hearing much these days about content marketing, content curation, content creation, and the likes. A read on this from a buyer's perspective and how it is changing the buying experience is that buyers expect to be educated. In reality, B2B businesses are learning to become a new breed of online educators. Buyers, when confronted with problems, issues, and initiatives, are impulsively online seeking to educate themselves about what confronts them. If this "thirst for knowledge" cannot be filled, on they move until a source is discovered that can. Social media can represent such a source for education.

Freedom of Choice: what is fast becoming an overly used expression is that "buyers are in control" these days. No kidding! I'm not sure sales and marketing were ever in "control" of the buyer. What appears to be the real development is that buyer's have freedom of choice in terms of how they wish to interact. In what seems like something out of a history book, buyers really had only one choice for many years - to interact directly with sales. Social media and the digital age have transformed the buying experience in the sense that buyers have more choices to interact. And some buyers, what may seem unfathomable with all of the swirling news surrounding social media and "buyers are in control" actually do prefer to pick up the phone and call a sales rep to say "come in for a chat."

Peer Review: one of the mainstays of the science, education, and legal professions over the last one hundred years has been the foundation of peer review. Peer review meaning an expectation to publish works in the journals in noted professions and dialogue with your peer professionals on the latest hypotheses, trials, rulings, and etc. Social media platforms, in an alternative form of the traditional means, represent a new mode of peer review for professionals in B2B domains. This is much different than peer-to-peer networking per se' for it alludes to establishing a form of reputation, creditability, and subject matter expertise. Peer review within social media platforms is transforming the buyer experience by creating a "collegiality" atmosphere to the overall buying experience.

Brand Advocacy: social media represents a new fountain of advocacy for a particular brand. An all encompassing advocacy of a brand and the experience they represent. The key differentiator is that buyers will contribute to brand advocacy organically versus being asked to through whatever promoted means designed to "compel" them to do so. While B2C promoted advocacy can catch on, B2B buyers are astute in differentiating organic advocacy from promoted advocacy.

These six perspectives represent qualitatively arrived at views on how social media is transforming the buying experience. Views on the changing buyer behavior and the changing buyer experience based upon qualitative interviews with buyers. What is apparent is that the expectations about the buyer experience is transforming and will continue to do so. The real news not being social media per se' but a realization that B2B organizations need to start thinking and planning for how they can reinvent the buying experience for their buyers. What buyers appear to be saying is not "where are you on Twitter or Facebook" but "how can I be educated, have a learning experience, and be in a collegial bond to solve some real problems" without all the fanfare that surround the "find me" and "follow me "edicts.

Tony Zambito, Founder and Principal of Goal Centric, a customer strategy firm based on a goal-centered approach to buyer experience innovation. Goal Centric is also the originator of the buyer persona methodology and Tony is the author of the ebook 10 Rules for Buyer Persona Development. He has served as a member of senior management teams with TRW, Knight-Ridder, and Compaq where he worked with many of today's leading Fortune 100 companies. Tony is also author of the blog The Buyer Experience http://www.thebuyerexperience.com.

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Media Buying Agencies - 4 Reasons Why They Are Good For Your Business

Media buying agencies can help you generate more value for your money. And if you think they are just an additional cost to your advertising project, think again! Aside from getting you lower costs and better time slots for your ads, working with them will help you avoid a lot of headaches along the way. And most importantly, hiring professional media buyers doesn't mean you have to shell out more money for your project. The media networks will take care of that for you!

However, the advantages of using a professional media buying company don't just end there. Here are some other benefits that you can get out of working with them:

1. You will be able to see the bigger picture in a better light. Working with a professional media buyer is more like getting some extra heads (and very capable ones at that, too!) to work on your project. You will get more help in identifying and reaching your target customers, achieving your marketing goals, and getting the best ad spots at the best prices imaginable.

2. You wouldn't have to be disturbed by all those media reps ever again. Are you tired of talking endlessly on the phone with media reps offering their "special advertising prices"? Or how about those who are pushing all those "one-day deals" for your company to consider? Needless to say, this can be an ultimate time drain. Wouldn't it be nice to tell these people to go talk to your media agency instead?

3. You can say goodbye to all those accounting headaches. The cost of TV advertising often fluctuates, and whether you accept it or not is immaterial. That's just the way it is. With all those scheduling adjustments and programming changes, your bills will definitely fluctuate from time to time. However, if you have a professional media agency by your side, you can be sure that their experienced accountant will keep you on the budget. No ballooning bills, no surprises, no headaches! All you'll get is peace of mind.

4. You can save a lot of time. Considering all the things a media buying agency can do for you, you'll end up feeling like you've just gained a lot of extra time in your day. Since we all know how precious time is, would there be anything better than that?

Learn how you can have a successful online business by utilizing the power of affiliate marketing and online media buying the right way. Let Media-Mentors guide you on how you can be a super affiliate marketer and a seasoned media buying and planning authority in the online world.

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Media Planning And Buying For An Effective Advertising Campaign

This article will explore the principles behind media planning. After all the research and strategizing has been carried out by a business the next stage they have to face is to start promoting what they are offering to their potential new customers.

Certainly the most important weapon in any company's bid to reach those new customers is a well-conceived advertising campaign. It is therefore essential that they spend time planning it.

When it comes to producing a well conceived media advertising planning strategy there are certain things that need to be looked at.

Today there are a number of different ways in which a business can get their message across to their customers. They could if they want use the television, newspapers, magazines as well as the radio.

Plus they may want to consider see what ways they can advertise their business on the internet. However which ever media advertising method they decide to do they will also need to be aware of their budget constraints.

In order to plan their advertising campaigns correctly there are 3 questions that any good media planner should be asking themselves.

1. What is the right mix of media to use for the campaign?

2. Which of any of the media available could offer them direct access to the customers that they are targeting?

3. How often should their advertisements be shown and when should they be shown.

Once they are able to provide answers to these questions then the media planners can start to look at the budget that they have and how to utilize it fully.

It is the job of the media planner who often works as part of an advertising agency or even for a specialty firm to device the right media planning strategy. The job of the media planner is to work closely with the people within the business in order to devise a plan and strategy that will bring that all important customer to the businesses door.

Unfortunately when it comes to devising the perfect media planning strategy for a business the best thing that any media planner can do is first learn about it. It is important that they spend time with their client learning as much as they can before they actually devise a strategy to bring the customers flocking to the company's door. Once the media planner has devised the plan which they feel will work best for the company they then pass on what they want to happen to a media buyer, which could be someone else or the same person.

Go to Media Planning [http://www.imediaplanning.com] for more about a media planner's role and how to plan, buy media placement and analyze post media buy results.

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Top 3 Reasons Why You Need a Media Buying Service

There is no doubt that buying media ads is critical in promoting your business but do you really need a media buying service to do it for you? Wouldn't it be more practical to do all the media buying decisions yourself?

Well, taking all points into consideration, using a media buying service is the better way to go. Why? Here are some of the most important reasons that you may want to consider:

Professional help without additional costs. By doing business with a professional media buying agency, you get professional help without incurring any additional costs. Sounds too good to be true? Well, you better believe it!

How can this be possible? Media stations usually offer exclusive discounts (usually about 15% of the total package price) to such buying agencies. So, essentially, the media stations are the ones paying for the services these media buying companies are offering you. This also means that whether you opt to use their service or purchase the ad spots yourself directly from the media networks, you'll still be paying the exact same amount.

Better leverage. Media buying agencies can negotiate for better time slots and lower prices far better than any individual company can due to the sheer amount of business they bring to the media networks. And because they have such an extensive experience in the trade, they can safely avoid the most common problems that may come up along the way.

Let's take the "bumping" of ad spots as an example. Bumping, or the removal of ad spots from their original schedule, is one of the common problems that often crops up in most television stations. And who gets hit the most? Well, your guess is as good as mine. The most common victims are advertisers whose negotiated contract price is below a specific amount. However, if you're using a media buying service, you can be sure that you'll never get yourself in the midst of this annoying situation.

You get your money's worth. The cost of radio and television advertising is usually based on a "tonnage" basis or the number of people who view your ads. Since this may be quite expensive, your goal would be to get the lowest "cost-per-thousand" (CPM) for your target market. Having that satisfied, you now need to be sure that you are getting your money's worth and not being short-changed. And here is where your chosen agency gets more useful. They can provide accurate tracking to make sure your ads reach the target number of views. If not, your media buyer will simply request for "make good" ads (otherwise known as free spots) to make up for the difference.

Using the services of a professional media buying agency is undoubtedly the right way to go. It can prevent your company from losing valuable resources such as time and money, and provide you with more effective marketing results. Now, are you convinced you need professional help you with your media buys?

Learn how you can have a successful online business by utilizing the power of affiliate marketing and online media buying the right way. Let Media-Mentors guide you on how you can be a super affiliate marketer and a seasoned media buying and planning authority in the online world.

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Media Buying 1Oh!1

The "Oh's," the "Aughts," the "Naughts," the "Double O's" - seems no one is quite sure what to call or how to characterize the decade recently retired. Globalization, war on terrorism, everything Apple, reality TV, emerging BRIC economies, web 2.0, global warming. Is there a tidy zeitgeist to be found? Some suggest it was the Age of Turbulence end-capped by 2 major recessions: '01 and '08-'09.

The DRTV media rollercoaster surely blessed riders with its share of thrills and chills over the last 10 years, with no dip or rise untouched. Where rising rates were once the only predictable variable in the industry, everything from new cable channels to an influx of brand advertisers to changes in buying methodologies impacted the way DRTV media buyers do their jobs, producers create commercials and marketers generate profits.

Rewind 10 years and the scene was quite different. The country's economy, fueled by "irrational exuberance," was booming. Taebo and Popeil's Showtime Rotisserie were completing record breaking DRTV campaigns. Consumers had discretionary income - and weren't afraid to spend it. And while the Internet had already established itself as a profitable partner in a marketer's television campaign, it would be years before words like "online video" and "YouTube" would roll off their tongues.

Sea Changes

Much changed during the "Oh-Oh's." DRTV outlets exploded. More than doubling, cable networks running short and long form DRTV hit four score or more. Broadcast outlets proliferated daily, as stations flipped the switch on their digital D2 and D3 sub channels, with little else but DRTV media to sell. Direct TV, Dish TV, ATT's Uverse and Verizon's FiOS TV launched multiple 24/7 wall-to-wall DRTV channels. Online video went main stream with 8 billion videos uploaded to the Web every month. DRTV driven internet orders pushed beyond the 50% mark as consumers will make over $150 billion in 2010 epurchases. Soft offers advanced; hard offers retreated. Media buying companies ran riot, mushrooming from half a dozen major players to over 25 shops. And DRTV media became the "cash cow" for many stations and cable networks - dependable revenue, through bull and bear.

Most dramatic, though, has been the drop in media rates across broadcast and cable outlets, as much as 40% from pre-recession levels - a dramatic decrease not seen in the DRTV industry for over 2 decades.

Storm Clouds

Yet not is all Shire-like merry and mirth in DRTV land. DRTV media buying was never easy; now it's laboriously complex. The proliferation of DRTV media outlets, agencies and brokers has brought intense competition, fragmentation and impersonalized dealings to the marketplace. Multiple media players drive artificial rate increases, advancing prices rapidly toward pre-recession levels. Inconsistent results require weekly schedule changes and renegotiating. DVRs cannibalize late night viewers. One-step offers are virtually extinct in short form. Inexperienced buyers and reps destabilize markets. Broadband internet's 70% penetration steals away valuable TV eyeballs as consumers spend 2+ hours per day online. Agency media commissions continue to drop to agency life-threatening sub-10% averages. Indubitable DRTV seasonality has crumbled.

And response for standard DRTV impulse products (fitness, beauty, business opp, household appliances) is frighteningly fickle. Potential buyers hesitate to order in a dicey economy, especially high-ticket items. "People are spending less money, and don't necessarily have to buy what's being presented on TV," says David Chaladoff, president of David Chaladoff Media, Inc. "If it's not food or toilet paper, they don't need it and they won't buy it."

The Devil to Pay

In this destabilized media world, media buying best practices are changing. A decade ago, seasoned DRTV media buyers from the six dominant DRTV agencies had long-standing personal relationships with network/station sales reps who granted their preferred buyers a heads-up on the best avails, at the best rates. That 20th century relationship-based buying practice benefitted marketers, who knew that their short-form spot or infomercial running at a specified price and in a certain daypart would generate a consistent number of sales.

But the cherished buyer/salesperson personal relationship has dissolved - gone the way of Bennifer, Spederline and Jimeny. Due to recession and industry consolidation, fewer broadcast stations have staff devoted to selling time, instead moving this responsibility to rep agencies who now carry 50-60 stations instead of a dozen. Reps are jammed, so forget about getting them on the phone for a half hour of bonding. Emails only, please. One industry veteran lamented, "Ten years ago, I received many more phone calls with fire sale opportunities. Now, I can't even get a rep to pick up the phone. Everybody is so busy that email has trumped personal relationships. That's what I miss the most."

And where half or more of all buys were transacted directly a decade ago, now buyers may be speaking to a station directly only 25% of the time. In their place are blackberry wielding station reps. One media buyer observed, "Some are great at customer service while others make me feel like just a number. When it comes to rates with those reps, the highest bid wins; less work for them."

Three Sheets to the Wind

DRTV "seasonality," once the buyer's mainstay and friend, has become as erratic as a drunken sailor. Today, media buyers feel they're hanging on for dear life as the seasons roll by with little predictability of response. Traditional seasonality meant a great 1st quarter; April was soft; bit of a rebound in May and June; growing response in 3rd quarter; September would fall off; then a horrific "Red October," and a strong November/first half of December. For the past few years, that's all changed: January is no longer "black January." Because it's booked up front at the highest rates, reflecting hoped for dynamite response, buyers have been paying too much and getting clobbered by playoff football. February is the "new January" because buyers jump in and hammer the rates down from January heights. Then March can be full of landmines. Beautiful weather this past mid-March, after a hard winter, sent everyone outside and response tanked.

In fact, all year long DRTV results are capricious. Buying strategies need revamping monthly or even weekly. Today's buyer has to be nimble, more watchful, even fearful, on the phone weekly renegotiating. The days are long gone when you could book a strip, throw in 2 titles and be done for the quarter. Deterioration and volatility are the enemy; it's no longer a given when a time slot pays out the first couple of spins that results will hold; results might go up, or nose-dive on the next outing. Orders are inconsistent week to week. Buyers and sellers are having to tier the rates - negotiating down or up based on the week and month: pay $500 in October then $700 in November and 1st two weeks of December, then drop back for the last 2 weeks before Christmas.

Buyers are using every strategy in the book to control time and keep their clients on air: purchasing blocks of media upfront at overly high rates to control time, then going back in for rate reductions after the first couple of weeks of miserable results, sacrificing some losses to secure 13 weeks of time; paying cash plus a revenue share per unit sold after target sales are achieved; buying packages with "no charge" spins built in; scoring bonus runs on stations' D2 and D3 affiliates; even persuading local TV news personalities to promo an infomercial that runs immediately after a morning chat show.

Of course, media sellers are struggling too, with station revs down over 30% in 2009. Their nightmares come alive in the constant renegotiation, the price drops, the dozens of agencies angling for time. Their concern: buyers are not crediting internet sales to individual telecasts, thereby devaluing their time. Of course, the real reason for time devaluation is industry fragmentation - hundreds of DRTV channels today vs. dozens yesteryear. Case in point: one of the top cable networks Saturday AM media slots selling now for $12,000 was priced at $30,000 15 years ago. Why? A very efficient DRTV marketplace has measured its performance and found it wanting.

Caught in the Web

Economic woes aside, if there's one outside force that's affected the media buying industry the most over the last decade, it's the Web. Anywhere from 15 to 70 percent of orders are coming in via the Web right now, and - unlike the highly accountable DRTV - lack an accurate, visible tracking method. "When you get an order from Los Angeles, you don't know if it came from the USA Network or from the local KCOP spins," says Chaladoff. "You can track half of them to the telecast, but you'll never know which telecast actually generated the Web sales." Without that information, it's virtually impossible to allocate future buys in a way that maximizes those sales. Networks are also impacted, and unable to adjust rates based on campaign successes. "It's a complete mystery to everyone at this point," says Chaladoff.

The fact that using the Web in conjunction with TV goes against DRTV's highly accountable grain begs the questions: With so many viewers ordering online, what will TV's purpose be in the future? Will the 800 number become obsolete at some point? Will someone come up with a way to accurately tie TV viewing into Web buying? These questions may remain unanswered right now, but will certainly lead to even more changes within the DRTV media buying industry. Stay tuned...

Author of over 175 published articles, Tim Hawthorne is Founder, Chairman and Executive Creative Director of Hawthorne Direct, a full service DRTV and New Media ad agency founded in 1986. Since then Hawthorne has produced or managed over 800 Direct Response TV campaigns for clients such as Apple, Braun, Discover Card, Time-Life, Nissan, Lawn Boy, Nikon, Oreck, Bose, and Heifer International. Tim is a co-founder of the Electronic Retailing Association, has delivered over 100 speeches worldwide and is the author of the definitive DRTV book, The Complete Guide to Infomercial Marketing. A cum laude graduate of Harvard, Tim was honored with the prestigious "Lifetime Achievement Award" by the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) in 2006.

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Media Planning Vs Media Buying: Which Is More Important?

A media planner is like a writer who creates the screen play for a film. A media buyer is like the actor who brings the film to life. A politician with a good message who fails to get out the vote loses the election. And a good media idea, poorly executed, might as well have been a bad idea. Sometimes execution is everything.

A media plan might be brilliant, but will it be executed with equal zeal? Will the plan be executed on budget with the right media vehicles, in the right place, at the right time and with maximum communications impact? If not, the plan might not look so brilliant any more. Media planning, media buying, and media selling are all equal communications partners in driving ROI.

Why is Buying Underestimated?

Since all of the disciplines (planning, buying, selling) are all of roughly equal in importance, I have always wondered why media textbooks dedicate only a few pages to the art and science of media buying and no pages to media selling. Clients probably place the highest importance on the cost effectiveness of the buys negotiated on their behalf. Agencies can lose clients on the basis of poor media buying performance, bu I don't think I can ever remember an agency losing an account because of a media simulation model.

Perhaps some academics believe that media planning is more conceptual, more creative, more research oriented, and provides better mettle for the mind. But these assumptions aren't necessarily so. Media buying at its best requires honed negotiation skills which could be a course in psychology. Buying also it requires an understanding of the communications process that rivals media planning. And media buyers need a knowledge of the research documenting how different media variables, such as commercial affect performance and advertising effectiveness.

It is ironic that so many clients have the opposite belief where buying is more important than planning. After all, that is where the rubber hits the road and the dollars are spent.

In the 21st century, media buyers won't just be responsible for buying TRPS or clicks at the lowest possible price, but must learn how to "buy communication, not TRPS, according to many experts. Beyond CPM, how can a buy's communications effectiveness be maximized? Program involvement, attention levels, contextual considerations, commercial positioning and a host of other factors have a greater impact on communications effectiveness than media weight and CPMs. TRPS are not TRPS.

Where the Jobs Are

Students interested in a career in advertising need to study the art and science of media buying because it is an important part of th business and because jobs in buying are more plentiful than jobs in planning.n the 21st century, students also need a point of difference to help them land a job in every competitive arena. Unless they go to work for a mega agency, where are students going to learn about media buying including negotiating strategy, the role of program involvement, commercial positioning, and context --if not in the classroom?

Everyone in the marketing communications business needs to develop a good understanding of the convergence of planning and buying and selling. Media is transitioning to Integrated Marketing.

Ronald D. Geskey CEO, 2020:MarketingCommunications LLC and author of "Media Planning & Buying in the 21st Century." marketing2020@aol.com

"Media Buying & Planning in the 21st Century" is an excellent primer for those looking for a job in advertising. The book discusses many career opportunities, and will help readers understand the advertising media business so that they can more intelligently pursue media job opportunities. The book covers topics from a practical "how to" standpoint, and unlike some media books, explains issues in plain English and real world examples. The author, Ron Geskey has over 30 years of experience at major advertising agencies. He has a B.S. and M.S. from Southern Illinois University, doctoral work at Texas Tech University, and Executive Education at Wharton School of Business, Northwestern University, Michigan State University

Websites: http://www.21stCenturyMediaPlanning.com - http://www.MediaPlanningBuyinginthe21stCentury.com

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The 8 Reasons to Use a Media Buying Services Agency

More often than not, new advertisers will set up their own ad buys and handle the media buying themselves. While this might be a wonderful educational experience, it is usually a big mistake, costing the company time, money and marketing results. Even if your company has experience in buying media, it would be wise to consider the following eight reasons for working with a professional media buying services agency.

1. It Costs Nothing

When you use a media buying services agency to buy your company's radio and television advertising, the agency is paid through an agency-only discount provided by the station. For example, let's say you want to buy an ad spot that costs $1000. If you work directly with the media station sales rep, that spot costs $1000. If you work with a media buying agency, that spot still costs $1000. Why? Because television stations give the media buyer a discount (usually 15%). This discount is not available to your company; only an established media buying agency is eligible to receive it. Your company pays the exact same amount, and your media buying services agency does the work, paid for by the station.

In our example, it might seem like overkill to introduce a buyer into the mix. If you were buying a limited run on a single station, you could probably do it yourself. On the other hand, longer runs or ads running on more than one station are much more complex. As a matter of fact, as you read on, you will find that not only does using a media buyer not cost anything, it actually stretches your ad budget to help you get a lot more for your advertising dollar.

2. Negotiation "Clout"

Media buying services agencies often have quite a bit of buying influence - in both local and national markets. Professional media buying agencies place advertising for several clients, giving them a total spend much larger than a single company might bring to the table. As you might guess, this level of spending gives them some real advantages when negotiating contracts. Your advertising schedule will benefit with lower prices per spot and better timeslots.

3. Negotiation Know-How

Professional media buyers will tell you that negotiating media buys is often more art than science. A really good buyer truly understands the stations being bought, knows how to reach a compromise that helps your company as well as the station and understands the tricks and traps that could cause problems with the buy.

Here's an example: For one reason or another, television stations often "bump" spots (remove them from the schedule). If your negotiated price is below a certain threshold, your spots have a high likelihood of being bumped instead of another advertiser who is paying higher. The professional media buyer understands this and knows how to prevent this problem.

4. Tracking & "Make-Good" Ads

When you buy television advertising, your cost is based on the station's promise that a certain number of people will see your spot. What happens if they don't? Let's say they promise a million viewers but only half that number tune in (something that happens quite often). What then? Think the station will track you down and let you know it happened, then offer some way to make up for it? Not likely.

A professional media buyer tracks the ratings for your advertising to make sure you get everything that you paid for. In the case above, your media buyer will request "make goods," essentially free spots to make up for the ratings difference. This is huge benefit that will save your budget while also increasing delivery of your message. (For example, in 2008, we tracked a more than 20% under-delivery in one of our markets, saving our clients hundreds of thousands of dollars.)

5. No More Sales Hassles

Your media buying services agency becomes the point of contact for all media reps - those working with your company and those who want to. You're never stuck on the phone discussing "special advertising prices" or "one-day deals" again.

For one of our clients, this was by far his top benefit - even more than the money he saves, he enjoys the ability to tell media reps that he has a media agency and they should call us instead of him.

6. No More Accounting Hassles

No matter how hard you plan, television advertising billing fluctuates and is sometimes incorrect. This due to programming changes, scheduling adjustments and numerous other reasons. Within a media buying services company, you have an accountant that is accustomed to working with television stations to make sure that budgets are kept. This helps you avoid surprises in billing, and it gives you piece of mind that your invoices are correct.

7. More Time In Your Day

If you take away all of the accounting hassles, calls from sales reps, research into shows and networks, and all of the other miscellaneous work that goes into good media buying, then you can save lots of time. If you've worked with a media buying services agency, you know that working with one contact and company saves tons of time over placing on multiple media outlets.

8. Big-Picture Strategy

One of the biggest benefits of working with a media buyer is that they can often see the big picture in a way that the individual sales reps cannot. Your professional media buyer knows your target customers as well as all of your placements and all of your marketing goals. Instead of ordering media based on a station's open inventory (what TV stations call their commercial slots), a professional buy is based on getting you what you need at the best prices available.

John T. Mims, APR, is a senior partner with Altyris, a full-service advertising and public relations agency located in High Point, NC. For more information about Altyris and their media buying services, visit http://www.altyris.com.

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Guerrilla Marketing Idea: Try Guerrilla Media Buying to Buy Remnants, Barter and More!

Guerrilla Media Buying: Tight Budget? No Problem for Guerrilla Marketers! Buy media at 75-80% off rate card!

Guerrilla media buying techniques include non conventional and "under the radar" techniques for buying media time and space in nearly all media forms and at under market prices.

You read about the traditional approaches to media buying- whether broadcast, print, or Internet. But there are other buying strategies to considers such as cross platform buying, where large media conglomerates own an assortment of media properties that can be packaged to extend value for buyers and sellers Sometimes it makes sense to negotiate a cross platform buy with a media conglomerate which owns media properties, film studios, entertainment and sports venues and the like.

Astute media buyers may also use "guerrilla media buying" techniques to achieve their quantitative buying goals. Like the leveraging strategies presented in the media negotiations chapters, guerrilla buying strategies can sometimes get you a lot more advertising exposure for the money.

Some of the techniques, presented in Chapter 23 of "Media Planning & Buying in the 21st Century" will introduce you to money techniques for buying more for less -- like cross platform buying, remnant buying, online auctions and bidding platforms, pay per inquiry, pay per sale, and media barter. Skillful use of these techniques can increase the power of your media budget.

1. Cross Platform Buying - Media conglomerates own many media and entertainment venues. Negotiating a cross platform deal with them can sometimes provide an integrated marketing program and cost savings for the advertiser.

2. Remnants - Remnants are unsold advertising units. The reason for remnant space availability is that media rarely sell all their advertising time or space. The unsold ad space or time, called remnants, can often be bought at steep discounts, e.g., up to 80% of rate card prices. Few media sell all of their time or space before it is too late. Remnants are especially plentiful in radio,newspapers, and the internet for banners and display ads. However, remnants are also available in television, magazines, outdoor, and a variety of non traditional media.

3. Auctions & Bidding - There are a number of online media auctions or bidding opportunities. Advertisers may bid on certain inventory or in some cases media will place bids on the advertiser's budget. Readers are encouraged to check out mediabids.com, or Bid4Spots.com, online marketplaces where buyers can potentially save money and media sellers can generate incremental revenues. In other words, a win-win!

4. Barter - Barter involves trading of products or services for their products or services. Barter is usually cashless. Some companies trade old inventory they haven't sold for media time or space which hasn't been sold. Advertising media is one of the largest categories in barter. Companies interested in trading for media time or space may contact media directly, or they may choose to work through a trade exchange. Barter is an opportunity to gain new customers, buy media without cash.

Due diligence is strongly encouraged-- as there a few crooks out there!

Ronald D. Geskey, CEO, 2020:Marketing Communications LLC

Author & Publisher: Media Planning & Buying in the 21st Century - Book provides a discussion of the mega-trends affecting media planning and and buying and how the status of media buyers and media sellers will rise in the status and responsibility chain. As buyers and sellers begin to understand that it's not about buying the most TRPS at tshe lowest price. Media buying will increase in importance as advertisers better understand that media buying can have a huge effect on advertising effectiveness.

Biography: Ron Geskey has over 30 years of experience at major advertising agencies. Ron has aB.S. and M.S., Southern Illinois University Doctoral work: Texas Tech University Executive Education: Wharton School of Business, Northwestern University, Michigan State University

Websites: http://www.21stcenturymediaplanning.com - http://www.MediaPlanningBuyinginthe21stCentury.com

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