Hardware Has anyone used these Motherboard Testers?

Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
2,572
Trophies
2
XP
3,771
Country
United States
I was browsing newegg for a speaker for my motherboard so i could try to find out why my pc won't boot anymore, and I ran across this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2A7-00AR-00002

Has anyone used one of these? Do they work well? Is there any recommendations as to a certain brand or model that works the best? They all seem pretty inexpensive, and that has me worried, but anything to save me hundreds of dollars buying parts one at a time until my computer boots again would be wonderful.
 

FAST6191

Techromancer
Editorial Team
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
36,798
Trophies
3
XP
28,284
Country
United Kingdom
They work, they do the exact same job as the beep code/error lights on the motherboard, save perhaps they will give you a booklet to look a number up in rather than counting beeps and they might have a LED that indicates various power rails are working as well (if you have a multimeter then use one if you really care.

The only reason I have one is because I fancied a toy off deal extreme one day. I would say the only reason to have one is if you must look flash in front of certain clients (think undeleting with the command line rather than clicking in recuva or something).

If you are faced with randomly picking parts then it might be time to drag it to some form of computer shop -- if they have enough parts in stock/a working machine they can tear down to test your parts individually then just pay them the money instead. Alternatively you can probably get a basic power supply, motherboard and RAM of whatever type you need for what they might charge hourly. It will be awful if you are used to higher end gear and want to use it afterwards but DDR? is DDR? and CPU socket # is CPU socket # (assuming the BIOS handles it)
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
2,572
Trophies
2
XP
3,771
Country
United States
So it really is just a glorified speaker then, it may be worth the few extra dollars not to look up the beep codes, though. I really wish I didn't accidentally send my case speaker back when I RMA'd my DOA motherboard, then I wouldn't have to worry about this at all.
 

Joe88

[λ]
Global Moderator
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
12,736
Trophies
2
Age
36
XP
7,407
Country
United States
It depends, instead of counting beep codes and looking them up you are reading an LED display and looking up what the code means.
I probably woudn't leave that tester in 24/7, it also uses one pci slot and is fairly big, where as the speaker is not and just usually installed in the bottom corner of the board out of the way of everything.
So its up to you if the extra $7 or so dollars is worth it.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    I guess Ancientboi would be Peter
    +2
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    Loooooool :rofl2:
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    So true
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    @K3Nv2 Snow Day is pretty fun. My only bitch would be the camera controls, when you move around, say down, you have to move the right stick left or right to get camera to turn and get your view, other than that I like it so far.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    From what people say pvp isn't even worth it
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    I just been playing offline, and they give you a few bots here n there on your team to help battle. I don't think it's as funny as the other games tho, more battle oriented than humor, which kinda sucks, but I'm still early in it
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @BigOnYa, doesnt the game have a campaign mode?
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Yea, and co-op, but you can also start a pvp session and battle just with friends. You get special skill cards (powers) the more you play. And higher value cards, but you can only enable so many cards at a time.
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    If you can find enough for it
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    Toilet paper is considered the money, you collect and buy stuff with TP, kinda funny. Graphics are def better than the other games tho, I think they used Unity 5 engine.
  • Psionic Roshambo @ Psionic Roshambo:
    Look if I zoom in enough I can see the herpes!!!
    +1
  • BigOnYa @ BigOnYa:
    In fact I'm gonna go make a drink, roll a fatty n play some, good night to all!
    +2
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    I bet most people at the time still watched it in black and white
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    @Xdqwerty, Many of them did before colour television was common.
  • SylverReZ @ SylverReZ:
    Likely because black and white TV was in-expensive.
    +1
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    It certainly wasn't inexpensive it cost the same as a new car back then
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    How much did a 1965 color TV cost?

    For example, a 21-inch (diagonal) GE color television in 1965 had an advertised price of $499, which is equal to $4,724 in today's dollars, according to the federal government's inflation calculator.
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    @K3Nv2, take into consideration how economy was back then
  • K3Nv2 @ K3Nv2:
    Yeah that's why they listed inflation rates
  • Xdqwerty @ Xdqwerty:
    Sorry didnt read that part
  • BakerMan @ BakerMan:
    @LeoTCK don't worry i knew he was joking
    BakerMan @ BakerMan: @LeoTCK don't worry i knew he was joking