MaximumPC 2008 04

MAXIMUMPC

Quick Start If Blu-ray wins,

what’s next? ........................................... 08

Head2Head Wired vs. wireless

networks ................................................. 14

WatchDog Maximum PC takes

a bite out of bad gear ............................. 16

How To Sync your online and offl ine

calendars ............................................... 60

Ask the Doctor Diagnosing

and curing your PC problems ................ 64

Contents

R&D We delve into the world of

HD video encryption ............................ 68

In the Lab RealTek audio

re-examined ........................................ 70

In/Out You write, we respond.......... 94

Rig of the Month Daniel Klus’s

John Henryk Dabrowski’s Castle ........ 96

Departments

Reviews

Videocard MSI R3870 X2 T2DIG.... 72

Soundcards Auzentech X-Fi

Prelude 7.1; Asus Xonar D2 ................... 74

CPU coolers CoolIT Boreas;

Gigabyte 3D Rocket II ............................ 76

Wi-Fi router Linksys WRT600N

Dual-Band ................................................ 78

Media center extender

Linksys DMA2200 .................................. 78

Media streamer

HP Media Vault v2010 .............................. 79

Case Thermaltake SwordM ................ 80

Head-mounted display

Headplay Personal Cinema ..................... 82

2.1 speakers Razer Mako ............. 82

Outdoor speaker

Soundcast OutCast ................................. 83

Wi-Fi adapter

hField Technologies Wi-Fire ..................... 83

Sins of a Solar Empire ........................ 84

Gaming

72

http://www.maximumpc.com (^) | APR 08 (^) | MAXIMUMPC 07
EDITORIAL
EDITOR IN CHIEF Will Smith
DEPUT Y EDITOR Katherine Stevenson
MANAGING EDITOR Tom Edwards
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michael Brown
SENIOR EDITOR Gordon Mah Ung
ASSOCIATE EDITOR David Murphy
WEB CONCIERGE Nathan Edwards
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Norman Chan, Tom Halfhill,
Thomas McDonald, Zack Stern
EDITOR EMERITUS Andrew Sanchez
ART
ART DIRECTOR Natalie Jeday
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Boni Uzilevsky
PHOTO EDITOR Mark Madeo
ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHER Samantha Berg
CONTRIBUTING ARTIST Adam Benton
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Katrin Auch
BUSINESS
GROUP PUBLISHER Stacey Levy
650-238-2319, [email protected]
WESTERN AD DIRECTOR Dave Lynn
949-360-4443, [email protected]
WESTERN AD MANAGER Gabe Rogol
650-238-2409, [email protected]
EASTERN AD MANAGER Larry Presser
646-723-5459, [email protected]
EASTERN ACCOUNT MANAGER Marc Zenker
646-723-5476, [email protected]
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GAMES GROUP David Cooper
646-723-5447, [email protected]
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR, GAMES GROUP Nate Hunt
646-723-5416, [email protected]
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Jose Urrutia
650-238-2498, [email protected]
MARKETING COORDINATOR Michael Basilio
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Richie Lesovoy
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Dan Mallory
CIRCUL ATION
CIRCUL ATION DIRECTOR Peter Kelly
NEWSSTAND MANAGER Elliott Kiger
NEWSSTAND COORDINATOR Alex Guzman
INTERNET SUBSCRIPTION MARKETING MANAGER Betsy Wong
FULFILLMENT MANAGER Angi Martinez
PRINT ORDER COORDINATOR Heidi Halpin
FUTURE US, INC
4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080
http://www.futureus-inc.com
PRESIDENT Jonathan Simpson-Bint
VICE PRESIDENT/COO Tom Valentino
CFO John Sutton
GENERAL COUNSEL Charles Schug
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR/GAMES Simon Whitcombe
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR/BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Dave Barrow
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/TECHNOLOGY Jon Phillips
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/MUSIC Brad Tolinski
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL SERVICES Nancy Durlester
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Richie Lesovoy
Future US, Inc. is part of Future plc.
Future produces carefully targeted
special-interest magazines, websites
and events for people who share a
passion. We aim to satisfy that pas-
sion by creating titles offering value
for money, reliable information, smart
buying advice and which are a plea-
sure to read or visit. Today we publish
more than 150 magazines, 65 web-
sites and a growing number of events
in the US, UK, France and Italy. Over 100 international editions of our
magazines are also published in 30 other countries across the world.
Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange
(symbol: FUTR).
FUTURE plc
30 Monmouth St., Bath, Avon, BA1 2BW, England
http://www.futureplc.com
Tel +44 1225 442244
NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN: Roger Parry
CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Stevie Spring
GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR: John Bowman
Tel +44 1225 442244
http://www.futureplc.com
REPRINTS: For reprints, contact Marshall Boomer,
Reprint Operations Specialist, 717.399.1900 ext. 123
or email: [email protected]
SUBSCRIPTION QUERIES: Please email customerser vice@
maximumpc.com or call customer ser vice toll-free at 800.274.
Maximum PC ISSN: 1522-
78
82
83
84