With off-the-shelf computer systems to fit any budget or requirement, some people might wonder why you'd want to build your own. They don't understand that for many computer users, a ready-made system is about as satisfying as popping a frozen dinner in the microwave when you'd rather have real food instead. Sure, it works, but it's not exactly what you need or want.There's a lot to be said for a computer that has exactly the quality components you choose, by the manufacturers you choose, rather than the conveniently bundled assortment made for your price point. But perhaps you've stopped short of building your own because you're inexperienced or you're concerned it won't come out right. After all, you want your computer to be perfect. Hesitate no longer: Building the Perfect PC delivers end-to-end instructions (that even inexperienced PC-builders can follow) for creating your ideal machine.Written by hardware experts Robert Bruce Thompson and Barbara Fritchman Thompson, this book covers it all, beginning with the various reasons why you'd want to build your own PC, planning and picking out the components, and putting it all together. The book outlines a variety of complete systems and all of their components, including a small form factor PC; a middle-of-the-road "sweet spot" system with top-notch components; and a top-end gaming PC with high-end video, a fast processor, and enough RAM to make your palms sweat just thinking about it.Straightforward language, clear directions, and extensive illustrations make this guide a breeze for computer builders of any level to follow--even those with little or no experience. If you've yearned for a quality machine with high-end components that suit your needs, then Building the Perfect PC will put you where you want to be: in control of your computer system.

Building the Perfect PC: The complete guide to customizing, upgrading, and creating your own machine

Computers & Technology

Thompson, Robert Bruce

Thompson, Barbara Fritchman

Hardware & DIY

Maker Media, Inc

In just two years, MAKE has rapidly become one of the hottest new magazines to hit the newsstands. Often coined "the bible of the Tech DIY movement", the MAKE team has passionately pursued it's stated goal: to unite, inspire, inform and entertain a growing community of imaginative and resourceful people who pursue amazing projects in their backyards, basements, garages and even modified kitchen counter labs - tech enthusiasts, backyard scientists, hobbyists, renegade crafters, hackers, students and backyard inventors and dreamers of all ages. Their vision: To spread the knowledge, skills and clever workarounds of innovative Makers across the DIY marketplace to aspiring makers, students of all ages and educators; To grow the World's largest "Science Club" around the Makers Brand; a constellation of communities that nurture, support and inspire scientific and technological exploration, learning and mentoring for people of all ages, ethnicities, gender and cultural background. To inspire and re-engage youth from all walks of life in the joys of science, engineering, technology and the arts. Through the brilliantly written and beautifully illustrated magazine, podcasts and makezine.com website, the MAKE team has won broad acclaim for their clear yet down-to-earth coverage and uncanny instinct for what moves Makers, and their ability to nail the curiosity, vibrance, and passion of the rapidly emerging "tech DIY" movement. In this special re-release, all 4 volumes of MAKE's second year are combined in this special 4-Volume Collector's Set. Believe it or not, the following is mere sampling of the projects and articles you'll find in MAKE: The Next Year MAKE: Vol.05 It Came From My GarageModel kit makers bring B-movie monsters to your home. Calculate This!MAKE looks at slide rules. Jackhammer HeadphonesAnd a discourse on blind men, chipmunks, whales, and the future. Electric AvenueThe street-legal electric car of the future is coming--not from Japan or Detroit--but from your neighbor's garage. Dive, Darn It, Dive!It's a matter of sink and swim at the 8th international autonomous underwater vehicle competition. Backyard Zip LineBe the hit of the neighborhood with a high-flying, tree-to-tree transporter. Soda Bottle Rocket by Steve LodefinkYou don't have to be Burt Rutan to start your own rocket program. With a few empty soda bottles and some PVC pipe, you can build a high-performance water rocket. Wind Powered Generator by Abe and Josie ConnallyWith a motor and some piping, it's suprisingly easy to build this inexpensive, efficient windmill generator--and enjoy free energy forever. The Jam Jar JetDon't think you can build a jet engine at home? Here's a simple jet engine--a pulsejet--that you can make out of a jam jar in an afternoon. All it takes is bending some wire and punching a few holes. The Quick and Dirty: Holes, Rivets, and Bent Metal by Mister JalopyLearn three essential shop fabrication techniques and reward yourself by making a wi-fi signal deflector. Sneaky Uses for Everyday ThingsTurn a remote control car into an alarm system. Olde-School BookbindingPages last longer, lie flatter, and look better inside a handsome, durable hardcover. Out Damned Spot!The chemistry of stain removal. Pump Down the VolumeFive simple steps to a quieter PC. Geared UpUse a gunbelt and leg holster to hold your gear. Boost Your SignalImproving MyFi XM satellite radio reception. The World As Your CanvasUse GPS to create giant-sized works of art. Circuit Quiz GameTeach kids about circuitry in 30 minutes. iSight Tripod MountPoint your webcam anywhere you want. The Fauxlance PhotographerHow to get VIP treatment by dressing the part of a pro photographer. Ten Dollar PseudoscopeSee everything inside out through this classic optical instrument. Citizen Weather StationCollect meteorological data on your roof and donate it to science. Launching LightPortable, collapsible model rocket launch pad. Firefly MeterBioluminescence detector lights way toward insect-cyborg pollution sensor. Legal And Free Digital Satellite TVUse a long-obsolete Primestar dish to pull in a wide world of programming. Digital TV On The CheapYou can get many of the benefits of Digital TV (DTV) for as little as 20 bucks, if you're willing to do a little tinkering. Full Mast ReceptionBuild your own satellite dish mast in three easy steps. Dumpster CornucopiaReusing components from discarded electronics. Theory &amp; Practice: IR Remote Control Protocol by Bunnie HuangGet an infrared remote to turn your room lights on and off. Sensor InterfacesHow circuits communicate with the outside world. Computers in the MachineEmulation software gives you free, zero-footprint, vintage computers. Digital Video Production: Create Explosive VisualsReal movie explosions are dangerous, expensive, and usually unnecessary. MAKE VOL.06 Tones Dem Tones, Damn RingtonesShouldn't people make their own ringtones, not buy them? Ship of CardsPopular card games become an exercise in miniature construction. Space CasesThe balloon men at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Totch Brown's Pit Pan Gator BoatStart your boat-building hobby by building this one. A Beginner's Guide to BEAM bThe BEAM design approach creates nimble robots from simple components, with no programming required. PanzeroidsBecome a desktop general with these battlin' bot tanks. Bots in a SnapThe nuts and bolts of Lego robot design. Cogs and CocktailsMeet the drink-serving, drunk-driving droids at Roboexotica. The Vex Robotics Design SystemVersatile, powerful design raises the bot in prefab robotics construction kits. Mini Mars RoverA wireless remote control camera on wheels. Hot Air by Mister Jalopy in The Quick and DirtyBuild a do-everything manifold to control, dry, route, and use compressed air. Two BEAMbots: Trimet and SolarrollerSolder together one simple circuit and use it to control two very different solar-powered robo-critters: a little satellite that scoots and bumps around, and a mini cart that just keeps a-rolling until the sun goes down. Soccer-Playing RobotMake an autonomous robot that can chase a ping-pong ball, push it into a goal, and take other programmable actions. When you're finished, you'll have a few more wrinkles in your brain and no more fears of robot attacks. Building Tensegrity ModelsMake a "needle tower" sculpture from dowels and elastic cord that seems to defy the laws of physics. LED ThrowiesMake and toss a bunch of these inexpensive little lights to add color to any ferromagnetic surface in your neighborhood. It's Email TimeInnocent-looking "clock" monitors the unread-message pileup in your inbox. Rumble MouseFor FPS gaming, a cellphone vibrator gives a kick to your clicks. Video PodcastingProducing TV shows on the cheap. Da Xerox CodeHow to read the tracking dots in your color Xerox printer. Let There Be (Front) LightAdd an LED front light to your Game Boy Advance for $5. Sticky FingersModifying tech for pre-mouse toddlers. Homecasting Digital MusicGood old FM beats wi-fi for sending streamed music around your house. Born-Again BoomboxesUp from the ghetto blaster, a new life as a functional-art stereo component. Run, Lala, RunA rodent-powered nightlight. Spider RifleHumane, compressed-air-powered bug trapper. 3D PhotographyTaking stereographs is easier and more fun than ever. Macro Photography On a BudgetPringles-can lens extender produces dazzling ultra close-ups for peanuts. $130 Digital Picture FrameBuild one in 15 minutes. The Secrets of Monitoring Atmospheric HazeMake a measuring instrument with an old video case and $20 worth of parts. RFID for Makers by Joe GrandBuild this kit to read radio frequency ID tags. The MAKE ControllerAnnouncing a just-maybe-revolutionary microcontroller for all things DIY. MakeShift by Lee D. ZlotoffThe creator of MacGyver challenges you to survive an earthquake, a flood, and a hungover neighbor. Roomba Tronic by Phillip TorroneTake a tour into the underground robotic relentlessness of Roomba hacks, robots in the streets of Austin, and robot cockfighting. Off-the-Shelf Parts, Off-the-Wall Ideas by George DysonLooking for the dawn of the digital universe? Check in the basement, next to the lavatory. My Version of Einstein's AmplifierTyler Rourke tells how he built a replica of a hi-fi system built by Jack Rosenberg for Albert Einstein's 70th birthday gift. MAKE: VOL.07 Penny-Powered LEDPower an LED with some salty water and $1.21. Shopping Cart Chair by Tim Anderson in Heirloom TechnologyTurn a shopping cart into a comfortable and stylish wheelchair. Digi-Comp ReduxA maker in the middle recreates a kit classic. Magnetic Switches from Everyday ThingsControl many devices from afar with the magnetically sensitive Sneaky Switch. Arduino FeverThe tale of a cute, blue microcontroller that fits nicely in the palm of your hand, and the expanding community of developers who love and support it. Life and Death at Low Temperatures bHow to freeze and revive a garden snail. A Sublime MachineMike Wilder makes Lego robots for time-lapse 3D videos of carnivorous plants. Kitchen Counter DNA LabExtract, purify, and experiment with the blueprint of life. Home Molecular GeneticsExtract, fingerprint, and replicate your own DNA. Hack Your Plants!Play God in your garden--create custom fruits, flowers, veggies, and more. Rocket-Launched CamcorderHack a $30, single-use camcorder to make it reusable, then launch it up in a model rocket and capture thrilling astronaut's view footage of high-speed neighborhood escape and re-entry. The Two-Can Stirling Engine bThe Stirling engine has long captivated inventors and dreamers. Here are complete plans for building and operating a two-cylinder model that runs on almost any high-temperature heat source. Home Mycology LabUse an off-the-shelf home air purifier to make a laminar flow hood for your own miniature mycology lab. Then use it to culture and grow mushrooms, and to perform other experiments that require a clean-room environment. Head-Mounted Water CannonUse steel fire-extinguisher power to pummel plastic squirt toys. Weatherproof Wi-Fi Access Point bOutdoor router with minimal coaxial run maximizes network range. Convertible Jockey BoxPortable cooler taps and dispenses ice-cold beer from both kegs and mini-kegs. Beepkiller: Parental RevengeThree ways to silence annoying toys. iPod Video Converter CableAn easier way to watch iPod video on your TV. Automate Your Voicemail GreetingProgram Asterisk to daily update your outgoing message in your own voice. USB-Powered Fan12 easy steps to a cooler you. Thumb LifeUSB keydrive lets you listen to, read, and play what you want on any machine. El Cheapo Cantenna"Mountain Grown" coffee can makes homegrown wi-fi range extender. Backup Power To Go9V battery USB-compatible charger juices up portables in a pinch. Palm Pilot NotebookModified hardback book contains extra-powered PDA and travel keyboard. Scribbler BotHomemade two-axis plotter finds work as a cariacature artist. How to Drink Beer on C-SPANPut yourself into somebody else's video. Monster MIDI DetectorHere's an easy-to-build MIDI detector packaged in a small Japanese action figure. Duct Tape and CyclotronsIncredible machines at thte Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. MakeShift by Lee D. ZlotoffThe creator of MacGyver challenges you to save a man stuck in a fissure filled with toxic gas. Digital SpelunkingUnearthing ancient Apple II files on AOL. Strange Love by George DysonOr, how they learned to start worrying and love to hate the bomb. My Robosapien in a CanHigh-Flying Video from Rocket-Launched Camcorder MAKE Vol.08 Custom Travel-Game ModMake a travel edition of your favorite, and otherwise housebound, board game. Heavy LiftingPlacing huge towers up a mountain is just the start to reaching Troy Caldwell's ski-resort-on-a-budget dream. Charlie Asquith's Jet DoryCharlie is 78 years old and he'd been fishing for mullet in Hawks Nest, Australia, for over 60 years. Homebrew MagnetometerBuild a torsion balance to measure tiny changes in thet Earth's magnetic field. Shaker Flashlight Power SourcePowering small electronics with your muscles. Homebrew Game DesignTurning wacky ideas into fun board games. The Secret History of MYSTCo-creator Robyn Miller reveals why it became the best-selling adventure game of all time. 1966: A Big Year for GamesAn afternoon with Ralph Baer, the "Father of Video Games." Photos from the InsideToys sent through the X-ray machine give new insights. PinballRestoring a crusty, beat up Cyclone and going inside the electromechanical underground. Chris Ware's ACME PapercraftComics you can build! Tabletop TerrainsThat's no pile of trash; it's my asteroid mining colony! Making Your Own Video GameMicrosoft's XNA Game Studio Express opens up game development. Pummer, Dude!Part robotic plant life, part techno-sculpture, these desktop toys are easy and fun to make. Roachball Goes Open SourceIn this fast-paced lunch-hour sport, changing the rules is part of the game. Building an OrnithopterFor millennia, men and women have studied birds, bats, and beetles, observing and experimenting, attempting to determine what humans must do to fly by flapping. Killing TimeHack a retro gaming light gun with some tilt switches to control a vintage digital clock radio. After the alarm wakes you up, you can grab the gun and kill it off. Isn't that what you've always dreamed of doing? Coffee RoasterLots of folks think that quaffing a cup of coffee from boutique beans comes close to nirvana, but roasting your own beans will bring you even closer. That's why I call this roaster the Nirvana Machine. Streamerator 2000This favorite stage prop launches streams of toilet paper into mid-air, or can completely mummify someone in the front row. TV-to-Synth InterfaceTriggering sound from video images. World's Loudest iPodiBump crossover lets you crank it up without distortion. Project RedsharkTurn your Xbox into a mobile media monstrocity. My Love Affair with LEDsBuild a bright, low-powered desk lamp TV SpinnerMotorized lazy Susan aims the screen where it's needed. Smart HVACEnergy-efficient A/C knows when you're in the room MIDI Controller MonkeyA/V monkeyshines with flex sensors and a MIDIsense board Clean Out a DishwasherSalvaging components from unwanted appliances. How Not to Make a How-To VideoIgnore these handy rules and your instructional video will turn out great! Van TV bBig sights and sounds hit the streets. Quick and Dirty Light TableA storage bin, a pane of glass, and fluorescent light saves hundreds of dollars Moldmaking by Adam SavageHow the pros replicate objects Gaming on the EDSAC and PDP-1From the earliest computers came the first computer games Blast from the Past: The 1948 Union Hardware CatalogOld catalog provides a glipmse of how modern civilization was built wiithout laser levels or pneumatic nail guns Paper Water BomberWinged origami missile with front-load tank delivers wet payload

MAKE Magazine: The Second Year: 4 Volume Collector's Set

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

Crafts & Hobbies

Building electronic projects that interact with the physical world is good fun. But when devices that you've built start to talk to each other, things really start to get interesting. Through a series of simple projects, you'll learn how to get your creations to communicate with one another by forming networks of smart devices that carry on conversations with you and your environment. Whether you need to plug some sensors in your home to the Internet or create a device that can interact wirelessly with other creations, Making Things Talk explains exactly what you need. This book is perfect for people with little technical training but a lot of interest. Maybe you're a science teacher who wants to show students how to monitor weather conditions at several locations at once, or a sculptor who wants to stage a room of choreographed mechanical sculptures. Making Things Talk demonstrates that once you figure out how objects communicate -- whether they're microcontroller-powered devices, email programs, or networked databases -- you can get them to interact. Each chapter in contains instructions on how to build working projects that help you do just that. You will:
<ul>
<li>Make your pet's bed send you email</li>
<li>Make your own seesaw game controller that communicates over the Internet</li>
<li>Learn how to use ZigBee and Bluetooth radios to transmit sensor data wirelessly</li>
<li>Set up communication between microcontrollers, personal computers, and web servers using three easy-to-program, open source environments: Arduino/Wiring, Processing, and PHP.</li>
<li>Write programs to send data across the Internet based on physical activity in your home, office, or backyard</li>
<li>And much more</li>
</ul>With a little electronics know-how, basic (not necessarily in BASIC) programming skills, a couple of inexpensive microcontroller kits and some network modules to make them communicate using Ethernet, ZigBee, and Bluetooth, you can get started on these projects right away. With Making Things Talk, the possibilities are practically endless.

Making Things Talk: Practical Methods for Connecting Physical Objects

Igoe, Tom

Networking & Cloud Computing

From the creators of Make &amp; Craft Magazine comes the Maker's Notebook. Put your own ideas, diagrams, calculations &amp; notes down in these 150 pages of engineering graph paper. We've also included 20 bonus pages of reference material, from useful stuff like electronics symbols, resistor codes, weights and measures, basic conversions and more, to really useful stuff like the amount of caffeine in different caffeinated beverages and how to say "Hello, World!" in various computer languages. The covers of this hardcover book are printed in cyan "Maker" blue with a white grid debossed front and back. Grab one today!

Maker's Notebook

Engineering & Transportation

Engineering

This popular Build-It-Yourself (BIY) PC book covers everything you want to know about building your own system: Planning and picking out the right components, step-by-step instructions for assembling your perfect PC, and an insightful discussion of why you'd want to do it in the first place. Most big brand computers from HP, Dell and others use lower-quality components so they can meet their aggressive pricing targets. But component manufacturers also make high-quality parts that you can either purchase directly, or obtain through distributors and resellers. Consumers and corporations alike are opting to build rather than buy PCs to ensure high quality and compatibility.
The new edition of Building the Perfect PC shows you how to construct a variety of top-flight systems with the latest technology, including AMD Socket AM-2 and Intel Core 2 processors, that are Vista- and Linux-ready. The book includes several new options, including:
<ul>
<li> A Budget PC you can build for approximately $350 that offers performance and reliability similar to that of mainstream systems</li>
<li> A full-blown media-center system that runs Linux and MythTV or Windows MCE with multiple tuners and HDTV support</li>
<li>A fire-breathing high-performance gaming system</li>
<li>A fast, low-power, low-heat, low-noise, Small Form Factor system (the size of a shoe box)</li>
<li>A low-cost SOHO (small office, home office) server system with a 2 terabyte (2,000 GB) disk subsystem that's suitable for a residential environment rather than a server closet</li>
</ul>
Regardless of your technical experience, Building the Perfect PC will guide you through the entire process of building or upgrading your own computer. You'll use the latest top-quality components, including Intel's Core 2 Duo and AMD's Athlon X2 CPUs. And you'll know exactly what's under the hood and how to fix or upgrade your PC, should that become necessary. Not only is the process fun, but the result is often less expensive and always better quality and far more satisfying than anything you could buy off the shelf.

Building the Perfect PC

If you like to tweak, disassemble, recreate, and invent cool new uses for technology, you'll love MAKE, our quarterly publication for the inquisitive do-it-yourselfer.
Every issue is packed with projects to help you make the most of all the technology in your life. Everything from home entertainment systems, to laptops, to a host of PDAs is fair game. If there's a way to hack it, tweak it, bend it, or remix it, you will find out about it in MAKE.
The May 2006 Volume 06 issue focuses on Robots! Build a pair of electronic insects, LED throwies, a rodent-powered nightlight, a floating tower structure, a bug sucker, and that is only the beginning.

Make, Volume 6: Technology on Your Time (Make: Technology on Your Time)

Science & Math

Technology

Magazine type periodical presented in a paperbook binding, with DIY technology projects. Volume 07 features 9 backyard biology projects, Extract Your DNA, Head-Mounted Water Cannon, and how to build a Videocam Rocket.

Make: Technology on Your Time: 7

Frauenfelder, Mark

Biological Sciences

Arduino is the open-source electronics prototyping platform that’s taken the design and hobbyist world by storm. This thorough introduction, updated for Arduino 1.0, gives you lots of ideas for projects and helps you work with them right away. From getting organized to putting the final touches on your prototype, all the information you need is here!
Inside, you’ll learn about:
<ul>
<li>Interaction design and physical computing</li>
<li>The Arduino hardware and software development environment</li>
<li>Basics of electricity and electronics</li>
<li>Prototyping on a solderless breadboard</li>
<li>Drawing a schematic diagram</li>
</ul>
Getting started with Arduino is a snap. To use the introductory examples in this guide, all you need an Arduino Uno or earlier model, along with USB A-B cable and an LED. The easy-to-use Arduino development environment is free to download.
Join hundreds of thousands of hobbyists who have discovered this incredible (and educational) platform. Written by the co-founder of the Arduino project, Getting Started with Arduino gets you in on all the fun!

Getting Started with Arduino

Banzi, Massimo

Computer Science

What can you do with the Raspberry Pi, a $35 computer the size of a credit card? All sorts of things! If you’re learning how to program, or looking to build new electronic projects, this hands-on guide will show you just how valuable this flexible little platform can be.
This book takes you step-by-step through many fun and educational possibilities. Take advantage of several preloaded programming languages. Use the Raspberry Pi with Arduino. Create Internet-connected projects. Play with multimedia. With Raspberry Pi, you can do all of this and more.
<ul>
<li>Get acquainted with hardware features on the Pi’s board</li>
<li>Learn enough Linux to move around the operating system</li>
<li>Pick up the basics of Python and Scratch—and start programming</li>
<li>Draw graphics, play sounds, and handle mouse events with the Pygame framework</li>
<li>Use the Pi’s input and output pins to do some hardware hacking</li>
<li>Discover how Arduino and the Raspberry Pi complement each other</li>
<li>Integrate USB webcams and other peripherals into your projects</li>
<li>Create your own Pi-based web server with Python</li>
</ul>

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi (Make: Projects)

Richardson, Matt

Wallace, Shawn

Operating Systems

Make: Getting Started with 3D Printing, Second Edition, is a practical, informative, and inspiring book that guides readers step-by-step through understanding this new manufacturing technology. The book includes fundamental topics such as a short history of 3D printing, the best hardware and software choices, hands-on CAD tutorial exercises, and examples of how to apply 3D printing to personal life, professional work, and new business opportunities. The second edition provides updated information and features exciting new chapters on troubleshooting your CAD and 3D print models. Also included are new visual guides and a new section for businesses. For every maker, would-be-maker and professional who is interested, or is confused, or who wants to get started in 3D printing today, this book offers methodical information that can be read, digested, and put into practice immediately!The book is written in a casual, conversational style. It is easily accessible to those who have no prior knowledge in 3D printing, yet the book's message is solidly practical, technically accurate, and consumer-relevant. The chapters include contemporary, real-life learning exercises and insights for how to buy, use and maintain 3D printers. It also covers free 3D modeling software, as well as 3D printing services for those who don't want to immediately invest in the purchase of a 3D printer. Particular focus is placed on free and paid resources, the various choices available in 3D printing, and tutorials and troubleshooting guides.

Getting Started With 3d Printing: A Hands-on Guide To The Hardware, Software, And Services That Make The 3d Printing Ecosystem

Nick

Kloski

Liza Wallach; Kloski

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Maker Media, Inc publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Maker Media, Inc