Wow... You guys sound like a mirror image of myself as well! I've been in love with computers since I was a little kid. I overclocked my first Pentium 133 to a 166 when I was 10 years old!!! My dad just about killed me at the time (he spend $5000 on that PC) but to this day it still runs perfectly! lol. I got my Bachelors Degree in computer science but my interests lied on the hardware side, not programming. So what do I do now? We'll of course I'm a desktop technician for our nations largest law firm. funny thing is, i still absolutley LOVE computers. I love modding and overclocking. My home PC is watercooled for the last 5 years, and I'm now dabbling into liquid nitrogen, phase cooling and peltier coolers so I can ram even more voltage thru these beasts!

I\m still a hardcore gamer, though I find my spare time really moving into rc planes now. Heck in World of Warcraft alone I have over 200 days /played. That's 4800hours in 1 game alone!!! Not to mention about 1/2 that again in Counter Strike and probably 1/2 that again in all other games added up... lol

I agree with Ken. I've contemplated turning RC into a money maker and do have some good ideas that would make some money, but I just love the hobby so much I'm not even going to consider it. Nice to hear you guys are in the same boat as me, lol.

Heck,Ihad close to 20 years in when the 133's came out!!!

My first "store bought" computer was a TRS80 Model 1. 4k of memory and a cassette tape drive!!!!Yeah buddy!!!!!!!!

Ken

heck are most of us pre compy geeks that realized a little sunshine is good for the sole?
i just bought parts to make my first compy (you know your a geek when you build your own compy), they are comming in the mail tomorrow. heres a list of the parts




OCZ PC3-10666 Platinum RAM - 4GB, 2x2GB, 1333MHz, DDR3, Low Voltage, Dual Channel at TigerDirect.com
OCZ PC3-10666 Platinum RAM - 4GB, 2x2GB, 1333MHz, DDR3, Low Voltage, Dual Channel

DiabloTek PHD550 550-Watt Power Supply - ATX, SATA Ready, PCIe Ready, 20+4 Pin at TigerDirect.com
DiabloTek PHD550 550-Watt Power Supply - ATX, SATA Ready, PCIe Ready, 20+4 Pin

MSI P55-CD53 Motherboard - Intel P55, Socket LGA1156, Core i5 at TigerDirect.com
MSI P55-CD53 Motherboard - Intel P55, Socket LGA1156, Core i5

Intel Core i5 750 Processor - 2.66GHz, LGA 1156, 8MB L3 Cache, Quad-Core, Lynnfield, Retail at TigerDirect.com
Intel Core i5 750 Processor - 2.66GHz, LGA 1156, 8MB L3 Cache, Quad-Core, Lynnfield, Retail

EVGA GeForce GT220 Video Card - 1024MB DDR3, PCI-Express 2.0, DVI, HDMI, VGA at TigerDirect.com
EVGA GeForce GT220 Video Card - 1024MB DDR3, PCI-Express 2.0, DVI, HDMI, VGA

Viewsonic VX2433wm 24" Class Widescreen HD LCD Monitor - 1920 x 1080, 20000:1 Dynamic, 2ms GTG, HDMI, DVI, VGA, ECO Mode, Tilt Stand, w/ Speakers at TigerDirect.com
Viewsonic VX2433wm 24" Class Widescreen HD LCD Monitor

Hitachi Deskstar P7K500 500GB Hard Drive - 7200, 16MB, SATA-300, OEM at TigerDirect.com
Hitachi Deskstar P7K500 500GB Hard Drive - 7200, 16MB, SATA-300, OEM

OCZ OCZTFRZTC Freeze Thermal Extreme Conductivity Compound at TigerDirect.com
OCZ OCZTFRZTC Freeze Thermal Extreme Conductivity Compound

Cooler Master R4-L2R-20AC-GP Case Fan - 120mm, Blue at TigerDirect.com
Cooler Master R4-L2R-20AC-GP Case Fan - 120mm, Blue


Cooler Master Elite 330 Black ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB and Audio Ports at TigerDirect.com
Cooler Master Elite 330 Black ATX Mid-Tower Case with Front USB and Audio Ports

IOGEAR GBU421 Bluetooth 2.0 USB Micro Adapter at TigerDirect.com
IOGEAR GBU421 Bluetooth 2.0 USB Micro Adapter

Sabrent Internal 64-in-1 Multi Flash Media Card Reader - USB 2.0, Black, 3.5", Self Powered, SDHC Support, Vista Ready at TigerDirect.com
Sabrent Internal 64-in-1 Multi Flash Media Card Reader

hopefully i bought the right stuff, havnt done this before so ill find out tomorrow (kinda like a first airplane)

this is the first nonairplane related thing i have bought in over a year....... but guess what it is for.......g4.5 (and my laptop is dying)........ hi im jimmyjames and im a r/c addict



edit well the links didnt work so heres one with links that do work http://www.hardwareforums.com/noob-b...re-help-27072/

I was flying at the local field, and talking to a guy about the hobby. Turns out he was the new manager of the "Hobby People" RC store. He asked me to come to work for him. SWEET! Working at a place that I can get a discount for my needed stuff. Yep, you guessed it, after a few months it started to be a drag. Not only did I work at the store, but all the flyers at the field wanted to talk about the store or deals or some such thing. There were no days off from my "hobby". Not to put the store down. Hobby People was a good place to work, and the manager was good to his workers. But after I quit, I could enjoy my free time and the hobby I love. As a hobby, RC is a great thing. But as work...... well each to thier own I guess. Jeff

I must be super geek then!!!!!We just got finished building 120 PC's for a local school district!!!!

Ken

You are absolutely correct. I spent years playing my guitar. Practicing, Playing before work at lunch at home. 21 yrs in the Navy I always had one with me. After retiring I got to pursue my dream. working in music stores, playing in bar bands and all of the fun that goes along with that, and then eventually teaching. Now i play six days a week 5 to 6 hours a day. I never play at home or to relax. Building and flying planes has really filled the void and gets me outside and keeps my brain active..

jimmyjames geekyness <<<<<<<<< rcken geekyness..........im not true geek yet, i havnt built my own compy (my last day of not being a geek... that is if it works)

although flying rc planes is rather geeky, especially when you have a ten+ channel radio with more computing power than apollo spacecraft (and almost as many switches ), in your hands.

lets see compare and contrast geeks to rc pilots
compy pilots
we sit in the basement and build planes
we talk rc airplanes at the field
we brag about our rc airplanes at the field
we can remember everything about a fellow rc pilots plane.......but not his name
we get a goggle tan from stairing in the sky all day long
we have rcu/towerhobbies/ect in our internet explorer tabs
we love the sould of our engines
we remove our mufflers to make our engines even louder.
vs

compy geeks
sit in the basement on the compy
talk about compys on blogs/forums/ect
brag about fast our compys are
we can remember everything about someone elses compy and how he should upgrade it
we get blue screen tan from stareing into a compy for to long
we use firefox and have the tabs full of compy parts.
we love the sound of a compy
we jam techno as loud as we can

RC addict? Geek?  I declare myself guilty   

WOW! That probably could've powered, like, 5 Apollo 11 missions all at the same time! Incredible technology, LOL.

It's funny, I guess both building pc's and flying rc airplanes seem to go hand in hand for many people. I too love to fly rc airplanes as much as I can after starting last July, and also love to build my own pc's. Here is my latest i7 pc along with my rc collection:

Two Asus 23" 1080p HDMI lcd monitors with single dual monitor desktop
Triple boot system with Vista 64, Windows 7 Ultimate Release candidate 64 bit, Ubuntu Ultimate linux 64 bit with 64 bit video editing software
Antec 900 case and Corsair 650W PSU
Asus P6T motherboard with Intel 920 i7 CPU
Noctua NH-U12P SE1366 cpu cooler
16 GB OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 1600 MHz Gold memory
HIS HD4670 dual DVI out video card, upgrading to HD5770 dual DVI out card soon
Hauppauge 1800 tv/fm tuner card
Three SATA LG DVD-RW burners one blue ray burner capable,
Two SATA Samsung 1TB internal 7200 3gb/sec hard drive, one SATA Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200rpm 3gb/sec hard drives
1 External eSata 1TB Iomega 7200 rpm 3gb/sec external hard drive for data backup
Microsoft 4000 wireless keyboard and laser mouse
Creative Labs Live Cam Optia Pro webcam
Docked blackberry storm, ipod video player, Sandisk card reader, dual HP/Canon MFP printer,scanner fax printers, Brother label printer, etc

70" Sig Kadet LT40 ARF with OS Max 46AX
61" Hangar 9 Pulse XT ARF with Evolution 46
54" Goldber Ultimate Kit with OS Max 120 4S
72" Aeroworks YAK ARF with Saito 180 4S
66" Hangar 9 Showtime 90 ARF with Saito 125 4S
71.5" Great Planes PT-17 Stearman with OS Max 120 4S
35" Great Planes Reactor bipe electric with 35 -26-1200 outrunner brushless
49" Maxford USA Yak electric with Uranis 35425 outrunner brushless
56" Hangar 9 Aresti ARF with MDS .48
43.5" Parkzone Messerschmitt BF109G electric with 720Kv outrunner brushless
60" S.P.A.D. combat plane with .15 Magnum XLS-15A

yeah, with in my first year I've owned over 20 airplanes, its like when i get a new one, build it, fly it, keep it, sell it and repeat, there has only been 3 planes i've actually wish i didnt sale off, but this hobby is cool. I too used to build PC's they must go hand in hand or somthing!

Yeah after the yelling subsided, and monthly budget was established just for my flying!! Gotta luv that! And it is a budget that I can certainly live with!! Giant scale here I come!!

The wife alway says, you need only 1 airplane which is FALSE! lol sure I COULD get by with one, but to me, the minimum i've ever had was 4, that way 2 are always flyable, one is alway getting tinkered with and the other isnt finished being built yet lol

hmmm.. a monthly budget....not a bad idea! I belive that would quiet her grumbling

I agree with ken also on this, I fly a cropduster for a living while its enjoyable most days it still work and there are actually days when i dread sitting in that thing, I mean this summer i flew 30 days straight 15 hours a day daylight to dark, let me tell you that will burn you out, but when your in business you have to get it when you can and your customers don't care if you like your job or not they want results. And my job is no different than ken's or anyonelses its just a different skill, you take something you love and turn it into a job, you won't love it anymore, im 30 years old with over 6000 hours flying different airplanes and most days i can't wait to get out of a the big one to fly a model. so if you want to continue to love your passion keep it as a hobby. don't get me wrong I wouldn't trade my job for anything else but its not always fun though.

crop dusting sounds like fun but so did police work until those days I have to go to work....I bet you have to do some serious up keep on that plane!

I,m Microsoft A+certified and built myself the ultimate rig 6 months ago but find myself using my laptop out in the shop more and more , cause thats where the airplanes are. lol
I took a year or so after about getting hit on the flight line by a guy doing a high speed pass and came right thru the flight line an into the pits at 120 + mph. I still dont know why it did,nt hit me , it was that close. Really spooked me bad and I quit flying for about a year.
Couple months ago , got back into it . Finished and maidened my Ultra Sport .60 , just covering a lightly modded 4 * .40 , and have a Sig Kadet Senior build , that I,m bashing . I have the fuse and tailfeathers done ona TF Corsair .60and halff a wing and tailfeathers done on a GB Sukhoi .90 .
When my wife realized I was getting back into RC , she put me on an allowance , it,s not to bad but I have found myself being more aware of what I,m spending and what I,m spending it on.
I enjoy the RCU gang alot and spend most my time in the shop building or surfing RCU. for new ideas or just to see what everone one is up too. When this post came up , I had been asking myself if maybe I was going a little overboard with the hobby. But I enjoy it so much ,I,m not going to worry about it, till the guys show up with one of those funny white jackets, lol.

yeah it takes a lot of cleaning to keep it in good condition these ag planes are expensive now, our 802 we're getting for next year is over 1million dollars, thats just rediculous i think compared to my dads 25k pawnee he started with. so yeah you definately have to take care of your investment

and you are right it is fun some days but there are those other days thats just ughhh another day in this thing

Its snowing here and Im looking out the window trying to decide if my supercub with floats will be invisible or not. I must have the addiction as well

Good i7 builds there guys. A few things I would have changed personally just from experience of building my own last 7 personal gaming rigs, but we all have our preferences. Today at work I'm working on a massive desktop refresh for the firm. I have a $1.5 million dollar budget to work with for ~3000 PC's that I'm likely going to be dead over when I'm done all this spec planning, build and deployment, lol.

One note that if you live in Canada like me, please check out NCIX for parts. NCIX is proabably the best company I have ever dealt with in my life, and that's including stores I can walk into!!! They're absolutely superb! Heck, I've even RMA'd things that I didn't want or didn't perform to my liking and told them that exactly, and they've refunded my money! Maybe it's cause of all the money I've spent there in the last 12 years? lol Not to mention I know Linus quite well and he gives me lots of NCIX coupons and stuff.

If I need something NOW, I go to memoryexpress locally here in Calgary. They're great too, but don't compare to NCIX. I'm just not a fan of TigerDirect, but they would be my 3rd of 4th choice.


Anyone else out there big into hardware overclocking at all? I'd be interested in doing a project with someone on a liquid nitrogen build. I'd really love to break a world record overclock one of these days... $$ is the biggest hindrance for me though as you toss hardware like candy with that much voltage.


Eganwp


psb667 - I fly my brushless supercub on floats in the snow and it's fine! Have a blast!

I bet I have built a hundred top flite war birds just day dreaming at work. In reality only about 3.

I check RCU at least 20 times a day lol and get excited when they do reviews on new airplanes..its ok, I'm still cool[8D]

I have to echo the thoughts that all of you have shared...computer geeks and their affinity to R/C...and such. My first compensation for writing code was back in 1977 for programs that ran on a TRS-80. In 1984 I went to work in the corporate world writing code for IBM PC's....it was a big day when the first IBM-XT arrived in our group and landed on my desk. I started in R/C planes in 1990 and then had to take time away from the hobby in 1995 for personal reasons (children, wife, job, loss of local flying field, etc.). I'm happy to share that in the last year my "urges" to fly and build R/C finally got the better of me and I'm back into it. Cleaned off a few old planes, found a 2.4ghz radio, a good local club, and now I'm "bitten" again! RealFlight was my largest purchase this year, and it has been a lot of fun and helped me get the rust off my flying skills. So I'm still writing code as a consultant and I'm back to flying again...now if I could just work out the budget issue....<g>. Yes, this hobby is doing funny things to me too!

It's been great to connect with other R/C'ers on this forum.

-Mike

im now a true geek, this message is comming from my i5 windows 7 compy.......what can i say....its so crazy fast compared to my laptop, and the graphics....wow.
im off to load a few games to really test thig thing out

Yeap right now I am at the office and on the computer fighting the urge to order something from Tower that I probably don't need.