Shopping for a home Computer

(Page 4 of 7)

November/December 1985
 
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Some programs require more memory than others, and it's usually information-processing software that requires the most. So when you're shopping for a computer, keep in mind the memory needs of the programs you plan to use—specifications are printed right on the software package—and make sure that the machine can meet the requirements. In the case of some computers, such as the IBM PC jr, RAM memory is expandable. The machine comes with the minimum complement of RAM, to which you can add more memory cells, up to a certain maximum set by the machine. Other computers, however, are limited to a set amount of RAM.

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Video Monitors

Most computers, you will find, come without a display screen . . . yet you can't do much without one. Fortunately, almost all home computers are designed to be used with a television set. Inside the computer is a device called an RF modulator that converts the signals from the computer into television frequencies (usually channel 3 or 4). A connector ties the computer to the antenna terminals of the television receiver. By tuning the television to the appropriate channel, you'll get a computer display. . . and if it's a color TV, you will, in most cases, get a color display.

Unfortunately, televisions weren't designed to be computer monitors —their bandwidth is too narrow. So, computers display better on a specially designed monitor than they do on a TV. And computers such as the Apple llc don't display well at all on a television. In lieu of using a TV for display, then, you'll have to buy a computer monitor. Depending on whether you choose monochrome (black and white) or color, this will cost between $100 and $500.

WHERE TO BUY

Once you've decided which computer to buy, your next hurdle is to find a place to purchase it. This can be trickier than it sounds, because many retailers who used to carry computers have found that the profit margins are no longer great enough to warrant stocking them. Your neighborhood computer store probably handles mostly businessoriented machines with capabilities and prices beyond your wants. Of the computers listed in the chart that accompanies this article, only the Apple IIc and the IBM PC jr (both of which are at the upper end of the price range) can be widely found in computer stores. The Radio Shack Color Computer, of course, is sold through that company's chain of stores.

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