Don't answer that question.....lol. Ok, everybody knows me for having a least one terrible joke or idea a day. I haven't done it today, so all of you on Tom's Hardware are subjected to it!!!!!

Theoritically, if you were to shoot a computer out into space in the cold and vacuum, that might be a really good way to extremely overclock a PC. However, a long cable from space probably wouldn't be feasible b/c of the severe signal degradation. Plus, I am sure the technology isn't here for good signal transfer wirelessly from there, unless it's some sort of satellite based system which would cost way too much.

Anyway, I have no idea what a vacuum would do to a system. Anyone know? Would the signal run without friction or heat, or would the signals just go haywire between the components, or would it have 0 effect?

Lol it would suck to get it all the way out there and then have a cpu with a cold bug!!!

Radiation would prevent the CPU from operating without errors. You'd have to shield it somehow. In fact, this is why they still use older process technologies in CPUs that are going into space.

In Space, no one can hear your CPU scream!

I wonder what an earth based vacuum case would do? I should try to build one and see if I could break a terahertz!! lol

Being cold is good for your cpu, not so good for the rest of the system, there is a optimal temperature and probably the heat created by electricity going through the mobo would cause the connections to break from stress after being put into -200 degree temps.

I think the temperature in space at the distance of earth's orbit isn't all that cold. There's quite a bit of sunlight to heat things. You could probably get better results with more conventional refrigeration techniques.

Satellites have computers onboard. They work in space just fine. You'd just have to have a shielded method of getting it through the atmosphere into space. Then it would need some sort of self-sustaining power source, maybe solar? But yea, the signal would not be able to survive the many many miles of cable it would take to reach outside the atmosphere into space. Satellite relay back to Earth could work for video, but it would not be a cheap endeavour.

At least that's what I would think...

--Arson94

Hrmm....a vacuum based case with a good conventional cooling system. On earth...not too cold and no radiation.....plus a lot less friction and heating in a vacuum for the components.

Satellites have computers onboard. They work in space just fine. You'd just have to have a shielded method of getting it through the atmosphere into space. Then it would need some sort of self-sustaining power source, maybe solar? But yea, the signal would not be able to survive the many many miles of cable it would take to reach outside the atmosphere into space. Satellite relay back to Earth could work for video, but it would not be a cheap endeavour.

At least that's what I would think...

--Arson94



EDIT: Nice, I don't know why this was posted twice, and far enough apart to where somebody else posted inbetween my two. wtf?

No air = no airflow = overheating. It would be even quicker than if you turned all of your fans off. The only cooling would be it' IR emission. A vacuum is also a good insulator.

Just go to a cold lab at a Uni maybe, They can get close to 0K

And yeh space isnt all that cold round us! Dunno how the lack of airflow would affect anything at minus 200 or so though!

heat would still be produced....only now there will be no air flow to remove the heat quickli.....it would be worse than a cpu with no fan but only the heatsink....so you might need to underclock your cpu there

I have sold military chips, they radiation bake them for days , weeks or months depending on wait level of quality is needed. Photons travel good in vacumes dont know compaired too electrons though.

I would say you a Genidiot , a combination of both in one massave ball of chaos!! hehehehehe

Remember that space is nearly a perfect vacuum, and because of that, you probably wouldn't have an way of dissipating heat, because the gases are so sparse, even if it is very cold.

Edit: sarwar beat me to it.

And if you are still interested in vacuums and heat dissipation, suggest you study things like thermos construction.

It seems that energy can travel in a vacuum though. If it couldn't how could we get radiation and heat from the sun. In addition, there is also gravity in space which might attract the heat...because electrons, etc. as small as they might be I'm sure have some sort of mass. I'm sure if we buildt some sort of case with anti-matter to knock out the heat or some sort of minature black hole.....(if it exists)....before I turned on the case, I'm sure the government would be knocking down my door....because those would be extremely dangerous to society....lol. If there is some sort of motion in a vacuum, like a fan....an object in motion stays in motion in a vaccum....it would just have to be ventilated some how.

Electrons aren't governed by the gravity we feel, they are attracted by the weak nuclear force in an atom, hundreds of times stronger than our gravity! Plus electrons aren't actually particles!

Kenny...big brother is watching you...and me...and this thread...right now.

Who sais Space is cold...
Space in shadow is cold yes...
but in the sun it can be realy hot.

Space suits are designed to handle the temperature change where on one side of the suit is 500 Deg+ while the otherside would be -200 deg.

The vacuum idea reminds me of the guy who wanted to build his computer in a fridge for cooling. When it was repeatidly explained to him why it wouldn't work he came up with the great idea that he would completely seal up the fridge and constantly suck all the hot air out without letting any more air in. Even after he was presented with all that was wrong with that idea he was still determined to move forward with his project. I don't recall hearing the results yet.