Desktop Computers

Springbok

Karen
<Gold Donor>
9,690
14,454
I just popped a new SSD in a 3-4 year old machine.... what a difference. Can't believe I waited so long to do it either, as xferring all the data from the old HD to the new one was a piece of cake. 128gb Kingston for $90 seemed like a decent deal at my local Office Depot.
 

Sithro

Molten Core Raider
1,502
204
Well, I'll worry about it during Christmas. By then, hopefully I'll have cable, so it won't be a problem.
 

Sithro

Molten Core Raider
1,502
204
Quick question. That stuff on the bottom of the heat sink that came with my processor. It almost looks like a clay, but I can leave a finger print in it. Is that the thermal paste?

I kind of expected something you apply, or stick on. But I saw nothing in the box.
 

Ossoi

Potato del Grande
17,906
8,786
I want to upgrade my receiver to one that supports the HD audio formats. In order to play them back via my PC is it just a case of getting a graphics card with HDMI out?

Currently I have an auzentech x-plosion that connects to my receiver via coaxial SPDIF, that carries a 5.1 stream to the receiver for decoding.
 

Joeboo

Molten Core Raider
8,157
140
You can do the audio via HDMI, or alternately almost all on-board audio options anymore have a digital optical out port on them. I'd be hard to find a motherboard that didn't have an optical out. Seems like the only motherboards that don't have an optical out are some of the really low-end options (priced around $100 and less)
 

Ossoi

Potato del Grande
17,906
8,786
regular optical/coaxial SPDIF doesn't carry HD Dolby/DTS streams. They have to be bitstreamed via HDMI to a HD compatible receiver.

I was just wondering if anyone had experience of using a HDMI graphics card to carry all the sound (HD formats and regular pc sound) to an external receiver. What I'm learning is that effectively a HDMI Geforce/Radeon is also a sound card
 

Zodiac

Lord Nagafen Raider
1,200
14
I was just wondering if anyone had experience of using a HDMI graphics card to carry all the sound (HD formats and regular pc sound) to an external receiver. What I'm learning is that effectively a HDMI Geforce/Radeon is also a sound card
works fine - I have a geforce something that is only hooked up through hdmi to my yamaha receiver. dts (or whatever) audio comes up on the receiver when playing movies in xbmc.
 

Ossoi

Potato del Grande
17,906
8,786
works fine - I have a geforce something that is only hooked up through hdmi to my yamaha receiver. dts (or whatever) audio comes up on the receiver when playing movies in xbmc.
What about when doing other stuff, e.g playing games or listening to MP3s (typically stereo). My current sound card will encode audio (eg when I'm listening to music) as Dolby or DTS 5.1 and carry it to the receiver. When I'm watching films I have it set to just carry the audio to the receiver without any encoding.

I don't want to lose this ability to have 5.1 sound regardless of what I'm doing. The new receiver will be 7.1 capable so even better if the card supports that.
 

Zodiac

Lord Nagafen Raider
1,200
14
not sure. I bit stream all audio to my receiver because i figure my $800 receiver is going to be better at re-encoding faux 5.1 than my PC would be. I almost never play 2.1 sources (music) as 5.1 though, sounds wrong to me.
 

Anomander Rake

Golden Knight of the Realm
705
15
Alright people. I have a question for my fellow nerds. My current PC is this:

Asus P6T Deluxe V2
i7 920 @ 4GHZ
6 Gigs DDR3 1600 Ram
2x Asus 5870 1 gig GDDR5 in Crossfire
Intel SSD / WD Velociraptor for OS / Gaming
1000W PSU

and itwaskick-ass at the end of 2009 / beginning of 2010. I have found that the video cards just aren't holding up for ultra settings in BF3, and I am concerned about BF4. I have been looking at theATI 7950's(possibly in Crossfire, not sure if I will need two for three 24" 1920 x1080 monitors, even if I have no intention of running Eyefinity. Just looking to squeeze out a little more from this PC for gaming at the lowest price point possible as it is still great for Photoshop / LR / Photomechanic business work. What do you guys think?
 

Joeboo

Molten Core Raider
8,157
140
At this point, I don't know that I would invest that much money (looking at $450-$500+ for crossfired 7950s), when the next generation of cards is right around the corner for AMD. It's already here for Nvidia(700-series cards)

If you absolutely have to have an upgrade right now, spend that money on a 770. They're about $400, and they're a good 20-30% more powerful than a lone 7950, and you don't have to mess with crossfire at all. I love crossfire when it works, I had 2 4870s for a couple years, but theres a pretty decent amount of games that either don't work with crossfire at all, of you're waiting for a fix/patch to come out well after release. I always felt a bit screwed when I had 2 cards in my machine and a game would only use 1. Anymore I'd rather just have 1 really nice card.

But regardless of your feeling on crossfire vs single card, I just don't see much point in plunking down $500 on cards that will either be outclassed soon when new ones come out, or at least discounted heavily when new AMD cards hit soon.

Everyone is expecting October/November for AMD 9000-series cards to hit the market.
 

Denaut

Trump's Staff
2,739
1,279
Solid advice. I agree.

The nice part is the rest of you system will probably be good for another 2 years, hell maybe 3 with the way things are going now.
 

Sithro

Molten Core Raider
1,502
204
Got the new PC, friend built it for me since I have pretty unsteady hands, but I think he put the PSU in upside down. Not really a big deal at the moment, as I've been watching the temperature (GPU stays at around 30 idle, 45 - 60 during games). I think when I add my SSD in the next two or three months, I'll flip it.

Pretty fucking happy. Path of Exile is like a new game for me. Any other games you guys would recommend?
 

Denaut

Trump's Staff
2,739
1,279
For cases where there is a vent there isn't a strict right way and "upside down" way, it is basically an option. You can either use the power supply fan to help vent the case OR you can give it an independent air flow. Which you choose depends really on a lot of factors.
 

Sithro

Molten Core Raider
1,502
204
For cases where there is a vent there isn't a strict right way and "upside down" way, it is basically an option. You can either use the power supply fan to help vent the case OR you can give it an independent air flow. Which you choose depends really on a lot of factors.
Well, it's blowing upwards at the moment (towards the video card), which is fine I guess, considering heat travels up anyway.
 

Titan_Atlas

Deus Vult
<Banned>
7,883
19,911
A question for those who might know.What is the difference between a 100 dollar mboard and a 250 dollar one.If all the form factors are the same, does it really perform better or what?