My new gaming/HTPC rig - comments & advice welcomed - Page 2

Thats the dumbest thing I've read on the net today..... Cliff Claven you are the dickens!

It kinda confused me . I thought he was telling the OP to get more RAM for precaching, but he is using win 7 and an SSD, so it would be counter productive I guess.

I'm confused too, and have nothing of value to add, but I'm laughing so hard I can't help myself.

Christ people. 8GB on Win7 with an SSD still dumps to swap all the damn time, effecting your experience. My recommendation to the OP to move to 16GB will greatly reduce his swap use.

The precaching conversation came later and isn't particularly related to 60sxrd. Do I need to draw you people a map to follow the conversation? It really isn't that complicated.

For the sake of consistency, let's go ahead and edit my original recommendation: After you get 16GB of ram, 60SXRD, then move to Windows 8. SSDs weren't really a thing yet when Windows 7 came out. Yes, there was rudimentary SSD awareness patched in to the OS later at the expense of important features, but Windows' SSD support didn't hit its stride until the release of Windows 8. Again, if you are using Windows 7 with an SSD, then you are using the wrong OS, regardless of how desperately others here want to show pride in their ignorance on the subject.
Edited by darklordjames - 3/10/13 at 11:40pm

Ok, sure thing. Let's start with ..... "Start" (don't mind me, I'm buzzed.)

How does this matter for htpc gaming? The start screen is more functional with a remote than the start button ever was... I guess the kb/mouse people might disagree with me.

16GB ram is better than 8GB. 2133 memory is worthless except for APU's(even then it is a waste of money). See this review for benchmarks http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/ram/44837-adata-xpg-xtreme-16gb-2x8gb-ddr3-2133-memory/?page=5 Windows 8 has better support for SSD's.

Nah, I'm a kb/mouse person and the whole Win8 "Start" screen hatred is way overblown IMO. The computer comes on and I am one click from the desktop. I am also a single click from what I want to be doing. For example, I almost always start by loading Firefox. Windows 8 loads, I click Firefox from the Start menu, the desktop loads and Firefox pops up. This is pretty much the same process as Windows 7, except I saw a nice panel of program tiles at the beginning.

My only wish is the Start screen supported a gamepad input the way the Xbox360 does. That way I could get to Steam Big Picture mode without touching a mouse.

btw, Windows 8 is very happy with SSD and 16gigs of RAM.
Edited by DaverJ - 3/11/13 at 8:15am

Indeed it is very happy with an SSD and 16gigs of RAM, but that's not the point. I just bought a wireless keyboard with a touchscreen, and it's nice since the subwoofer doesn't bounce the mouse around during a movie, but that's not the point either.

Gabe Newell says Win8 is the devil, and he's more man than I'll ever be.

I use Win8 on my desktop also, and rather like some of the new features. The start screen doesn't both me either.

You should be able to map it to arrow keys with a program like Eventghost. Haven't tried it yet myself but I plan to.

Windows always feels faster with more ram. I really need to quit being cheap and buy some more.

Lurkor, are you still buzzed?

Gabe called Win8 a "giant sadness", but I don't understand his problem with it - Steam runs like a champ on it.

Is your keyboard similar to the one I just ordered?

That's the one DaverJ. I've been running it for a few days, and am very pleased. I'm still clumsy with the touchpad, but am getting the hang of it. Cheap, sturdy, and simple.

Not yet, this is the caffeine part of my day, but I promise you, I will be soon enough.

Be sure to try out the MalDo mod for Crysis 2... well worth the effort!

I just got mine last week. Waiting for my replacement 670 to get in to try it from the living room. Seemed to work okay right in front of the computer.

I have had that Logitech KB for 5-6 months and it works great.

Jason

The Logitech K400r keyboard is pretty decent, expect for the decision to split the right shift key into two keys. Now I"m hitting the up arrow every time I try to capitalize a letter on the left side of the keyboard, which is a complete PITA.

I guess its something to get used to?

Question - is there a reason to turn it off? I assume it's only using battery life when typing or using the touchpad.

Is using a touchpad really better than using a gamepad? Or, do you just use it for games without gamepad support?

The keyboard/trackpad is strictly non-gaming for me.

Related note - I finally got one of those Microsoft Wireless Xbox gaming controller receivers* to use with the fancy silver Xbox 360 controller w/ transforming d-pad. Now with this, the wireless keyboard/trackpad and wireless mouse, I'm totally wire-free to my gaming rig.

*EDITED to remove link to Amazon.
Edited by DaverJ - 3/15/13 at 8:42am

I like the Logitech keyboard a lot for comfy couch big screen HTPC. Used mainly for menu navigation and media playback with a wireless gamepad for games. I have another desktop PC for kb/m style of gameplay and other tasks.

I should add Anydvd speed menu is glorious.
Edited by lurkor - 3/14/13 at 10:47am

What the hell is a transforming D-Pad? Is this some new, incredible technology that has escaped my gaze?

Xbox 360 wireless gamepad is a must have for your PC 3rd person and driving needs.....unless you are sim driving, then you'll want Le Wheel.

And then your desk wont be right to mount it to, so you'll want some sort of wheel stand device which will set you back another $100...and then you'll....

Just a fix for the mushy 360 d-pad. You can twist this one to raise it up to give it more room to operate. No big deal, really.

EDIT... yeah, just like your .gif.

I bought one of those also and it caused me nothing but problems(it's a fake btw). The only way I could find to get a genuine one is to buy it with the Wireless 360 PC controller. I needed a new controller anyways, I'm too lazy to buy new analog sticks for the old ones.
Edited by macks - 3/15/13 at 10:33am

How can I tell if I got a fake? Mine looks like this:



It's been thankfully trouble-free, knock on wood.

If you find one that is not sold with a controller, it's a fake. They don't sell it outside the package. Or some person is selling just the receiver. That's why I use a wired controller. I don't need another controller, and I'm not taking a chance with the fakies.

Maybe the chinese (has to be chinese, no one else makes anything these days)company that makes the adapter is selling it alone. Microsoft does not offer just the adapter.

If it says PC Wireless Gaming Receiver on the bottom then it is definitely fake. Sometimes they do re-sell the controller and adapter separate after buying the wireless 360 pc controller bundle. You might have lucked out and got a genuine one. I wouldn't share a link to a potentially fake one though.

I didn't realize I needed a new controller until I just got one

...Do you like my cannon?

I'm laughing at the feet on that gif, because I'm pretty sure that's the actual cartoon. I know the funny is in the crotch, but I can't stop watching the feet.

Yeah, the packaging looks like it was separated from a bundle - it came in a folded-over sealed bag. The manuals and software disc (which I didn't need with Windows 8) look pretty legit, and I've spotted fake software and DVDs before. But I removed the link in my post, just in case.