HDTV Gaming PC

[Raduque]

I highly reccomend dropping the SB X-FI and getting one of these instead,unless you absoultely want/have to use the analog 5.1 inputs of your reciever (if you even have them).

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Raduque
I highly reccomend dropping the SB X-FI and getting one of these instead,unless you absoultely want/have to use the analog 5.1 inputs of your reciever (if you even have them).

I have the X-Mystique, but I think if I was doing it over again I'd get the X-Fi now that it's available.
As long as you don't run into any issues (The X-Mystique has some too) I think the X-Fi looks like the better choice. Bluegears hasn't released any new 32-bit drivers since June last year and some people are still having serious issues.

They are coming out with a DTS solution soon too, but I don't know what the support for that one is going to be like.

 

[Broly]

I'm willing to spend as much as my receiver, 3000.
BUt I want style and high quality audio, THX certified speakers are great, but not required!

 

[CalvinHobbes]

Since you're in Canada, have you looked at Paradigm or PSB?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Broly
I'm willing to spend as much as my receiver, 3000.
BUt I want style and high quality audio, THX certified speakers are great, but not required!

THX isn't a big deal for HT stuff. There are a ton of great products out there that don't have THX certification. It's mostly a marketing thing.

Also, don't spend too much on your cables... and if you do, don't get monstercable.

What do you mean for style? Anything specific?

I really like the way my own look
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/1%20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughli...b/1%20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG</a>

 

[bozilla]

You also may want to look at B&W speakers. They are suppose to work best with Rotel amps/receivers.

I've heard them at a small custom a/v shop locally and it sounded truly spectacular.

B&W

 

[CalvinHobbes]

I really like the way my own look
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/1%20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughli...b/1%20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG</a>

Rockets are sweet.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: bozilla
You also may want to look at B&W speakers. They are suppose to work best with Rotel amps/receivers.

I've heard them at a small custom a/v shop locally and it sounded truly spectacular.

B&W

Here's some rough B&W US retail prices for a reference point (along with paradigm down farther) http://www.bradfordshifi.com/prices.htm

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes

I really like the way my own look
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/1%20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmclaughlin/web/1%20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG">https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/spmcl.........20Current%20Room/Front_new.JPG</a></a>

Rockets are sweet.

Yeah, I'm really happy with them. I was planning on ordering a pair of Ascend 340s to test them out, but after hearing the Rockets and seeing them in person I didn't think I'd be as happy with the Ascends even if they sounded as good.

 

[Broly]

That's too big for my room Yoyo.
I like where the B and W's are going. I'm looking for something the size of a computer speaker, something bigger, power is not an issue for my room....
what od you guys suggest

i like the B and W tho

 

[Broly]

The XT's look good!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Broly
That's too big for my room Yoyo.
I like where the B and W's are going. I'm looking for something the size of a computer speaker, something bigger, power is not an issue for my room....
what od you guys suggest

i like the B and W tho

Power isn't an issue and you got a Denon 4806?

There are plenty of bookshelf speakers out there. If you have a good sub to complement them you'll be fine.

How big is your room? (length width height)
Is it open to other areas?

Just about every brand is going to have bookshelf speakers and floorstanding speakers so it's probably not going to be a big issue.

Most of the time it's a good idea to move the speakers away from the walls though by a foot or two if possible to get them to sound best. Mine are too close now, but it's about as good as I could do in here.

How big would be too big for your tastes?
For example there's the bookshelf version of my speakers here http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=2.1

Cabinet size is related to the performance of the speaker, so going larger has advantages.

EDIT: How did you decide on the 4806 by the way?

 

[Broly]

Denon I just love it, it's silver and has what i want
hdmi/thxultra2/etc...
Or Pioneer elite. open to suggestions!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Broly
Denon I just love it, it's silver and has what i want
hdmi/thxultra2/etc...
Or Pioneer elite. open to suggestions!

My new suggestion is forget about picking out really expensive stuff and going out and seeing if spending this much on your rig and sound really makes a difference to you.

Speakers aren't something you can just pick out online. You need to go and listen to them.

Figure out if B&W is something you want and if using a $3500 receiver (or is it a $6000 one if you decide to get the 5800 series now) makes any difference at all to you. Do some blind A/B testing and decide if this is something you want to do or if you're just doing it because you can.

 

[Mr Bob]

I have the X-Mystique, but I think if I was doing it over again I'd get the X-Fi now that it's available.
As long as you don't run into any issues (The X-Mystique has some too) I think the X-Fi looks like the better choice. Bluegears hasn't released any new 32-bit drivers since June last year and some people are still having serious issues.

- If he is connecting the audio to his receiver, wouldn't the X-Mystique output better sound? I thought the optical connection would be way better than anything the X-Fi has to offer. I know that some reviews have shown slower FPS with the X-Mystique over some of the Creative cards, but the sound of true 5.1 should make up for it.

 

[bozilla]

Hey YOyoYOhowsDAjello or anyone else,

I got the computer together and I'm trying to make this work between 7800GTX in my computer with my Pioneer 1130HD plasma. Here's the problem:
I can't find a desktop resolution in Nvidia resolution choices to match Pio's native resolution of 1280x768 so the text becomes really bad. As a matter of fact the whole desktop looks a bit interlaced because of the non-native resolution. I'm thinking that DVI->HDMI is not working properly here. Do you think that D-Sub on the Pio's media box would recognize Panel's native resolution and allow me to run it? With HDMI it doesn't seem to recognize everything properly.

I even had problems with sizing the whole computer output because when I boot the whole BIOS screen (and later in Windows) is bigger then the display area of the plasma.

I'm thinking of getting a DVI->D-Sub cable and trying like that but some other users on AVSForums told me that they see everything fine through DVI->HDMI but they didn't specify the graphics card.

Thanks!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Mr Bob

I have the X-Mystique, but I think if I was doing it over again I'd get the X-Fi now that it's available.
As long as you don't run into any issues (The X-Mystique has some too) I think the X-Fi looks like the better choice. Bluegears hasn't released any new 32-bit drivers since June last year and some people are still having serious issues.

- If he is connecting the audio to his receiver, wouldn't the X-Mystique output better sound? I thought the optical connection would be way better than anything the X-Fi has to offer. I know that some reviews have shown slower FPS with the X-Mystique over some of the Creative cards, but the sound of true 5.1 should make up for it.

My receiver has 7.1 analog input, so I'd be able to use the very good analog output the X-Fi produces to hook up.
My receiver isn't anything amazing, so the analog quality the X-Fi produces may be better than what my receiver is doing when decoding the signal the X-mystique encoded.
I'm not sure how much quality is lost when encoding in real time into the compressed DD signal. Bluegears has a DTS solution coming out that is probably a better quality card than the X-Mystique.
Everything not creative is limited to EAX 2.0 it seems based on patents.

I'm happy with the X-Mystique so I'm not going to replace it. If I played games more I might look into replacing it more seriously.

It seems that as long as you don't have issues with an analog connection to your receiver, the X-Fi may be the better way to go.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: bozilla
Hey YOyoYOhowsDAjello or anyone else,

I got the computer together and I'm trying to make this work between 7800GTX in my computer with my Pioneer 1130HD plasma. Here's the problem:
I can't find a desktop resolution in Nvidia resolution choices to match Pio's native resolution of 1280x768 so the text becomes really bad. As a matter of fact the whole desktop looks a bit interlaced because of the non-native resolution. I'm thinking that DVI->HDMI is not working properly here. Do you think that D-Sub on the Pio's media box would recognize Panel's native resolution and allow me to run it? With HDMI it doesn't seem to recognize everything properly.

I even had problems with sizing the whole computer output because when I boot the whole BIOS screen (and later in Windows) is bigger then the display area of the plasma.

I'm thinking of getting a DVI->D-Sub cable and trying like that but some other users on AVSForums told me that they see everything fine through DVI->HDMI but they didn't specify the graphics card.

Thanks!

I think you should be able to select that resolution. I know I can on mine.

Try going to Display properties --> settings --> advanced --> adapter
Click on "List All Modes..." and see if you can select 1280x768.