Ven

Mine idles at 30~32' OEM heatsink and fan but I do have 250mm fan on the side of the case. I OC'ed to 2.62Ghz.

Problem can be anything. So many things in both software and hardware can cause a freeze that it's nearly impossible for us to sit at our desk and tell you what the problem may be. You have to figure out the problem and best way is always the process of elimination. Start troubleshooting one thing at a time. Make sure you have latest BIOS. And see if there're any error beeps. Double check all connections. Go into BIOS and monitor the CPU temp in BIOS... I've built many systems and you know what... sometimes, new system builds just does some weird stuff at first.

Just as I was considering to try Windows Live after reading your post Blaze, I got windows update notice... I had it set to manual. And after installing the 3 "important" updates, my system got messed up. I had UAC turned off but one of these updates turned it back on. It was actually messed up as the security center said the UAC was on and the UAC control panel said it was off. So now windows doesn't allow me to turn it off because it already thinks it's off... confusing? Anyways, I had no write access to any of my own files. Took me 2 hours searching on the net to troubleshoot it and finally got it working after manually turning it off in the registry. This actually reminded me not to trust anyone... even Microsoft to auto update or manage my system.

What's difference in price?

Not that it causes obvious problems, rather, it just takes up lots of RAM. May not be critical for games but for graphic and video apps, it certainly does make a huge difference. And most of the stuff norton does... is useless. They just make you feel good with those green lights that says your computer is clean, optimal, and safe.

Doesn't windows live require subscription?

Not a real pilot but remember how Longbow was. Joystick basically tilts the rotors side/forward/backwards. Rudder is for rotating. And throttle is for up/down.

I wouldn't complain about viruses if the stupid AV softwares doesn't take so much resources. They are by far the most resource heavy "background" processes.

Best AV is free AV. AVG is free and takes up less resource than most other antivirus I've used. So who creates these viruses? Some geeks who got nothing productive to create? Or does anyone else suspect it's those antivirus software companies themselves releasing many of these virus?

No, I wasn't disputing that. Was just replying to Blaze.

If all axis works in TrackIR software (with the mannequin head and graphs) then the problem is definitely with the LOMAC install as you suspect. I've disabled the UAC the day after I installed Vista. I resort to conventional method of security and its secure enough for me. I don't keep important informations on my hard drive anyway.

He said he used the quick launch F15 mission which I don't believe is very CPU intensive. Not sure what resolution he was running at but my guess is that his graphic card is becoming the bottleneck. Or the refresh rate of the monitor if he has vsync on.

Cougar definitely did look sexy but I chose Saitek because I have fairly small hand. And Saitek does allow adjustments for different hand sizes. That's one thing you have to consider when you're buying $200+ controller. Make sure it fits your hand comfortably.

Both. For healthcare, architecture, and broadcast companies, we create pre-rendered animations. For automotive and electronics, we supplied real time renderers capable of up to 5 million polygons in raytracing.

I'm not sure what ED uses for pre-renders so perhaps. I guess I offended some people when I said I didn't see any improvement but please understand that in my profession, we don't refer to simply higher polygon as better model. It's just heavier model. I was looking for improvements in the shape or more detailed objects. And by the way PythonOne, I'm free to change my statement at will! :p

No I haven't. I'll explain. BS Su27 models may have more polygons but NOT to the level of that WIP pre-renders. Round cylindrical objects are where poly count is most obvious. Which Apache and tanks don't have enough of. Those WIP pictures have perfectly round fuselage. The turret of that tank above does not if you look at the joints. Mig29 shot from BS also has faceted polygonal fuselage. This I'll have to prove once BS is released. I already saved those WIP shots. Not when 3 Su27's with quadruple number of polygons flying off my wing. What I've just said, is repeat of what I said in earlier posts with couple extra comments in regard to above screenshots. Haven't changed my statement. Yea, I agree. That's why my wish in regard to environment remains to be a wish.

Well, those screenshots actually helps my point. How many times during a mission do we see the ground units that close? Not me, all I see are dots before they explode. Or our own aircrafts from outside like that. Again, I don't fly in external views to appreciate the exterior details. But I will appreciate better lighting and textures in terrain such as what you see in Ace Combat 6. If you read few of my follow up posts, I tried to clarify that I didn't mean that level of polygons isn't technically possible. It's just not practical.

Probably because not all "graphics option" in LOMAC are graphic card related. Visibility range for example is more of CPU than GPU. Judging by when LOMAC graphic engine was written, it probably doesn't even use latest features in DirectX efficiently. And I understand the problem too. Upgrading to HDR lighting means recreating graphic engine which is no small task. That's why it's just my wish. But current PC hardwares are capable of AC6 quality graphics (even with all the physics and radars) if the engine is written for it.

Not true. Graphics are handled by GPU and avionics/physics/radar are handled by CPU. And latest GPU and CPU are much more powerful than what's in Xbox 360. 8800GTX are said to be at least twice as fast as Xbox graphic card. Right now, LOMAC doesn't make use of my 8800GTX to its full potential. But it does however tax my CPU to the max. Which means there's plenty of room to improve the graphics. And it's also about how the graphic power is used. In LOMAC, I feel there are needless amount of emphasis put on individual vehicles and not enough in the environment. The biggest reason why AC6 graphics look so spectacular is HDR (High Dynamic Range) lighting. The sharp raytraced shadow combined with soft diffused look of HDR is what gives the realistic look. If you look at their models, they're not any more detailed than LOMAC's models.

Let's face it. Thing that everyone's drooling over in AC6 is the graphics. I'm sure gameplay will be fun and exciting too but it's not something that'll replace LOMAC for most of us. So... why can't LOMAC implement such graphics? Xbox isn't any more powerful than some of the latest PC hardwares... it's not even close. BS screenshots are great and I've seen a lot of great models by users. In fact, AC6 models are not any better than those models. But it's the lighting and terrain textures that makes AC6 so spectacular. HDR lighting will be a must. Graphic wise, I wish ED would focus on the environment and lighting more than the aircraft and vehicles in the future. Maybe it's too late for BS but for after BS... if there will be another expansion. Because that's what we'll be looking at most of the time... earth and sky. Not my own aircraft or that dot that's supposed to be T80.

By X-mas/new year, you'd probably be able to afford something faster. I can turn up everything to max except water and visibility range which are set one below max. I get little above 40fps on ground and anywhere from 60fps to 90fps in the air depending on traffic.

Damn... didn't know FC supported Z axis.

F/A-18 Interceptor was out in 1988. You're older than you think you are buddy! :megalol:

Sega's Afterburner was it for me. Only available at arcade I believe. Lots of quarters wasted.

Is that really the HOTAS being bundled in Ace Combat 6? That's exactly same as my X36 (which Saitek dropped support on).