Black Shark Hardware

[uhoh7]

I have the 30" samsung LCD and I am running it at the 2560 x 1600 resolution. I have everything cranked up on nhancer and in the game and boy is this game beautifullllll. It's not great fps but it is playable at an average of 24 fps. My system is getting dated. I set the game to run on all 4 cpu's after startup which helps.

 

Intel Quad 6600 2.4ghz @2.8, 4GB Kingston1066 @875, 768gb8800Ultra, and my crappy asus striker extreme board that I need to change.

 

I have all my hardware on the way as noted above, but I still haven't pulled the trigger on the 30". You don't seem toooo dated there, hehe, but maybe the 4870x2 will pull up my fps a bit from your 24 on that big screen.

 

I think you've inspired me to do something foolish.

 

PS I did it.

Edited December 5, 2008 by uhoh7

[V1Rotate]

All,

 

Wonder if anyone can help me?

 

I have a Toshiba laptop with the following.

 

CPU = Intel core duo P8400 @ 2.26/2.27 ghz

Ram = 4gb

GPU = ATI HD3470 (256mb I think!)

max resolution is 1440x900

 

Question is, given its a laptop and particulary hard just to replace existing GPU or processor I'm guessing easy and cheap option is to overclock?

 

Does anyone have any idea how I would do this on my system?

 

I would need very clear and simple instructions if anyone is kind enough to help?

 

Or maybe its not a good idea at all?

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

Regards,

 

Gary

 

I'm sure you may be able to get away with a small overclock, but it may not be worth your time for the performance increase you may get. Generally overclocking requires really good aftermarket cooling (heatsinks/water blocks/fans) that take up space that you simply dont have available in a laptop.

 

Many laptops have a problem with internal heat causing instability and system crashes as it is, so my personal opinion is dont bother. That said, if cooling for some reason isnt a problem then search the net for "how to overclock" and go from there.

 

One other problem you may have is that your BIOS may not have the functionality needed to change some of the settings. I can't imagine the BIOS's on laptops are as well supported as a desktop mobo. There could well be an updated BIOS available that would allow overclocks on your laptop but you'll have to search the Toshiba website for that.

[Gary]

Gents,

 

Thanks for the replies...appreciated

 

I done a little reasearch. Unfortunately my Bios doesnt allow me the ability the play around with clock speeds etc and I have the very latest Bios version.

 

Oh well, it was just a thoght.

 

Another question (completely off topic but your here now)

 

I have had BS for many weeks now. When I originally downloaded the software I wrote my serial number down but cant find it.

 

I'm sure I could go back on the 1C website, log on and find it but assume windows has it somewhere?

 

I'm running Vista (32) and wondered how easy it would be to locate my serial number?

 

Any ideas?

 

Regards,

 

Gary

[mac22]

....I am now leaning towards the ATI solution as I play black shark and lock on mostly and from what people say running at 1600x1200 resolution with aa at x8 ATI seems give the best performance.....

Everything I have read to date seems to suggest that the 4870x2 is the best single non cross fire/SLI card available at the moment, and with a overclocked i7 processer should run black shark very well.

But I did read somewhere that it might be prone to microbursts because it has x2 cores (runs at high frame rates but despite this u get noticeable pauses every so often with some games)

Does anyone have any experience of this running the 4870x2 with blackshark or any other sim?

(I have only really experienced microbursts with one game EECH2 on my current PC

which runs nvidia 7800's in sli but i never solved the problem and it ruined the game for me........)

[vCUJOv]

It's funny I've been thinking about F4 also in relation to vista. What is the IVC issue in OF? I'm reading that AF will work on vista64, though perhaps I would have problems with cat drivers on the 4870x2 card.

 

I been grounded a long time so I'm trying to catch up.

 

Vista does not spport the radio voice comms in Open Falcon multiplayer sessions.

[uhoh7]

Vista does not spport the radio voice comms in Open Falcon multiplayer sessions.

 

TY sir.

 

Ordered one more thing today. I was gonna use my old coolermaster praetorian case, but I had worries about fitting the 4870x2 and cooling.

 

Found this at newegg:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146047

 

what do you guys think I should do about sound? the asus board has decent on board, but wondering what would be the best thing for performance in DCS?

[uhoh7]

Well, I finally have the thing together, up and running, specs in sig.

 

It's incredible. Using affintiy 2, very smooth fps all high except water and med distance 2560x1600 on the 30". It's my first real test so I'll have to play with settings, but I'm VERY smooth now running on both cores, no overclock.

 

Friggin gorgeous!!!

 

I will add xfi next week. 4870 ran a bit hot at 25% fan, but I bumped to 75% and she cooled right down.

 

Total hardware cost around 2900 (including 1100 for monitor) plus another 130 for latest track IR.

 

Build was easy really, only glitch was the supremeFX onboard sound which is a nightmare--unusable with current drivers on vista64--2ch only---hence xfi coming. P5E confused about e8600 at first, but booted--flashed bios and whoosh.

 

Anyway thank you everyone for all the great advice.

 

and it's acutally QUIET with ati fan at 25% and the 5 big fans in the tempest case!!!

 

I been saving since flaming cliffs for a blackshark system, and of course you never know if it will really pull untill the money is gone.

 

SO I'm pretty damn stoked. THinking of sending the Svkal to my 20", hehe.

[rviii]

I'm running:

 

 

Dell 24" 2405

 

Vista 32bit Ultimate

Asus Striker Extreme

intel QX6850 CPU

2GB DDR 800Mhz

Nvidia BFG 9800GX2 1024Mb

 

 

TrackIR Pro

Saitek X52 Pro

Saitek Rudder pedals

Logiteck illuminated k/b

 

 

With initial loads on High 15-30 FPS

 

With Affinity bound to cores 0,1,2,3 (all four cores)

 

FPS moved to 60-130FPS @1680x1050 :thumbup: full screen

 

[dbw]

I run BS on a gaming laptop.....QX9300 quad core, 4 gigs ram, ati 3870 sli (to be upgraded to 4870's when available for laptops), 7200 rpm hd x 2, 1920x1200 res, vista 64 ultimate. It works very well. Just picked up a 24" benq monitor for use when I am home.

[brewber19]

For that kind of benefit to fps its almost worth me upgrading to Vista!

 

I average about 25 down to 15 when the action hots up. I run:

 

1x Intel Core2Duo E6600 overclocked ffrom 2.4Ghx to 3.0Ghz

2Gb ram

1x GeForce 8800GTX

Creative X-Fi

 

24" Dell monitor

 

My game settings are different to yours. Everything on High, 1024 res for cockpit and 1920x1200 resolution (native res is best for LCDs).

 

 

I'm running:

 

 

Dell 24" 2405

 

Vista 32bit Ultimate

Asus Striker Extreme

intel QX6850 CPU

2GB DDR 800Mhz

Nvidia BFG 9800GX2 1024Mb

 

 

TrackIR Pro

Saitek X52 Pro

Saitek Rudder pedals

Logiteck illuminated k/b

 

 

With initial loads on High 15-30 FPS

 

With Affinity bound to cores 0,1,2,3 (all four cores)

 

FPS moved to 60-130FPS @1680x1050 :thumbup: full screen

 

[uhoh7]

 

With initial loads on High 15-30 FPS

 

With Affinity bound to cores 0,1,2,3 (all four cores)

 

FPS moved to 60-130FPS @1680x1050 :thumbup: full screen

 

 

This is true for me also, though I haven't done the fps check. It's a very obvious effect when you tab out and engage the second core (mine is dual core)

 

Let's hope ED improves the games ability to do this without manual tweaks.

[JG27_Arklight]

Uhoh, what Radeon 4870 are you using?

 

Any reason you choose the ATI offering over the Nvidia offering?

 

I usually prefer Nvidia, but Lock-On and Black Shark seem to operate better with ATI. I almost grabbed an Evga GTX 280 SSC today, but the read that 1 of these cards would more than likely not hack it on my Dell 30". Crap. lol

[uhoh7]

Uhoh, what Radeon 4870 are you using?

 

Any reason you choose the ATI offering over the Nvidia offering?

 

I usually prefer Nvidia, but Lock-On and Black Shark seem to operate better with ATI. I almost grabbed an Evga GTX 280 SSC today, but the read that 1 of these cards would more than likely not hack it on my Dell 30". Crap. lol

 

4870x2

 

seems to be a great card. I turn the fan up when I play to keep it cool. On the desktop I run the fan at 20% and it's quiet and cool. Though BS is supposed to be mostly processor, I read this card is very good at driving big monitors.

 

Mine is 30". 2560x1600 with aa and af. getting 40fps average in campaign on vista64. all setting smax except mirrors, water, and med distance. Civ traffic off. In smaller missions it will run good with all that stuff on. I can't tell any water dif--looks great in normal.

 

Dual cards don't help BS, I hear.

 

I thought about nvidia--but all the stuff i read said there's no contest at this moment.

 

ATI drivers are good with BS. In about 20 hours of play, I had it freeze once.

 

newegg has the card for about 480.00

Edited December 22, 2008 by uhoh7

[shadowze]

I thought I would chip in my 2cents worth

 

I have tried both a gtx280 and a 4870x2 on my rig to see which it best.

 

Rig:

 

Dell 27" @1920x1200 + dell 24" @1920x1200

i7 920 @ 2.66 ( not OCed YET! )

Gigabyte X58-DS4

3G DDR3 1600 Corsair 9-9-9-24

800W Tagan Psu

 

In 3D mark 06 benches: ( in no way indicative of real world performance)

4870x2 = 19124

GTX280 = 17493

 

As you can see for 2 x the card you only get a small improvement :-(

In actual game performance for me IL-2 , arma , COH , Black shark , sins of a solar empire the GTX280 has a far smoother gaming experience.

Also I get less crashes ( none ) with the GTX280 , it was a crashfest with the 4870x2.

 

Also I can use the 24" display for my Shkval camera ( which I could not get to run on my 4870x2 )

 

I gave the 4870x2 a fews days to test its mettle , but alas it was not up to the task :-(

 

As Jack Burton says "You never can tell"