Category Archives: Hardware

Hardware & Gadgets

Win7, NWN2 Gold & Virtual Box

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Neverwinter Nights 2 Gold

I have migrated to Win 7 about a month before the official launch because my institution has it. (Not widely supported, but hey, I have heard and read enough about the new found stability to use it, without too much concern). And really, I was 97% happy with Win 7 since Day 1. (I can only hope that Microsoft will not fix something that ain’t broke from this point on.) Thus far I have had only two annoyances:

Annoyance #1 has to do with NWN2 Gold. Some how, the toolset (from NWN2 Gold installation) will crash on my office machine (a new Mac Pro running Win7-64) — this is pretty strange as I don’t have the same problem at home (another Win7-64). (Well, I did not have Gold installed at home because I have the OC and all three expansions).

After some search through the forum about the cryptic CLR20c3 error that pops up, it is pretty clear that the “error” was Atari’s and it was introduced into the Gold Disc. Arrgh! NWN Diamond error flashback!!! :-x

Looks like it is either a NET 2.0 (64) problem, or a corrupted Direct X 9c driver. Since it is easier to reinstall Direct X, I went with that first; using the Direct X SDK (Aug 2009) on my machine.

Sure enough, after I re-install Direct X , the NWN2 Toolset worked again. (Yay!)

Now, annoyance #2 has to do with EM’s Epoc Control Panel. Since it is the only thing I need (for research) which will not run on Win7-64, I definitely must have a way to make it work! (Interestingly, all other Epoch tools ran without any glitch. Hence the need for two OS’es mentioned in my last post.)

After installing and removing several versions of Windows (XP, Xp64, Vista32, Vista64, Win7-32, including MS’s very own virtualization manager), I finally “gave in” to Dual Boot, which worked! (Fortunately, I have kept Vista64 on my home machine in parallel to Win7).

Considering that the CP will work with Vista64 but not Win7-64, it is mighty strange! Of course, I am suspecting again for some kind of version control problem. But knowing that EM had a lot to chew during this pre-launch period, I understand that they can not spare anyone to look into this issue. (After all, only a small percentage of their customers are currently using Win7.) So, I will wait.

Fortunately, the EM Forum is quite active on this case, and all Win7 using pre-launch adopters (like me) have been busy trying to find a way for CP to work with Win7. And reporting what does not yet work.

Finally, someone on the forum posted about running CP successfully in Win7 using Sun’s Virtual Box. Okay, something new to learn. Guess what? It worked! But you need to be running Vista64 in a Virtual Box within Win7-64, with lag time involved. Aai-ya-yah! 8-O

Thank goodness this workaround was short lived. After EM launch their product and updated the licensing scheme for Researcher (just before Christmas), I found a new CP ready for download on their website.

It worked without any problem on Win7! After comparing the installed files on both version of CP, it looks they have replaced vcredist.exe (old installation) with util_vc90.dll. Was the pre-release CP compiled using a Visual Studio that is not compatible with Win7?

Anyway, the issue is moot and what’s important is that EM got the new program out for all the pre-launch adopters… and in time for a Christmas present, too. Thank you EM!

Bye-bye, Virtual Box!

Surround Game Setup

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This is the lesson I learned about setting up Surround Game (and for anyone else thinking of doing the same):

  1. Buy a computer with Radeon 5xxx series (with DirectX-11 Eyefinity capability) – or buy the cards and add it yourself.
  2. (Optional) Buy 2 cards if you want CrossFire capability. (like SLI for NVidia)
  3. Buy 3 monitors (HDMI-capable) of the same make and brand (so the color and contrast are consistent).
  4. (Optional) You may want to consider getting monitors that can do portrait mode (this allow some interesting configuration choices).
  5. Buy a Display Port to HDMI adapter, which is usually not included with monitor purchase.
  6. (Optional) You may need to buy a DVI to HDMI adapter, but this is often included with the monitor purchase.
  7. (Optional) You should have 3 HDMI cables (1 short, 2 long). [Short = at least 3 ft, Long = 6']
  8. Connect the monitors to the Radeon card (using ports from 1 card only), using the following configuration:
  • One of the 3 monitor must be connected using Display Port (ATI refer to this as the 3rd monitor)
  • Since the card is now left with 2 DVI, and 1 HDMI ports, the available configurations are DVI & DVI, or DVI & HDMI. I recommend the DVI & HDMI option because in this way, you will get HDMI Audio (which is not available in DVI & DVI option)
  • So connect a second monitor using the HDMI cable, and
  • The last monitor using the last HDMI cable passing through a DVI to HDMI adapter

In this way, all 3 types of ports on the Radeon will be used.

  1. Now, on to the software side. Using the ATI Catalyst Control Panel, select a new Profile under Profile manager.
  2. Configure all 3 desktop as a Single Display.

Voila! And you are done. Enjoy your surround game environment!

Playing WOW with 3 monitors in surround game mode (Internet image)

Playing WOW with 3-monitor in surround game mode (Internet image)

Aurora ALX

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Alienware Aurora ALX Desktop (Gaming Rig)

The Alienware Aurora ALX for the V-Lab arrived today! Yay! :twisted:

The thing is a monster! It is easily 1.5 time bigger than my Dell XPS.

Here’s a comment from someone who received their first extended ATX case:

This thing is HUGEEE. My jaw hit the floor when i took it out of the box.

(Heheh! I felt the same way.) The thing is heavy, too. I need help just to lift the chassis up to the trolley in order to cart it back to my office.

My purchasing officer commented that the big box that house the chassis (alone) is like a small house.  Noticed I did not say anything about a monitor? That’s because I did not order one!

I was hoping to try out some of the screens before I commit on which monitor to purchase.  However, I do have two 28″ Hanns monitors with me right now, so I can begin testing…

The fins on the top of the chassis (mothership?) actually fan out (open up wider) as you boot up the machine — it also changes position according to the fan speed. You can also change the color of every LED panel on the chassis, with matching (or not) color on the keyboard and mouse. (COOL!) No wonder people said this is a toy!!! (Let me add, big toys for big boys!) :mrgreen:

Alright, need to calm down… and get on with more important business…

Setting it up was easy. Then I installed Resident Evil 5. (Oh, why is it in Japanese? Turn out there was a bug as Konami left it default Japanese language.) Go figure! So now everyone else (including us here in US) have to guess at the installation process on screen.)

Now, since I have two monitors (1900×1200) side by side, I should be able to get 3800×1200… Errm, I can;’t find 3800 x 1200 at all. In fact, the game’s highest resolution is just 1900×1200. This is not cool. What went wrong?

Let’s see: the ATI’s are in Crossfire mode, and I do have DVI to HDMI for both monitors. (Changing one of them to HDMI/HDMI doesn’t make any differences, except I do get HDMI audio while playing BlueDisc.) Something is not right…

A search on WideScreenGamingForum (WSGF) revealed that Dragon’s Age has released a patch for Eyefinity users! (Patch 1.01b). So this means, no every game will pick up the resolution automatically.

Further search on Anandtech revealed something about “grouping the monitors into a Single Large Display”. Hmm, I will try that tomorrow, and ask G. to purchase Dragon Age.

Found the problem: It seemed that not only do I need 3 monitors, but I also must have 3 different cables in order to run surround game mode (see this post for more information). Aiyayah!

Alienware

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I have put in an order for a new Alienware computer for the V-LAB.

When the order went up to the Purchase Department, our Purchase Manager had a fit. Two days later, my order was returned with a polite suggestion for a Dell Studio XPS as substitute. The reason? Apparently, the Alienware was considered to be a “Toy” (and is therefore, not suitable for higher institution “use”.) Ahhh!

Sorry! No way I am getting a XPS. I picked the Alienware precisely because it IS a Toy!

Don’t get me wrong: I am getting it because it comes with two (very interesting) pieces of hardware – a pair of ATI Radeon 5870 cards with Cross-Fire!

“Why? You ask?” In order to have a 3-monitor surround game setup, that’s why! (Now, if you have read my last couple of posts, you would have already guessed it. No?)

Alienware "Bad Boy": Intergalactic Domination

Eyefinity

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People who likes Surround Games now have an alternative to Matrox TH2G: the ATI Radeon 5800/5700 (an Eyefinity capable card)! The monster card (it is very long) is able to power up 6 screens simultaneously (through DirectX 11) to create a new level of “Surround Gaming”!

An ATI Eyefinity Ad with 3 screens laid out horizontally

Since the card is DirectX 11 capable, it did not have the same restrictions inherent to the Matrox TH2G (DirectX 11, higher resolution limit). The card can easily reach 5760 x 1200 in their 3 x 1 screen configuration — as compared to TH2G’s 5060 x 1050.

A single ATI Radeon 5870 is currently selling at $380.00 (at Newegg.com). Not forgetting that you will need two additional monitors to make a triple display. There is also the CrossFire option for consideration… Or You may want to consider the slightly cheaper “mainstream” product instead: Radeon 5850 is selling for around $260.00 (at Newegg.com). [AnandTech Review on 5770/5750] :mrgreen:

Several YouTube videos of the ATI Eyefinity Launch can be found here. [See photos on Eyefinity Setup.] [Eyefinity review on AnandTech.]

Finally, how about a 24 screens monstrosity — with 4 Eyefinity cards (6 screens each) firing at the same time?

24 screens display (inset: 4 cards powering 6 display port monitor each)