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[MaxBeta]

  Hi CityBuilding Faithful

I thought a designated thread for a topic that will at some point impact most of us, thus a Vista thread is born.

Some us have shared insight and opinions on this new OS.  Hopefully that info will find its way to this thread. 

Here's a little link to a "test drive" Vista..if you feel like it.

http://www.windowsvistatestdrive.com/

..more to come ..Thanks

[City Builder]

Oh good idea BetaMax.

I found something rather interesting in Vista.  It's called the readyboost.  You can plug in a USB flash device and Vista will use it as a cache file to speed up windows.

Unfortunately it doesn't support every USB flash thumb drive out there and they have to be "fast" enough to satisfy windows vista.

For example, I bought a bunch of PNY's 1GB flash drives for about $3.50 each and windows finds that it is acceptible to use it for the cache file, so I wanted to improve performance so I went out an bought a 4GB Memorex travelmate flash drive and windows says that it's too slow to be used as a cache device.  Strange since both run on USB 2.0.

So I guess I've got to go and return the memorex usb device tommorrow.  I only bought it because it was on sale for $54.99 regularly $149.00  but since it wont work for the cache device, I really have no use for it, especially since I picked up a handfull of the 1GB drives for $3.50 each.

The way that readyboost works is that windows vista will create a cache file on the USB device and instead of accessing the hard drive, it will access the usb device for the information that it wrote there into the cache file if thats what it's looking for.

I notice a very very small (if any) improvement, other than when I play World of Warcraft my hard drive light never comes on anymore, but I can see the little led light on the pny usb flash device flash instead which in theory means that windows is using that device to pull information instead of from the hard drive, which in theory speeds up everything.  All very neat stuff.

[MaxBeta]

Yes CB, that "readyboost" feature will no doubt be very popular.

Here's a few more memory and performance points Vista brings to the table.

Built-in performance diagnostics can detect and self-correct many performance issues. Performance diagnostics provide instrumentation and services for both user-driven and tool-driven diagnoses of common problems, including glitchy media playback, slow system or program starts, and network-related delays. Built-in performance diagnostic tools track how long it takes to execute common activities, analyze performance declines, and display results in the Performance Center, where users can then take action to remedy the problem

Memory is not the only resource needed to help ensure responsiveness. One of the benefits of Windows is that multiple programs can run simultaneously. However, if multiple applications are simultaneously trying to use the same system resource?such as the hard disk drive?performance can suffer.

Windows Vista introduces the concept of low-priority I/O, which enables background processes to run with lower-priority access to the hard disk drive than other programs. If an application is written to use low-priority I/O, it can run at the same time as one of your high-priority programs, such as Microsoft Office Outlook, without slowing down the high-priority program. In Windows Vista, a number of services use low-priority I/O, including search indexing, automatic disk defragmentation, and the daily system scan in Windows Defender

(pat might enjoy know this next little tidbit.)

Windows Vista includes a new feature called Windows HotStart, which is ideal for use with media and entertainment on mobile PCs. Mobile PC manufacturers can now include a separate button for media playback that starts up right to Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Center. So when you use your mobile PC on a long flight, HotStart zips you right to DVDs or music, saving both time and battery life.

A new OS usually has a bucket full of bells and whistles, but some of these new features would've been nice to have a long time ago.  (automatic defrag detection..I like that..)

Thanks CB, for posting about "readyboost"..I'll make use of it too

[Lengo]

I'll buy it when service pack 2 comes out, and not until!

[MaxBeta]

  Most likely the wisest approach to getting involved with Vista..good thinking Lengo.  Thanks

[City Builder]

Vista is actually fine if you have a computer that is somewhat new, and newerish hardware in it.  But there are somethings that Vista just wont work with.  For example my ATi 200 TV tuner is no workie in vista, something about a chip that is missing on the 200 tv tuner models that make them incompatible with media center, but what stumps me is that the tv tuner doesnt require media center to operate but ATi/AMD has not put out any vista drivers for it, and it's not looking like they will.

They have already put out drivers for their newer tv tuner cards but have been dragging their feet with last years and older products of theirs.  My guess is that they would like us to buy the newer TV tuner cards.  But for me thats just not going to happen, I rarely watch TV on my computer, and only really used it for ATi's thruview technology so that I could overlay the movie ontop of other windows with a transparancy so that I could watch the movie while doing other things on my computer, but it's not so big of a deal to make me go out and spend more money on a new tv tuner card from them considering that my old tv tuner was just bought last year.

Plus TV tuners really are not that great for watching tv on computers, they still look to me like I am watching TV that is received from a roof top ariel instead of through digital cable, which can be rather poor at times.

[MaxBeta]

  It's always something..huh? CB

I tried the TV gig..when All in Wonder cards first arrived..and sort of let it go.  I realize they've really improved..but I found myself dashing over to the REGULAR TV when something important or interesting was being shown.  I certainly cannot watch sports of any kind.. Reminds of when I RV'd across the US, and my little 9" Panasonic TV..I was nearly blind..before the trip was over.

I've been checking for three or four graphics cards..the 512 ATI 1950..series.. thought I'd try to get them into my LAN PC..since I have PCIe MB's in all of them now.

http://www.nextag.com/ati-tecnologies-radeon-1950-xtx/search-html

Yeoww..!! I looked at this link.. Man I hate to fork over that much.. Wonder if these will go down in price anytime soon?

[City Builder]

That seems rathe pricey, especially since it's *only*  at DX9 compliant card (according to the blurb on the linked page).

I think Im going to hang in there until a good DX10 card comes along that is of equal caliber to my x1900gt which as I understand it is right between the regular x1900 and the x1900xt models and has been serving me well.  Perhaps sometime in the next 2 years (unless for some reason this one goes out).

When I had an office in the auto dealerships I too had a little 9" television on my desk, because of the buildings being made out of cinderblocks I got terrible reception and always had to strain if I really wanted to watch it, but I generally just listened to it.

[MaxBeta]

 

I think Im going to hang in there until a good DX10 card comes along that is of equal caliber to my x1900gt which as I understand it is right between the regular x1900 and the x1900xt models and has been serving me well.  Perhaps sometime in the next 2 years (unless for some reason this one goes out).

   Yup..I think that is a wise choice..  we've gained our respective wisdom by being involved with the never-ending necessary graphics requirements that somehow..always digs deep into our pockets.  Again it happens with the lucrative move from AGP to PCIexpress, the debut of DirX 10 represents a huge money grubbing opportunity for PC graphics Devs in order to run DirectX 10 games and applications, not only requiring Vista but a DirX 10 compliant graphics card or heaven-forbid an integrated/graphics MB chipset.

I'd like to stay with ATI since they've already delved into the Xbox community with their GPU flexibility..between DirX9 and 10. With all the high powered graphic hardware in the wings from either ATI oe Nvidia..the next thing will be having to install a supplimentary PSU to just run...YES!!!.. just to run the darn graphics card.

Do you know of anyone that has used the GeForce 8800GTX cards..I'm curious beyond the Net reviews if they're up to their hype.?  Uses a new shader model and lessens the CPU hit..supposedly. 

[MaxBeta]

   Just a note on what's in store for us at Intel..  it's really no surprise when you think about it.  Pretty good read.


http://www.ddj.com/dept/64bit/196901294;jsessionid=O4YA1YPVCBCZYQSNDLPSKHSCJUNN2JVN


..Mmm?  I see a boat load of obsolete...hardware,  probably every item I'm using right now for sure...ah well, five to eight years...isn't that long anymore.