I say let the world go to hell
… but I should always have my tea. (Notes From Underground, 1864)
You can praise video games as art to justify its impact on your life – but do you really consider it art?
Best before the servers are taken down, because you're probably not playing it after.
Art allows the author to express their humanity and permits the user to consider that perspective. We become cultured when we experiment with and to some extent understand difficult human nature problems. Ideas are transmitted about topics which we cannot otherwise understand. We are affected positively as humans in society when these issues are raised in a safe medium.
Video games, unlike most other mediums, encourage the user to coat the creation with their own expressions. The player can influence the content through their dialogue and decision-tree choices. The player can accomplish challenges in their own unique way and talk about it over the water cooler. The player can also embed their own content as a direct form of expression. The medium will also mature as we further learn how to leverage interactivity to open a dialogue for these artistic topics in completely new ways and not necessarily in a single direction.
Consciously or otherwise – users will express themselves.
With all of the potential for art that the medium allows it is a shame that – time and time again – the industry and its users neuter its artistic capabilities in the name of greed, simplicity, or merely fear.
Introduction and Externals
Corsair manufactures a wide variety of components and peripherals for PC enthusiasts. They essentially target the most enthusiastic customers in whatever market they enter – breaking the ice with the coldest and harshest critics who are never above nitpicking faults and flaws. Despite tossing their first generation products to the sharks they perform uncharacteristically well for a new contender almost every time. They look before they leap.
The Corsair K60 and K90 were launched simultaneously and represent Corsair’s first attempt at producing a mechanical keyboard. Corsair has included media keys, a metal volume wheel, and a Windows-key lock on both keyboards if you find yourself yelling, “I HATE THIS KEY!” at your desktop because your game is now minimized and cannot receive your hatred.
Rubberized when down, not when up -- but stable either way.
I never said I wasn't one of the nitpickers.
Both keyboards are built around an aluminum chassis with a nonslip coating to each key. Each keycap has a sharply defined edges compared to the more round edges found on a Razer Blackwidow and other similar keyboards. Neither keyboard has rubberized tips on their ergonomic flaps although slipping has not been an issue in my testing.
Check in after the break to learn more about Corsair's first mechanical keyboards.
Has Microsoft Given the PC to Xboxers on a Silver Platter?
Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Systems, Mobile | September 2, 2012 - 02:20 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: consolitis, windows 8
Microsoft has announced that 40 Xbox Live games will ship for Windows 8 PC, laptops, and tablets on its October 26th launch date. Microsoft also continues to misunderstand why Games for Windows Live failed in the first place.
Xbox has all but become the quasi-official branding for Microsoft’s gaming initiatives.
Microsoft suffered a substantial black-eye from their Games for Windows Live initiative. While the service does not live up to its anti-hype it does illustrate how Microsoft lost their PC gaming audience: gamers who do not choose a console do not want a console. PC gamers might wish for a cheaper experience due to the lack of license fees; they might prefer the mouse and keyboard; or they might wish to play games for longer than a console lifecycle.
If they pass up your console platform – hand delivering it on a silver platter will still be a decline gesture.
Shattered Windows.
This time it seems more like Microsoft has given up trying to appease PC gamers. Rather than trying to satisfy the needs of the PC gaming audience (Seriously! It’s not that hard.) Microsoft would prefer to hand the PC gaming market to the console crowd and hope that they find some value to the platform.
This move seems just as risky to me as simply keeping PC gamers satisfied. The console model is designed around squirreling away as many license fees as you can possibly hide to appear less costly than the PC alternative – without actually being cheaper of course since otherwise who would pay the extra middleman? There is a lot of risk in transitioning to a new platform and they are betting their PC stronghold in the intersection between Apple fans and people who lock themselves in against PC gaming.
Or maybe the platter is served by Gabe Newell… dressed with a Tux.
Arctic's stylish new Trinity powered HTPC
Subject: Systems | August 31, 2012 - 02:56 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: trinity, SFF, htpc, Arctic MC101, amd, a10-4600m
There is a lot to like about the Arctic MC101 HTPC, from the brushed aluminium exterior to the Trinity based quad core A10-4600M and HD7660M graphics core that comes with the A10. Bjorn3D thought it was rather strange that the system ships without a remote control but thankfully it does have an IR sensor so a Windows Media Centre type remote will work perfectly. Connectivity is quite good, USB 3.0, combo USB 2.0/eSATA port, a headphone jack and a 4-in-1 memory card reader, along the front and sides. The back panel has even more, TV antenna, an audio out port, a line-in jack, SPDIF audio out, 4 USB 2.0 ports, two more USB 3.0 ports, HDMI-out and an ethernet port. At ~$750 it will set you back a bit to purchase and after reading Bjorn3D's review you may be willing to spend it.
"Arctic’s latest home entertainment system user an AMD A10-4600M APU, bringing a powerful combination of CPU and GPU in a tiny little box. Packed with WiFi, TV Tuner, 8GB RAM, and 1TB of storage, the MC101 brings us plenty of power for our media needs and is also able to deliver decent gaming performance."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Arctic MC101-A10 Home Entertainment Centre @ Kitguru
- Mede8er MED1000X3D review - 3D media player without Android @ Hardware.info
- 128-inch silver screen for your viewing room @ Hack a Day
- Pivos XIOS DS Media Play! Android Media Player @ Tweaktown
If you have to go back to school, do it with a new system
Subject: Systems | August 28, 2012 - 01:56 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: system build
The Tech Report has recently updated their systems guide and reminded many people about the upcoming beginning of the school year, except for those who've already started. While that might not be what you want to think about, considering building a new PC is certainly worth some thought. They've expanded their systems to include the "Dorm PC 2.0", a sub-$600 Mini-ITX system with a Core i3-2120 and an MSI Radeon HD 7770 which should not only stream your video but also let you get some late night gaming in as well. Check out all their system builds and don't forget to check out the Hardware Leaderboard here on PC Perspective which was just updated last week.
Not the Dorm 2.0 system
"We've updated our famous system guide to account for some of the latest hardware releases, including Nvidia's new GeForce GTX 660 Ti. In the spirit of the back-to-school season, we've also added the Dorm PC 2.0, a sub-$700 Mini-ITX system that has enough brawn to handle the latest games."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Orange OPC @ Kitguru
- AVADirect Quiet Gaming PC System Review Part II: Can Ivy Bridge and Kepler Make Up the Difference? @ AnandTech
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M92 Tiny System Review: Pint-Sized Power @ AnandTech
- Lenovo IdeaCentre H520s Review @ TechReviewSource
The Premise
Most IT workers or computer enthusiasts tend to ‘accumulate’ computer and electronics gear over time. Over the years it is easy to end up with piles of old and outdated computer parts, components and electronics–whether it’s an old Pentium machine that your work was throwing out, RAM chips you no longer needed after your last upgrade, or an old CRT monitor that your cousin wasn’t sure what to do with. Tossing the accumulated hardware out with the next trash pickup doesn’t even enter the equation, because there’s that slight possibility you might need it someday.
I myself have one (or two, and maybe half an attic…) closet full of old stuff ranging from my old Commodore 64/1541 Floppy disk drive with Zork 5.25” floppies, to a set of four 30 pin 1 MB/70ns SIMM chips that cost $100 each as upgrades to my first 486 DX2/50 Mhz Compudyne PC back in 1989. (Yes, you read that right, $100 for 1 MB of memory.) No matter if you have it all crammed into one closet or spread all over your house, you likely have a collection of gear dating back to the days of punch cards, single button joysticks, and InvisiClues guides.
Occasionally I’ll look into my own closet and lament all the ‘wasted’ technology that resides there. I’m convinced much of the hardware still has some sparks of life left. As a result, I am always looking for a reason to revive some of it from the dead. Since they’ve already been bought and paid for, it feels almost blasphemous to the technology gods not to do something with the hardware. In some cases, it might not be worth the effort, (Windows Vista on an old Micron Transport Trek2 PII-300 laptop doesn’t end well for anyone). In others cases, you can build something fun or useful using parts that you have sitting around and are waiting for a new lease on life.
Continue reading our look at building a legacy PC with existing hardware you might already have!!
Intel's take on the all-in-one PC
Subject: Systems | August 13, 2012 - 05:13 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: SFF, mini-itx, Intel, DH61AG, all-in-one
Intel's thin Mini-ITX is the same length and width as a regular mini-ITX board at 6.7" x 6.7" but it sports a thinner port cluster and horizontally stacked SO-DIMM memory slots to allow it to slip into a smaller place, perfect for an all-in-one build. That is why when you look at the system you will be hard pressed to see the case, as the motherboard is built right into the monitor. Unlike some other all-in-one systems, this one is user serviceable and to an extent is also upgradeable. If you are wondering how it performs then all you have to do is check out The Tech Report and all will be revealed.
"Today, we're going to be spending some quality time with an all-in-one PC based on Intel's Thin Mini-ITX standard. The individual parts are all available at retail, and the resulting machine is slim, slick, and surprisingly straightforward to put together."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 Review @ TechReviewSource
- Cyberpower Fang III Black Mamba Review -the £4,000 system @ Kitguru
- LRDIMMs, RDIMMs, and Supermicro's Latest Twin @ AnandTech
- Dell Precision T1650 Workstation Review: Ivy Bridge Xeons Bring Performance @ AnandTech
- Palicomp Alpha Pulse Gaming PC @ Kitguru
- Guru3D Rig of the Month - July 2012
PC Perspective Hardware Workshop 2012 @ Quakecon 2012 in Dallas, TX
Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Graphics Cards, Motherboards, Cases and Cooling, Processors, Memory, Systems, Storage, Mobile, Shows and Expos | August 9, 2012 - 10:30 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, workshop, streaming, quakecon, prizes, live, giveaways
It is that time of year again: another installment of the PC Perspective Hardware Workshop! Once again we will be presenting on the main stage at Quakecon 2012 being held in Dallas, TX August 2-5th.
Main Stage - Quakecon 2012
Saturday, August 4th, 2pm CT
Our thanks go out to the organizers of Quakecon for allowing us and our partners to put together a show that we are proud of every year. We love giving back to the community of enthusiasts and gamers that drive us to do what we do! Get ready for 2 hours of prizes, games and raffles and the chances are pretty good that you'll take something out with you - really, they are pretty good!
Our thanks for this year's workshop logo goes to John Pastor!!
Our primary partners at the event are those that threw in for our ability to host the workshop at Quakecon and for the hundreds of shirts we have ready to toss out! Our thanks to NVIDIA, MSI Computer and Corsair!!
Live Streaming
If you can't make it to the workshop - don't worry! You can still watch the workshop live on our page right here as we stream it over one of several online services. Just remember this URL: http://pcper.com/workshop and you will find your way!
Case Mod Competition
Along with the Hardware Workshop, PC Perspective is working with Modders Inc on the annual case mod contest! There are two categories for the competition: "Scratch Built" and "In the Box" that will allow those that build their computer enclosures from the ground up to compete separately from those that heavily modify their existing cases and systems.
For more details, be sure to check out the on going thread at the Modders Inc Forums!
Prize List (will continue to grow!)
Continue reading to see the list of prizes for the workshop!!!
Put your HTPC to work
Subject: Systems | August 9, 2012 - 03:17 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: htpc, amd, nvidia, cyberlink, arcsoft, transcoding, Intel
If you have built yourself an HTPC then you have also built yourself a machine which is relatively good at transcoding video if you get the right software. Not only can you watch movies, you can edit or manipulate your own movies. The Tech Report delves into the current state of both hardware and software transcoding tools in their recent article. They check out the performance of Cyberlink's MediaEspresso, ArcSoft MediaConverter and Handbrake on an Intel based system using the native GPU on the chip as well as tossing in AMD and NVIDIA GPUs to see how it changes the performance.
"The market is rife with hardware video transcoders and software that can take advantage of them. However, making sense of that jungle of disparate offerings can be tough. We've tried to make sense of it all, comparing the latest transcoding logic from AMD, Nvidia, and Intel in three major video conversion applications."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Streacom FC5 review: Passively-cooled HTPC chassis @ Hardware.info
- Bitfenix Prodigy Mini-ITX PC Chassis Review @ eTeknix
- Antec ISK110 VESA ITX Case @ Funky Kit
- Shuttle Barebone XS35GTA V3 Review @ Madshrimps
- Silverstone GD07 HTPC Chassis Review @ eTeknix
- Silverstone Fortress FT03 Mini @ techPowerUp
- Giada A51 Ultra Mini PC @ Pro-Clockers
- Gigabyte SkyVision Wireless HD Video Sync Review @ HardwareHeaven
- Control Your HTPC With A PS3 Remote Control @ Computing on Demand
- Shuttle Barebone XS35GTA V3 Review @ Madshrimps
- 5 Addons Every XBMC User Should Have @ Computing on Demand
- Sony BDP-S590 Review @ TechReviewSource
ZOTAC announces ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M
Subject: Systems | August 8, 2012 - 02:43 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: zotac, zbox id84, SFF, htpc, gt 520M, atom d2550
Two new ZOTAC ZBOXes were announced today, both with an Atom D2550 and an NVIDIA GT 520M 512MB inside. The ID84 Plus ships with memory and a hard drive already installed, the non-Plus version is at a lower cost as you must provide your own DDR3 and 2.5" drive, either hard or solid depending on your preference.
As you can see below, the reason that ZOTAC specifies VESA compliant mounting holes is so that you can attach your ZBOX directly to the back of a monitor. With the right OS you can get support for a touchscreen, making your own all in one PC with very little in the way of wiring or peripherals. For external storage and other devices, you will be glad to know that there are a pair of USB 3.0 ports to allow you to quickly move large files back and forth between the ZBOX and your external storage solution.
No word on pricing
HONG KONG – Aug. 8, 2012 – ZOTAC International, a global innovator and channel manufacturer of graphics cards, mainboards and mini-PCs, today delivers a new ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics processing. The new ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics incorporates class-leading features and stunning visuals to form a perfect home theater PC.
“We’re pleased to inject the power of NVIDIA GeForce graphics to our award-winning ZOTAC ZBOX for users that demand energy-efficiency with a graphics kick,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International. “The new ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics delivers phenomenal high-definition video playback capabilities to make it the perfect home theater PC as well.”
The new ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics is available as a barebones or with memory and hard drive preinstalled. Operating systems such as Windows 7 (x86 and x64) and OpenELEC are fully compatible with the new ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics to transform the system into an everyday casual use PC or outstanding home theater PC capable of high-definition video playback.
It’s time to play with the new ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M graphics.
General details
- ZOTAC Delivers New ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M Graphics Processing
- ZOTAC ZBOX with NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M
- Intel Atom™ D2550 (1.86 GHz, dual-core)
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M w/512MB DDR3
- DVI & HDMI outputs
-
ZOTAC ZBOX ID84 Plus
- 2GB DDR3
- 320GB 5400RPM HDD
-
ZOTAC ZBOX nano ID84
- 2 x 204-pin DDR3-1066 SO-DIMM slot
- Support 2.5-inch SATA HDD
- 2 x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports
- 4 x High-Speed USB 2.0 ports (2 on back panel, 1 on front, 1 on top)
- Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi & Bluetooth 3.0 technologies
- Bundled MCE-compatible remote w/ USB IR receiver
- Bundled VESA75/100 mount
- Bundled MCE-compatible remote w/ USB IR receiver
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