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  1. #31
    Putter compypaul is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by syhlif32 View Post
    Always nice to hear when somebody manage to setup a unit affordable.
    Good information, thanks.
    Thanks, though the one drawback, is, as you mention above, the fan noise. Put the projector fan and the processor fan together and the room gets a bit loud.

  2. #32
    Sand Wedge GOLFINFLA is on a distinguished road
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    Hello,

    Need some help on qualifying this computer from CompUSA as it is a custom built pc they are selling right now for $524.99 with a mail in rebate of $25:

    AMD Phenom II quad core cpu

    amd phenom II x4 820 quad core 2.8ghz cpu
    msi motherboard
    patriot 8gb ddr3 memory
    -sony 24x dvdrw drive
    -seagate 1 TB hard drive
    -galaxy geforce 210 1 BG graphics card
    thermaltake v2 cas with 450-watt power supply

    The rep there opened it up and showed me the extra pci slot for the usb required for camera

    I am currently leaning towards the GSA PX2...will this be a good fit?

    Thanks.

  3. #33
    Hall of Fame ZMax is on a distinguished road
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    Video is on the low side. It'll work but you might want to have them upgrade it to at least a GTS250 1GB.

    The built in USB 2.0 on the back of the motherboard can be used for just 1 camera. Each additional camera requires it's own USB 2.0 PCI/pci express card.

  4. #34
    Sand Wedge GOLFINFLA is on a distinguished road
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    Thanks ZMAX.

    The galaxy geforce is showing 1 gb in the newspaper ad; I typed the wrong thing above. Are you saying that iit s still slow? I I thought I needed 1 GB on the graphics card.

    Any other units you see out(compusa, bestbuy, newegg, etc) there for under $600 that have what I need that are a bette buy per say?

    Thanks.

  5. #35
    Hall of Fame ZMax is on a distinguished road
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    The Geforce 210 is a low end video card.

    This one has a better video card and it will do GSA golf at medium to max settings. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16883227314

  6. #36
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    Ordering my computer this weekend. Since I am just learning the differences between NVIDIA and Radeon GPUs thought I get your advice if somone already resolved this.

    Question - which single cards can support 3 monitors? scenario 1 = touchscreen lcd for sim and projector and scenario 2 = lcd for personal use of the computer.

    Background - toucscreenw will be on the wall for the sim. i dont need to have 3 monitors on at once but either 2 on or 1 on.

    Heard NVIDIA can do two and Radeon can do more than 2 but honestly just starting to research this. Called a few shops online but they just said to check with the gpu mfrs. Just reading up on mfr websites now.

    I know i can get two gpus (one higher end for sim and one lower end for personal computer) but since this thing is expensive like to just get a single card if i could.

    apprecite any insight. thanks.

  7. #37
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    anyone tried the "all in one" computers yet on max graphic settings? i am buying my computer this weekend. leaning toward gaming build + touch screen for the sim to insure i get the top end
    performance but very pricey. its much cheaper to get an all in one computer wiht the touch screen included BUT you can't max it out like you can on a tower. Curious if anyone has tried one on max graphic settings and found it to perform excellent?

    i can't get the same performance but like the idea. it performs with no delays i don't care if its not maxed out.

    i know trugolf with their new technique models shipping this month has switched to the following to run E6:


    6GB (4GBx1 + 2GBx1) DDR3-SDRAM-1333
    :
    Intel® Core™ i5-2410M processor (2.30GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 2.90GHz
    :
    500GB hard drive (7200rpm)
    :
    Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit
    :
    NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M (1GB VRAM) dedicated graphics
    :
    24" 2D Full HD touchscreen display (1920 x 1080) with LED backlight
    :
    CD/DVD player / burner


    these systems are much cheaper than what i am looking at but hate to buy it and it doesn't perform at top speed. when i did test trugolf newport (not this computer setup) i did see on flybys of the hole some choppie/blockie'ness if that's a word which seems to be a function of processor / gpu. the reason i mention this is based on that test i know the manufacturer has in the past then sold computer builds that were just on the line for performance with e6.

    thoughts?

  8. #38
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    just ordered computer build from cyberpowerpc.com. great site for customizing your build and prices seem similar to those if i bought the components myself or built the tigerdirect/newegg models then upgraded components. they include all options like overclocking and have a wide variety of GPUs to choose from. surprisingly they can build and ship it tomorrow and I totaly customized it.

    the same day shipping was a seperate set of configurations to choose from but once you select it you can custom config every component and still not pay the additional fee to ship within 1 day.

    if you do use cyberpowerpc.com found a 10% off promotional code that you can use = SPRING0410.

  9. #39
    5 Iron chasiv is on a distinguished road
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    Just a quick note to this thread:

    Be sure to watch the power requirements when adding a video card. Many of the higher memory video cards require more than a standard 250W Power Supply. Do not assume that because it powers up and works when installed that you are fine. After a year or 2, the video card and power supply will BOTH fail.

    So, spend the $50 or so up front and buy the appropriate power supply to power the card ;-)

    Just a word to the wise as I've changed out a lot of video cards & power supplies in other people's computers due to this. The excessive heat caused in these situations can also ruin more then the video card.

    P.S. I tested an ATI Radeon 5850 w/1 GB of RAM. It's a spectacular card, if you can afford the $350! No frame loss in the Virtual Courses even on Maximum graphics.

  10. #40
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    Agree with Chasiv. I went with the Radeon 6970 2gb. Probably overkill for now but should easily handle many software intensive upgrades for years to come on max graphic settings.

    Recommend considering a site like cyberpowerpc.com if you are like me and needed help tracking the power consumption across the cpu, overclocking, gpu, etc. The site allows as you upgrade each component. it tracks your power consumption as you select components versus the power supplie you have selected and tells if if you are short or over. If short it will force you to select the minimum power supply level needed. Again, very handy for someone like me who upgraded everything but didn't want to manually calculate the power consumption for motherboard, gpu, etc. Plus if you ever wanted to overlclock (>= 30% over standard ghz) but like me didn't want to fool with voltages, etc myself they overlcock for you for a small fee. the site also provides the components (ie memory) that are certified for overclocking that are marked wtih "OC certified" to make it easy for choosing components plus a variety of liquid cooling options.

  11. #41
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    Regarding cyberpowerpc.com two things the configurator does not do are:

    1) if you order a sata iii SSD along with your sata iii harddrive you need to make sure the motherboard you selected has qty 2 sata iii slots - it doesn't automatically check for you. they called me an told me once order was placed.
    2) when you order internal devices ie bluray burners, ssd, hard drive, 12in1 media, extra 3.0 usb slots, etc the configurator doesn't tell you the case you have supports the number of extra bays you need - again they called me. learned you can check when you click on the case a picture is displayed in top left corner then click on the picture then the case details will come up with number of 5.25 bays and number of 3.5 bays. it also displays the dimensions of the case if you need to make sure the mini / tower can fit within your space.

  12. #42
    Bogie Libbing is on a distinguished road Libbing's Avatar
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    Man, if I'm looking at it right, the 5850 and 6970 are beasts. I was told the nvidia GTS 250 was the chip you needed to equal or beat (at least for the Protee). These chips blow it out of the water, at least according to hwcompare.com.

    I assume you guys are setting yourselves up for a long time into the future? I'm worried my projector won't even be able to keep up with the chip!

  13. #43
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    i have found some companies selling sims have recommended low end cards/ computers (still above the min requirements) to make the system more affordable. even trugolf who makes e6 sells their systems just on the borderline based on what i tested. yes you don't need a 6970 now. i used a mid tier (not a low end) navidia with e6 software and the flybys were choppie. red chain is planning a major upgrade in the next 12 months that is supposed to greatly enhance the graphics / resolution. plan on using on max graphic settings versus lowering the graphic rendering. i specifically want zero delays and load times. also added a SSD drive so it boots immediately and courses load instantly rather than any waiting. again, not a requirement but as a percentage of total cost of the system including everything (projector, screen, wall protection, computer, sim, mat, etc) the high end gpu and ssd may not add much percentage wise versus total costof system though are expensive as standalone components. also once i spend this money i am not looking at upgrading anything for quite a long time. just one approach of many though.

  14. #44
    Moderator bubba22 is on a distinguished road bubba22's Avatar
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    It's always good to plan ahead however don't get too caught up with overkill. How much do you really think these sim software will change in the near future? Planning for the year 2050 is overkill. Keep it simple. If things change in 2 yrs there will be plenty of options to upgrad to at probably a much lower price than today.

  15. #45
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    Good points, TheGolfer. As I understand you are looking at the GC2, I believe their literature states that they recommend use of the max graphics setting so long as you have the minimum hardware requirements. Obviously, don't know how that will apply to future course upgrades, though.

  16. #46
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    @ asics

    unfortunately i don't have a simple answer that fits everyone's situation since each person's situation is unique and should be considered. depends on budget primarily. i have heard several people on the forum run just at or above min requirements with several not running on max graphic rendering but since i already think 720P WXGA is a stretch didn't want to go that path.

    i prefer to spend my time upfront researching the right product for the right fit. once i make the purchase i don't expect to spend any time dealing with it. i am not a hobbiest. others have time and prefer to go the other way and tweak as they go. no right or wrong just each situation is unique. in my case i am also planning on using the computer beyond just the sim since i am spending the money on another computer. plan on using it also for blurays, personal use, and internet. currently have a new amd triple core 4gb memory 2.4ghz machine and running windows 7 its a dog.

    i have had the makers of E6, trugolf, tell me their computers are set to max out E6 on max graphics. When i tested the flybys were choppy which tells me the cpu / gpu probably could use a little more horse power but then again I am no expert.

    only guidance i have without knowing the specifics is - if one is stretching just to get the basic sim then go with the min requirements just to have functionality. you should save money buying the computer on your own on cyberpowerpc.com (can customize), newegg.com, or tigerdirect.com. if budget is a little more spend more on the gpu and cpu. if you still have more then go from 4gb to 8gb memory perhaps. complete bonus then ssd drive so machine boots immediately and zero wait times but this is a bonus.

    if you know you want to go a certain way down the road and upgrade then check the computer you get is prepared for that - ie memory slots, expansion slots, and space within the case. for example my 4gb machine is 2x2gb since its cheaper than 1x4gb but when i upgrade i need to throw away the 2x2gb and replace with 2x4gb. i took the cheaper route on this specific computer and now upgrading it with memory, ssd, etc is a pain. this is just one example.

    the only insight i have regarding the redchain upgrade (which gc2 and others use) is foresight did tell me they are demonstrating in the new year part of the upgrade and most of the changes are enancing the graphics and resolution. very vague, but i would expect the software companies to continiously enhance the graphics which over time will take more cpu/gpu/memory. just makes sense. figure the sims from 5 years ago didn't have the same min requirements of today but just assuming.

  17. #47
    7 Iron janton79 is on a distinguished road
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    I have a PX2 and have been shopping for a new computer. Found something I like but am concerned with future expandability. This computer has 5 PCIe slots and 2 are already taken by dual video cards. I plan on going to a full PX5 system and one day spin cam. So how many empty PCIe slots should I be looking for? Thanks.

  18. #48
    Hall of Fame ZMax is on a distinguished road
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    You have a link to this computer? I don't think it has 5 PCIe slots. My guess is it has 1 x16PCIe, 1 X4PCIe, and then 2 x1PCIe and maybe just 1 PCI.

    The computer should have USB and USB 2.0 on the back of the motherboard. USB 1.0 should be used for the security dongles. Use 1 of the USB 2.0 for the LA cam. Leave the other one unused. You'll need another USB 2.0 on a PCI or PCIe card for the H-cam. The trigger array can be on USB 1.0 port(use a motherboard header).

  19. #49
    7 Iron janton79 is on a distinguished road
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    ZMax,

    Here's the link to the computer referenced in my original question. I was originally going to build something on one of those custom building websites, but have a relative that said he could build one for me at a lower cost. The issue is he can't get it done by Xmas and I want my simulator up and running by then. So he recommended the Alienware/Dell as a good value. Any thoughts would be apprieciated.


    http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-a....aspx?%7Eck=mn

  20. #50
    Hall of Fame ZMax is on a distinguished road
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    MicroATX board with only 2 PCIe X1 slots for expansion. They might be underneath the extra HD tray. Can't see from the pictures. Not enough expansion for the future IMO. For $1400 they give you 2 GTX545 SLI. Low end cards.

    You have a Microcenter and a Frys in your backyard. You can build a better computer for a lot cheaper.

  21. #51
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by janton79 View Post
    ZMax,

    Here's the link to the computer referenced in my original question. I was originally going to build something on one of those custom building websites, but have a relative that said he could build one for me at a lower cost. The issue is he can't get it done by Xmas and I want my simulator up and running by then. So he recommended the Alienware/Dell as a good value. Any thoughts would be apprieciated.


    http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-a....aspx?%7Eck=mn

    @janton79

    if you are still looking at a high end custom build with future expansion take a look at cyberpowerpc.com if you are still looking. i did some research recently and bought a system from there first time. they have some configurations on their site that claim same day shipping but you need to talk to a person to verify and you are probably limited on customization. even still since its a gaming build their stock builds are probably higher end gpus then non gaming sites. my build took 2 weeks to ship since there was a delay in getting the 2700k processor from intel. if you are interested PM me and I can give you some pointers on the website.

    their configurator is helpful since it tracks the power requirements of all your components as you change everything and overclocking and tells you the minimum level power supply you need.

    i went top shelf this time (beyond what sim needs) but they can customize every aspect for you including motherboards with different slots, etc.

    - i7 2700k 4.5ghz after overclocking
    - radeon 6970 2gb gpu
    - ssd sata 3 240gb primary drive with 1tb sata 3 secondary
    - 8gb memory expandable to 16
    - overclocked 30%
    - liquid cooling on cpu and gpu
    - sound reduction on power supplies, fans, and interior of case (these gpus are huge and can be loud)
    - quite a few extra internal usb ports
    - killer 2100 network card
    - bd/dvd burner
    - tower with 4 fans and something like 5 5.25 inch bays and a bunch of 3.5 inch bays for future expansion
    - wireless mouse/keyboard
    - temperature displays

    if you have space requirements you can click on the images of the towers/min and they will tell you the different dimensions.

  22. #52
    7 Iron janton79 is on a distinguished road
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    So computers are way out of my comfort zone but I took a stab at building something high(ish?) end that hopefully will not need to be upgraded for quite some time. This is another language so I guessed on a few things. Let me know what you think:


    Case: * Coolermaster HAF-X Gaming Full Tower Case w/ 1x230mm Fan, 1x200mm Fans, 2xFront USB 3.0 Port [+124]
    Internal USB Extension Module: NZXT Internal USB 6-PORT Expansion Module + USB Bluetooth 2.X EDR Dongle with Led Light Thumb Size [+29]
    Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default case fans
    CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
    Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
    Cooling Fan: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
    Coolant for Cyberpower Xtreme Hydro Water Cooling Kits: Standard Coolant
    Motherboard: [CrossFireX] GigaByte Z68AP-D3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ Intel Smart Response Tech. & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, mSATA Connector onboard, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
    Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: None
    Memory: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Corsair or Major Brand)
    Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+151] (Major Brand Powered by AMD)
    Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply
    Hard Drive: 2TB (2TBx1) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Drive)
    Data Hard Drive: None
    Hard Drive Cooling Fan: None
    External Hard Drive (USB3.0/2.0/eSATA): None
    USB Flash Drive: None
    Optical Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)
    Optical Drive 2: None
    Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO
    Monitor: None
    Speakers: None
    Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network
    Network Switch: None
    Keyboard: (Keyboard & Mouse Combo) Logitech Wireless Desktop MK320 Keyboard & Mouse Combo [+33]
    Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
    Mouse Pad: None
    Extra Thermal Display: None
    Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: Zonet ZEW1642S IEEE 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps PCI Wireless Adapter Network Card [+29]
    External Wireless Network Card: None
    Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None
    Bluetooth: None
    IEEE1394 Card: IEEE 1394 CARD AND DRIVER [+19]
    Internal USB Port: Internal USB 3.0 4-Port Hub [+29]
    USB Port: None
    Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)
    Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
    Rush Service: GUARANTEED CHRISTMAS DELIVERY -- CyberPower will guarantee delivery on or before Christmas [+109]

  23. #53
    7 Iron janton79 is on a distinguished road
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    I should add that this computer will be used for the simulator only. I don't have any plans to use it for other gaming, home theather or other personal or multimedia use. Thanks for the feedback so far.

  24. #54
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    I will try to add comments within your comments... I am also not an expert in the computer components. If you are just buying the minimum just to run the simulator you probably can do with less (not sure). It sounds like not all people run the graphics in max settings. I wanted to run on max graphics with zero delays - it was hard to pin point the technology cutoff. The only true data point I have is my laptop running redchain in max graphics is extremely extremely slow (amd triple core 2.4ghz) - not sure if its the processor, gpu, or both. i end up upgrading computers every few years and getting tired of it. had towers before then went to laptops and they are a pain to try to upgrade. therefore this time decided to gold plate since i don't want to touch this computer for over 5 years once this is setup.

    comments below in all caps for contrast...

    Quote Originally Posted by janton79 View Post
    So computers are way out of my comfort zone but I took a stab at building something high(ish?) end that hopefully will not need to be upgraded for quite some time. This is another language so I guessed on a few things. Let me know what you think:


    Case: * Coolermaster HAF-X Gaming Full Tower Case w/ 1x230mm Fan, 1x200mm Fans, 2xFront USB 3.0 Port [+124]
    TG: SOUNDS LIKE THIS ONE OF THE LARGER CASES. YOU CAN CHECK DIMENSIONS ON LINE IF YOU NEED CERTAIN SPACE LIMITATIONS. THESE NEW TOWERS ARE HUGE AND LOOK LIKE THEY CAN RUN A NUCLEAR STATION NOW.

    Internal USB Extension Module: NZXT Internal USB 6-PORT Expansion Module + USB Bluetooth 2.X EDR Dongle with Led Light Thumb Size [+29]
    TG: I ALSO WENT WITH THE EXTRA USB PORTS. SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPONENTS THAT USE USB. I DIDN'T GET THE BLUTOOTH BUT HAVE A SEPERATE ONE TO TEST FOR GC2.

    Extra Case Fan Upgrade: Default case fans

    CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K 3.40 GHz 8M Intel Smart Cache LGA1155 (All Venom OC Certified)
    TG: I DEBATED ON SAVING MONEY AND GOING WITH PLANE I5 FOR SIM WHICH HEARD ITS GOOD ENOUGH (PERSONANLY NOT SURE). AT THE END OF THE DAY GOING FROM I7 2600K TO 2700K IS MAYBE $50 AND THEN $95 TO HAVE THEM OVERCLOCK IT SO YOU GO FROM 3.4GHZ TO 4.5GHZ. AGAIN NOT NEEDED FOR SIM I THINK BUT EVERY TIME I GET A NEW COMPUTER TWO YEARS LATER WITH THE NEW SOFTWARE IT ALWAYS SEEMS SLOW SO I FIGURE ADDING AN EXTRA 1GHZ NOW FOR $150 COULD GET A COUPLE EXTRA YEARS MAYBE?


    Venom Boost Fast And Efficient Factory Overclocking: No Overclocking
    TG: SAME RATIONAL ABOVE. CPPC.COM WILL ONLY OVERCLOCK UP TO 30% TO BE SURE ITS STABLE. I SEE ON SOME OF THE COMPUTER FORUMS PEOPLE THAT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING (NOT ME) ARE GETTING THE 2700K UP TO 5GHZ.

    Cooling Fan: Asetek 510LC Liquid Cooling System 120MM Radiator & Fan (Enhanced Cooling Performance + Extreme Silent at 20dBA) (Single Standard 120MM Fan)
    TG: ASK CPPC.COM IF YOU ARE NOT OVERCLOCKING YOU MAY NOT NEED THE LIQUID COOLING. NOT SURE. I KNOW YOU NEED IT FOR OVERCLOCKING SINCE THE COOLER YOU GET THE CPU THE FASTER IT CAN RUN. IF YOU ARE GOING WITH THE GPU RADEON 6970 MAYBE YOU NEED IT. YEARS AGO I REMEMBER GRAPHIC CARDS WERE SMALL - THIS THING IS A BEAST. TAKE THE COVER OFF AND ITS LOUD TOO. THEY TOLD ME THE 6970 ALONE CAN DRAW UP TO 400WATTS. WORTH A CALL TO SEE IF YOU CAN SAVE MONEY.

    Coolant for Cyberpower Xtreme Hydro Water Cooling Kits: Standard Coolant

    Motherboard: [CrossFireX] GigaByte Z68AP-D3 Intel Z68 Chipset DDR3 ATX Mainboard w/ Intel Smart Response Tech. & 7.1 Dolby Home Theater Audio, GbLAN, USB3.0, 2x SATA-III RAID, mSATA Connector onboard, 2 Gen2 PCIe, 3 PCIe X1 & 2 PCI (All Venom OC Certified)
    TG: THIS IS THE ONE AREA I THINK GETS COMPLICATED FOR ME. IT IS WORTH TALKING TO SOMEONE BEFORE BUYING TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT FUTURE EXPANSION YOU MAY WANT. FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU MAY WANT A FAST SATA 3 SSD DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD YOU WILL NEED 2 SATA 3 SLOTS (WHICH THIS ONE HAS) SINCE THE NEW HD IS PROBABLY ALSO SATA 3. FOR ME THE NOMENCLATURE FOR NUMBER OF PCI EXPRESS AND PCI ARE CONFUSING. THE 6970 IS A BEAST AND EVEN THOUGH ITS IN ONE SLOT I BELEIVE IT TAKES UP SPACE OF ANOTHER SLOT (PLEASE CONFIRM). I ALSO WANT TO GET THE FIREWIRE CARDS FOR VIDEO CAMERAS SO IT GOT COMPLICATED FIGURING OUT THE RIGHT NUMBER OF PCI / PCI EXPRESS SLOTS FOR GPU, FUTURE 2ND GPU FOR SLI/CROSSFIREX, FIREWIRE, ETC. HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU SELECT YOUR CONFIGURATION THEN CALL AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT NOW AND WHAT FUTURE OPTION YOU WANT TO HELP CONFIRM THE MOTHER BOARD OPTION.


    Intel Smart Response Technology for Z68: None

    TG: I WENT WITH MY PRIMARY DRIVER AS A STATIC STATE DRIVE 240GB SO IT BOOTS IMMEDIATLEY AND DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR COURSES TO LOAD. BONUS NOT NEEDED. IF YOU ARE NOT DOING THAT YOU MAY WANT TO GET A SMALL ~30GB SSD DRIVE TO USE WITH THE INTEL SMART RESPONSE SINCE I NOTICE YOU CHOSE A MOTHERBOARD THAT SUPPORTS THAT. YOU DON'T NEED TO CONFIGURE ANYTHING SUPPOSEDLY. THEY SET IT UP SO CACHE AND FREQUENTLY USED FILES ARE SWAPPED ON THE SMALL SSD - THEY CLAIM THAT IT CAN SPEED UP REGULAR HARD DRIVES BY 50%. SINCE I GOT A SEPERATE SSD AND LOADED EVERYTHING ON IT I DON'T NEED THAT OPTION. IT COULD BE A LOWER COST WAY OF REALLY SPEEDING UP THE HARD DRIVERS IF DESIRED.

    Memory: 8GB (2GBx4) DDR3/1600MHz Dual Channel Memory Module (Corsair or Major Brand)
    TG: I DID THE SAME. RUNNING WINDOWS 7 AND SIM BAIRLY PUTS A DENT IN THE MEMORY WHICH IS GOOD. 2GB X 4 WILL ALLOW YOU TO ADD TWO MORE 2X4 LATER FOR 16 WITHOUT THROWING THEM AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY MY LAPTOP IS 1GB SO I NEED TO THROW THEM OUT AND REPLACE WHEN I WANT TO EXPAND.

    Video Card: AMD Radeon HD 6970 2GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card [+151] (Major Brand Powered by AMD)

    Power Supply Upgrade: 700 Watts - XtremeGear SLI/CrossFireX Ready Power Supply
    TG: WHEN YOU TALK WITH THEM BEFORE ORDERING CHECK ON THE POWER SUPPLY. MAKE SURE THEY CONFIRM THE POWER SUPPLY IS ADEQUATE FOR WHAT YOU WANT.

    Hard Drive: 2TB (2TBx1) SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Drive)
    Data Hard Drive: None
    Hard Drive Cooling Fan: None
    External Hard Drive (USB3.0/2.0/eSATA): None
    USB Flash Drive: None
    Optical Drive: 24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)

    TG: NOTICE YOU CHOOSE DVD. I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MUCH THE BLURAY PLAYER/BURNER WAS BUT FROM WHAT I REMEMBER IT WASN'T THAT MUCH MORE. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER SINCE YOU MENTIONED YOU ARE TRYING TO FUTURE PROOF. I AM NEW TO BLURAY BUT IT SEEMS LIKE DVD IS ON ITS WAY OUT - AGAIN NO AUTHORITY.
    Optical Drive 2: None
    Sound: HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

    TG: I DID THE SAME. NOT REALLY USING THE COMPUTER SOUND EXCEPT FOR SIM THAT GOES TO THE RECEIVER THEN TO THE SPEAKERS.
    Monitor: None
    Speakers: None
    Network: Onboard Gigabit LAN Network

    TG: I WENT WITH ADDITIONAL KILLER 2100 CARD BUT NOT SURE THE MAIN DIFFERENCE FROM ON BOARD

    Network Switch: None
    Keyboard: (Keyboard & Mouse Combo) Logitech Wireless Desktop MK320 Keyboard & Mouse Combo [+33]
    TG: THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN HANDY WHERE I DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE COMPUTER / MOUSE BY THE COMPUTER. VERY HELPFUL.

    Mouse: XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse
    Mouse Pad: None
    Extra Thermal Display: None
    Wireless 802.11B/G Network Card: Zonet ZEW1642S IEEE 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps PCI Wireless Adapter Network Card [+29]
    External Wireless Network Card: None
    Wireless 802.11 B/G/N Access Point: None
    Bluetooth: None
    IEEE1394 Card: IEEE 1394 CARD AND DRIVER [+19]
    TG: AGAIN CHECK WITH CPPC.COM ON THE CARDS AND MOTHER BOARD TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE SLOTS AND EXTRA SLOTS YOU ANTCIPATE DOWN THE ROAD.

    Internal USB Port: Internal USB 3.0 4-Port Hub [+29]
    USB Port: None
    Operating System: Microsoft® Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit Edition)
    Service: STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
    Rush Service: GUARANTEED CHRISTMAS DELIVERY -- CyberPower will guarantee delivery on or before Christmas [+109]
    TG: VERY COOL THEY GUARANTEE BY CHRISTMAS.

    FEEL FREE TO PM ANY TIME. GOOD LUCK.

  25. #55
    Lob Wedge Tommy2Ball is on a distinguished road
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    J79, I would consider increasing the power supply. The PX5, trigger and the cameras all run off the computer's power supply through the USB connections. Also, if you ever upgrade the video, etc., you may have to replace the power supply. Good luck.

  26. #56
    Hall of Fame ZMax is on a distinguished road
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    janton79,

    Since this is a dedicated golf simulator computer, what you are looking at now is extreme overkill. Not that there's anything wrong with that. If you got the money, more power to you. I run GSA in max detail at 1920X1080 with a lot less than the above computer.

    The 2TB harddrive is not necessary. GSA with all the courses at the moment will only take up 40GB. I would suggest you go with a 120GB SSD sata drive instead.

    The motherboard should be fine. I see that you added a wireless PCI lan card and a firewire card. Should be OK as long as you don't plan on adding another video card for Xfire or SLI. That second video card will take away one of the PCI slots.

    The internal USB hub should be OK as long as it's on a separate controller chip. Each camera requires it's own controller. but as long as you don't Xfire/SLI, you should have a free PCIe or PCI slot to use if needed.

    I would also recommend an air mouse/remote with mini keyboard, in addition to the desktop keyboard and mouse. There's a thread on that.

  27. #57
    1 Iron FaultyClubs is on a distinguished road
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    I'm just using my wife's laptop for DD. It's an Acer with dual-core i5 running at 2.4GHz, 4GB of DDR3 ram and integrated Intel HD video card. Seems to work fine even on the highest quality settings at 1920x1080 so I'm not seeing the need for a dedicated high end video card.

  28. #58
    Hall of Fame ZMax is on a distinguished road
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    The GSA software that Janton79 has requires more horsepower than the DD, but you're right, a 6970 2GB is overkill.

    Some courses on GSA definitely need a dedicated video card when running in max settings.

  29. #59
    Need a Caddy TheGolfer is on a distinguished road
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    Quote Originally Posted by FaultyClubs View Post
    I'm just using my wife's laptop for DD. It's an Acer with dual-core i5 running at 2.4GHz, 4GB of DDR3 ram and integrated Intel HD video card. Seems to work fine even on the highest quality settings at 1920x1080 so I'm not seeing the need for a dedicated high end video card.
    If you got something that works on max graphic settings not sure why you are looking for something new. i would stick with that. Can't be free.

    I can't speak to the courses on DD. I am using redchain with GC2.

    I tried the redchain courses on my amd laptop triple core 2.4ghz with 4gb memory and onboard video and yes technically it could run but you need to wait several minutes after each shot for the ball to fly and course to render and ball to finish rolling out. Very annoying. When the ball flys and hits the ground its in extra slow motion. For my laptop need to put setting on "least" graphics to speed it up to make it useable.

    As I am waiting for my new computer with the upgraded power supply I am using the laptop. One thing is getting old on a dialy basis is moving the laptop just to use the sim. If you don't need to move your laptop your golden. If you do try it for a while to see how it works over time.
    This could be the difference in software packages or laptops.

  30. #60
    7 Iron janton79 is on a distinguished road
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    Thanks for the feedback. I scaled back on the build and will use the money elsewhere in the project. Hopefully I can get this thing up and running by Xmas.

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