RetroArch, XBMC, Advanced Launcher, and you (me)

RetroArch General
#21

I know this isn’t a forum specifically geared towards this question but you guys seem to be so knowledgeable I will give it a try. Everything is running great on my new HTPC. The only problem I have is when I am not in XBMC or streaming/playing a movie (which all look fantastic) and I am just using the computer desktop or surfing the internet it is near impossible to read anything. A lot of websites the font is so small you can’t see it or if you can see things that are a tad fuzzy. Here is my specs on my setup:

CPU AMD A8-3850 2.9GHz Quad-Core Processor Motherboard ASRock A75M Micro ATX FM1 Motherboard Memory Corsair XMS3 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory Storage Seagate Barracuda 3TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive Storage Corsair Neutron Series GTX 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk Case Silverstone ML03B HTPC Case Power Supply FSP Group 450W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply Optical Drive Lite-On ihes112-04 Blu-Ray Reader, DVD/CD Writer Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit)

Should I be using a better PCI video card or something other than just running an HDMI out of the stock HDMI on the motherboard or will that make a difference? I am running all this up to a 50" 1080i Plasma TV. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks everyone.

#22

@aswaim1 Have you tried running at 720p instead?

#23

1080i is actually technically 540p, and it has to be converted (deinterlaced) to that by either video or television equipment. PCs should never be run at interlaced resolutions for this reason, not just for the lack of quality, but for the input lag that will be created, as well.

Most TVs that can do 1080i are actually 720p sets, and along with everything else, 1080i will be converted to 540p, then downsampled to match the native resolution of the television.

Blegh.

I second what hunterk suggests: run your system at 720p or whatever the native resolution of your set is. (Most 720p sets are actually 1360x766 native resolution)

#24

Pardon my ignorance but is “running your system at 720p” just as simple as adjusting the resolution from the desktop to say 1360x766 or something similar? The specs online for my TV, Hitachi P50H401, claims that it’s natice resolution is 1280x1080 but that seems a little high to me?

#25

@aswaim1 Yeah, just change your desktop resolution and the TV should figure out the rest.

#26

Ok…so I am having a odd issue and maybe you guys can help me. I was able to install the Corsair Neutron GTX SSD just fine and loaded Windows on it no problem so everything is peaches and cream. Since I am only planning on running the OS and programs from the SSD I bought a 3TB mech HDD that I plan to rip movies to and store all my media etc. I bought the Seagate Barracuda ST3000DM001.

After reading on the web I realized the way to utilize the full 3TB of the drive was to format it as a GTP drive. This worked just fine and now Windows can see the full 3TB but the problem is that now the system is getting confused between the SSD and the mech HDD. What I mean by that is that every time I restart the system it goes to the black screen with the blinking cursor because the system is trying to boot from the Seagate vs. the Corsair Neutron.

I can’t tell you how many times I have went into the BIOS and made sure that the the ONLY boot option available is the SSD, I have tried making it the number 1 option with the other hard drive as number 2 etc…etc…I have tried every configuration and no matter what I do it tries to revert back to the Seagate as the number 1 boot option.

Also even when I have the OS booted up on the SSD it runs slowly and gets hung up and applications don’t respond. The minute I take the mech HDD out everything runs smoothly again.

Any advice on this problem is greatly appreciated. I know this isn’t a Seagate or ASRock forum but everyone I am hoping someone can help me.

Thanks in advance.

#27

Edited by administrator

Reason: piracy addon