Many will disagree but for me, a gaming pc is meant for games that that are either not available on console or simply better to played (actual gameplay, no mods) on a computer. RPG and RTS games for instance. When I want to play an FPS I will have my fun on XBOX live. Of course this is my preference and those of you who prefer a keyboard and mouse to a controller for moving in an FPS will not find this a relevant point (it is worth noting that most FPS games (not Halo past Combat Evolved I think?) are available on both console and pc while this is not as true for other game types). For me, Computer=Starcraft II, Console= Just about everything else. So I guess my point to the OP is that if you only want to play games that are on console you should probably just stick with consoles. If there are games you really like that are on PC only or you like playing more on PC then you should build a gaming computer. It does not sound like you care about all of the "extra" stuff you can do with a computer when it comes to games (though as others have pointed out there is less of this now) so this is why I think you should make your purchasing decision based on specific games you like to play.

Thanks a ton for the responses.

Nope, I have not overclocked or made any adjustments to voltages.

I don't have another graphics card to test out. I held the power button for a few seconds and the computer powered down. After waiting a couple minutes I powered it back up. The boot up process started normal (except for loud fans) and the gigabyte logo came up with the option to go into the bios. The weird part is after that that screen the monitor went black like before for probably two minutes. Then, as I was typing this, my desktop appeared! The windows boot up process was not shown on the monitor nor did I have to log in. Now the computer is working fine (seemingly, for the moment).

I am reluctant to try my other pcie slot because I have a sound card in there and it is an absolute pain to remove. If this happens again I guess I will have to try it.

With this recent bit of info does anyone have any thoughts on how to prevent this from happening again (since I have a feeling it will)?...

Hey,

So my computer is not sending a video signal to my monitor. When the DVI cable is plugged in I just have a black screen. However, when I unplug the DVI cable my monitor itsays that I should "check signal" so I guess it at least recognizes the video card when the cable is plugged in. The fans are running pretty loud and the video card is putting off decent heat (felt the exhaust) but it does not feel or sound too extreme. I have not seen any weird lines that often indicate GPU failure.

I figured it would go into sleep mode after a while but several hours later, it has not.

I was hoping to restart the computer to see if it could fix the issue. Obviously I can not do this properly but I pressed the power button and got no response. The computer kept running. I am nervous that unplugging the system will have serious consequences.

Anyideas on how to fix this?

Oh, I have a Phenom II 965, Gigabyte 870-ud3, XFX HD 5850, 4GB ram, Antec earthwatts 750w, samsung hdd

No.

Hey guys, quick question.

Anyone have an idea as to why my computer will go into sleep mode only for a few seconds? It goes into sleep mode when I tell it to but then a few seconds later the fan comes right back on and windows comes up the monitor.

Thanks.

Ok, looking for some more advice.

What do you think I should go with between these two, keeping in mind viewing distance will be around 12 feet.

42" Panasonic Viera Plasma S30 1080p for $670

50" Panasonic Viera Plasma S30 720p for $720

true i guess=\ forgot that companies only care about money..

Zedrake

If a company did not care about money they would quickly be put out of business by a company that did. Man, this is America where capitalism and innovation are the engines of prosperity...just saying. Obviously AMD-Nvidia would jack up prices if their was no competitor; they would be foolish not to. Additionally, advances in technology would slow significantly.

[QUOTE="NVIDIATI"]That is almost impossible with new TVs, you would seriously have to try to give it burn in. Though image retention can sometimes be seen during the TV's first few 100 hoursBozanimal

Since you're in Boston (at least I assume so from your UserID), you can swing over to Microcenter and see if they've got any deals. It's near MIT in Cambridge right on Memorial Drive (across from Trader Joe's). There's a Sony Outlet at Wrentham where you can ocassionally get an amazing - I mean amazing - deal; but it varies depending on stock. If you're willing to take a drive north (tax free!), Appliance Warehouse on 1A in Seabrook, NH can have a few deals, though if I was buying a television myself I'd go to State Street Discount. They've got a huge selection and an excellent reputation.

Good luck,

Boz

Thanks for the info. I am actually a bit north of Boston and quite close to State Street Discount. I am biased towards Best Buy but will definately check out State Street Discount to see what they have since they are located so close to eachother.

The TV will be used as a TV, not a monitor so burn in from Windows bar will not be an issue. Also, if it matters, I won't be playing games on it...just movies and television. Panasonic is the name that keeps coming up for plasmas and I have read some very nice reviews... so one of these in my price range is probably what I will go for.

Thanks for the responses guys.

Wiirocks66- Is this the one you are talking about?:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+VIERA+42%22+Class+/+1080p+/+600Hz+/+Plasma+HDTV/9761059.p?id=1218168620157&skuId=9761059