General Gaming Article |
- Lian Li Serves Up the Compact Chassis Goodness
- AMD Creates Radeon Technologies Group to Focus on Graphics
- Apple's Answer to Surface is New 12.9-Inch iPad Pro
- Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair HX750i 750W PSU, Sceptre 22-inch Monitor, and More!
- Microsoft Edge is Getting Support for Google's VP9 Codec
- Raspberry Pi Foundation Cooks Up Accompanying $60 Touch Display
- How to Set Up a Dedicated Gaming Server
| Lian Li Serves Up the Compact Chassis Goodness Posted: 09 Sep 2015 03:30 PM PDT Following the release of its cube-shaped PC chassis last week, Lian Li has introduced a new mini tower case called the PC-Q21. The company boasts that PC builders can cram a "full-powered" mini-ITX system within the case's aluminum walls with a little planning and "finger flexibility" on the builder's part. "The small size of the PC-Q21 is its biggest feature, but that does not mean it compromised on space or its number of mountings. It can be a challenge to fit everything you need into a case this small, but the PC-Q21 still presents many possible configurations," the company says. The company describes the case's shape as cuboid. It provides pop-off doors that can be easily removed, an ODD bay at the top that can hold a slot-loading optical drive (or SSD), and a removable rack at the bottom that can play host to hard drives. Take out the bottom rack and you can install a 120mm fan, a 3.5-inch drive, or a large two-slot graphics card. According to the specifications, the case's dimensions are 149mm(w)x257mm(h)x224mm(d). The case can accommodate a graphics card up to 170mm in length, a power supply measuring 170mm and a CPU cooler height of up to 60mm. If installed, the HDD rack can house up to two 3.5-inch hard drives or three 2.5-inch drives. There are also two holes drilled in the front to install a 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch HDD or SSD. "It can fit a 120mm fan on the bottom, but most of its cooling comes from the CPU and PSU fans drawing air into the center and exhausting out the back. The case can be picked up easily and it does not take up a lot of room on your desk, saving you more room," the company adds. The specs also show that there are two USB 3.0 ports on the front, two expansion slots, and a slim slot on the top front for the slot-loading drive. Presumably there is a fan mounted on the back and the previously-mentioned optional fan that can be mounted on the base. The chassis also provides four aluminum "feet" to keep accidental spills from reaching the delicate components inside. As the company points out, the case's biggest feature is the space that's offered inside. However, based on the provided information, system builders may want to forgo the mounting of HDDs on the bottom and install the 120mm fan for better ventilation. A system with this kind of limited space will likely produce a lot of heat that needs to be pulled away from the components. Lian-Li's new case goes on sale in early September (which is technically now) for $74.99 and will be offered in two colors: Black (B) and Silver (A). |
| AMD Creates Radeon Technologies Group to Focus on Graphics Posted: 09 Sep 2015 02:41 PM PDT A dedicated graphics team AMD is getting serious about graphics. So serious, in fact, that it's created a new Radeon Technologies Group to tackle the future of graphics development and the various avenues that graphics will play a role, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, integrated solutions, and of course discrete graphics. Heading up this new division is Raja Koduri, a veteran in the industry and even a bit of a legend in the graphics department. His roots date back to the days of S3 and later ATI. After AMD acquired ATI in 2006, Koduri served as CTO of graphics until leaving for Apple in 2009 where he helped popularize the "Retina" term. He then returned to AMD in 2013 and was instrumental in developing AMD's Fury line with High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). Koduri will assume his role as senior vice president and chief architect of the new Radeon Technologies Group and will report directly to AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su. He will be "the man," so to speak, overseeing every aspect of AMD's graphics technologies. On the surface it seems a little redundant to form a new group when AMD already has a dedicated graphics division. However, the Radeon Technologies Group represents a commitment on AMD's part to go at the graphics sector in a big way, and Koduri is all in. He's also making the pitch for others to join him. "AMD is one of the few companies with the engineering talent and IP to make emerging immersive computing opportunities a reality," said Koduri. "Now, with the Radeon Technologies Group, we have a dedicated team focused on growing our business as we create a unique environment for the best and brightest minds in graphics to be a part of the team re-defining the industry." This is AMD righting its graphics ship and giving the captain's hat to Koduri. |
| Apple's Answer to Surface is New 12.9-Inch iPad Pro Posted: 09 Sep 2015 01:36 PM PDT Biggest iPad yet Up until now, the iPad came in two sizes -- 9.7 inches (iPad Air 2) and 5.3 inches (iPad mini 3). That changes with the introduction of the iPad Pro, a 12.9-inch slate that aims to offer users the ability to get work done, not just play Angry Birds. Apple also introduced an iPad mini 4 tablet, though it's the new iPad Pro that warrants a discussion. It's built around Apple's new custom A9X chip, a 64-bit SoC with performance "rivaling most portable PCs." Taking it a step further, Apple says the A9X's third-generation 64-bit architecture combines desktop-class CPU performance with console-class graphics. "iPad Pro is the most advanced and powerful iPad we have ever made. Its beautiful and large 12.9-inch Retina display (2732x2048 resolution; 264 ppi) has 5.6 million pixels and provides an immersive experience for content and apps. The iPad Pro is far and away the fastest iOS device we have ever made — its A9X chip beats most portable PCs in both CPU and graphics tasks, but is thin and light enough to hold all day," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. Those are some bold claims, and in time, we'll find out if the iPad Pro's performance lives up to the hype or not. In the meantime, let's talk about the iPad Pro's purpose. This isn't just another content consumption device, it's essentially Apple's version of the Surface Pro. The difference here is that it's not running Mac OS X, but iOS 9, which Apple also unveiled today. To go along with the iPad Pro, Apple announced a stylus accessory called Apple Pencil and a new Smart Keyboard. Apple said it retooled the multi-touch subsystem in the iPad Pro to work with the Apple Pencil with "dramatically" reduced latency and "incredible accuracy." There are advanced sensor in the Apple Pencil to measure both pressure and tilt, along with a built-in Lightning connector for easy charging and pairing. On the productivity side, Apple says it works with popular apps like Office 365 for iPad, Mail, Notes, and Procreate. As for the keyboard, it's a full-size plank that attaches to the iPad Pro's Smart Connector port. Going this route eliminates the need for a battery, on/off switch, or Bluetooth pairing. It's also foldable and can transform into a Smart Cover. Other features of the iPad Pro include a 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera, 8MP iSight camera with f/2.2 aperture and 4K recording, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, four speakers, and dual microphones. Noticeably absent is the amount of RAM, which Apple didn't disclose at this time. The iPad Pro will be available in November starting at $799 (32GB) for the Wi-Fi model and $1,079 (128GB) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version. Color options will include silver, gold, and space gray. The Apple Pencil for iPad Pro will go for $99, and the Smart Keyboard will sell for $169. That means going all-in will set you back $1,067 for the Wi-Fi model or $1,347 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version. |
| Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair HX750i 750W PSU, Sceptre 22-inch Monitor, and More! Posted: 09 Sep 2015 12:05 PM PDT Top Deal: With great power comes great responsibility. Think you're up to the task? Then quit eyeballing those cheap, generic power supplies from no-name manufacturers and check out today's top deal for a Corsair HX750i 750W PSU for $110 with free shipping (normally $140 - use coupon code: [EMCAXAX23]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate). This is a fully modular unit with 80 Plus Platinum certification. Other Deals: WD Black 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $68 with free shipping (normally $71 - use coupon code: [ESCAXAX22]) Seagate Backup Plus 6TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive for $180 with free shipping (normally $200 - use coupon code: [EMCAXAX24]) Sceptre Black 22-inch 5ms LCD Monitor w/ Built-in Speakers for $100 with free shipping (normally $110 - use coupon code: [EMCAXAX26]) Netgear N450 WiFi Router for $30 with free shipping (normally $55 - use coupon code: [EMCAXAX27]) |
| Microsoft Edge is Getting Support for Google's VP9 Codec Posted: 09 Sep 2015 10:56 AM PDT One of several codecs coming to Edge Microsoft this week announced that it's planning to support the open source VP9 codec first developed by Google and the WebM container in its Edge browser for Windows 10. Initial support will roll out to Windows Insider Preview builds sometime "soon," and we suspect general availability won't be far behind. "Our implementation of VP9 will support software decoding and, when supported by the device, hardware decoding. Since decoding video is computationally complex, the best experience with the software decoder will be seen on more powerful desktop and laptop computers," Microsoft stated in a blog post. Since this is a sort of rolling test, VP9 will at first be implemented behind an experimental flag in Edge as Microsoft works with industry partners to broaden support for hardware decoding. There will be a setting in Edge to enable or disable VP9 support, and users will also be able to change its default behavior via about:flags in the browser. VP9 is a royalty-free alternative to the H.265 codec. Both Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox already support VP9, so adding Edge to the mix will ensure that it receives widespread attention on the web. At the outset, Edge will tap the VP9 codec for streaming video in combination with MP4/AAC and other audio codecs already supported by Microsoft. In the future, Microsoft will add VP9 support for media tags and local playback. The timing of the announcement comes less than a week after Microsoft became a founding member of the newly formed Alliance for Open Media. In addition to targeting VP9, Microsoft is also considering support for other open source audio and video formats like OGG, Opus, and Vorbis. |
| Raspberry Pi Foundation Cooks Up Accompanying $60 Touch Display Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:15 AM PDT An 800x480 resolution touchscreen display for Raspberry Pi It doesn't take much effort to connect the Raspberry Pi to a display using its HDMI port, but if portability is what you're after, you'll be happy to know that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has finally made available an official display with touchscreen support. It's a 7-inch screen that connects to the Raspberry Pi's DSI and DPI connectors to keep the HDMI port free. Raspberry Pi describes it as an "industrial display" with an 800x480 resolution, 24-bit color, 10-point capacitive touch, and a 70-degree viewing angle. It also has a metal backing with mounting holes for the Raspberry Pi. There are a few different ways you can power the display. One is to use a separate power supply rated for at least 500mA, which you would plug into the board where it says "PWR IN." You can also use a USB link or power it using the Raspberry Pi's GPIO port. The display is compatible with the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B, Model B+, and Model A+ running the latest version of the Raspbian operating system. You can also connect it to the Model A and Model B boards, but the mounting holes won't line up correctly. Asking price for the display is £48.00 (around $60 in U.S. currency), or you can spend £58.00 to get it with a frame. It comes with the display itself, an adapter board, DSI ribbon cable, four stand offs and screws, and four jumper wires. |
| How to Set Up a Dedicated Gaming Server Posted: 09 Sep 2015 12:00 AM PDT Set up a dedicated gaming server for the most popular gamesDon't let your computer's parts off the hook just because they were swapped out in an upgrade; put them back to work! Half of the top-ten most-played games on Steam come with the option to customize your entire gameplay, right up through running your own dedicated server. Are you going to sit back and play the game how somebody else envisioned it, or are you going to grab the goat by the horns, run your own server, and make it personal? Why run the server on your LAN instead of remote hosting (rental server)?There are many reasons why people rent a server from a remote provider; ranging from bandwidth availability, dedicated support, or even to eliminate any latency advantages between player and host. Remote hosting can sometimes be a headache. Some server rental hosting services don't consistently update the site's server software for many days after a game update rolls out. By hosting the server yourself on a separate machine, you're able to take command and update it as soon as you like, and the cost is only in the electricity required to run the system. All you need is to save the parts you replace when you upgrade, and build a new system out of it. Sure, it may be old tech, but most dedicated servers for games don't require a lot. What is the benefit of running your own dedicated server?A dedicated server is often more stable than the game client itself. If something goes wrong on your gaming machine and you need to close the game or reboot your system, those that are connected to the server can still play and enjoy the game. Remote Management (VNC)Sometimes, the built-in server admin tools for games aren't enough. That's where remote management comes in. There are many options to remotely control the server. The most popular VNC program is TeamViewer, followed by the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection. For modern Windows systems, there is the option to use the free Remote Desktop Connection software from Microsoft. RDC lets you connect to another computer using login credentials as if you were physically at the computer. As reported at Windows Central (http://www.windowscentral.com/you-do-not-need-activate-windows-10), Microsoft has loosened their grip on un-activated copies of Windows 10. To find out more about the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection, visit Microsoft's RDC page: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/remote-desktop-connection-faq. Voice Chat ServersMaybe you're playing a multiplayer game that doesn't allow for private dedicated servers. Voice chat has come to be an expected feature of most multiplayer games these days, and server requirements have changed very little in the past decade. If you can stream on Twitch or even video chat on Skype, you have more than enough bandwidth for hosting a voice chat server for your guild/clan/group. Assume no greater than 64Kb/s per user connected (10 users = 640Kb/s upload needed). Common GamesMinecraftObtain the server software from the official site at (http://minecraft.net/download). This program will create additional files and folders in the location that you run it from. It is advised to run it from a new folder (e.g., D:\Minecraft Server\) When you first run the server, it will create the following: /logs/, eula.txt, and server.properties. Open eula.txt, read it (if you wish), then change the last string from eula=false to eula=true, and save it. Run the server again and the rest of the server files will be generated. Edit server.properties using a text editor such as notepad, and make any changes you need. For a full list of what each property does, visit the wiki: http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Server.properties Note/change the port setting for router config: "server-port=25565" (default line 11). Steam-based gamesCheck if the game you want to host is on the list of dedicated servers on Steam: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Dedicated_Servers_List. This list will provide information on whether you can obtain the dedicated server software by using the SteamCMD program, or from the Steam Client. It will also indicate if the game allows for anonymous login or if you have to purchase the game in order to access the dedicated server software. SteamCMDSteamCMD is a command line program that allows you to install software such as dedicated servers without the need to install the Steam Client (https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD). Use of SteamCMD assumes that you know the app ID of the program you wish to download or update. The easiest way to use SteamCMD to install your dedicated server is to use SteamCMD-GUI (https://github.com/DioJoestar/SteamCMD-GUI/releases). This program allows you to select all of the desired variables and then install in one click. It even allows for running most Source servers. Usage of the SteamCMD-GUI tool is fairly straightforward. You will need to install the SteamCMD program separately before use; there is a quick button in the GUI tool to do this. For Steam games with dedicated server software that does not have its own independent app ID, check in the game's installation directory: (SteamInstall or SteamLibrary)\SteamApps\common\(Game Name)\ or at the game's website or wiki. Counter-Strike: Global OffensiveAcquisition: SteamCMD only, Anonymous-allowed. App ID: 740. For CS:GO Dedicated Server beginners, the pyr0s-csgo-server-launcher (http://code.google.com/p/pyr0s-csgo-server-launcher/) batch file mostly automates the server configuration and launch, making it easy to step into running your own CS:GO server. If you want to further customize your server, we recommend reading further on CS:GO Dedicated Server configuration at the Valve Developer wiki (https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Counter-Strike:_Global_Offensive_Dedicated_Servers). ARK: Survival EvolvedAcquisition: SteamCMD and Steam Client. App ID: 376030 (note: this is not listed on the DS list page). All other guides will say to download app ID 346110, which requires steam login on SteamCMD and game purchase. This server is best managed using the free Ark Server Manager (http://forum.arkservermanager.com/). This program will manage just about every aspect of the server, including SteamCMD installation and updates. Ark Server Manager uses the 376030 ID, meaning that you do not need to worry about entering your logic credentials to a third-party program. If you do not wish to use a GUI to run the server, the unofficial wiki for the game provides the best information on how to set up the server manually at http://ark-survival-evolved.wikia.com/wiki/Dedicated_Server_Setup. This server does use a relatively high amount of resources. Team Fortress 2Acquisition: SteamCMD Only. App ID: 232250. Space EngineersSteamCMD, Steam Client, Automatically downloaded with game client to \DedicatedServer(64) and in .zip form in \Tools\ App ID: 298740. Launch SpaceEngineersDedicated.exe as Administrator (or just click the [Run as Admin!] Button inside the program) from the folder that best fits your system: DedicatedServer for x86 or DedicatedServer64 for 64bit. If you want to run the server strictly in console mode only, then select Local / Console and [Continue to server configuration]. This will let you set up the server parameters just as you would in the client, but with a few more fancy tricks. If you want to launch the server as a system service with the configuration window open (not required for server to start or stay running), then click [Add new instance] and give a name to the service so that you can recognize it. If you run a new service instance, it will automatically configure to run when windows starts. You can add many services; each is able to control many different world saves and settings. TerrariaNo separate App ID; automatically downloaded with the game client. You can obtain the server software from the developers without downloading the game, as well as a third-party GUI tool for the server—visit the official Terraria Wiki Server page for more information: http://terraria.gamepedia.com/Server. Terraria App ID: 105600—requires SteamCMD login to download. Make sure you install the prerequisite software: XNA Framework 4.0 and .NET 4.0 Framework (Win10 needs only XNA). Edit the serverconfig.txt to your liking and run start-server.bat; the server program is very straightforward and easy to use for anyone who has played the game. For a dedicated server on a separate machine, it is advised to ignore the –steam launch option for this game, as it will only work if TerrariaServer.exe is launched via Steam Client (uses the Join Game function from user interactions to bypass port forwarding). Router ConfigurationPort ForwardingIf you aren't familiar with port forwarding, or have questions regarding setting up port forwarding on your router, find specific information for your setup at http://portforward.com. Default ports: Teamspeak: UDP in (voice) 9987, TCP in (file transfer) 30033, TCP in (serverquery) 10011, TCP in (TSDNS) 41144. Source Dedicated Servers (CS:GO, TF2, etc.): 27015 (TCP/UDP), 27020 (UDP) Note: add in any other ports you may use for additional servers (e.g., 27015 for CS:GO, 27016 for TF2, etc.) Terraria: 7777 ARK: Survival Evolved: 7777, 27015, 32330 If your router supports dynamic DNS, it is advised to set that up. If not, there are alternative methods. Dynamic DNS (DDNS)—hosting your dynamic IP at a domain nameInstead of handing out your IP address to friends, give them an easy-to-remember domain name built to always correctly point to your IP address. Most games allow for domain name connections instead of IP addresses. Dyn (formerly DynDNS) shut down free services in 2014, leaving many home users to go find a new provider. Luckily, many other companies have stepped up to the plate to welcome those looking for a free, simple Dynamic DNS service for their projects. Some modern routers even come with an account to their proprietary DDNS hosting that you configure on your router directly. Here's a short list of free services that you can use for your home server: FreeDNS (https://freedns.afraid.org/) DtDNS (https://www.dtdns.com/) DuckDNS (http://duckdns.org/) No-IP (https://www.noip.com/) EntryDNS (https://entrydns.net/) Get Building!Many of us upgrade our computers and wonder what to do with the parts that we just replaced. It's very often the case that those parts end up collecting dust on a shelf or in a box. It's time to put them to good use by turning them into another rig. If you've ever had other people connect to you to play a game, you've hosted a server. Using dedicated server software on a remote machine is just the same, except that you're freeing up system resources. |
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