Oihan

Lol, but a better machine does help! At work I use a 2 GHz P4 machine with 1 GB of DDR PC-2100 RAM and I notice a significant difference between it and my Core 2 Duo E6420 @ 2.8 GHz with 2 GB of DDR2 PC2-6400 RAM at home. Maybe it's just the extra gig of RAM...and or the extra core...but I see a noticeable difference in load times and everything. ...My work machine is even less cluttered than my home machine. But I digress...I'll continue to enjoy my kool-aid.

Is that issue non-existent with the PS3s? I know the PS3s are said to have a good Blu-player, but I didn't know loading times weren't an issue with them. That makes the PS3 all the more enticing then. ...Though, one thing I have noticed about the PS3s is that they don't do too great of a job upscaling 480p content. I could live with that if the load times, with BR discs, are non-existent.

I saw The Dark Knight again last night. ...Such an amazing film...! I've been wondering the same about Havery...if he really did die or not. What gets me though is why couldn't they place those killings, by Two-Face, on the Joker rather than on Batman? Harvey still would have 'died' a hero...the Joker would have got was coming to him still...and Batman would still come across as the good guy. I mean...with what the Joker has done...how would tacking on a few more deaths do any harm? I honestly don't see how anyone would question it either.

I've been meaning to get a PS3...mainly for Blu-ray. My problem is that I want a PS3 that is backwards compatible...and I think my time is running out on getting one that is backwards compatible. I just wish the price would drop enough so that I could pull the trigger! There isn't a single game for the PS3 (except for maybe MGS4) that interests me.... That's another thing that's keeping me from buying a PS3 now.... I can only hope and pray for a Macross game that comes to the PS3. Then I'd feel like I was getting more bang for my buck.

Am the only one annoyed by the load times with Blu-ray? I don't EVER recall having a load time with a HD-DVD disc. >_> (At least with all of the HD-DVDs I've viewed there wasn't a load time.) That was partially a reason why I was rooting for HD-DVD to win. One would think in this day and age that there wouldn't be any freakin' loading times to watch a movie...with all of the current technology out there. I've had one Blu-ray disc that refused to play whatsoever...all it wanted to do was load whatever the hell it was trying to load. I could understand if it was loading a firmware update or something of the likes...but every time with every disc?! Edit: Grammar

At least with Firefox...if it crashes all of your tabs are saved so that you can quickly recover and go back to viewing what you were. Plus, I'd rather not have 324,987,234 IE processes running. ...Yes...I do like to have more than several tabs open at once every now and then. Edit: If Firefox slows your system down that much...I'd think it'd be time for an upgrade.

I've never disliked or felt hate for Ranka. I just never really cared for (or liked for that matter) how she has acted throughout the show. If anything, I think it's how she has acted that brings upon this malcontent (or "hate") for her. After episode 21, however, I see Ranka in a different light...and for the better. Thus far into the story, I wouldn't say that Ranka is evil by any means. She might have been a bit selfish in the past...but not evil...not by a long shot.

This episode actually has me liking Ranka more than I have. It gets a 'positive' from me.

Right, a top of the line laptop could work for OmegaD3k. Call me cheap, but I'd never spend more money on a laptop to get 'desktop performance.' As you said, it'd be cheaper to go the desktop route...which is why I said I'd stay away from laptops. I probably shouldn't have been so biased towards desktop PCs. It never hurts to have more options.

I generally visit TomsHardware.com and AnandTech.com for information on parts. For what you want I'd stay away from laptops. You can't go wrong with a dual/quad-core CPU, at least 2GB of DDR2 RAM or better, a 500 watt PSU should be sufficient, and SATA II HDDs. As for video cards.... If you're going to go down the nVidia route, I'd at least get a 8600 GTS or better. If ATI...the equivalent to the 8600 GTS at least.... You may want to look at the ATI Radeon HD 4850. My two cents.

I prefer to watch subs over dubs. There's only been a few times where I thought the dubs were a lot better than the original voice acting. Take DBZ for instance...Goku's voice just sounds off-kilter in my opinion; his voice sounds so much better dubbed. There have been a few other dubs that I have enjoyed though...like Ninja Scroll, GitS: SAC, and Cowboy Bebop to name a few. In the end though, I'll still prefer subs over dubs. ...It's not like I can't pause or rewatch a show in case I missed something.

Ah, okay. I was getting the impression that this mode was required with some sources, like music, to hear sound from all four speakers. Thanks for the clarification!

Thanks for the replies in regards to the Quad-Core/9800 GTX+ question(s). I have another question (or two) now. I'm looking to replace my 4.1 Altec Lansing computer speakers...but I'm not sure what to get. I'm looking for either 5.1 or 7.1 and spending no more than $200. I was browsing Newegg for speakers, sorting by best ratings, and I've come across some Logitech X-530/540 5.1 speakers for a good price. However, I keep reading about this "Matrix Mode" that "creates 5.1 surround sound from 2-channel stereo sound sources such as music or legacy games," with mixed reviews. Apparently it's supposed to be used for certain sources...otherwise everything sounds horrible. It's really confusing the hell out of me. Does this mean that I'll need this mode enabled to hear music/movies/games from all of the speakers, even though my card supports up to 6.1 channels? I can't seem to find much information about it on the web.... With my current speakers...I don't need any kind of "Matrix Mode-esque" feature to hear sound from all four speakers...regardless of source. ...Would you guys have any recommendations for speakers? Thanks!

I'm with the other Guld Goa Bowman's in this thread. Micheal's was tragic...but I wouldn't say "gar."

What are your system's specs if you don't mind me asking? Do you happen to play Supreme Commander by any chance? I ask cause I really enjoy playing it...but my Core 2 Duo 6420 and GeForce 8600 GTS struggle to play it when I increase the amount of units per player (my machine can only handle 500 per player). I'm starting to wonder if going to a Quad Core and the 9800 GTX+ will enable me to have more units.... The more units out there the more chaos there is...the more fun I have.

I have nothing really to add to this thread in this post. But someone tried adding me as a friend a while back and I declined...I don't recall the user name...but I didn't (and still don't) know who it was and if it was someone on this board (I didn't think to check this thread), I apologize. Just wanted to get that out of my system...call me crazy for being concerned over nothing.

Am I really one of the few who actually prefers May'n's version of "What 'Bout My Star?" over Megumi's? All I keep reading about is how Ranka's version is preferred over Sheryl's version. Bleh. I don't know about the rest of you, but out of "What 'Bout My Star?," "Diamond Crevasse," "9PM at Sagittarius! Don't be late!," "Triangler," and "Aimo"...I just can't seem to get enough of Sheryl's version of "What 'Bout My Star?" I listen to Sheryl's version of that song (on a regular basis) more so than I do any of the other songs. Not saying that the other tracks aren't great...cause they are! ...But I digress.... This is how I rank the vocal tracks thus far: What 'Bout My Star? - May'n Aimo Diamond Crevasse 9PM at Sagittarius! Don't be late! What 'Bout My Star? - Megumi Triangler As for the BGM...I'm waiting for more track listings. I cannot wait for the rest of the BGM tracks to be released on CD!!! As for Yoko Kanno. As others have stated, I too believe she deserves some credit! Despite the said similarities in that one YouTube video, she still does amazing work! Yoko Kanno comes in a close second, behind Shiro Sagisu, as far as my favorite composers are concerned. Also, as Gubaba mentioned...Macross is very fortunate to have the composers and artists it has had...which I am very thankful for as well. Hell, if it weren't for some of the music found in Macross...my love of Macross would probably be to a lesser degree. As someone else also mentioned...IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE A MACROSS FAN! ...If only the SDF would actually crash land on earth.... =(

Well...I for one like the Robotech OP much better than I do the Macross TV OP. The latter is a little too dramatic for me. I also love "Broken Heart" by Ulpio Minucci, "Desolation," "Love Themes," "Roy Fokker's Theme," "Reconstruction Blues," and "Private Time." I think all of those are wonderful and absolutely fantastic. ...Then you have, from Macross, "Violin of Tears," "Melody of Sorrow," "Dogfighter," and "Stardust Memory"...and three other nameless tracks (26, 30, 42 from disc 3) that are absolutely beautiful as well. If you were to compare "Broken Heart" to "Violin of Tears"...the latter seems to evoke more out of me than the former does. "Dogfighter" just kills "Battle Stations" in my opinion. I used to like the Robotech BGM better than I did the Macross BGM...but now I'm on the fence about it. Both have their pros and cons I think. I wouldn't mind seeing both BGMs on Macross TV.... If all of the Robotech titles, that I listed above, were on Macross TV...I'd be more in love with Macross TV than I am now. As for the vocals...I prefer Minmay's songs over Minmei's....or Mari Iijima over Reba West.... HOWEVER, I do like Minmei's "To Be In Love"...call me crazy...but I do like it. My two cents.

How long can one view a rental on XBox Live? I've never rented anything from there.

I saw the movie late Sunday night. I must say, it's an absolutely stunning movie! I'd probably have to agree with Fort Max about it being a masterpiece of our time. It's easily a top five favorite of mine...probably second only to The Fifth Element. It would have been nice if Two-Face had more screen time...tis the only minutiae gripe I have with the movie. Other than that, it was solid! I cannot wait to see it again! Edited for grammar.

Question for you all. I believe that I know the answer...but I'm not entirely positive. My HDTV will not accept a 1080p signal over component; the best it will do over component is 1080i. My question is in regards to my Xbox 360. Since I have a first generation Xbox 360...HDMI is out of the picture. So, my question is: will I get better results setting my 360's display to 720p rather than 1080i? Or would I get better results setting it to 1080i? I should add that my HDTV is a 1080p LCD. I'm thinking that it would better for my TV to upscale a progressive signal rather than deal with an interlaced signal. Am I right in my assumption? Thanks!

For you maybe...perhaps not for Alto.

I guess it would help if I did a little more research.... Thanks Azrael. Edit: I'm guessing HMV is where everyone is going to as well?

Don't quote me on this, but I don't think you'd get the extras...just the movie. Also, I highly doubt the encodes aren't compressed...and are probably lossy and not lossless...so I doubt the quality will be the same as on a Blu-Ray disc. Again...I wouldn't quote me on any of that. My two cents.

So if I'm living in the States, where would be the best place to go for this? Also, any possibility on picking up the first two since I didn't pre-subscribe? Thanks. Edit: I've checked HMV but I have no clue if they'll deliver to the States...don't see why they wouldn't though.