C90S Review

Sweet man, thanks for all your help! No, I have a $500 Microphone that I use to track with...among countless other mices, the internal one isn't a cocern.

Ok, so Power-Save mode sounds like the best option while doing that.

Thanks! You wouldn't happen to know, or where I could find, the best driver for using the HDMI port? One of my needs is to be able to hook this up to my 24" monitor.

Thanks!

 

BTW guys, to pass audio to the hdmi and NOT the notebook speakers turn down the volume knob in the realtek control panel. It will still output sound to your tv. I previously said you couldnt do output to only the tv but I figured it out.

 

do you want to run xp or vista? For xp the best driver is the one i modded that can be found a little earlier in this thread. For vista....well its 162.22 but it wont allow overclocking of the gpu. Im still working on a Vista driver hybrid that will allow hdmi without overscan and overclocking. Stay tuned!

 

I'll be using XP until Tascam builds a Vista driver for their control board...right on, I'll track down your driver.

Again, thanks!

 

At the moment im uploading a better Hybrid driver. Ill have it up in about 20 minutes.

 

So with these drivers running 1920x1080 out to the 24" shouldn't be a problem?

Last question, I swear!

 

Actually my driver may take a lot longer...i ran into some last minute issues.

 

Yes. shouldnt be a problem

 

4506 3DMark06

E6700 at 2.93GHZ
3GB Corsair (2GB +1GB)
Seagate Momentus7200.2 160gb
8600M GT at 575 Core/ 595 Mem via nTune
All stock drivers except modded 158.22 forceware for VGA (see notes)
GPU temp max was 93C
CPU temp max was 81C
Test was run on wooden table top with no ac and no extra cooling
Cpu with thing layer of Arctic Silver 5
Gpu with stock thermal "stickers"
Windows XP 32bit
Destop Resolution 1680x1050
DirectX 9 August 2007 Redistribute
No devices attached save for Logitech G7
Wireless/Bluetooth disabled via wireless console



Notes:
1: Forceware drivers are modded but were ran with all the 3d settings in control panel as if they werent modded. In fact they were in the "quality" settings save for no antialising and no anisotrophic filtering. It was run as if they drivers were stock. They were only modded to allow gpu overclocking and correct HDMI output.
2: NO artifacts or hiccups whatsoever. I watched it the entire time surveying the screen for any defects.
3. The only time the fans got near their peak was durin the cpu tests which heat the cpu up big time. Otherwise the fans were as loud as normal load.
4. I tried to run at 600/600 while using my house fan method but the nTune test kept failing. I was able to hit 4600 at 600/595 using the fan which isnt much better than my speeds without it....



It appears that if the C90S were to recieve not a "better" gpu but simply one that can stand more heat, it would be a KILLER. I was able to run this test once and didnt try it again but may be able too. Considering the stock gpu speed is 475/400 this is a considerable overclock for it to have not caught on fire. So, if there were even a 45nm shrink of the 8600M GT that ran at 575/595 stock, there would even be room to overclock it more without much more heat. Maybe even 80C on the gpu max...who knows. Regardless, Im pretty sure there is much hope for the C90S as far as MXM graphics cards go. Amazing I was able to do this with no extra cooling and no hiccups!

 

...... Holy Crap......

 

4500 thats mighty impressive, unfortunatly most of these suicide benchmarks are no reflection of what you get in daily gameing because the clocks are too high to depend on and would probably cause premature hardware failure.

500/500 might be ok for regular use on a card like yours that handles really high clocks, other people (myself) get artifacts past 500 even.

 

Its just to show potential, dont forget to read my notes

 

Are you using arctic silver or anything on the GPU? I can't get higher than 500 on the core without it crashing out of 3DMark

 

He just got a really good card. If he is not carefull tho he will break it

 

No, im using the stock thermal pad "stickers" like I said on the gpu. I am begginning to think it is a really good card because with my first c90s the gpu came in a different type baggie than this one. Its either that or....it really is GDDR3 but thats highly unlikely. Another theory I have is that Asus themselves sent this one specially for me as "steve" at excaliberpc seemed very geared in his conversations with me and Asus. I wouldnt be suprised if they sent me one of their prime and tested units...maybe that one that was used to get the claimed "towering 3dmark score of 4628" they advertised. all speculation. I have to admit though something must be up if I hit 575/595 with the gpu averaging 81C. But like you say Vicious, im not going to try to loop it cause I may "break" it.

 

Only advice I have is to set everything up exactly as I had mine. I was very descriptive as to how I had mine set up.

 

Has anyone been able to use the webcam for video conferences AT ALL? No matter what program or OS im running it either gives a black or green screen to the person im connecting with. When I hook up my logitech webcam it works fine....

 

Well I've tried it with MSN and it works fine.

 

Could someone tell me the key differences between the E4300 and the E6320? I thought the E4300 was an "Allendale" but GenTech is saying that it's a "Conroe".

Processing power isn't necessarily a big deal to me...I'm more concerned with hooking this up to my 24" LCD and being able to track my audio work...which my Core Duo did just fine...and my Pentium D did fine as well.

Any input would be great! Thanks!

 

Yeah, I take back what i said. I can get it to work with trilian and yahoo messenger now but trilian video quality is HORRIBLE I mean very bad. And yahoo quality is almost as bad. Tahts why I want to get it to work with AIM...anyone got Aim that can test it out?

 

First time post I've been reading about the c90 for a while now and was hoping someone here could help before I make a purchase. I'm looking at the e6750, I know asus c90 chipset is 945 and it can't use the 1333mhz but can it still use the e6750 at the lower mhz of 1033mhz? Only reason I'm asking is beacause the e6750 pricing is close to the e6600. Figure I might as well get the newer chip if possible.

 

do you know how slow the e6750 would be even if it ran at 1033mhz??? it would just barly be over 2ghz when a cheap e6600 would be 2.4ghz.

so dont risk it, and its rather pointless to even ponder.

 

The new e6X50 series doesn't work on the C90S, so you couldn't even if you wanted to.

 

in reference to the video conferencing conversation, I have found that Skype works the best, overall, so if you can, use that.

 

Microsoft is going to release a "service pack" thats not a service pack. It will supposedly "Increase compatibility with many video drivers" among numerous other improvements. The story is here and some of the improvements are here.

We should test this to see if there is any increase in performance. I am not suggesting that someone try the beta leaked but the official is said to be released sometime next week.

 

For anyone thats interested, the NEW vista performance and compatibilty packs can be found here:

http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=36214

 

Stealing my thunder eh? <.< >.>

Well every one should be reminded that this is beta software and to be used at their own risk. Also the final version should be out next week according to the news articles.

 

Wasn't the beta of sp1 supposed to be out like 2 weeks according to that reporter that everyone trusts so much (woman cannot remember her name)?

 

FYI: The top right corner disable touchpad button works but you have to have the TOUCHPAD DRIVER installed and the ATK hotkey drivers installed. I cant believe I didnt figure out the logic behind this one....no touchpad driver no touchpad control! Then again, im probably one of the select few that didnt figure this out. Works for XP and Vista.

 

GREAT NEWS EVERYONE I BOUGHT AND RECIEVED A C90S, only thing that is bad is....I have a bad hard drive, yippee (sarcasm) I bought a Western Digital Hard drive separate and installed it, first when booting the laptop I would hear like 8 beeps from the hard drive, then when I tried to install windows vista some screen asking for hard drive drivers came up...long story short, I’m returning the hard drive to new egg and bought a 5400.3 Seagate. Well see how it goes. I hope I don't have the same problem; I might have to return the Laptop o_0 (I hope not!!!)

Edit:
The reason I say it was a bad hard drive it for 2 reasons. The bios didn’t recognized there as being a hard drive in the laptop. And second when I tried to install Windows XP the setup would always crash right before the partitioning menu “setup was forced to stop” or something.

Any responses to the issue or what others think would be greatly appreciated!

 

I am pretty sure you are right about the HDD, though an 8 beep code usually indicates a VGA problem, though it may be different with the C90, I can't find the beep code table in the manual. Any news on that beta Service pack?

 

I've been looking into this quite a bit too... if you are dead set on using the internal TV tuner it shouldn't be too hard to get going... MCX is used widely here as well, but more as a networking standard (wifi antennas and such). So it is easy and cheap to go between different networking cables. In my opinion it would be easiest to go to...

MCX to BNC BNC is coax so it's super easy from here, just make sure you pick up a dongle with a female BNC connector

BNC to RG59 I suggest the twist on ones connectors, so you just have to cut off any RG59 (standard home coax) and twist on the connector for BNC

The whole setup should cost you <$20...

Personally I think I'll just get a High Definition USB tuner for myself... (you can get a cheap one for <$50)

 

also youll have to buy the internal tv tuner car so add that to the cost (plus i think they arent available yet)

 

I'd really like to see an HD internal tuner... but I'm not going to hold my breath for that...

Although I do see HD-DVD and blu-ray drives for the C90s all over the place!

 

If I remember well, the TV turner will be PAL only

 

yep HD DVD and Blue ray are available but ill wait till the winner its decided and the price its dropped

 

Ugh... I certainly hope that's not true...

the quote from their website is "Hybrid TV Tuner (Minicard interface)" and at...

http://event.asus.com/notebook/c90/

they say digital TV... so maybe it IS HD after all???

but regardless, if it's PAL only and no NTSC, it doesn't really matter...

EDIT:

I downloaded the C90S manual here is what it says for Antenna input:
"Antenna Input
The antenna input is for TV or FM Radio (on selected models) frequency signal and allows for use with the provided digital TV/FM antenna or input from subscription television
services. The provided antenna can receive digital TV or FM radio. Cable service connection can receive digital TV, analog TV, or FM radio depending on paid services. NOTE: Use the provided adapter for use with coaxial connectors."

and even more so here:

"Antenna Connections (on selected models)
This page shows multimedia connections for TV Tuner and/or FM Radio Models. TV and radio features
require built-in modules only on selected models.

Cable connection
Connect the coaxial cable from a paid television service,
roof-mounted aerial antenna, or indoor “rabbit ears” to the
cable adapter. Cable service connection can receive analog
TV depending on paid services. The provided adapter is
necessary to change the coaxial plug to fit the slim Notebook
PC. Attach an NTSC to PAL adapter if necessary.

DTV/FM antenna connection
Connect the provided digital TV/FM radio antenna to the
Notebook PC using the cable adapter. The digital TV/FM
radio antenna can only receive digital TV signals or FM
radio broadcasted in selected regions.
Note: Digital television reception is available
on selected models only and will vary by location
depending on distance from transmission
towers and obstructions.
Antenna placement
Horizontal: Can be safely placed on flat surfaces such as
table tops, cabinets, and shelves.
Vertical: Magnets in base allows attachment to metallic
surfaces such as partitions or cabinets."

So yeah for analog it does look like it is PAL only...

Also it says that there was an adapter to coax it comes with so... I guess my initial post was kind of pointless...

 

Yup, and with HD there is no PAL/NTSC so it will work.

 

Personally, until i can get the internal tuner, I will be going with component cables off of my directivo box to my linux box, and just get everything off of there. I Live in the hills, so i don't get any reception anyways. Also, anyone use the hybrid expresscard from avermedia? I want to know if its any good.

 

mine showed up today is there anything extra i should get? there was no bloatware.

 

Does it have turbogear and the other asus stuff?

 

It's supposed to be on the Asus CD.

 

Yes, but the circut city version also?

 

The circuit city version is the same as the velocity version (but more expensive). It should have velocity's bloatware (if there is any) and a disk exactly identical to asus' one

 

I'm thinking of getting the circuit city version of the C90s is there any downsides form purchasing from circuit city rather than a online reseller like gentech? Since the C90s is so upgradable upgrading to get it to 3gb RAM and 250gb hdd wont be a big deal?Is there any downsides?

 

Buy it from velocitymicro.com. They are the one circuit city has and it's about $50-100 cheaper than CC.

 

Unless you need speed i bleieve the velocity micro has a 15 day delay as most other resellers (if they have any left) if you get it form cc youl pay more but youll have as soon as you go to the store...

 

And if I get it form circuit stick get a new hard drive and another stick of RAM i should have no trouble putting it in right?

 

all together im pleased with the system;

vista is way cooler than xp;

i got lost in the operating system and found my way back out its kinda cool;

the package as a whole was a good deal;

i wonder if there are certain applications im missing ; any ideas?

the wireless router should be here as well as the tv tuner; when that happens im sure i wont be using this dell b130

but the dell seems like a thurough xp machine; coo setup

about the nvidia drivers there seems to not be much in the way if customization on the applet side.

all in all im pleased with what was released.

how do i get my benchmark scores from the demo test?

 

about your question it might void the warranty;

but just wait for a bios update and get higher clocked ram;

even then that might void the warranty;