PSX on a netbook?

[Simpilot767]

Hello captains,

i´m thinking about buying a netbook (Samsung NC10  300,-) to take
PS1.3 with me. I think PS1.3 will run fine on it.
These netbooks have a resolution of 1024*600 pixels and a 1,6 GHZ processor.
Do you think that PSX will also run on it?
This affects my decision to buy a netbook or not...

Thanks

Timo

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

PSX will certainly run, but you may not get the full frame rate. Java isn't the best performing environment on small platforms. However it should be working sufficiently well to enjoy. If that netbook still comes with WinXP, PS1.3 will also run fine (using the 747install wizard).

[Mariano]

Hi everyone,

Kind of on the same subject. I am thinking on buying a 17-inch laptop just for PSX before it gets released next year (I will be buying it in June so I am safe for a possible late 2010 release.)
I am thinking of getting a custom made dual core processor (with at least 2.5 GHz), 4GB RAM, 1GB video RAM, Windows 7 laptop. I think this should be plenty to run PSX without any FPS-related issues (at PSX max recommended resolution.) What do you think? Should I get a quad core instead? The reason I am asking this so early is to adjust my budgeting; a quad core laptop is far more expensive than a dual core.
If anyone has any comments, I will greatly appreciate them.

Thank you,

Mariano

[Qavion]

There is a plain "running" aspect, but I think there are also functional and artistic aspects related to screen size.

PS1 compacted a lot of functional cockpit into a small frame. It's difficult to describe, but PSX allows you to put up to 4 resizable and magnifiable views on the one screen to, I guess, mimic the compactness of PS1 (You can then use this as your main, more often-used view). Then you can select a further 8 variations of this and other parts of the cockpit by using the number pad or a drop down menu.

The WOW factor, however, comes from running PSX on a larger screen and squeezing as much highly detailed cockpit into the frame as you can (without the decals/lettering becoming illegible). I have a 19" screen at home, but I wish I had more (There is a lot more stuff in PSX to look at/play with) : )

I'm sure the specs on my 17" Toshiba laptop are about the same as yours, Mariano, probably even less on my small MacBook, and I'm seeing crazy frame rates in early alpha versions : ) ... Triple digits in some cases (although some systems seem to automatically cap the frame rate at 60~70).

Anyway, you have plenty of time to decide... and the longer you put off your decision, the more you will save on a similar specced laptop

Rgds.
Q>

[John Golin]

For some reason Mariano's avatar picture is full size on my screen - both impressive and scary at the same time!

[Mariano]

Qavion,

Thank you. I will wait as long as possible then. It is comforting to know that you are getting good FPS in a dual core laptop.

John,

For some unknown reason, my picture seems to be huge know. I deleted it and will try re-compress it. It wasn't like that when I was in the forum yesterday. Sorry.

Mariano

[Hardy Heinlin]

Netbook: not good.

[Holger Wende]

...and the longer you put off your decision...

Hello,

I just reconfigured my old Win98 300MHz PS1 PC to live a litte longer, one of the discs decided to say good bye recently. Luckily I had 3 hard disks installed and I pray every day, that the remaining two (or at least one) discs survive till Hardy rolls out PSX.

Regards, Holger

[Phil Bunch]

I suspect there is a second category of PSX user who wants to use the PSX performance and features as discussed above, and who also wants to display outside scenery through MS FSX as a mostly passive scenery generator.  The external scenery requirement, if lots of high-resolution detail is desired, consumes all or most of high-end quad-core CPUs and associated high-end video cards (aka GPUs) even at 25-30 frames per second.  This is especially a concern near a detailed major airport.

I believe it would therefore be a mistake to assume that an average or modestly powered computer could run MS FSX for rich scenery and PSX.  I even suspect it might be best to use a middle-of-the-road PC for PSX and a high-end gaming PC for MS FSX.  At least that way if the scenery generator gets bogged down, your PSX experience would not be compromised.

I enjoyed the scenery-free PS1 experience so much that I am not sure if I want to bother to add scenery generation to PSX.  Partly this will depend on how much medium-priced computers and video cards cost in a year or two.  

Just some thoughts.

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

I believe it would therefore be a mistake to assume that an average or modestly powered computer could run MS FSX for rich scenery and PSX.  I even suspect it might be best to use a middle-of-the-road PC for PSX and a high-end gaming PC for MS FSX.

Absolutely! Without a doubt, adding FSX scenery requires the most powerful computer available. "Luckily" FSX development has halted so the hardware can catch up, and in a year there likely is a lot of catching up taking place.

For flying, scenery is not necessary at all, not even for takeoff and landing. Everything outside the runway is just eye candy. But it is different on the ground. PSX will be able to do very convincing ground operations (actually PS1 can do these as well) but steering across tarmac just is not done properly without an outside view. If you fancy realistic gate to gate operations, a scenery generator is a must, even if it is not that powerful. Don't forget that the professional simulators have a graphics detail quality that is below the regular FSX generators. They are excessively smooooth but not detailed.

Jeroen

[Shiv Mathur]

I just reconfigured my old Win98 300MHz PS1 PC to live a litte longer, one of the discs decided to say good bye recently. Luckily I had 3 hard disks installed and I pray every day, that the remaining two (or at least one) discs survive till Hardy rolls out PSX.

But even in the worst case, surely all you have to do is replace a hard disk ?

Cheers,
Shiv

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

... a hard disk that fits in with old busses ...

[Peter Lang]

But even in the worst case, surely all you have to do is replace a hard disk ?

The problem is not only the hard disk. Old computers, respectively the bios, often cannot handle hard disks with the large disk space they have nowadays. If you have a disk installed e.g. with 40 or 120 GB (the typical limits), old computers will not recognize disks with more GB. It is often difficult to find bios updates for these old configurations (board and cpu).
So the only chance you have is to look for a 2. or 3. hand hard disk.

Peter

[Shiv Mathur]

... a hard disk that fits in with old busses ...

...available on the pavements in Mumbai for $2/-. ...



... don't know how well they work, though !

[Shiv Mathur]

The problem is not only the hard disk. Old computers, respectively the bios, often cannot handle hard disks with the large disk space they have nowadays.

Good point, Peter.

But as ever, people always find a way.
http://tinyurl.com/y8qtbot

(Haven't tried it myself ...! )  :?

Cheers,
Shiv

[John Davis PC]

For flying, scenery is not necessary at all, not even for takeoff and landing.

Hoppie Sccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh   Matt's just spent a fortune on 3 projectors and some bendy plastic to use as a screen