News for Tuesday, 15 July 2003

Here is already the second version of BenchUT2003, as I learn every day how to develop an application.

This version brings those news:
- One application only both for UT 2003 and UT 2003.demo
- UT 2003 or BenchUT 2003don't need to be located in Applications folder only
- the benchs results now appear in the window
- the software reports the CPU type, its frequency and the the video card type
- all those date can be exported to the [presse-papiers]
- all 7 benches from the demo are available (instead of 3 only)
- "monstrous" configuration type available, 1280*1024, all settings to max
- code optimization (reduced to 1/4th)
- French and English version.
What there's still to be done:
- solve reported bugs
- solve errors
- solve the problem when application name changes
- optimize exporting to pasteboard...
PS: Thx to Yoc and Taz for their help. Thx to Apple for creating tools that enable an idiot to become a program creator.
To download: BenchUT2003.sit

Thanks Thierry

Now that the big black cat is out of its cage, it would be nice to explore its new home-cinema functions. M-Audio's Sonica (digital audio interface) works well with its current driver (only the control panel does not recognize the USB interface). The Apple DVDV Player uses Sonica to deliver Dolby Digital 5.1 (also EX .1) and DTS, and even ES (6.1). Tv Televio, the PCI TV Solution from Mellenstein also works under Panther, the new version has been improved distinctly , the image is more fluid, and there is no longer a delay between image and sound.

We are all aware noise has become computer users' worst enemy. Apple thus throughly communicated on their G5 quietness ever since the models appeared to the light.
In the PC world, after favoring well ventilated machines over quiet ones, users and industrials take the same path.
A path that leads in the most interesting case to 100% quiet PCs.
The famous cooling systems maker Zalman just realized this prowess.


There's no fan in that box.
Video card and CPUs use radiators with caloducs. Those caloducs are linked to an entirely aluminium made case which plays the part of a giant heat dissipator.
According to Zalman, even processors and recent video chips may be installed there.
This breakthrough may seem of high importance to musicians, who'll dream of a Special Edition Mac without fans for theirs studios.
[Transl. Kalomir}

Firmtek just made available the first PCI/SATA card designed for Mac. Compatible OS 9 and X, it offers all connections to plug two disks using these formats.

Given the G5 has only two DD slots, this card would be no use to it.
Given the price of current SATA DD, it's still a little early to use them in a G4.
Last possible case, the xServe. But would it be useful to put one in one of them, with two SATA DDs ?
One last thing: the theoretical output of a SATA bus exceeds the PCI theoretical output, and it is very superior to the effective output of the bus G4s used before Quick Silver models.

As you probably it's possible via Terminal to launch tests and benches concerning UT2K3 performances. It's not way easier to collect the results of those.
I spent my day yesterday building my first Project Builder based application.
BenchUT2003 will let you launch a demo (among 3 chosen onces) and will then deliver you the requested results. To make a comparison possible between mchines, BenchUT2003 shall modifiy the .ini file so that its configuration shall be "standard".
This first outlet should still be improved in some issues.

- You'll get two separate applications. They both do test performances, but one is for the demo, the other for the final version.
- UT 2K3 and BenchU2003 must both be dragged in Applications folder for the bench to function.
- No code optimization was done yet.
To download it:
BenchUT2003.sit