Since last Friday, I’m messing with Windows 7 & install all my apps from scratch. While I use many recent versions of my apps, some are dating a bit & cost a lot of monney. In a ideal world, I would buy the last version but & I’m not willing to do so for some of them, like Sound Forge 8, a professional audio app that cost 399.99$. So I’ve manage install the majority of my apps.

My biggest problem is found a way to install the damn Microsoft Framework 1.1 SP1 so I can install Sound Forge. There are other apps that I didn’t try to install yet but I presume it will be fine, at least I hope!

As for my UT games,

UT99

– I manage to install the game, still, there is a big issue with the UMOD tool that doesn’t work so I can’t iinstall mods for UT99 anymore 😦
– Loading the game take more time by at least 3 times!
– The old gameplay bug is still there, meaning the game speed goes very fast & come back to normal randomly!

UT2004

– Installation was without any issues. Therefore the game take much more time to load compare to XP, damn! It take at least 5 times longer to load 😦

UT3

– Install & run fine as it should. It also take a bit more time to load than before, the game as long as the editor by a factor of 2 😦
– I did a tad of mapping yesterday to see how a full rebuild would perform (since Win7 manage the hardware smarter than WinXP) which sadly isn’t anytime faster than XP. I have another new small problem, saving the file take ages & I don’t understand why since I work locally (I’m using the -nohome dir switch in my shortcut)! This is a serious delay comparing to XP! Another action that take at least 4 times longer to accomplish.

So in all,

– My most crucial app (Sound Forge) still need to be installed. I’ve pass all day on it yesterday without success!
– All my UT games aren’t faster, in fact they all take longer to load (whatever ‘compatibility’ mode I set the file exe’s), the UT3 editor take more time to save the files & also the gameplay bug is still there in UT99 plus I have a new UMOD bug which I didn’t have before !

Damn!

I use many of the administration tools built-in previous versions of Windows. In W7, many of them seem to be removed / unaccessible by default & I’m loosing time trying to set this & that. I hope to be able solve my issues very soon so I can get back on mapping 🙂

I can say electronics keep me very busy since the last 2 weeks!

Last week I’ve change my gool old Panasonic GAO 29″ CRT for an awesome HDTV & I bought the PS3 slim console + games + several Blu-ray / DVD movies. All of that cost me ±2 600$.

This week, my DVD burner + my main HDD just stopped to work 😦 I had to replace both of them. So since I must reinstall Windows, I made the switch from XP Pro 32 bits to Windows 7 Home Premium x64. I’m messing around with the new OS, the installation is… well… minimal compare to previous Microsoft OS’s. Only thing is 1 of my network card doesn’t work, there is no x64 drivers for it. All of that cost me another ±350$

I’m about to see if all my apps will work well & I’m also exited to see how the UT3 editor will perform on my main pc 😀

I also change my “telecoms contracts”. I mean, I have high speed Internet with 1 ISP + standard TV signal & my mobile phone with another company. I switch all my telecomunication with only 1 of them which I get the same high speed Internet + HDTV + a brand new mobile phone, an android HTC that will replace my 5 years old mobile ‘prehistoric’ cellular 😀

So this is a lot of changes in the electronic world for me in such a short period of time! All for the better of course.

As you may notice, I rarely post real life stuff. I already made few posts like my birthday, or wishing happy new year or Merry Christmas to my visitors, etc.

I focus my UT blog on UT world but it’s always cool to share a brief moment of my real life with all of you.

I’ve folow the HD trend since it as been introduce into the market. Therefore, I was waiting to make the switch. In the last 2 weeks, I’ve been shopping for a HDTV & other things like Blue-ray movies, more affordable DVD TV series & PS3 games.

I finally bought a HDTV which is the Sharp Aquos Quattron 3D 40“ + the Sony’s PS3 slim with the 160 GB HDD. The PS3 promo of the week include Uncharted 2: Among thieves GOTY + Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the patriots for the same price (299.99$). I also bought :

Star Wars: The force unleashed
Uncharted: Drake’s fortune

I was waiting the end of HD-DVD & Blu-ray war last year before to start buying HD movies & the PS3. I’m a media collector & I own a good collection of DVD’s, CD’s & vinyls. Now that prices are low, technologies as evolved so you get much better for less, I decided to do the switch to HD 😀

I also bought those:

Batman: The dark knight (Blu-ray)
Ice age (Blu-ray)
Ice age 2: The meltdown (Blu-ray)
Ice age 3: Dawn of the dinosaurs (Blu-ray)
Ip man, collector edition (Blu-ray)
Ip man 2, collector edition (Blu-ray)
Kaamelott, livre 1 (DVD)
Kaamelott, livre 2 (DVD)
Kaamelott, livre 3 (DVD)
Kaamelott, livre 4 (DVD)
Kaamelott, livre 5 (DVD)
Le petit baigneur (DVD – a must Louis de Funès movie)
Les aventures de Rabbi Jacob (DVD – definitely a must Louis de Funès movie)

I plan to buy those:

Crysis 2 (dunno if I’ll buy it for PC or PS3 yet)
Kaamelott, livre 6 (DVD)
Uncharted 3: Drake’s deception (PS3 game if critics are good)
X-Men 2: United (Blu-ray 2011 upcoming edition)
X-Men 3: The last stand (Blu-ray 2011 upcoming edition)

I was curious to see what an HDTV look like with the standard cable. Damn, it’s ugly! LOL

I have to call my ISP & switch to HD because I still use standard cable at the moment.

So I’m extremely happy with all that new electronics & many things to play / watch 😀