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I agree. If that actually does happen then it will be time to sell the 8800's and get the new ones!

Things constantly change and basically my mindset is to find something I can land with and not spend money on upgrades for a couple of years or so.

I think the same. I currently run a 6300 Conroe oced to 3.2 on air with a 8800 GTX on a 680i mobo. I run a 23" Viewsonic monitor with a resolution of 1680x1050. The 8800 GTX will push that resolution fast enough for me, minimum of 50 fps with everything turned on in the games I play. Adding a second, even though I have a 750 watt PSU and a SLI mobo, will not increase my performance enough to make it worth while. My plan is run this for the next year, then once I see something worth changing to, Ill change at that point. My next upgrade will most likely be to an AMD/Crossfire setup providing ATI/AMD can pull their heads out of their collective a__es. Its not really worth dumping 3k on a system, when it will technically be obsolete in possibly 6 months.

True to that, agreed...

englandr753, not bad for an air tec. Could just be your ambient temp.

Tier 2 Brands - Top Quality components With Top Notch Stability - For Those With Price/Availability Issues With Tier 1
*snip*
Ultra X3
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cac [...] =firefox-a

Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme would be the one I get cuz it's analog and it's not gonna lose the settings then the pc is off.

If your ExpressVu is high def, you will need a HD video capture card. Look at hauppauge's offerings.

Why didn't you order everything from ncix? TD is the most expensive store. You could've save $100+ if you ordered from ncix & price-matched for directcanada who has the lowest price for most everything.

It's your money. I'm not telling you how to spend it like some do around here.

Actually I think my ambient temps has to be very cool but I dont know exactly what it is. The airflow is phenomenal and I just think its the capability of the cpu cooler itelf IMO. I havent tried to o/c to 3.4 / 3.6 and I'd be a little concerned by the temps tbh.

When I open the side door it feels like a small a/c unit with the airflow it puts out.

Update
I have done what akhilles suggested to do and price matched everything, with direct canada prices, and now my totals with tax and shipping for about $3000 with taxes and shipping buying from NCIX they have two insurance options what one would you suggest? also i added the $5 extra trong shipping box to help prevent any sort of shipping damage.

Still need to add in OEM of Vista Prem and EVGA 780i motherboard which is currently out of stock... here is the newly updated list (with links)

Operating System
- Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 32bit DVD (Best Buy $250) (TigerDirect $280)(OEM $150)

Case
- Coolermaster CM Stacker 830 Evo Black) (NCIX $233.70) (Direct Canada $221.40)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26671

Power Supply
Ultra X3 1000w Modular (NCIX $261.94 ) (Direct Canada $257.18)

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=50712G

Motherboard
- EVGA 780i (NCIX $279.99)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index [...] cture=eVGA

CPU
- Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Retail (OCing 3.0 - 3.6) (NCIX $269.99)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=22211

CPU Cooling
- Thermalright ULTRA-120 Extreme (NCIX $64.98) (Direct Canada $48.42)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=23531

- Noctua NF-P12-1300 120MM Ultra Quiet Cooling Fan (NCIX $19.99) (Direct Canada $17.99)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27129

RAM
- Corsair TWINX 4GB PC6400 800Mhz (NCIX $209.98) (Direct Canada $189.40)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=18580

Graphics Card 1
- BFG 8800 GTX OC2 (NCIX $516.07)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=666614225

Graphics Card 2
- BFG 8800 GTX OC2 (NCIX $516.07)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=666614225

Sound Card
- Creative Labs X-FI Xtreme Gamer Fatality (NCIX $145.37) (Direct Canada $133.92)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=23250

Hard Drive 1 (Software/Vista)
- Seagate Barricuda 7200.11 500 GB SATA (NCIX $103.68) (Direct Canada $88.99)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27144

Hard Drive 2 (Storage)
- Seagate Barricuda 7200.11 500 GB SATA (NCIX $103.68) (Direct Canada $88.99)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=27144

DVD / CD ROM Burner
- Samsung SH-S203N Lightscribe (NCIX $39.35) (Direct Canada $33.55)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26371

Other
- Cooler Master Neon Blue LED 120MM Case Fan x 6 (NCIX $42.30) (Direct Canada $30.48)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=14259

- Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme Black 5.25IN 6 Fan Controller (NCIX $29.99) (Direct Canada $$26.73)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=28419

- Razer Lachesis Banshee Blue Gaming Mouse (NCIX $79.99) (NX Source $66.08)
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=26524

- Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800 PCI-E TV Tuner for Vista OEM (NCIX $103.50) (Direct Canada $97.20 )
http://www.directcanada.com/produc [...] =HAUPPAUGE

- small Tooldriver set (mastercraft canadian tire)
- keyboard (Razer Tarantula / Lycosa, Logitech G15(local store might have one cheapest and in stock and old Blue LED version)

Total BEFORE Price Match $2,769.21
YOUR TOTAL $2,608.45

Shipping & Handling: $81.57
Shipping Insurance: $39.13

Subtotal: $2,729.15
No PST - Outside BC residents: $0.00
GST(5%): $136.46
YOUR TOTAL: $2,865.61
CAD



I have a few questions i will add in next post...

TV Tuner

Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800 PCI-E TV Tuner for Vista

is that a good tuner, that will allow me to connect my expressview to it? i currently only have the normal reciever but plan on getting the HD reciever very soon (next month or 2) will it still work with my current one aswell? Is this overkill for what I need is there any better options?

EVGA 780i motherboard
should i wait for it to come in stock, and risk some of the other prices going up or going out of stock? or should I choose a different company for the 780i motherboard such as XFX etc? or should i order all of what's in stock now, then order the EVGA 780i motherboard when it does come in?
Note: my income tax is back so can order as early as the morning after work (night shift) if everything looks good,

Rebates
2 x BFG GeForce 8800 GTX OC2
http://static.tigerdirect.ca/rebates/BFG-5168_CA.pdf

2 x Corsair XMS2 TWIN2X2048-6400
http://docs.ncix.com/artman2/uploa [...] -30-08.pdf

The 8800 GTX OC2 rebate is on the Tiger Direct Site, but since it's still BFG cant i use that to get a rebate even though I"m buying for NCIX? Since it's BFG that pays not the online stores...

for both the video cards and the ram can i use two rebates for each, since i'm buying two products?

Besides that are there any other rebates i'm missing / dont know about?

You usually can only get 1 rebate per like item. In other words, you buy 2 video cards you get 1 rebate for 1 of the cards. And the same goes for each different item you purchase such as memory and so forth.

You most likely cant go wrong with XFX either. Id rather get EVGA but if you cant find a supplier with it in stock then go for the XFX brand. Many people use it and Im sure its good.

Your PSU may be ok but Id rather get the corsair 1000w or if you cant find that then go for the silverstone 1000w. It is modular, costs the same, has a 3 year warranty and comes with 6 - 6 prong power cables for your video cards so if you find yourself actually getting 3 video cards with 2 power connectors each you dont have to pig tail and deal with a rats nest and those PSU's are tested and approved for that specific setup.


As far as the tv tuner question, you will need to wait for someone with experience on that. I dont have a free pci slot for one on my media center setup and havent dealt with that yet...

^^^ What he said. 1 rebate per item per household. Read the fine print. Also, rebates won't work for other stores. You can however buy 2 different brands of the same GPU and get 2 rebates. Like XFX & EVGA.

Well, doesn't the out of stock evga 780i tell you something? I guess not. Go with XFX whose BIOS is more stable than EVGA's custom one.

The TV card will do what you need: capture & watch TV on PC. The bundled software can do PVR/DVR: schedule & record shows on harddisks.

Corsair CMPSU-1000HX 1000W
(NCIX $259.99) (Direct Computer $228.90)

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=28797

is this the one you would recommend?

I have a question about the PCI slots

these are al the items i'm putting in but what PCI slot would each go in...

BFG nVidia GeForce 8800GTX OC2
BFG nVidia GeForce 8800GTX OC2
Creative Labs Sound Blaster X-FI Xtremegamer FATAL1TY
Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800 PCI-E TV Tuner for Vista

i assume PCI-E 2.0 for the video cards. If that is right though the xfx 780i only seems to have 2 PCI-E 2.0, and the EVGA has 3... Were you meaning that the EVGA board is sold out because it's more popular? or because they stock more XFX boards to keep up with demend?

I was reading somewhere that the video cards take up two slots each, will it still give me each slots for everything?

Yes, thats the power supply I recommend and it comes with a 5 year warranty! I think thats the best warranty on the market...

Unfortunately, the more video cards you install the less pci slots you will have available. If you have one video card installed you will have 2 pci slots available for both of your add on cards. You install your video card in the top pci ex slot closest to your processor.

If you have two video cards installed you will have one available pci slot. You install the 1st card in the pci slot closest to your processor and the second card at the bottom pci ex slot skipping the middle one. I recommend putting a pci slot fan between the two cards and installing an external usb tv tumer and using your onboard audio or installing another usb device to free up your slot space.

If you ever go to 3 video cards then you use the last pci ex slot and change your sli bridge card from the 2 card connector to the 3 card connector.

Is it possible to have the 2 video cards in SLI, with the X-FI card, i dont mind getting a USB tuner if they work just aswell...

for the tv tuner, what are your thoughts on this one?

Hauppauge WINTV-HVR-950 TV Stick External USB2.0
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=21058

that would reduce the need for one of the PCI slots

for Tuners do they just connect to the output/input of your hd-tv ? or the reciever?

I havent dealt with those enough to know yet so you will want info from others with experience on that matter.

It should be fine though...

if i do go with the XFX 780i instead of EGVA 780i

do i need to get a better fan for the northbridge? a quieter one? since in a few reviews i have read they all say it's loud ... if i need one any suggestions on what one?

you mentioned I should get a cooler for between the video cards... what one do you suggest getting?

I'm pretty sure I will just hold off on the TV Tuner for now, i can always pick one up after (maybe after i get my high def reciever)

A fan like this one:

http://www.microcenter.com/single_ [...] id=0264672

You should be able to find it for 15-20 bucks or get another good brand of this style. The antec version tends to get noisy and wear out too soon for my taste.

With 2 cards in your case its not a have to but its a good idea to get as much airflow as possible. If you dont do this fan it wont be the end of the world...

I havent read anything about the XFX northbridge fan so I dont have a good suggestion for that either. I would buy the board and use it first to see if it is a problem then replace it then if needed.

You can add 100 fans to the case, and the temps will be lower, but you forgot to factor in noise level.

I don't think you need an expansion slot fan. It's your call. The case has plenty of fans & fan mounts.

EVGA isn't just a brand. It's also their service & warranty. For me, it doesn't matter cuz I am after overclockability. I am not keeping my ip35-e for more than 1 year. 9 months tops.

The EVGA 780i northbridge fan can be loud. I suggest you stick with stock cooling for now. Unless you do extreme overclocking, you don't have to replace the chipset cooling.

Stick with a PCI TV card unless you plan to do tri-sli.