What is important????

What is a CPU?

The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, is considered the brain of a computer.

Without this vital component, the computer wouldn't be able do any of the functions it is capable of doing. Basically, it is a chip that handles the moving and processing of data.

With each new upgrade, the CPU is getting faster and more powerful.

Speed and reliability is the name of the game when consumers are comparing CPU chips in the new PCs. F

or some, the brand of CPU is the major selling point for many when buying a new computer. The faster and more powerful the CPU, the more the computer will sell.

How Does it Work?

The CPU sits in the motherboard as the central unit.

All of the other hardware components and programs installed on the system must go through the CPU before their function can be carried out.

The CPU's job function is important and enormous in scale.
When a function, program or piece of data is called, the CPU pulls it from Random Access Memory (RAM) and any other hardware in order to process it.

The CPU then reads the instructions associated to the task before sending it back to RAM. The instructions that the CPU receives pertains to calculations and data transportation.

The system bus is the trail that the data must travel before it is executed.

It is the CPU's job to make sure that the data is guided through the system bus to be processed by the CPU and then on to the next step.

With every stop on the system bus, the CPU makes sure that the data gets there in the correct order.

hope this helps

Your HD tv might be the problem though it should be capable of displaying non-HD content, depending how the connection is made.
It is possible an adjustment might have to be made in the menu of the tv to select a compatible format if it is capable of processing analogue signals.

I suggest you do a search for "understanding video signals".

The answer would be to connect it to an older analogue only tv set for the purpose of testing...

Tired?

Here is a link to one of the many threads about this issue.It seems that Sony was allegedly trying to block counterfeit hardware.In the process they have blocked many licensed hardware.Seems to be a lot of confusion as to when and if this will be rectified.
http://boardsus.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-3-Updates/3-50-Disabled-75-of-3rd-Party-USB-ADAPTERS/td-p/46201493

Hello First off i would determine if the same thing happens when the cable box is connected directly to the TV with the hdmi cable.

If the picture goes out get a new box from your cable company.

If it works fine then its time to call Marantz

My Denon avr 4310 does a similar thing and after a lot of research it seems that the problem is with how digital signals are sent through the HDMI cable and how the control board of your receiver processes those signals.

Here what I mean

HDMI is meant to simplify connections by transmitting video, audio and CONTROL signals through 1 cable.

The problem becomes when you introduce a "middleman" in this case your receiver the control signal doesn't always get interpreted correctly.

My TV has the capability to "turn off" the "control" signal coming through the cable if yours does try that first (i have a sharp 52" led) this solved some of the issues.

My receiver has the capability to accept different inputs and merge them so here is how I get around the problem.

1. I use HDMI for video signal but also use the optical for audio this allows me to send the "complete" hdmi signal through the receiver and to the TV this complicates things but also allows you to get audio through your tv speakers so if you want to watch something late at night you aren't waking people up when the receiver gets loud. This stopped things like the video flickering or turning off.

You will have to play with your menu's to see if you can do this on your unit.

How to fix this easily? Dump HDMI and use component (red, blue green RCA's) for video yes its still HD and yes you will have to run audio separately. but it eliminates all the digital processing issues that receiver manufacturers haven't worked out.

I was pretty upset when I spent $1500 for my Denon receiver and Denon then told me that HDMI doesn't always make anything better.

Hope that helps

Is this only while playing online? what is your intenet connection like? (ie Speed/set up)

generally if you have a router with several consoles or PCs connected, if one is demanding a lot of bandwidth (ie Gaming or downloading) this can throttle the connection for other PCs or consoles connected. This situation can be made worse if the consoles are both wireless.
A few options are:
1)Check your broadband speed - upgrade if possible
2) Check your router, does it have an option to prioritise one PS over another?
3)Connect the playstations via wired ethernet cables giving better reliability
4)Upgrade your router (or get one if you dont have one) that has a higher connection speed for internal connections. Gigabit connection should be standard though.

hope this helps

Yes with a better graphics card. You need Shader 4.0 at least on that graphics card. (Plus a lot more Stream Processors)

The GeForce FX 5200 is an AGP style of graphics card, and uses 8X speed. (0.8 Volts)
It is a Budget graphics card, and does not have the graphics 'power' needed for the games you stated.
(If memory serves it has 16 Stream Processors)

There is no 'miracle' program, or tweaking of settings, that will allow you to run the above stated games at a decent capability. Even at low settings for the games.

I would suggest an ATI HD Radeon 3850 at least.
HOWEVER, other things come into play.

You need a 400 Watt power supply that has 30 Amps on the 12 volt power rail. The power supply must have a 2x4 power cable. (Example:

http://www.playtool.com/pages/psuconnectors/connectors.html#eps4plus4 )
OR, enough 4-pin Molex power cables that are unused to put in a 2x4 power cable adapter.

Your processor has have the processing power needed also, or you will have a 'bottleneck' of graphics information.

A graphics card has it's own processor. (GPU. Graphics Processing Unit)
It also has it's own Ram Memory. (Graphics ram memory)
However if the processor is too slow, the graphics information cannot be processed from the processor to the game program, and vice-versa, in a speedily fashion.

Graphics information, (Data), hangs up. Frames freeze, and frame rate slows down.

Post the computer name , model name. and model number, and we'll see if a better graphics card will help.
(Example: HP Pavilion D5200t)

Oh Wow, I am sorry to hear That dude. That has happened to me twice and i have heard to send it in to Cheap - O - Soft(Microsoft) to have it Fixed. What has happened to your Xbox is that it has Overheated, and now the CPU's ( Central processing units) Have broken off their sockets. What happens with the 360 is that when it gets so hot, the motherboard begins flexing against the CPU's, and their restraints called the X- clamps( The things that lock the CPU) and then the CPU breaks off. So your xbox keeps freezing Beacuse of that.
One thing you can do is to send it in to microsoft to have it repaired. just call 1-800-4MY-XBOX and then follow the instructions. But this only works if your xbox is under warranty.
If you are someone that is technically capable, you can open up your Xbox and fix it using this giude. It seems to have worked for many people and they have been glitch free for months. Here is the Link http://www.instructables.com/id/Fix-the-Red-Ring-of-Deathwithout-towels/ . Just follow this and repair your Xbox once and for all. However, that is only if you know and are sure that you are capable of working with delicate electronics. And i heavily reccomend that if your Xbox is still under warranty, that you send it in to them and have it reapaired. Takes about two weeks and is free. Ok then notify me if that works

REGARDING gaming , the only important thing for a motherboard is the amount of processor cache 1mb would be great, I've heard of some m/b with 4mb cache (should boost a lot) but manly the amount of video ram is important to play smoothly
I hope it enlight.