Hi all, I'm looking into finally upgrading my computer, but I have
several expensive AGP/PCI cards I'd like to keep (two Adaptec
SCSI cards, MPEG encoder card, high-end AGP Radeon etc).
PCI-X, Express etc. don't interest me, at least not yet.

How does the IC7-G stack up in terms of performance compared
to the latest and greatest from Abit and Asus? I'm more interested
in overall processing speed (do lots of NLE video) than gaming,

Is the new 1066MHz bus worth bothering with?

Will the P4 Extreme Editions buy me any more performance for
NLE, or are they targeted toward gamers?

Thanks for any info.

Rick

"Rick Yerger" wrote in message...
> Hi all, I'm looking into finally upgrading my computer, but I
> have several expensive AGP/PCI cards I'd like to keep (two
> Adaptec SCSI cards, MPEG encoder card, high-end AGP
> Radeon etc). PCI-X, Express etc. don't interest me, at least
> not yet.

It's worth looking at what you've currently got, and deciding how much use
you're going to have for some of these cards in the longer term, and
especially post-upgrade. For example, your "MPEG encoder" card. It's
arguable that you'll get better quality and flexibility from a modern
software encoder. Similarly if it's actually a hardware-based DVD playback
card you'll probably not need it given a modern PC and a good software
player.

> How does the IC7-G stack up in terms of performance
> compared to the latest and greatest from Abit and Asus?
> I'm more interested in overall processing speed (do lots
> of NLE video) than gaming,

With judicious processor and memory choice you can probably get just as good
performance out of an IC7-G based system as you can one of the newer Socket
775 based alternatives. However, the big problem nowadays will be finding a
good (i.e. Northwood) processor to fit in a Socket 478 system, as virtually
all the front line P4 stock you'll find nowadays is LGA775, and you don't
really want an S478 Prescott.

> Is the new 1066MHz bus worth bothering with?

Yes

> Will the P4 Extreme Editions buy me any more performance
> for NLE, or are they targeted toward gamers?

The P4EE's are targetted towards people who must have "da best at any price"
and don't want to buy an Athlon FX. Yes you will get a little more
performance out of one but given the enormous price hike it's not a
worthwhile exchange.

It's a bit of a curious situation at the moment. If you already had a good
IC7-G based system I would probably advise you to keep hold of it for a
while longer, as they are still excellent boards that build up into
excellent systems, and nothing else you'd likely be able to buy would give
you enough of a performance increase to justify the expenditure. However,
given that you're likely to have a job getting the right processor to fit in
one, I'm not sure I would recommend somebody buy one, or indeed any Socket
478 board, now. Tricky.
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com

"Richard Hopkins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Rick Yerger" wrote in message...
> > Hi all, I'm looking into finally upgrading my computer, but I
> > have several expensive AGP/PCI cards I'd like to keep (two
> > Adaptec SCSI cards, MPEG encoder card, high-end AGP
> > Radeon etc). PCI-X, Express etc. don't interest me, at least
> > not yet.
>
> It's worth looking at what you've currently got, and deciding how much use
> you're going to have for some of these cards in the longer term, and
> especially post-upgrade. For example, your "MPEG encoder" card. It's
> arguable that you'll get better quality and flexibility from a modern
> software encoder.

Not sure about that, Richard. I've got three video inputs (coax
cable, S-video and composite) and two audio inputs coming into
the encoder. Aside from the physical port issue, I can capture
DVD quality in the background using 25% cpu, even on my
current and ancient 1.2GHz P3. I believe a hardware encoder
makes a substantial difference here.

> Similarly if it's actually a hardware-based DVD playback
> card you'll probably not need it given a modern PC and a good software
> player.

Absolutely. The card doesn't have a hardware decoder.

> > How does the IC7-G stack up in terms of performance
> > compared to the latest and greatest from Abit and Asus?
> > I'm more interested in overall processing speed (do lots
> > of NLE video) than gaming,
>
> With judicious processor and memory choice you can probably get just as good
> performance out of an IC7-G based system as you can one of the newer Socket
> 775 based alternatives. However, the big problem nowadays will be finding a
> good (i.e. Northwood) processor to fit in a Socket 478 system, as virtually
> all the front line P4 stock you'll find nowadays is LGA775, and you don't
> really want an S478 Prescott.
>
> > Is the new 1066MHz bus worth bothering with?
>
> Yes

Can you expand on that last answer in terms of the one right
above it? Isn't the IC7-G an 800MHz board, not 1066?

> > Will the P4 Extreme Editions buy me any more performance
> > for NLE, or are they targeted toward gamers?
>
> The P4EE's are targetted towards people who must have "da best at any price"
> and don't want to buy an Athlon FX. Yes you will get a little more
> performance out of one but given the enormous price hike it's not a
> worthwhile exchange.
>
> It's a bit of a curious situation at the moment. If you already had a good
> IC7-G based system I would probably advise you to keep hold of it for a
> while longer, as they are still excellent boards that build up into
> excellent systems, and nothing else you'd likely be able to buy would give
> you enough of a performance increase to justify the expenditure. However,
> given that you're likely to have a job getting the right processor to fit in
> one, I'm not sure I would recommend somebody buy one, or indeed any Socket
> 478 board, now. Tricky.

Thanks very much. Great info.

Rick Yerger wrote:
> Hi all, I'm looking into finally upgrading my computer, but I have
> several expensive AGP/PCI cards I'd like to keep (two Adaptec
> SCSI cards, MPEG encoder card, high-end AGP Radeon etc).
> PCI-X, Express etc. don't interest me, at least not yet.
>
> How does the IC7-G stack up in terms of performance compared
> to the latest and greatest from Abit and Asus? I'm more interested
> in overall processing speed (do lots of NLE video) than gaming,
>
> Is the new 1066MHz bus worth bothering with?
>
> Will the P4 Extreme Editions buy me any more performance for
> NLE, or are they targeted toward gamers?
>
> Thanks for any info.
>
> Rick
>
>
>
I upgraded to the ASUS P5P800 so that I could use the new LGA775
processors and keep my AGP video card. The board also has the 5 PCI
slots you mentioned.

> "Richard Hopkins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news(E-Mail Removed)...
> >
> > With judicious processor and memory choice you can probably get just as good
> > performance out of an IC7-G based system as you can one of the newer Socket
> > 775 based alternatives. However, the big problem nowadays will be finding a
> > good (i.e. Northwood) processor to fit in a Socket 478 system, as virtually
> > all the front line P4 stock you'll find nowadays is LGA775, and you don't
> > really want an S478 Prescott.

I was able to find the following Northwood chips. Assuming proper
memory, which of these (they're all D1 stepping) would likely have
the best potential for overclocking and overall performance?

GHz BUS
2.66 533
2.80 400
3.00 800
3.06 533

Thanks again,

Rick

"Michael W. Ryder" <_(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:kBc8f.185104$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I upgraded to the ASUS P5P800 so that I could use the new LGA775
> processors and keep my AGP video card. The board also has the 5 PCI
> slots you mentioned.

Thanks for the info Michael. I think I'm steering clear of
Intel's Prescott chips for now.

"Rick Yerger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message...
> I was able to find the following Northwood chips. Assuming
> proper memory, which of these (they're all D1 stepping) would
> likely have the best potential for overclocking and overall
> performance?
>
> GHz BUS
> 2.66 533
> 2.80 400
> 3.00 800
> 3.06 533

No question, the 3.0@800 and by a considerable margin. The first two you
mention don't have hyperthreading, which is likely to give your video
encoding a big performance boost, and also have slow buses, while the 3.06
is hobbled by the 533MHz bus.

If you get the 3.00 to go with the IC7-G (or indeed another good 875P based
board), don't forget to get decent PC4000 memory to go with.
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com

at what prices?

--

Thomas Geery
Network+ certified

Due to a rat in da hood,
no longer running servers on Cox...

(even though someone turned me in,
what can I expect for violating the AUP, right?)


"Rick Yerger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:x6o8f.2717$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> "Richard Hopkins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news(E-Mail Removed)...
>> >
>> > With judicious processor and memory choice you can probably get just as
>> > good
>> > performance out of an IC7-G based system as you can one of the newer
>> > Socket
>> > 775 based alternatives. However, the big problem nowadays will be
>> > finding a
>> > good (i.e. Northwood) processor to fit in a Socket 478 system, as
>> > virtually
>> > all the front line P4 stock you'll find nowadays is LGA775, and you
>> > don't
>> > really want an S478 Prescott.
>
> I was able to find the following Northwood chips. Assuming proper
> memory, which of these (they're all D1 stepping) would likely have
> the best potential for overclocking and overall performance?
>
> GHz BUS
> 2.66 533
> 2.80 400
> 3.00 800
> 3.06 533
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Rick
>
>

Not quite insane prices, but almost. In usual Intel fashion, people
are getting great P4 deals on what they don't want (Prescotts) and
paying hefty premiums for what they do want (Northwoods).

3GHz 800FSB P4's are selling for $140-200 on eBay, which is
the only place I've found them. I paid $160. The 2.8's are selling
for the same range of prices, with 3.2's and 3.4's going for more,
and 2.6/2.4 Northwoods a little less.

"TomG" <tgeery-NOSPAM-@cox.net> wrote in message news:rOT8f.5965$mV4.3921@dukeread02...
> at what prices?
>
>
> "Rick Yerger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:x6o8f.2717$(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> "Richard Hopkins" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> >> news(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> >
> >> > With judicious processor and memory choice you can probably get just as
> >> > good
> >> > performance out of an IC7-G based system as you can one of the newer
> >> > Socket
> >> > 775 based alternatives. However, the big problem nowadays will be
> >> > finding a
> >> > good (i.e. Northwood) processor to fit in a Socket 478 system, as
> >> > virtually
> >> > all the front line P4 stock you'll find nowadays is LGA775, and you
> >> > don't
> >> > really want an S478 Prescott.
> >
> > I was able to find the following Northwood chips. Assuming proper
> > memory, which of these (they're all D1 stepping) would likely have
> > the best potential for overclocking and overall performance?
> >
> > GHz BUS
> > 2.66 533
> > 2.80 400
> > 3.00 800
> > 3.06 533
> >
> > Thanks again,
> >
> > Rick
> >
> >
>
>

TomG wrote:
>
> roger that...


AWww, come on !!

Tell us what you =really= think of 'current' Intel .... vs AMD !!!

Qed.