Current Intel-based Abit/Asus boards with at least 5 PCI slots

[Rick Yerger]

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

 

[Richard Hopkins]

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

 

[Rick Yerger]

in message...

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.

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.


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?

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.

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

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.

 

[Rick Yerger]

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

 

[Rick Yerger]

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.

 

[Richard Hopkins]

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

 

[TomG]

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]

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.

 

[0_Qed]

roger that...

AWww, come on !!

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

Qed.

 

[TomG]

roger that...

--

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?)

 

[0_Qed]

Well...
He did roger that....

What a pervert!

;_)
Thats 'prevert' ... GIR!

Qed.

 

[0_Qed]

and did you get one from them that actually works? I'm in the middle of a
situation here that I'll hold my tongue on until I see how "stand-up" the
guy is on his product...

Oh Well ...
yet another B&B Circus 'goer' taking the sign that says ...
" This Way to the Egress ".


Qed.

 

[Dave]

AWww, come on !!

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

Qed.

Well...

He did roger that....



What a pervert!

Dave

 

[Rick Yerger]

If you people are going to hijack a thread and start babbling
could you at least change the damned header so I and others
don't waste any more time checking for useful responses.

Danke

 

[TomG]

and did you get one from them that actually works? I'm in the middle of a
situation here that I'll hold my tongue on until I see how "stand-up" the
guy is on his product...

--

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?)

 

[TomG]

they are amongst the best hijackers around. me, I never do that...

--

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]

I won't be able to test this one for a while, as I'm still shopping
memory for the IC7-G. (It's down to either OCZ One or Corsair
3200XL. I'd like to get modules with Samsung's 5ns TCCD chips,
but they're out of reach financially for a few more weeks.)

Warranty is everything when buying a cpu from ebay. I've found
private parties are usually more willing to offer a decent guarantee,
as opposed to businesses who either offer just a DOA warranty
or none at all.

 

[TomG]

well, the situation is that the CPU I got, a 3.0 Ghz, would boot to the bios
setup but would not allow a system that was working 5 minutes before to boot
beyond the initial stages of showing the OS splash...

the guy says he will replace it and apologizes for the inconvenience so,
assuming that he lives up to that...

--

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]

Did you double check your bios settings, e.g. AGP/PCI buss
speeds, memory timings etc?