What's happened to BTX

[PWY]

Gateway in the US has just started shipping BTX format PC units.

I don't see what the all fuss is all about, ATX and mATX is fine, why
change
something that works well? It's not that difficult to build a cool and
quiet
PC utilizing the fastest processor from either AMD or Intel.

--
Regards,
Tony. (tony.cue(at)tiscali.co.uk)

Discogs: building the definitive database of electronic music...
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I have seen this topic discussed a number of times and it seems that no
one realizes that Intel may well be looking ahead to 4 MHz to 5 MHz
machines. If the Prescott generates a lot of heat now, at 3.2 MHz, what do
you expect the heat generation of faster processors will be ? This may well
be the only reason for the dual core path that both AMD and Intel have
embarked upon. Which may make BTX unnecessary.

PWY

 

[rstlne]

I have seen this topic discussed a number of times and it seems that no
one realizes that Intel may well be looking ahead to 4 MHz to 5 MHz
machines. If the Prescott generates a lot of heat now, at 3.2 MHz, what do
you expect the heat generation of faster processors will be ? This may well
be the only reason for the dual core path that both AMD and Intel have
embarked upon. Which may make BTX unnecessary.

PWY

I would expect them to get about 130/140w from a 6.2 ghz machine..
I dont think BTX is the answer.. the type of restrictions that intel put on
the ATX and BTX form factor means that some exotic based cooling methods
cant really be used (or else it's not in spec)

 

[Roy Coorne]

Matt wrote:

....

Witness newegg's only BTX case:

Cooler Master CM Stacker Full-Tower CASE, Model "STC-T01-UW" -RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-119-042&DEPA=1

It is both ATX and BTX. Looks like a nice case, but costs $175 shipped.

....

Which is about $10 for each kg of this truly Big Tower;-)

 

[Dorothy Bradbury]

Is the pinout the same?

24-pin, "moved along 20-pin" if that description makes sense.
So nothing remarkable there.

Intel is great at creating new connectors, pin-outs & such like.
It also created the WTX form-factor which was a lead balloon.

 

[Ykalon]

I have seen this topic discussed a number of times and it seems that no
one realizes that Intel may well be looking ahead to 4 MHz to 5 MHz
machines. If the Prescott generates a lot of heat now, at 3.2 MHz, what
do you expect the heat generation of faster processors will be ? This
may well be the only reason for the dual core path that both AMD and
Intel have embarked upon. Which may make BTX unnecessary.

PWY

5 MHz? Wow they are actually considering to make slower CPU's? Slower
than the old 286 even.... Yo do know that Mega is less than Giga?

 

[Ykalon]

Last year Intel announced, BTX, the follow-=on to the ATX form factor.

For example, http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1876

What has happened to BTX? Has it been dropped? Has it been delayed? Is it
already happening?

BTX = A few centigrades cooler CPU's. 10's of centigrades WARMER
everything else.....

 

[rhys]

BTX = A few centigrades cooler CPU's. 10's of centigrades WARMER
everything else.....

I will be building a new graphics workstation in the spring. I am
leaning toward dual Opterons in anticipation of XP64 although I am not
decided yet. I want "cool enough to not incur damage" and "quiet
enough to not damage my ears". I was looking to the BTX form factor to
meet those criteria.

So if not BTX, what? What arrangement of fans, CPUs, RAM, mobo, cards
and PS will satisfy both cool and quiet looking forward? As I tend to
buy a fully tricked out, leading edge machine every three to four
years, it would be good to back the right horse.

R.

 

[Tim Auton]

I have seen this topic discussed a number of times and it seems that no
one realizes that Intel may well be looking ahead to 4 MHz to 5 MHz
machines.

Not just yet though, they've dropped plans for the 4GHz P4:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/14/intel_kills_4gh/


Tim

 

[PWY]

Not just yet though, they've dropped plans for the 4GHz P4:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/14/intel_kills_4gh/


Tim

Yes, I saw that. Unless AMD decides to pump some serious gigahertz into
their processors soon, BTX may never be needed. I understand the next move
by both companies will be to dual core processors so unless these run hot,
BTX will probably be postponed at least. Just conjecture on my part though.

PWY

 

[PWY]

5 MHz? Wow they are actually considering to make slower CPU's? Slower than
the old 286 even.... Yo do know that Mega is less than Giga?

Yes, I know, in fact I retired recently largely because I found myself
making these little slips.
Fifty years of running a mind in high gear seems to take it's toll.

PWY

 

[David Maynard]

Yes, I know, in fact I retired recently largely because I found myself
making these little slips.
Fifty years of running a mind in high gear seems to take it's toll.

PWY

Well, don't worry about it. NASA's got contractors doing backwards blueprints.

 

[Johannes H Andersen]

Last year Intel announced, BTX, the follow-=on to the ATX form factor.

For example, http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1876

What has happened to BTX? Has it been dropped? Has it been delayed? Is it
already happening?

Why this massive crossposting, and then you don't participate in the
subsequent thread? You have done this before, haven't you?

 

[Dave C.]

Yes, I saw that. Unless AMD decides to pump some serious gigahertz into

their processors soon, BTX may never be needed.

Even if AMD and Intel pump some serious gigahertz into their processors
(ever), BTX will never be needed. -Dave

 

[Ruel Smith]

Yes, I saw that. Unless AMD decides to pump some serious gigahertz into
their processors soon, BTX may never be needed. I understand the next move
by both companies will be to dual core processors so unless these run hot,
BTX will probably be postponed at least. Just conjecture on my part
though.

Dual core processors will definitely be hotter. You basically have 2
processors, each putting out heat.

 

[Ruel Smith]

I will be building a new graphics workstation in the spring. I am
leaning toward dual Opterons in anticipation of XP64 although I am not
decided yet. I want "cool enough to not incur damage" and "quiet
enough to not damage my ears". I was looking to the BTX form factor to
meet those criteria.

So if not BTX, what? What arrangement of fans, CPUs, RAM, mobo, cards
and PS will satisfy both cool and quiet looking forward? As I tend to
buy a fully tricked out, leading edge machine every three to four
years, it would be good to back the right horse.

You need to assess what you plan to do with it. Do you plan to overclock? If
not, a simple setup of a large slow moving fan in the rear of the case, and
a quiet HSF (heatsink & fan) combination should do the trick. You only need
all those extra fans if you plan to overclock or load the machine up with
hardware or something. There are plenty of Dells, Gateways, eMachines, HPs,
Compaqs, etc. that run this configuration and last a long, long time.

Personally, I run 2 machines, one with 5 80mm fans, aftermarket HSF, and a
RAID setup and one with an 80mm fan and a 120mm fan in the same room and I
don't know what the fuss is about with noise. Sure, it's definitely louder
than the Dell I used to have, but it's not annoying. It's even in a room
without carpeting, so the acoustics are working against it. I actually find
the sound of rushing air rather relaxing.

 

[Franklin]

Why this massive crossposting, and then you don't participate in
the subsequent thread? You have done this before, haven't you?

Jo, I like to participate where I think I have something to say or to
ask. I asked my original question about BTX because I did not know
what had happened to it and there was remarkably little about it on
the web.

You posted twice on the same day as I originally posted (almost 4
weeks ago now) and commented on your preferences about the size of
the case. Others discussed that with you. Personally, I have no
interest in that aspect so I have nothing to say.

My interest is in how quickly the ATX components will become
obsolete, hard to obtian or more expensive than BTX.

The skepticism in the thread tells me that the general consesus is
that BTX loks like it is being deferred.

I saw that a few posters had rather belatedly picked up this thread
and posted to it this weekend and this should not lead you to think I
do not still follow it.

 

[Yousuf Khan]

Well, don't worry about it. NASA's got contractors doing backwards
blueprints.

Is that got something to do with reverse engineering, or something?

Yousuf Khan

 

[rhys]

You need to assess what you plan to do with it. Do you plan to overclock?

No...with dual processors and a few gigs of RAM, I shouldn't have
to...this will be a graphics station, not a game box.

If

not, a simple setup of a large slow moving fan in the rear of the case, and
a quiet HSF (heatsink & fan) combination should do the trick. You only need
all those extra fans if you plan to overclock or load the machine up with
hardware or something.

There will probably be a RAID setup of multiple (three or so) drives.

There are plenty of Dells, Gateways, eMachines, HPs,

Compaqs, etc. that run this configuration and last a long, long time.

I buy laptops from "name" builders, but I've had four boxes built
since 1990 by local assemblers to my specs. That works for me, as most
of my programs can take advantage of two CPUs and optimized drives.

Personally, I run 2 machines, one with 5 80mm fans, aftermarket HSF, and a
RAID setup and one with an 80mm fan and a 120mm fan in the same room and I
don't know what the fuss is about with noise. Sure, it's definitely louder
than the Dell I used to have, but it's not annoying. It's even in a room
without carpeting, so the acoustics are working against it. I actually find
the sound of rushing air rather relaxing.

Well, I'm getting a nasty ring in my left ear from my 2001 tower with
dual PIIIs and three drives and three fans. My next computer must run
quieter than this.

Thanks for the comments.

R.

 

[rhys]

Fifty years of running a mind in high gear seems to take it's toll.

You might need a bigger cooling fan in your hat <G>

R.

 

[David Maynard]

Is that got something to do with reverse engineering, or something?

Has to do with returning solar probes crashing into the ground instead of
deploying the capture chute.