Questions, questions questions

[JungleMan1]

Ah geez here it goes...

Well I'm getting ready to build myself a shiny new desktop, AMD Athlon 1.4Ghz, the specs I'm planning on using are listed below:


AMD Athlon 1.4Ghz Processor, Thunderbird core
Antec SX830 Case
undecided cooling
256 MB DDR memory
Standard Floppy Drive
IBM 7200RPM 30GB hard drive
Maxtor 7200RPM 20GB hard drive
Buslink 25GB hard drive
Plextor 16x CDRW Drive
DVD drive
Iomega Zip Drive 100MB
Sandisk ImageMate
ATI RADEON™ VE Dual Display
Standard Audio Card
SCSI Controller for Buz
Realtek 10/100 PCI Network card
FireWire interface card
PCTV Studio card
Logitech Optical Mouse
PS/2 Keyboard
Lexmark Z52 USB printer

(some of these are leftover parts from another PC, like the USB hard drive, biggest mistake gettin one of those, heh)

Considering this is my 1st computer that I'm going to build myself, I'm not really worried about sticking water tanks in my computer and doubling the clock speed, I maybe want to OC it a little bit but I'm more concerned on just getting the damn thing to work. You know, having as few compatibility issues as possible. because, little known fact I actually DO own a Gateway desktop (old 350 P2) and it's always having problems, especially with USB and Firewire devices...

I've been considering 2 motherboards: the Asus A7M266 or the MSI K7T266. Which of these motherboards do you think is really the best, considering the hardware I have, and that I'll be using it for:

video editing, music, CD burning, graphics, Internet and Email, DVD movies

Which would you recommend..and if you've had experience with these boards please tell has it been good or bad.

<IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[DANIMAL]

[img]C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\stuff\logo-title.gif[/img]
All the way although I can't say much about MSI there older boards I didn't like at all and have stayed clear of them ever since.
If you haven't picked out a case yet and want to show off all those goodies try
here

[3D Prophet III]

Originally posted by JMM:
<STRONG>Ah geez here it goes...

I've been considering 2 motherboards: the Asus A7M266 or the MSI K7T266. Which of these motherboards do you think is really the best, considering the hardware I have, and that I'll be using it for:

Which would you recommend..and if you've had experience with these boards please tell has it been good or bad.

<IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

I'd recommend either the ASUS A7M266 or ABIT KT7A-RAID. Haven't had any complaints about either one. The MSI K7T266 I haven't had enough experience with, but their a fine board to work with also. Any one of the above mobo's should work just fine for what you want to do with them. Just make sure the power supply is AMD approved!!

Happy building!!

<IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[gorfdaed]

Either one. They are both basically the same, as far as specs go. I have built many with both and can't really say anything remarkably wonderful about either.

I'd buy a large Ultra 160 SCSI Hard Drive if you are going heavy on the video editing, though. There about $300 but man do they kick *** . A motherboard with onboard SCSI Wouldn't be bad either. That same MSI Board you have listed has a sister with Ultra 160 SCSI onboard. As cheap as RAM is now, I'd double up on it too.

[Fierce]

Originally posted by JMM:
<STRONG>

I've been considering 2 motherboards: the Asus A7M266 or the MSI K7T266. Which of these motherboards do you think is really the best, considering the hardware I have, and that I'll be using it for:

video editing, music, CD burning, graphics, Internet and Email, DVD movies

<IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

I know I am not answering your original question, but I do have a suggestion. I see that you put down the GeForce2 or Matrox G450 for Video card. Either you have both or are debating on which one to buy, but I would suggest an ATI All in Wonder Radeon if you are going to do video editing, music and graphics. The other cards are both dual monitor support cards, and are ok for graphics. The Matrox G450 does not do so well in the world of complex graphics, so I thought I might offer a suggestion. My 2cents.

Nice system though!
<IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

[JungleMan1]

Originally posted by Fierce1:
<STRONG>I know I am not answering your original question, but I do have a suggestion. I see that you put down the GeForce2 or Matrox G450 for Video card. Either you have both or are debating on which one to buy, but I would suggest an ATI All in Wonder Radeon if you are going to do video editing, music and graphics. The other cards are both dual monitor support cards, and are ok for graphics. The Matrox G450 does not do so well in the world of complex graphics, so I thought I might offer a suggestion. My 2cents.

Nice system though!
<IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

Can I get that ATI card as a dual display card? How much is it?

I won't be doing any HEAVY video editing..just taking some movies from an analog camera, shooting it in thru my Iomega Buz or Dazzle DVC, and maybe adding a few titles and crap, sticking it on a CD...nothing too major..

[Fierce]

You can see the specs for the ATI Radeon Dual Display card here:
www.ati.com/na/pages/products/pc/radeon_ve/index.html

Click here for prices:
www.ati.com/na/pages/buy_ati/prices.html?parent=0&folder=15&doc=17

This may work for you then if you are not going to doing heavy editing, and have the hardware to import video.

Good Luck!! <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">

[Cygnus]

"I'd recommend either the ASUS A7M266 or ABIT KT7A-RAID. Haven't had any complaints about either one."

Ditto on that..Ive had alot of success with the newer IWill MOBOs as well.

[JungleMan1]

Here's a picture of the ATI card:



It appears the 2 connectors are different, I just want to hook up 2 standard monitors and extend my desktop space..

[Fierce]

Looks like in the specs that on is a standard CRT 15 Pin and the other is for a Flat Panel Display DVI-I out. Does any1 make a adapter so you can use two standard CRT monitors??? <IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

[Sorry_I_Win]

OK... here is what I would do. For starters, ditch the SCSI crap and get a mobo with an onboard RAID controller. Instead of using am IBM 7200RPM 30GB hard drive and a
Maxtor 7200RPM 20GB hard drive, use two identical 7200rpm drives in a RAID-0 array. This will surpass the speed of a single 10,000+ rpm scsi drive (and will cost far less).

Second, make sure the cpu is using a 133MHz (266 effectively) bus and that u use PC2100 DDR SDRAM. I'd also make sure you get a CD-RW drive that is burnproof (the plextor might be, but not sure off the top of my head). I use LiteOn (now called SunCheer) drives in all my systems and have never had one problem with them. They are fast, reliable, and priced rather well. They make a 16x10x40x drive that is awesome.

As far as a mobo, MSI boards have served me well and so have Asus, but I have had nothing but trouble with Abit mobos, so I would stay away from them.

[JungleMan1]

Originally posted by Sorry_I_Win:
<STRONG>ditch the SCSI crap and get a mobo with an onboard RAID controller. Instead of using am IBM 7200RPM 30GB hard drive and a
Maxtor 7200RPM 20GB hard drive, use two identical 7200rpm drives in a RAID-0 array. </STRONG>

i wont be doing this for 2 reasons:

1) RAID = Risk, if one sector goes out, the rest of the data on the drive goes down with it
2) I already own the Maxtor drive

[Danger]

Originally posted by JMM:
[QB]
RAID = Risk, if one sector goes out, the rest of the data on the drive goes down with it

Not if you run RAID level 0+1 or 5! But then you are spending more then if you just went scsi!

You should also know that the Abit Kt7a-Raid board mentioned in this string does not support DDR Ram, although it does have a 266mhz FSB. Even considering this, I might get that board as my next one...

Good luck with your system!

[Sowulo]

Originally posted by JMM:
<STRONG>Here's a picture of the ATI card:



It appears the 2 connectors are different, I just want to hook up 2 standard monitors and extend my desktop space..</STRONG>

That is an ATI Radeon VE. It comes with an adapter for that DVI port you're asking about which allows you to plug in a standard monitor. The third port on that card is an SVGA-out jack which will let you output to a TV or VCR as well.

[JungleMan1]

Originally posted by Sowulo:
<STRONG>

That is an ATI Radeon VE. It comes with an adapter for that DVI port you're asking about which allows you to plug in a standard monitor. The third port on that card is an SVGA-out jack which will let you output to a TV or VCR as well.</STRONG>

That's cool...but when you say I can output to 2 monitors, does that mean i can "Extend my desktop" on to the 2nd monitor, instead of just showing the same thing on both? If the Radeon VE can't do that can you recommend a card that can, that IS what dual display means right?