AMD mobo with front panel Firewire connection

[georgeg]

I've been looking at the article on building a budget system and it looks good. But what AMD motherboard would you choose if you wanted a motherboard connection for a front panel Firewire port?

 

[Vette73]

Athlon64 or AthlonXP?

If you onboard video then look at the Shuttle MN31N hsa firewire header

Or look at the abit NF7-S or any nForce2 board with the MCP-T southbridge

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Athlon64 or AthlonXP?

If you onboard video then look at the Shuttle MN31N hsa firewire header

Or look at the abit NF7-S or any nForce2 board with the MCP-T southbridge

I second the motion for the MN31N if its other characteristics meet your needs, because where other mobos' Firewire headers have very short, stubby pins, the MN31N has a big burly full-sized header that will hold the cables well. I also want to throw out the Inwin i-530 card readers for consideration, their Firewire port is wired up to match the MN31N (confirmed with a continuity meter and checked against their header pinout in the manual). The i-530 also has front headphone & mic ports that will work on a standard Intel-style audio header, and of course it's a multiformat card reader too. Black & beige, $22 at Newegg. This gets you past worrying about the case having compatible wiring.

The Asus K8V Deluxe also has an MN31N-style FW header, I've got an i-530 plugged into mine. No FW devices yet, though.

 

[georgeg]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Athlon64 or AthlonXP?

If you onboard video then look at the Shuttle MN31N hsa firewire header

Or look at the abit NF7-S or any nForce2 board with the MCP-T southbridge

Athlon XP, definately. The goal is to build an inexpensive computer using selected components from my existing system (DVD-rom, CD-R, hard drive, etc.). I don't normally care for micro-ATX boards but the MN31N has everything I'd normally use an add-on card for already built in, doesn't it. I'll check out the others too, tho. Thanks.

 

[georgeg]

[q I also want to throw out the Inwin i-530 card readers for consideration, their Firewire port is wired up to match the MN31N (confirmed with a continuity meter and checked against their header pinout in the manual). The i-530 also has front headphone & mic ports that will work on a standard Intel-style audio header, and of course it's a multiformat card reader too. Black & beige, $22 at Newegg. This gets you past worrying about the case having compatible wiring.

The Asus K8V Deluxe also has an MN31N-style FW header, I've got an i-530 plugged into mine. No FW devices yet, though.[/quote]

Yes, after searching for cases with front panel firewire, I also started looking for devices like the i-530 that mount in a drive bay and give USB/FW ports. They're hard to find if you don't know what to call them! Definately something else to look at as it would enable me to keep my current case, a somewhat noisy but otherwise satisfactory Lite-On FS020. Anyway, thanks for the recommendations.

 

[georgeg]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Athlon64 or AthlonXP?

If you onboard video then look at the Shuttle MN31N hsa firewire header

Or look at the abit NF7-S or any nForce2 board with the MCP-T southbridge

Athlon XP, definately. The goal is to build an inexpensive computer using selected components from my existing system (DVD-rom, CD-R, hard drive, etc.). I don't normally care for micro-ATX boards but the MN31N has everything I'd normally use an add-on card for already built in, doesn't it. I'll check out the others too, tho. Thanks.

 

[georgeg]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
If you onboard video then look at the Shuttle MN31N hsa firewire header

Can a micro-ATX board like the MN31 b e mounted in a full sized ATX case? No problems lining things up?

 

[Jhhnn]

Can a micro-ATX board like the MN31 b e mounted in a full sized ATX case? No problems lining things up?

In a relatively late model case, yes, no prob. Some older atx boxes don't have mount holes for matx, but even that's rare...