Any via problems with new chipsets???

[RGN]

<< Better to have a rock solid, reliable chipset on a few boards than a plethora of overpriced boards with faulty VIA core logic. >>



Pab, I still say the Chipset has not been around long enough to defend it so fervently. No one has used these things to even prove that SiS can do a chipset that truly works.

PC-Chips and Leadtek are hardly manufactures that come to mind when someone says quality and reliability. Well, except maybe you...

 

[Willoughbyva]

Some have stated that the KT266A has a problem with Geforce 3 cards. I am not sure if it is the chipset or the Nvidia cards. Could be driver issues or something else. Keep checking out the forums and see what people are having problems with, and are asking questions about.

Do More Research!!!

 

[Daovonnaex]

Must we turn this into a SiS against Via thread? While it's true that the Via chipsets occasionally have issues, they're not excessive, and you should be safe in buying a Via based board. However, if you're frightened, then you can elect to choose a non-Via based board. Chipsets that are not from Via and are current include the SiS 735, the SiS 745 (soon), the ALi MaGiK-1 (the iWill XP333 is a very good board, mind you), the nVidia nForce 420 (w/out integrated sound), the nForce 420D (with integrated sound), and the nForce 415D (without integrated video, and the best performing chipset; it's also rock solid in terms of stability, just like all nVidia products).

 

[Bovinicus]

I have a KT266A based system, and I have built two for friends of mine. No problems yet, and two of us use Windows 2000. I never had any problem with the past two VIA based boards I got either. All have been overclocked with 100% stability. It seems to me like there are some problems, but as long as you keep current with your BIOS and driver updates, issues are very limited. That PCI performance bug is a definite problem, but only for those that really strain the PCI bus. I can't notice is holding me back at all. If you plan on getting a RAID setup with your harddrives or anything that will really tax the bus, I would steer clear. However, for the average user, it shouldn't really cause any problems.

 

[CoachClevenger]

Having used the ak31a for several weeks, I am convinced that kt266a is a stable and reliable chipset. I have used every major chipset available (except for AMD) throughout the last six years that I have been building systems. Most of them have their problems. Too bad not every chipset can be a 440bx. If you feel, in your mind, that there is a problem with VIA chipsets; then there is obviously no reason to consider one. The SIS735 or nforce may be more to your liking.

If I ever have a dog that is good only for kicking, I think I will name him PABSTER!

 

[Bovinicus]

I am glad to see that Leadtek released their SiS735 based board. It has a good number of tweaking features. It seems to be reliable as well. The new stepping of the ALi MAGiK1 chipset seems to be fast and stable as well. That IWill XP333 definitely looks interesting. There are alternatives to VIA boards, but VIA based boards should not be ruled out.

 

[tslaughrey]

It'd be nice if someone could do a study to determine how many people actually have problems that are due to the chipset and not to user error or faulty drivers or whatever. Until then I don't think we'll know for sure how many problems are due to VIA. I think a lot of problems fall under the heading of "well, something's wrong, it must be the chipset." It's hard to get a statistically valid sample from a user, me for example, who has built a few systems. I could say, "Well, I've NEVER had a problem with ANY Via chipset on any system I've built!" And that would be true, except that I've only used three different motherboards with VIA chipsets. Statistically, it's not a valid sample. I have a KT266A system right now and I love it. And I'll probably keep using VIA-based motherboards unless I have a horrible experience along the way somewhere. I'm rambling, but basically it seems to boil down to personal experience, just like with many things in life. If you like Chevy, you'll keep buying Chevy no matter how many other people tell you how much they suck and they don't work right and on and on. What matters most is what YOU experience. Some people never have a problem with VIA motherboards, others do. I don't think anyone knows for sure what the real truth is, though.

 

[Daovonnaex]

<< It'd be nice if someone could do a study to determine how many people actually have problems that are due to the chipset and not to user error or faulty drivers or whatever. Until then I don't think we'll know for sure how many problems are due to VIA. I think a lot of problems fall under the heading of "well, something's wrong, it must be the chipset." It's hard to get a statistically valid sample from a user, me for example, who has built a few systems. I could say, "Well, I've NEVER had a problem with ANY Via chipset on any system I've built!" And that would be true, except that I've only used three different motherboards with VIA chipsets. Statistically, it's not a valid sample. I have a KT266A system right now and I love it. And I'll probably keep using VIA-based motherboards unless I have a horrible experience along the way somewhere. I'm rambling, but basically it seems to boil down to personal experience, just like with many things in life. If you like Chevy, you'll keep buying Chevy no matter how many other people tell you how much they suck and they don't work right and on and on. What matters most is what YOU experience. Some people never have a problem with VIA motherboards, others do. I don't think anyone knows for sure what the real truth is, though. >>

It's not that Chevy doesn't work, it's just that it sucks (other than the Corvette). But I digress. The majority of people never have problems with Via, but more people have problems with Via than do people with SiS, Acer Laboratories, inc. (ALi), or nVidia.

 

[tslaughrey]

<< It's not that Chevy doesn't work, it's just that it sucks (other than the Corvette). But I digress. The majority of people never have problems with Via, but more people have problems with Via than do people with SiS, Acer Laboratories, inc. (ALi), or nVidia. >>



Personally, I wouldn't own a Chevy (other than the Corvette). But I digress. A lot more people use VIA than use Sis, ALi, or nVidia, so there are bound to be more people that have problems with VIA. But if anyone can tell me what percentage of VIA, SiS, ALi, and nVidia users have problems, and what percentage of these problems are actually due to faulty design of the chipset, then I'd be happy. I don't think it's going to happen, though. I don't think anyone has any true statistics, it's all just hearsay.

 

[Daovonnaex]

Personally, I wouldn't own a Chevy (other than the Corvette). But I digress. A lot more people use VIA than use Sis, ALi, or nVidia, so there are bound to be more people that have problems with VIA. But if anyone can tell me what percentage of VIA, SiS, ALi, and nVidia users have problems, and what percentage of these problems are actually due to faulty design of the chipset, then I'd be happy. I don't think it's going to happen, though. I don't think anyone has any true statistics, it's all just hearsay.[/i] >>

I think Pabster has quite a few problems with SiS chipsets, but I can't confirm it.

 

[picardal]

Thx for the opinion guys It seems to me like most of the via issues have been minimized and that I might have to go with the shuttle board since its the cheapest one available out there and looks pretty good as well... BUt if i find a cheaper one with a non-via chipset that is from a reliable company --- I might have to get that one

 

[Pabster]

CoachClevenger wrote:

"If I ever have a dog that is good only for kicking, I think I will name him PABSTER!"

Oh, gosh darn it, Thanks!

 

[tslaughrey]

<< Thx for the opinion guys It seems to me like most of the via issues have been minimized and that I might have to go with the shuttle board since its the cheapest one available out there and looks pretty good as well... BUt if i find a cheaper one with a non-via chipset that is from a reliable company --- I might have to get that one >>



I've got the Shuttle AK31A and have had zero problems with it. Some nice things about it are four DIMM slots instead of just three, six PCI slots, and its low price. Shuttle's got a new AK35 now, which has a version with onboard RAID and probably some tweaks to make it better.

 

[corinthos]

Anyone know when VIA will officially respond to the PCI Latency issue?

 

[Pabster]

Corinthos wrote:

"Anyone know when VIA will officially respond to the PCI Latency issue?"

When hell freezes over.

 

[Budman]

<< Anyone know when VIA will officially respond to the PCI Latency issue? >>



It's not an issue it's an undocumented feature.