I want to go Dual Processor

[Linux23]

I have an Athlon XP 2800+ now, and I seriously want to be able to watch HDTV while encoding video or surfing the web, etc.

Can the Athlon XP be used in a SMP configuration? If so, what is a good stable motherboard to use?

Or am I just being crazy and should just dump AMD and go Intel?

 

[Dman877]

I believe the barton's can all run SMP but I'm not positive. IF your 2800 is a tbred, then no it can't run smp. As to mobo's I have no idea, I do know dually mobo's cost an lot though, likes 400$.

Have you thought about running a second system? Depending on what you need and already have, a second comp can solve many problems and be very cheap (ie no high-end vga needed cuz all your gaming is done on the main rig etc).

Also, a P4 with HT might be able to alleviate your problems as well.

 

[Pariah]

It would be a real pain to get that 2800+ to work in an SMP config. Intel is certainly the better option for SMP provided your budget is somewhat limited. The cost of a highend Xeon or Opteron system, which is what you would be looking at, simply doesn't make any sense for the applications you are looking to use it for.

 

[beatle]

There's no reason you can't encode video/browse the web while watching HDTV with your AMD. Just set the priority of the video encoder to low/idle. An Intel chip will get it done faster, but AMD will work.

Many of the benefits of a dual CPU system are outweighed by the added noise and expense as well as its limited use for a desktop system.

 

[Dug]

A Hyperthreaded P4 will make a huge difference.

I was getting skipped frames on an XP o/c'd to 2.3Ghz until I switched to the P4.

 

[HardWarrior]

Originally posted by: Linux23
I have an Athlon XP 2800+ now, and I seriously want to be able to watch HDTV while encoding video or surfing the web, etc.

Can the Athlon XP be used in a SMP configuration? If so, what is a good stable motherboard to use?

Or am I just being crazy and should just dump AMD and go Intel?

You'll need to go Athlon MP for a stable SMP configuration. There are others but Tyan does a good SMP board, it's low on contemporary features and is quite expensive for a MB though.

 

[randumb]

Originally posted by: HardWarrior

Originally posted by: Linux23
I have an Athlon XP 2800+ now, and I seriously want to be able to watch HDTV while encoding video or surfing the web, etc.

Can the Athlon XP be used in a SMP configuration? If so, what is a good stable motherboard to use?

Or am I just being crazy and should just dump AMD and go Intel?

You'll need to go Athlon MP for a stable SMP configuration. There are others but Tyan does a good SMP board, it's low on contemporary features and is quite expensive for a MB though.

I second going for Athlon MPs. The Tyan board is the Tiger MPX, and costs around $200.

 

[Pariah]

Given the choice of a dual 2800+ MP and motherboard, or saving about $50 and getting a much faster and much more up to date A64 3400+ and motherboard, it's a no brainer. Go with the A64.

 

[Schadenfroh]

the FSB on the Athlon MPs suck, i wish amd would update them, but that is doubtfull now that opteron is here to stay, i need a dual athlon64 or opteron that accepts nonECC unbuffered nonregistred memory

 

[gsellis]

Lots of AMD Athlon choices here. Xeon and Opteron are also great. Did you know that you can get dual Xeon mobo and 2 cpus under $700? Why don't you look at what is going on in the forums at 2CPU. 2CPU