Need a controller card

[8thNote]

I have a DFI AK-76SN motherboard, which only supports 4 IDE devices. However, I have 5 IDE devices (2 HDs, 1 CD-ROM, 1 DVD±RW, 1 CD-RW).

I realize the only way I can connect all devices at once is with the addition of a controller card. What are some good, inexpensive controller cards for which I should be looking?

 

[bacillus]

any promise ata pci card should do nicely!

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: bacillus
any promise ata pci card should do nicely!

Siig makes a bunch too. If you want to mirror/stripe/jbod those drives Promise, Siig, and Adaptec make fairly cheap raid controllers also (Promise/Siig about $50)
Bill

 

[8thNote]

I don't need RAID, just IDE for my Sony DRU500A DVD±RW.

 

[Trashman]

Best off putting HD's on controller, and Cd's and dvd on motherboard ide's, atapi devices and controller's don't get along very well at times....but yeah, get a Promise controller.

 

[Peter]

No ... the board's own chipset IDE controllers aren't attached on the much slower PCI bus. You want the fast stuff on the chipset's IDE channels, and the slower, less frequently used devices on PCI controllers.

 

[Trashman]

umm...please, correct me if i'm wrong, but doesn't the motherboards ide controller run on the PCI BUS??...so performance from either a PCI controller card vs. motherboard IDE controller is nill.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: 8thNote
I have a DFI AK-76SN motherboard, which only supports 4 IDE devices. However, I have 5 IDE devices (2 HDs, 1 CD-ROM, 1 DVD±RW, 1 CD-RW).

I realize the only way I can connect all devices at once is with the addition of a controller card. What are some good, inexpensive controller cards for which I should be looking?

With programs such as CloneCD around, why keep both a CD-ROM & CD-RW in the same system anymore? Yes, it takes 2 passes (one to dump the data to the disc and another to push it to the CD disc, but you could live with less devices.

 

[8thNote]

I keep three CD-ROMs because I have a program I use all the time that requires the CD to run. Also, I'd rather us an easily replacable CD-ROM drive for reading all my CDs, and the other drives for writing CDs.

So should I look for a controller for my two HDs, or for my CD-ROM drive (or CD-RW, or DVD+RW)?