need serious mb update and help

[smokewarlock]

First to make a long story short i have been out of the tech field for a while and im playing catch up. I have read ( and looked for) many reviews and not many to see to get me back up to speed. so my only help will be a quick crash course from my fellow anandtechians . i thank those ahead for there time to this thread.

ok my issue... im looking to build another rig.... i want to go cheap as we all do but get as we say the most bang for the buck as well as preparing and looking for the new and next evolution of tech. with my research of boards there is an issue of sata/pata...of this i have no clue.. from what i gather it is another from on drive interface but advantage or disadvantage i dont know or how strong of a future it has.

the rig i want to build can be intel or amd ..but i think the amd will be more cost efficent. i want to be able to run more then just 4 drives(hd/cd) i would like to at least run six or more. i will list what i want the rig to have as far as drives and would appreciate opions on the best in performance and cost.

8x dvd+/-rw (dual)
cd-rw+dvd (combo)
zip drive
card reader(with the most options/cost effiecent) (usb,firewire,audio,multi-card reader)
floppy( if any have really good info on one...its really a give)
video card( will be shooting for 9600turbo or 5700)

in my research i see that the two main chipsets for stablity in amd is kt600 and n2. i dont have any info on the sis chip sets and would appreciate some site to read or post of what is known since the motherboard's stabilty and performance is somewhat based on the chipset.

i use to use a soyo board and found that thier overclocking ability was great at the time i reseached it and of course the 440bx was a great chipset. they also had room for more than 4 drives. but i dont see them mentioned as much as before and when i do its not good news.. any feedback on this?

what im looking for as far as features in a motherboard are:

1394optional).
overclockingoptional).
stability:
usb 2.0(at least 4 front).
card reader port onboardnot sure if it is necessarry to have one onbaord to hook card reader up)
ability to hook front audio and usb ports of case to it.
lan onboardoptional )(have plenty of nics).
sound not into sound but would like it on board).
video onboardnot sure how good this is but would have to have at least the ability to be set to 64)(just to get running.
more then 4 devicesi dont have any sata drives).
sataagain dont have any sata drives but if i can use it in future or somehow still use this interface with non sat drives some how for more drives i want them.
agp slot though i have been reading something about pci express and away with agp).
spdi out(again not into audio but will be using this system to actually start doing some animation level work)
tv/out:



i want it all...i put optional to the things i can do without but would love to have....its the give alittle and take as much as you can for the buck. i do want to build under budget but i dont want to cheat myself.

i know im asking for a lot of info and input but im kinda desperate in a way.... my girl thinks i spend to much time on researching and thinks i have an online lover.

any input to help would greatly be appreciated...im building this rig this month im ording parts weekly...my serious hang up is of course the motherboard .....and memory..... (using onboard graphics as solution thus memory taken up and dual channel and how it affects the onboard video)...


please help as much and any input will greatly be appreciated... pm me...email me ....fill me with the wisdom of the anandtechians so thus i can once again be empowed

 

[o1die]

I would go with the abit is7 or ic7 and get yourself a separate highpoint controller card for your extra devices. The is7 is one of the best values for p4 motherboards. Trying to get everything on one motherboard will cost you a bundle. With the separate controller card, you can transfer your drives more easily to your next system. It won't cost you any more than getting a premium board with everything on it. Both these boards will work with prescott, according to a compatability list posted by Goi. As for BTX and the new pci express, don't know yet if it's worth waiting 3-6 months for. The next big change is socket 733, where the cpu pins migrate to the motherboard. Dell may already have some of those boards. I used to work for them.

 

[lsman]

you so far list only 2 drives (one dvd writer, one combo drive). so you are going to add 4 HD? if so, you need a extra controller card, or those onboard IDE RAID (or SATA depend on which format you go)

Unless you are in RAID, (read that not a big improvement unless you go highend) one 160G HD (as high as 250G for IDE now) is not enough storage for you? SATA do not take off as expected. Nice to have but for cheap IDE still very good.

For card reader, USB. you can look for MB that has 2 sets of onboard USB pin heads (some has 2 sets on back and only 1 set onboard. Set, i mean 2 heads = 1 set. You know they stack them together), Once you have 2 sets, one can be for front USB connection to your case, and one for connection to a 3.5 drive slot card reader.... 8 in 1 etc. Make sure they are USB 2.0
Also you should make sure your case has those option. most case have front usb ports and audio. MB usually has option for front audio. (but the rear will be disable)

As for firewire, some mb has onboard. a PCI firewire card (on back of case) will not cost too much, $20?? Unless you have immediate need for video editing from your MiniDV, not much firewire stuffs (external HD, but you can use USB) ... i don't know your usuage, up to you.

Floppy drive, its cheap ($15). Unless you have some you need to read data from. I will do without it. Because you can buy a 128MB USB Key (thrumb) drive say from Officemax thats on sale for say $10 after rebate. They are much faster, higher storage etc.

Video card, not sure. Depends on how it is for, do you play PC games, or want DVI for LCD monitor, or dual monitor is important to you. Read the anandtech front page for video card comp. or i think tomshardware.com has a shootout of video cards chipset not long ago.
PCI express is coming. (the fact that by year end, no single intel chipset has AGP port! ony VIA and SIS with has P4 chipset with both.) But no card for new and there will be many different slot format. unless you wait for 6-8 months from now, i will go ahead for AGP.

BTW, read that P4 will change socket. And so will AMD (even athlon XP will move over).
It is an odd time to upgrade. But given the computer is so cheap now, i won't lose a night sleep over it for should i wait or buy now...

AMD 2500+ for $80
1G Ram say $120
160G HD say $75
case $50
MB $80 (?)

whats your budget?

check newegg.com, good online store good price with good services, pricewatch.com for the lowest price but also check the retailers' rating on retailerratings.com

 

[smokewarlock]

wow thanks for the input .... dont have a budget....but of course want to build a good system for free...but basically whatever it takes to get what i want.....not to familar with raid...is it like the highpoint 100/133 sockets on the soyo IV...i have these on my old board and used them to connect whatever drive i wanted....it was nice to have the extra 2 ide interfaces to hook drives up alone as well as slave.

i dont plan on going sata unless i can use them some how with regular ide/atapi drives...... and i plan on hooking up my zip drive as well as the 2 burners and wanted room for whatever else i may need to put in front for who knows what else will come out to catch the eye...maybe a digital system monitor or something...just want to be able to add more drives as easy as possible like i did before...the soyo IV got me hooked on that situation.

i fried my eprom trying to flash the bios on my soyo and im now using a pcchips board everything intergrated.... and trying to find a board to give me some of both worlds...and from the catching up i have been trying to do on research, i see that things are about to change once again on me...pci express...new socket changes... and im clueless on what sata can or cannot do/disadvantages or advantage....

is why i really needed some opions, input, and research direction......i appreciate the info recieved so far and the sponge would more then welcome some more knowledge to absorb.

 

[lsman]

yes, RAID like highpoint stuff.

zip drive. ok. One suggestion is get a IDE controller card (look for FS/FT, should get one for $10-$15)
and you can hook your zip drive to it. I like Hard drive on one bus only (better one drive for the whole bus) without sharing with others.

sata have a rating of 150 Mbytes/sec (cp like IDE has Ultra ATA 133). But i read the rate actually can not saturate a 100Mbytes /sec (let alone the ATA/133)
So besides its more expensive and nicer look/ easier to hook up / provide better air flow, i think IDE still okay...

 

[smokewarlock]

ahh i got ya on the sata....basically its just more for those who sorta..wax the cpu....no real gain...but makes system look better.... thanks isman really appreciate the update..... im still looking for a stable board... i think i can do with out the firewire...but would be nice...sata likewise but i dont see myself really needing them anytime soon....so im left with looking for something with onboard graphics, lan, sound, and modem. that is solid and can hold an amd xp since i think i have decided to go amd and cheap solid board that have the basics covered (except ram) would like something that at least supported ddr 333mhz...

 

[lsman]

should go for a DDR400 but like me, i find money in pocket better. You should able to get deal for less than $50 for a stick of 512MB DDR333. or 256MB for $10-20. I will say go for a 512MB stick if you run Win XP.

As you are more intent to a onboard everything (modem? PCI modem can be found FAR at officemax or staples like.). I think you are not into PC games too much.

so basically you are looking at chipset of
nforce2 IGP (really the the first generation of nforce2 + Geforce4 MX), or
VIA KM400 (really an outdate KT266 code.)
(VIA KM600 no really mb for it in US)

But pls note that most soluction will be m-ATX, and has less number of PCI slot.

Otherwise if you go no onboard video, (higher cost)
nforce2 400 ultra doesn't cost much more. And consider better than via600 (which may get better value)

 

[smokewarlock]

isman i dont know what to say.... i really appreciate you taking the time to enlighten me....where would be a good place to get a cheap ide controller card?.... oh yeah .....what do you think of choices of dvd rw and cd rw drives....im thinking of either msi, lite on, or NU? the nu is cheaper..the other two come in black...really would like black but would rather go with the better reliablity/performance.

 

[lsman]

in the fs/ft
you should find some for $15
Enable your profile to trade there. Post a WTB.

some older verison Hard drive may include one. But hard to find now.

on pricewatch.com, the lowest are about $17

Or feeling lucky/have time, check Newegg refurbish on controller link
May not be lowest price. But you never know. (They may have some during M-F, but post on different time.)
(edit out the catalog = 11 to 410 or 73. They sometimes post on those catalog. Use these link to get the latest. Otherwise you may not see all of them because from newegg refurb page, it will not update immediate to reflect their stock.)

cdrw and dvd rw. Don't know. Liteon should be a good brand name to go with. (I am still using CDRW, so no exp. with dvd rw. For CDRW, most are about the same. I just go for a Free after rebate cheap one that Officemax has. Not a combo as you will like through.)
http://www.cdrinfo.com/ etc may give you some suggestion.


BTW, if you have time to hunt down a good PD.

 

[lsman]

Works in my mind, but not want to do it to jack up my CC bill for this month....

Officemax this week (if still in stock for your area)
has
40G Hard drive for 79.99 - $30MIR - $30 MIR = $19.99
MX400 video card for $49.99 - $20 = $19.99

find a phone coupon for $20 (or $25) off $125 (or $100) (online does not work)
you should get those for $20. Sell the 40G hard drive for $20 (you want a bigger HD and this is only a 2mb cache). All free. A lot of works and waiting on MIR. But just a thinking.
Then you can forget about onboard video...

 

[smokewarlock]

hahaha thanks isman .... that is almost how i built my last system with rebates and freebies...miss those days.. think i may go with a biostar board..... just dont know if i should go nivida or kt400....the kt 400 is cheaper..and the reason im going with an all in one board is because of after thinking that soon we will have the 64 bit battle soon i just want something to work for now that i dont have to invest too much into and will be able to dump it into another case and sell it to someone as a system with no loss on the intial invest...