Really small nForce2 motherboard w/ SoundStorm?

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
Shuttle's price and features just aren't going to cut it for me. I need a small nForce2 board with SoundStorm DTS encoding. I've seen many Micro-ATX boards in the past but no MicroATX nForce2 + SoundStorm boards. Has anyone made a MicroATX nForce2 board with MCP-T SoundStorm yet?! Pricewatch lists nothing for Micro + nForce2 :(
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
EDIT: Removed link. Nevermind it, it doesn't have SoundStorm

Shouldn't small highly-integrated motherboards be legacy-free and include these instead of all that other garbage?!

nForce2 Ultra400 is nothing more than an nForce2 rev.c and if this board supports 400MHz FSB then it's the exact same as an Ultra400, correct?
 

cheapgoose

Diamond Member
May 13, 2002
3,877
0
0
the biostar has mcp-t. i'm looking for the same board. and i think i read somewhere that an earlier board, asus a7n266-vm has an apu, the mcp-d.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
30,401
27,000
146
Originally posted by: cheapgoose
the biostar has mcp-t. i'm looking for the same board. and i think i read somewhere that an earlier board, asus a7n266-vm has an apu, the mcp-d.
Yes, I actually think the A7N266-VM is a great choice for HTPC. You get the dolby digital encoding capabilities and coupled with a 2400+ is plenty fast for most duties. The TV AV/S out bracket sold for the A7N8X-VM should work for it as well.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Originally posted by: cheapgoose
the biostar has mcp-t. i'm looking for the same board. and i think i read somewhere that an earlier board, asus a7n266-vm has an apu, the mcp-d.
Yes, I actually think the A7N266-VM is a great choice for HTPC. You get the dolby digital encoding capabilities and coupled with a 2400+ is plenty fast for most duties. The TV AV/S out bracket sold for the A7N8X-VM should work for it as well.

Yes, I was looking into it earlier today but it's an nForce1. I mean, an HTPC has gotta have USB2.0, right? ;)

Now I found the Shuttle MN31N MicroATX board but it's not an Ultra400 or 400MHz FSB board at all. :(
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,911
0
0
What advantage does soundstorm have in an HTPC. I asked this in my own thread, but got no response. It seems to me like it would help with gaming, but what else? I am also building an HTPC/PVR, but won't be gaming on it.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
For me, it's all about wiring. I will not connect my analog speakers directly to the analog outputs of the PC. NO. It's not gonna happen. The XBOX, Gamecube, SNES (With modified SPDIF output), DVD player and all will be connected simultaneously through a surround sound receiver as ALL HTPCs should. What's the only PC sound technology that'll encode a PC's 5.1 audio output for an HT SS receiver? SoundStorm. If you just have a plain TV and want a PC connected to it, that's not an HTPC. Then, by all means, I recommend that you connect the speakers directly to a sound card and watch all your DVDs on a flag reading software DVD player (Not like you'll be using progressive-scan or HD resolutions anyway ;)).
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,911
0
0
Well lots of motherboards(well not a lot, but some, mainly the new ones) offer some sort of optical or coaxial out. What do you use to play DVD's other then a software player? Cause that would output 5.1 right?


Please don't mistake what i am saying as being rude or anything, I am just curious, as I am also building an HTPC and wnat to know if soundstorm is worth it, as that woudl help me decide on motherboards and processors.


Edit:eek:ops, i see you have a regular DVD player. SO what other 5.1 sources would your PC need to output
 

Kilrsat

Golden Member
Jul 16, 2001
1,072
0
0
Originally posted by: coolred
Well lots of motherboards(well not a lot, but some, mainly the new ones) offer some sort of optical or coaxial out. What do you use to play DVD's other then a software player? Cause that would output 5.1 right?


Please don't mistake what i am saying as being rude or anything, I am just curious, as I am also building an HTPC and wnat to know if soundstorm is worth it, as that woudl help me decide on motherboards and processors.


Edit:eek:ops, i see you have a regular DVD player. SO what other 5.1 sources would your PC need to output

I use a full size Asus A7N8X-Delux in my htpc (Antec Overture case, looks sweet), and running that into our surround sound receiver. The benefit the SoundStorm audio has is encoding all audio output in DD 5.1 with low frequency redirection and optional delays for the surround channels. This means whether I'm watching a Divx file, SVCD, DVD, listening to a few MP3s, or watching recorded tv all low frequencies are redirect to the sub-woofer and there is always sound coming out of all 5 speakers.

Without SoundStorm you would get 5.1 sound while watching your dvd, but just standard stereo at all other times (unless your receiver has options for redirecting standard stereo to all speakers, but that usually isn't as configurable as the SoundStorm encoding options).

The simplicity of this setup is wonderful. Our receiver just sits on DD/DTS input at all times and we get excellent sound quality.
 

coolred

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,911
0
0
Hmm, I guess I see now. My receiver I believe can at least redirect music to all 6 speakers(6.1 setup). I hadn't though of Divx and stuff like that. So a Divx capable DVD player won't send the sudio to all speakers? I guess I will have to read soem reviews about it, rather then keep hijacking this thread.
 

batmanuel

Platinum Member
Jan 15, 2003
2,144
0
0
I've been looking at building an HTPC box for PVR and other multimedia duties and there was such a dearth of Soundstorm mATX boards that I instead decided to change the case I was looking at from a mATX Coolermaster to a Antec Overture. Since this case handles full ATX boards and still would look spiffy next to my receiver (not to mention being really quiet as well), I consider the problem solved. I'm just hoping that by the time I'm ready to start the HTPC project, Antec will have out a new version with stealthed drive bays and some sort of option to replace one of the 3 1/2" bays with an IR window instead of having to build your own.
 

Boogak

Diamond Member
Feb 2, 2000
3,302
0
0
There is a pretty big dearth of mATX nForce2 boards w/ the MCP-T southbridge. I just sold my old HTPC motherboard (Biostar M7NCG), which was one of 2 mATX boards with MCP-T when I was shopping around - the other being that Shuttle MN31N. Unfortunately neither supports 400FSB but the 5.1 encoding was a nice feature when watching DivX movies, as sound came out of all speakers. Also was really nice when gaming on the big screen surrounded in 5.1 glory. I'm kinda surprised no manufacturer has stepped up to the plate yet with a new mATX board yet with MCP-T.