Retail Palimino fan good enough? SB's Audigy now ok with ViA? Soundcard, case/ps, new rig suggest'ns/opinions welcome!

[GreenLantern]

I am trying to put together a system and above all I want it to be harmonious and stable. But not that far above performance. Great gaming, some (but not professional) photo editing, surfing, office work, so good video, 2D, and 3D

Back in August I snapped up some memory from Crucial and what a good decision. It has since more than doubled what I paid for it. 3 sticks of PC2100 DDR 256MB.

Motherboard:
I'm looking at the MSI K7T266A PRO2 which 'round here goes for $183.
I've been an Asus guy for a long while but the A7V266-E goes for an icy $264.95.
(Unconsidered are the Epox 8KHA+ at $194 and the SOYO SY-K7VDragon+ at $275(I'd sooner go Asus at that price))
So I am leaning into the MSI board the most.
To me the easiest areas to screw up are memory compatibility and power supply adequacy - once you've chosen a solid mobo.

Memory:
compatibility is bugging me. Crucial says that the ram I bought will go with any of these mobo's.
The Crucial model code for it is CT3264Z265.16T and the Micron chip code is MT16VDDT3264AG-265A1. But the MSI site does not list this memory as compatible. (MSI K7T266A PRO2 memory compatibility list). If Crucial says it'll work, should I just take it as word? I'm thinking so.

CPU:
AMD 1600+ XP 1.4GHZ

Video:
ATI Radeon 8500.

Soundcard:
SB Audigy base $110
Philips Acoustic Edge $95
Guillemot Fortissimo II $80
None of these are listed in MSI's K7T266A compatibility list. I want good virtual surround sound out of 2 speakers and also 4.1/5.1 for the future speakers I'll get. Support for as many media conventions (EAX, etc) as I anyone would want. I understand the Audigy uses the least amount of CPU in this list, has the most features(?) and has ironed out any previous incompatibilities with VIA.

Case:
Inwin S500. It gets good reviews and comes with a 300w powersupply. It's a Powerman (AGI HP-D301GF5) and is on AMD's XP 2000+ compatibility list

Cooling:
Quiet and sufficient. I won't be overclocking. What can you guys suggest? Volcano? Superorb? Coolermaster? Or should I just go retail for about the same price as a Volcano6 and get the extendo warranty?

Drives:
Maxtor 40GB 7200
CD and CDRW will be pulled out of another rig.

Any advice or opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[GreenLantern]

one good turn deserves another

 

[lazybum550]

soyo dragon+ for $275?? I paid around $150 for mine

 

[GreenLantern]

<< soyo dragon+ for $275?? I paid around $150 for mine >>

Canadian prices. Just consider them relative to one another or divide by 1.6 or so. I'm not asking much about pricing so much as compatibility.

 

[MrGrim]

I have a Sound Blaster Live! Player 1024. I'd never buy another Creative sound card.

 

[|TOAST|]

I seem to be the only person with this problem but I thought its worth posting since I've wasted weeks on this and it completely sucks. I have the Epox 8KHA+ (KT266A with an Athlon XP 1700+). I also have a SOYO 6BA+IV (BX with P3 500). My Audigy Platinum Retail refuses to work in either in any PCI (except PCI slot one in 8KHA+ for which this large card won't fit due to a capicitor). I get front 2 speaker output sound if in teh software I select 4 speaker+ outputs and no rears in either system with any PCI latnecy setting in any PCI under either WIN2K and WIN98SE and XP Pro under clean installs. I have wasted at least 6 hours (on a non 800 #) just waiting to talk to any of 3 reps from creative and another 30 mintues talking to them. They are baffled and sent me a new CD for reinstallation of drivers. that didn't do crap. I would get the non Creative card since Creative's support stinks, you gotta pay for the phone call and wait at least an hour before anyone picks up. Then they don't know what to do. Also, If you go with the SOYO Dragon, the Audigy Card only works in PCI slot 4 and 5 I believe. Goodluck and Cheers!

 

[Mota331]

<< Creative's support stinks >>



I have a Audigy Platinum and have not put it in yet, but I have to dissagree with Creative not having good CS, I thought I had some problems with their card and it turned out is was not the card and they went ahead and helped me solve my problem that didn't even pertain to their Product. Their CS is awsome.

Now Soyo is another story, I hate them. For one when i bought a new MB and installed it, the computer wouldn't turn off by itself or restart by itself. I had to manually turn the computer off then back on. Now the board dosen't turn on unless I clear the CMOS first and then turn it on. And they don't even respond to emails. GigaByte is another company stinks at CS.

For the Case I would go with the Antec SX1000, it doesn't come with a PS but if you go to PriceWatch you can get a 500watt PS for about $50 or what every you want. The case also has locks on it so you can keep people from messing with your computer, and it has drive rails so you can take your drives out with ease.

I wouldn't go with anything that is an orb. They may look cool but the don't cool as good as other standard fans. I know one person that tried to put an orb on and it had some much preasure on the chip itself that it cracked the chip.

I would also have to dissagree with your video card choice. Many people will say that ATI has more features and everything, but they have no performance. If you read the article in MaximunPC they do a comparison and they come up with the GeForce 3 TI500 slaudering ATI in all buy one of the Benchmark Games.

Hope I helped.

Mota331

 

[GreenLantern]

Thanks Mota.
I don't see the advantage of locking drive doors and the Inwin comes with rails and the whole thing costs $65 US. I don't want a videocard debate please.
btw, I'm not considering Soyo or Epox, I'm aiming at the MSI K7T266A PRO2.

My primary concerns are:
Will my ram work with the KT266a chipset?
Are there any known issues with Audigy and KT266a chipset?
Is the fan that comes with the retail AMD 1600+ XP good enough?

thanks

 

[Paladin]

Crucial RAM should work wonderfully with the MSI motherboard (KT266A). They work great on my A7V266E.
Audigy will also work great, at least it works flawlessly on my ASUS.
Go with a SK6 and a 60mm 30cfm 39dba Delta. Not too loud, not loud at all really, and it will cool great. grab one here

 

[Bovinicus]

<< I'm looking at the MSI K7T266A PRO2 which 'round here goes for $183. >>

That isn't a bad choice. However, the Shuttle AK31A looks to be an excellent board. I have put together two systems for friends based around this board. So far, so good. The IWill XP333 also looks good. I have no experience with it, but it definitely is worth looking into. If you aren't going to take advantage of the RAID or USB2 that the K7T266A has optional, it might be better to go with the Shuttle board to save some cash.



<< If Crucial says it'll work, should I just take it as word? I'm thinking so. >>

I'm thinking so as well. I don't see any reason why the memory wouldn't work with that motherboard.



<< I want good virtual surround sound out of 2 speakers and also 4.1/5.1 for the future speakers I'll get. Support for as many media conventions (EAX, etc) as I anyone would want. I understand the Audigy uses the least amount of CPU in this list, has the most features(?) and has ironed out any previous incompatibilities with VIA. >>

The Audigy would not be a bad way to go. However, it seems the general consensus around here is that the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and Phillips AE are better sound cards. The AE seems to be the way to go for 5.1 setups in particular. Also, I don't think there are any confirmed bugs between VIA chipsets and Audigy cards.



<< Quiet and sufficient. I won't be overclocking. What can you guys suggest? Volcano? Superorb? Coolermaster? Or should I just go retail for about the same price as a Volcano6 and get the extendo warranty? >>

If they really are the same price, then just go retail. The heatsinks included in the retail package are usually pretty quiet and do the job. The 3 year warranty is nice too. If you don't go with the retail package, check one of the Coolermaster heatsinks on the AMD recommended thermal solutions list. Coolermaster is the one who provides the retail heatsinks for AMD. However, you can often get it much cheaper buying it separately.



<< btw, I'm not considering Soyo or Epox, I'm aiming at the MSI K7T266A PRO2. >>

Why not? Both of those boards are excellent. In fact, I have the 8KHA+ in my system right now. I haven't had any problems yet, and I am overclocking pretty significantly (1GHz@1318MHz, 155MHz FSB, most aggressive timings). I am not going to shove it down your throat, but I don't see why you rule it out. EPoX makes good motherboards. Of course, the allure is a tad less if you aren't overclocking, but still...

 

[GreenLantern]

Thanks KevinC and Bovinicus!
Thanks for the memory and Audigy confirmations.


<< Crucial RAM should work wonderfully with the MSI motherboard (KT266A). They work great on my A7V266E. >>

That's great to hear!


<< The Audigy would not be a bad way to go. However, it seems the general consensus around here is that the Turtle Beach Santa Cruz and Phillips AE are better sound cards. The AE seems to be the way to go for 5.1 setups in particular. >>

I'd sure like to hear from some of these Phillips or Turtle Beach advocates.



<< Why not? >>

(Epox or Soyo)

<< Both of those boards are excellent. In fact, I have the 8KHA+ in my system right now. I haven't had any problems yet, and I am overclocking pretty significantly (1GHz@1318MHz, 155MHz FSB, most aggressive timings). I am not going to shove it down your throat, but I don't see why you rule it out. EPoX makes good motherboards. Of course, the allure is a tad less if you aren't overclocking, but still... >>

.Well mostly because the Soyo is way too expensive for me and the MSI is cheaper and apparently more feature and performance rich than the Epox.

Thanks all

 

[Mem]

Using SB Audigy here in my Epox 8KHA+ board and it`s working great so you should get no problems with the MSI board,as for Crucial ram that`s what I`m using in my old MSI K7T Pro board & Epox board so you can`t go wrong with Crucial in my books (unless you order the wrong type ).



<< Quiet and sufficient. I won't be overclocking. What can you guys suggest? >>



The Taisol CGK 742092 is quiet, cheap and approved right up to XP 2000+.

 

[Thooor]

Go with the retail fan. AMD is not going to ship thousands of retail chipsets with inadequate HSFs. Just be sure to cover your ass and buy only AMD approved components. In three years when the warranty is up, you'll be ready for an new chipset anyway.

I am running an XP1900 with retail HSF with no problems.