whatis the best ultra SCSI 320 controller out there right now?

[Jincuteguy]

im planning to get an Ultra SCSI 320 hard drive, but in order to use SCSI hard drive, I have to buy an Ultra SCSI 320 controller right? if so, what is the best controller right now ?

 

[dexvx]

Any PCI-X U320 controller by LSI Logic or Adaptec is good. If you want to use the RAID, go LSI Logic.

 

[BuckNaked]

You can use a 160 controller if you want.... won't be any kind of performance hit unless you are using multiple drives....

 

[Lynx516]

How long is a peice of string. Adaptec make good ones but you could end up spending thousands on a controller.

 

[jose]

check out the Adaptec 29320-R, it's a 64bit card that's backward compatible.


Regards,
Jose

 

[Jincuteguy]

I will only use scsi hard drive for my personal computer, im not trying to get a controller for a server or anything that is big. So what is the best controller ultra 320 out there that has low cost and stil have good performance?

 

[Jincuteguy]

Also, thre are dual channel and single channel controler, what is the difference?

 

[dexvx]

If you're getting it for a personal computer, than chances are it will be for a regular PCI slot (32bit/33Mhz). In that case, there would be no advantage from getting a U160 controller instead. Adaptec and LSI Logic U160 controllers can be had on eBay (new) for around $50. The cheapest U320 controller is over $100, and it comes in PCI-X form factor, which is backwards compatible with regular PCI.

 

[helpme]

Lsi makes great cards themselfs, cheap too. The other companies using their Chipsets also make similar cards.

 

[Jincuteguy]

So isn't Ultra 320 controler faster than 160? But you said 320 uses PCI-X slot whihc I dont think my motherboard has one cause its not an old system. So only 160 has PCI slot?

 

[selene]

scsi and low cost doesn't belong in a sentence..

I believe u160/u320 is total bandwidth available to each channel, meaning if you put 4 drive into a u160, u can pretty much divide 160/4. Only if every drive is being access at the same time.

So having 1 u320 drive on a u320 controller wont be much better than having 1 drive on a u160 bus. You'll never max out u320 bus speed

 

[selene]

Originally posted by: dexvx
If you're getting it for a personal computer, than chances are it will be for a regular PCI slot (32bit/33Mhz). In that case, there would be no advantage from getting a U160 controller instead. Adaptec and LSI Logic U160 controllers can be had on eBay (new) for around $50. The cheapest U320 controller is over $100, and it comes in PCI-X form factor, which is backwards compatible with regular PCI.

3 channel are usually 3 port on a controller.. I have a few adaptec 4 channel scsi controller, u160 per channel. Each channel supports 14/15 drive (how ever you calculate it) - 14*3 drive supported on the controller.

Best would be putting 1 drive on each controller, giving you a u160 bandwidth on every drive.

 

[dexvx]

PCI bus is limited to 125MB/sec. U160 is 160MB/sec. U320 is 320MB/sec. You're not going to even get U160's max bandwidth. If you have a PCI-X slot, than its a different story, but since this is for a desktop, I have my doubts.

 

[Jincuteguy]

So most modern motherboard doesn't have PCI-X slot right? so why th en ew ultra 320 controller doesn't support the new PCI slot in modern system? So I know tha tI don thave a PCI-X slot on my motherboard, so I can't get ultra 320 controller ????

 

[dexvx]

No, PCI-X is used for server/high end workstations. A PCI-X U320 SCSI controller is backwards compatible with normal PCI.

 

[Jincuteguy]

I have an Asus P4T533-C motherboard, and im not sure if it has PCI or PCI-X slot, PCI right? anyone confirm??? CAue I never seen an PCI-X slot before Also , it's ok if I buy an Ultra 320 controller and use it on PCI slot (not pci - x)?

 

[DWW]

P4T533-C does NOT have PCI-X.... it has PCI

 

[JC]

Just use an Adaptec 29160. It's compatible with your 32-bit PCI slots. You're not going to saturate the PCI bus anyway, so no real need for a U320 controller.

JC

 

[randumb]

Since you only have PCI slots, get a Ultra160 (160mbps) controller. An Ultra320 (320mbps) controller would be a waste of money, since PCI slots only go up to 133mbps.

 

[Jincuteguy]

but i want to get a 15k rpm scsi hard drive, do they have 15k rpm Ultra 160 hard drive?

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Your Ultra320 drive should work with an Ultra160 card.

 

[Jincuteguy]

so if i do that, will i get the performance that suppose to be from the 15k Ultra 320 drive?

 

[Zepper]

There is NO drive that has a transfer rate higher than about 78MB/sec. A U2W (U80) host adapter (don't say controller around SCSI) would allow one to run one of those drives at full clip, a U160 HA - two drives etc. You figure it out... As others have pointed out (are you reading your replies, habla English?), the normal PCI bus runs out of steam before a U160 adapter would. So on a normal mobo anything more is a waste of money. If you only plan to run one HD, even U160 HA may be a waste of money if you can find a U2W cheaper.
.bh.
:moon:

 

[Jincuteguy]

if ther's no differences, why they make 320 controller for?

 

[Jincuteguy]

besides, im here to get some help of which one to buy, not someone to tell me that im wasting my money. I bet you really think that im stupid.