Motherboard Recommendations. Help please.

[Messiah]

Hi all

My new HTPC case truned up today but turns out my existing motherboard (only bought in the New Year :mad: ) is not suitable (needs mATX). So, to prevent me buying the wrong one can anyone recommend a good m/b with the following spec

mATX format
Suitable for Athlon 2k Processor
On board USB
On board Firewire
On board LAN
On board sound (digital optical out)

and that's about it. Which should I buy.

Thanks for your help and time :grin:

Neil

[Sgt.Colon]

This looks quite a good board. I have Abit and have never had a problem with them.

http://web6.scan.co.uk/Products/Info.asp?WPID=35817

[Messiah]

Thanks Sgt Colon.

I'm now not sure I've got the mATX bit right. I have the new CoolerMaster ATC610 case which only has 4 card slots. Should I be looking for mATX or uATX or are they the same.

I can give dimensions if that helps but they don'r show any sizes on the scan site so I am going off the number of PCI slots available in the back cut outs.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

[Messiah]

Hmmm. Just looked at the CM site here (http://www.coolermaster.com/case/p610.htm) which says it is Micro-ATX. I'm still confused though that the case only has 4 x cutouts for PCI cards but that board onthe scan site has 5 slots.

I'm getting :confused:

[Sgt.Colon]

Messiah.

mATX does have fewer PCI slots but don't got off Scans pictures cos they are not always correct. If you are going to buy from Scan just give them a call to double check on the mobo size/slots :)

Hope this helps? :)

mATX = Micro uATX = Ultra. As far as I am aware. People correct me if I'm wrong.

[Messiah]

Bummer. Just checked the ABit site and that board is ATX form factor not mATX.

Any other ideas? Anyone?

[Sgt.Colon]

Another site to try.

http://www.amblestreet.co.uk/foris/pricelist.asp?offset=100

Looks promising :)

[ghoti]

The board on the Scan site is a full sized ATX. It has 5 PCI slots, 1 AGP slot, and the distance between the AGP and the 5th PCI is equivelant to a slot. Thus a total of 7 slots = a full ATX.

Just my $.02.

ghoti

[ghoti]

Oops, a little late....

[Messiah]

Ooohhh!!! Loads of mATX boards here. Looks like an Aladdin's cave :grin:

Thanks Sgt Colon. Looks like it may be a Gigabyte board.

Cheers

[Sgt.Colon]

:clap: Happy shopping Messiah :)

[Messiah]

Another dead end. They're all for P4 processors. :mad: My quest continues.

[Sgt.Colon]

Messiah.

No it's not true. Look

http://www.amblestreet.co.uk/foris/PIVault4/ambk/products09/17705091610.asp?FCode=154328

Says AMD compat :smashin:

[Messiah]

Great find :smashin: but no firewire :thumbsdow Aaarrggghhhh!!!!

And any idea why only 3 a slots. Are they likely to line up with 3 out of the 4 in the case or will they be out of alignment.

Geez, this is hard work...

[Sgt.Colon]

Is the forth slot on your case not for the AGP? and for Firewire, could you not just buy a Firewire card? :)

[Messiah]

Is the forth slot on your case not for the AGP? and for Firewire, could you not just buy a Firewire card? :)

Yeah, of course it is. Silly me. I said I was getting confused :rolleyes: . As to the firewire, even though I already have a firewire card I'd rather not use up a precious slot (when I've only got 3) so would rather find it on board if possible.

[Sgt.Colon]

But if you can find a Mobo with onbaord Firewire. Is there a cut out on your case for this?

[Messiah]

Yeah, the 610 case has a front mounted IEEE1394 socket so only need an onboard connector. Not worried about a back facing socket.

[Messiah]

Think I've found one.

http://www.aopen.com/products/mb/MK79G-1394.htm

AOpen any good? Looks a well specced board. Just gotta find someone who has it now.

[Sgt.Colon]

I might have this wrong but I think with connectors like that you usually run a cable from your card to the front but like I say I could be wrong. On that point I will have to leave you there for your hunt for a Mobo with onboard Firewire but I think you'll be hard pushed for that at the moment. :)

Good look Messiah :smashin:

[Sgt.Colon]

Originally posted by Messiah
AOpen any good? Looks a well specced board. Just gotta find someone who has it now.

Aopen are good. They do a great DVD-RW :smashin:

try www.dabs.com

they might have them :smashin:

[Messiah]

That one doesn't have sound anyway so probaby better and easier to go for your first recomendation of the Gigabyte board.

Thanks for your help :smashin: I'm looking for a new DVD burner as well so will look at the AOpen one. 4x by any chance?

[Sgt.Colon]

Not sure on that Messiah as it's down at our other branch. Will check and post here on Monday for ya. :smashin: Also look at Sony's new DVD-RW that also covers all the formats and it's cheaper (I think)

Let me know how you get on with your new HTPC as I'm now very interested. :)

[Messiah]

I've had an order in with Dabs for the Sony since before Xmas. Still no stock and still waiting. They seem to be like rocking horse doo doo.

Soon as I get the mobo my HTPC will be complete within an hour. All the drives are in and all the software (dscaler, pwerstrip, PowerDVD etc) is already loaded and setup. Hope I may be able to find a board in Cardiff area tomorrow if not I'll have to wait till next week :mad:

Thanks again for your help.

[Sgt.Colon]

Ahhh Messiah. Isn't it a pain waiting? The AOpen drive, we had to wait a lifetime for it from Dabs due to no stock. I got a monitor from them a couple of weeks ago and I was playing merry hell cost it took about 2 weeks to come through. :eek: I hate waiting. Good luck on getting it up and running quickly.

Anytime I can help just give me a shout. :smashin:

[SeaneyC]

A quick note for anyone checking this out now is that uATX is not a standard, but i've seen a lot of places use this to mean microATX or mATX for short. I think they mean to use the greek letter mew, which looks like a u but with a hanging bit on the left hand side of the letter (eg p) Its used in science a lot to mean Micro!

[Messiah]

Still not found one. The one I want is the AOpen MK79G-1394 but only Dabs show them on their portfolio but none in stock and long wait expected. What I need is

mATX Socket A mobo
x8 AGP
3 x PCI slots
on board LAN
on board USB support
on Board dd 5.1/6.1 out


Anyone know of another or where the above AOpen board can be found?

Thanks.