Thread: Any changes that you would recommend in this configuration?

Asus P4P800 or Abit IS7 (Intel 865PE)
Intel P4 3.0G 800FSB (Northwood C not 533FSB Northwood B)
512Mb PC3200 DDR400 or more if u can afford it (Corsair, Geil, OCZ, Kingston)
PSU-SilenX, Antec or Thermaltake
Any floppy will do
Lite-On or Plextor burner- I'd go for a Pioneer 107D DVD-RW though!
WD 800JB 7,200rpm System
WD 360GD 10,000rpm SATA Audio

You'll also need an audio card of some description to get your signals in. Depending on what you want to record and how you want to go about it will determine which one you go for. There are so many to choose from, it would be impossible for me to list.

You'll need an Audio/MIDI sequencer software package as well. Some of these include:

Pro Tools LE 6.4 (Software/Hardware solution)
Steinberg Cubase SX 2.2
Steinberg Nuendo 2.2
Cakewalk Sonar PE 3.1.1

Blade,


Any reasons that there would be any a) compatibility issues; issues of fit (e.g. motherboard to case) with the configuration you have listed, as opposed to the initial one?

Also, among the many, what are the best/most flexible audio cards among the many, that you would suggest?

Thank you for your help on this

Which of these do you regard as the most flexible and user friendly, and has the most/variety of plug ins available?

Thank you very much.
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You'll need an Audio/MIDI sequencer software package as well. Some of these include:

Pro Tools LE 6.4 (Software/Hardware solution)
Steinberg Cubase SX 2.2
Steinberg Nuendo 2.2
Cakewalk Sonar PE 3.1.1

Froogled this. Can't find this anywhere (noone seems to specify Nothwood C or Northwood B)

Compatability wise this will fit no worries at all. It's basically the same as what you had listed except updated.

You should be able to tell the difference with the CPU's by the following examples:

Intel Pentium 4 3.06Ghz 533FSB Hyperthread = Northwood 'B'
the 3.06G Northwood 'B' was the first to have Hyperthreading, but also came in at speeds of 2.26, 2.4, 2.53.2.66.2.8. These 'B' CPU's did not have HT only the 3.06. 512K L2 Cache

Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz 800FSB =Northwood 'C'
The P4 Northwood 'C' Cpu's all have Hyperthreading and come in speeds of 2.4,2.6,2.8,3.0,3.2,3.4. They'll also be marked as having 512K L2 Cache. The Extreme Edition 'C' has 2Mb L2 Cache.

Intel Pentium 4 3.0Ghz 800FSB 'E' = Prescott.
Prescott or 'E' Cpu's will be identified by having 1Mb L2 Cache. These are a little confusing 'cause at the moment the 'C' CPU's are faster and produce less heat than these Prescott's or 'E'.
These 'E' CPU's can easily be identified by either the 'E' or by the 1Mb L2 Cache. Speeds are the same as with Nothwood 'C' except the 2.4Ghz is a 533FSB CPU and I don't think there is a 2.6.

To use the features of the 'C' CPU, you must have a Mobo that supports 800FSB. These include the mobos I mentioned and have Intel 865PE chipsets. The Intel 875P chipset also features 800FSB. These also support Hyperthreading and Dual Channel Memory. SATA on board, ande AGP 8X.

For sound cards check out some of these:

M Audio Audiophile 24/96 and also the Delta range
Echo Mia
Emu 1820
digidesign MBox comes with Pro Tools LE 6.4
Terratec DMX6Fire
RME HDSP 9632
digidesign 002 and 002R comes with PT LE 6.4

For software it's a personal thing. IMHO Pro Tools LE is by far the easiest to use. But some people find that being limited to 32 tracks frustrating. PT LE also misses alot of the MIDI functions of other DAW software. Best thing is to go into a dealer and have a look at them all.

For me PT LE is very good value(Nuendo software alone is $AU2999). For $AU2000 you get a digidesign 002R that comes with PT LE 6.4. It also comes with free plugins, an ASIO driver (makes it work with Cubase SX, Nuendo, Logic, Sonar ect....) and a Wave driver (eliminates the need for another sound card for games or DVD). BTW Logic is no longer supported on PC which is sad 'cause it was nearly as easy as PT LE to use.

I forgot to mention also that in the next few weeks Intel are changing from the Socket 478 to the new 775

The 3.4G Northwood 'C' and Prescott 'E' will be the last of the socket 478 Cpu's.

Bear in mind though there are 3 new flavours of mobos.

1. Intel 865PE with the new 775. No change to PCI, AGP and DDR.
2. Intel 915 with the new 775, new DDRII and DDR. Also has new PCI Xpress. No AGP
3. Intel 925 with the new 775, new DDRII and PCI Xpress. No AGP.

You might want to hold off for a few weeks, but IMO the new DDRII and PCI Xpress graphic will be EXPENSIVE.

FWIW, The 865PE board with the new 775 socket would be the only one I would consider at this time.

I'd say an Enermax PSU 350w.

They are great.