[ January 07, 2004, 03:01 PM: Message edited by: angrynote ]

hey Oneblood..indeed it does sound like a good system!! But...There's always a catch aint there!!!...You should always make sure that the motherboard is ready for the Northwood technology..if you look again at the Asus site it mentions nothing about supporting the 0.13 micron technology that makes the northwood P4 a better processor in the long run!! Look at the P4S333 board...
that's what I am going for!
Also, the 60GB data drive...partition it into smaller amounts. The larger the drive the more the OS has to look for the data..teh smaller the partition the quicker it finds that data it is looking for..
Case..well, one that is quiet first of all!..second..suits your needs..Antec makes some really nice ones..also make some really nice Rackmounted ones that I am going to get soon!
Video card...Matrox, Appian, ATI..try and go with one that is no larger than 32MB..
Modem? Do they still make those?!! lol! I thought there were only Nic cards these days? People still use dial up? Geez...get with the program peeps! lol
I know I know..certain areas cant get DSL or Cable internet...I pity those people!!!
Any modem will do fine!
CDRW. Plextor is the best that you can get..Phillips are good, NEC, TEAC..any floppy will do as well
Sound card...well, what are your intentions? How many tracks at once? Do you need Midi as well? Budget constraints? Etc Etc
Opus

Thanks Opus and Angrynote for the info.

Opus,
I have a few questions that maybe you can answer for me

my current setup consist of:

mpc2000xl(sequencing)
korg d1600 digital recorder
proteus 2000
yamaha csx1

i need midi

WHICH SOUNDCARD SHOULD I USE?
i will be recording one track at a time.

is it anyway possible to use my current setup with the a new daw?if yes, how would you do it ?

Also, the 60GB data drive...partition it into smaller amounts. The larger the drive the more the OS has to look for the data..teh smaller the partition the quicker it finds that data it is looking for..

in what amounts should i partition a 60 gig drive?

Thanks

Oneblood

Well, whats your budget contstraints for an audio card? If you want Midi, audio and fader control then get the Tascam US428! Best affordable all in one device you can get! I love mine..never regretted getting it! It has four ins(two which can be switched to a digital in)stereo out and a headphone out. Plus it has two midi in and outs and controls just about any software thru USB protocol!
Of course you can hook that gear up to a DAW. Thats the great thing about DAW systems is that they are completely configurable for any situation.
With the MPC, the Sampler, the Proteus and the Yamaha...
You should get a soundcard that can take all those inputs at once...stereo feed from everything.
Look at the Echo Layla24...8 ins and outs..
this way you can plug all of your devices directly into the Layla and choose which one you want to record or all of at one time.
ALso the Layla has Mid in and out.
I would get a seperate USB Midi I/O device and sync all the devices up via MTC or Midi Beat Clock.
MTC to the MPC, MTC to the Digital Sampler, and I think MidiClock to the Yamaha as well. The proteus will just recieve regular Midi data commands from whatever sequencer you use.
This way everything is synced up and you can transfer the material from one device right into the DAW!
Thats how I would do it
Opus

opus,
Thanks again for the info.im learning so much from you in this daw world.
did you get your p4 up and running?
my budget for the sound card is $500?

Thanks
oneblood

hey Oneblood...glad someone is learning something..sometimes I think I digress in knowledge!! lol
No, no system yet..they're behind schedule on shipping(the bastards) so I'm stuck waiting till the end of this week so they say!
I'll look into what souncards are going for these days and let ya know
Opus

Hey Opus, all - You got me curious on the Northwood compatibility issue, since the 'gators still haven't quit chompin' on my tender ass enough to allow the ritual "raping of the Visa" to happen yet - I just got off Intel's site, and could find NOTHING to indicate any change required in MoBo's for the two different proc's. Looks as if the only (obvious) difference is Socket 423 (old) and Socket 478 (upgradable) -

Here's a quote from their site

"Updated January 2002

The following overview and installation instructions are for professional system integrators building PCs that use Pentium® 4 processors in the 478-pin package with industry-accepted motherboards, chassis, and peripherals. It contains technical information intended to aid in system integration. The term "Pentium 4 processors in the 478-pin package" refers to Pentium 4 processors in the 478-pin Flip-Chip Pin Grid Array (FC-PGA2) package.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This information applies to Pentium 4 processors with 512KB cache on 0.13 micron process and to Pentium 4 processors with 256KB cache on 0.18 micron process."

And here's the link if you want to read the whole article.

http://www.intel.com/support/processors/pentium4/intnotes478.htm

I'm going to call them and try to get a confirmation that this really means ANY MoBo with a Socket 478 will work with Northwood. Soon as I find out, I'll be back doin' the "postest with the mostest" thang... Later (duh!) Steve

And here we go, Ladles and Jellyspoons, the one, the only, the answer to which there isn't a question-nah... Or in other words, welcome to the most favorite game of the "roll-yer-own-DAW-dudes" - It goes by many many names, all of them vile, viler, or vilest - but its most common name, the one all who do not fear to tread here, have come to know and VOMIT over - PASS THE FRIGGEN' BUCK...

Intro over, first (of several) verses to follow -

Just got off the TFID (That's Telephonic Frustration-Inducing Device) with Tech support at Intel - I was hoping I could get him to say "the Socket 478 spec is written in such a way that any MoBo with a socket 478 will be compatible with the newer Northwood technology" - What I actually got from Intel is "depends on the MoBo manufacturer, and whether or not they have an up-dated flash BIOS for the particular MoBo you can download."

Something else (besides extreme nausea) that occured to me AFTER I relinquished the connection (for which I waited on hold over 40 minutes) - I have an older Tyan MoBo that supports up to 850 mHz P3's, but the original BIOS only supports up to 500 mHz chips. So, in order to use the faster CPU, you first have to install a slower CPU that the original BIOS recognizes, then download the newer flash BIOS, flash the BIOS, and Then (and ONLY then) can you use the 850 mHz CPU.

If this is any indication, what if you buy a MoBo that only supports the Northwood AFTER a BIOS update ? Do you then have to buy a Willamette proc, flash the BIOS, then install the Northwood? Scary thought, anybody have a willamette P4 they're willing to rent out?

This thought makes me think that the only practical way to get a new P4 system today is to buy the MoBo, CPU, and ram from the same vendor, with the stipulation that they install and test the components. Either that, or just see if they'll substitute components (at a higher price) and do a barebones system to your specs.

Otherwise, there's a good chance you could get stuck with outdated MoBo's whose BIOS isn't new enough to handle the Northwood - then what?

Just thought I'd throw another worm on the barbie, see where the protein splatters - Do ya think that if we ALL got together and took up a collection, we could buy that damn fat lady a karaoke machine and get her to hurry up and sing? I might even start to like opera if I could get some straight answers and actually accomplish something... Steve

Originally posted by knightfly:
[I just got off Intel's site, and could find NOTHING to indicate any change required in MoBo's for the two different proc's. Looks as if the only (obvious) difference is Socket 423 (old) and Socket 478 (upgradable) -

I work for a fan/heatsink CPU cooler business, and one difference is that the screw holes in the motherboard for socket 423 and 478 are in different locations. A quick perusal of the yellow books disclosed nothing I could share here that would be useful.

Yeah, Magpie, I saw somewhere that the socket 423's heatsink had to be bolted THROUGH the motherboard to keep from cracking the MoBo, or something like that - the 478's are a different design, and within that design are "old" p4-s (Willamette code name) with .19 micron core (not sure on the thickness) and 256K cache, vs. "new" p4's (Northwood) with .13 micron core and 512K cache. The newer thin cores are running so cool that overclocking to a degree (pun, please ignore) can sometimes be done with stock CPU fan or a custom heat sink and NO FAN, if the air flow in the rest of the machine is set up right. (I don't think I would go there myself)

Since half the MoBo manufacturers sites seem to be running on crippled Commodore 64's, I have yet to find out much on who has updated bios, whose works out of the box, etc. One MoBo company promised to mail me a hard copy of a MoBo manual that wasn't on their site yet, claimed it would go out within 3 days, that was a week and a half ago with both ends of the journey on the west coast. Big surprise... I still think the best way under the circumstances is get the board, ram, CPU all from the same reseller and stipulate that they test it first. This "chicken or the egg" crap bothers me. By that, I mean (shamelessly quoting self on same thread) "what if you buy a MoBo that only supports the Northwood AFTER a BIOS update ? Do you then have to buy a Willamette proc, flash the BIOS, then install the Northwood? Scary thought, anybody have a willamette P4 they're willing to rent out?"

Good luck, I'm goin' fishin' without a hook on the end of the line, so the little bastards don't disturb my drinkin' time... Steve