AMD K6 and RT2000

[Abreu]

On the Matrox site I read that the Rt2000 is not compatible with the AMD k6. Is it realy impossible to use the RT2000 on a AMD k6-2 400 ? (what about a DV500 should I forget the RT2000)

[This_Idiot]

Be careful to make a distinction between officially compatible and incompatible equipment. If you read that it's INCOMPATIBLE it's because a manufacturer has found that there are specific problems with this kit.

But just because it's not officially compatible does NOT necessarily mean that it won't work. Only that it hasn't been proved to work (or not tested).

Both RT2000 and DV500 "officially" support a similar specification of motherboard/CPU, but I'm sure you'll find folks here using less powerful rigs with either card

[DrMordrid]

One problem isn't really with the K6-x processors per se but with their mainboards.

Most of the Super7's have lower PCI bus performance than the Pentium II/III or Athelon boards and this can really affect the RT-2000's performance.

Dr. Mordrid

[Pertti]

Abreu,

Celerons are not supported due to 66MHz FSB.

Like Doc already mentionned, the problem with K6-x systems, is not the prosessor itself, but the motherboards (actually the VIA and ALI chipsets and their lousy drivers). The problems are not RT2K specific.

Do a search on the forums (and just about where-ever) for SS7, VIA and ALI related problems, and you get the picture.

Pertti

[Tinnes]

Sorry if this sounds a bit stupid but what is a

RT2000 ?

I have had a ALI chipset for over a year now and I have had no trouble with it.


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[Pertti]

Tinnes,
http://www.matrox.com/videoweb/enduser/rt2000.htm

Pertti

[Tinnes]

Wow that puts my Marvel to shame.



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Get paid to surf http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=MAC649 it really works. Free Money.

[hippie91]

dv500 only works with pentium comps
(i called a couple months back)

[Abreu]

I wasn't taking that processor/motherboard distincton in mind since I don't know much about hardware. In fact I only know I have a k6-2 processor but I don't know the motherboard manufacturer. I'll do some more investigation taking that in mind.
Thank you

[Abreu]

Matrox specificaly says the AMD k6 and the Celeron processors are not supported on the FAQ. On the system recommendations it specificaly says Attrend AMD k6 is imcompatible but it doesn't mention the Celeron.
On the Pinnacle site I saw no mention to the K6, in fact they don't even mention any imcompatible systems they just have a list of NOT recommended systems.

The reason I asked was that I was hopping the problem (whatever it is) could be some how solved and to find out how serious those recommendations should be taken.

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[Pertti]

Abreu,

If you are not familiar with hardware, and everything that it takes to troubleshoot your system, including hunting down the correct driver combination for all your components, I am strongly recommending that you get an Asus P2B or P3B motherboard with an Intel PII or PIII prosessor.

The cost of the motherboard and the prosessor are peanuts on top of the price for the RT2000, and you get a system that works.

Pertti

[DrMordrid]

I certainly can vouch for the Asus P3B-F. I have the version with 6 PCI slots.

Currently it has a PIII/600, 256 megs and all kinds of cards & toys and I'm very happy with its stability. It shares IRQ's nicely as long as the device drivers are cooperative and doesn't seem to have any squirrely behaviours like some of the Abit cards.

I'll probably stay with it until the AMD SledgeHammer processor comes out, then upgrade to a board that supports it.

Dr. Mordrid

[LordLoneWolf]

After previwing the forums for RT-2000 , it seems to me that RT-2000 has lots of bugs to fix and only a small amount of user are using it fine!!

This really trash my plan of buying one , i am now all eyes at DV500 .

Any users care to comment ?

[Pertti]

LordLoneWolf,

If you go and preview whatever forums, you will finally end up with the conclusion, that computers in general do not work

I have been using the RT2000 for some time now, and there are no problems with it.
I have also been following the forums, and the ones having most problems (funny how the problems seem to pile up on certain people).

a) Ones coming from linear editing, who are expecting the PC as such to work like your average VCR - throw in tape, push button and go (do I even have to comment ??), some of these guys even called the case (and everything inside) a CPU

b) One problem group are the ones who insist on using "non-standard" (or sub-standard = cheap) components in their systems, and expect Matrox to fix their motherboards, soundcards, NIC:s, whatever... one guy even built a RT2K system around a PC-Chips motherboard, and blaimed the RT2K for the problems (anyone have a smiley tearing out his hair in desparation ?).

c) And yet another group are the ones buying motherboards etc. which have been released yesterday, expecting them to be fully operational and compatible with whatever they choose to throw in.
I admit, that I am planning to buy an Intel 815 chipset based motherboard as soon as they are released, but I don't expect it to perform as good, stable or compatible as my current P2B-S does, it may even require an RMA and certainly requires several Bios updates before it gets to the same level, but that is the reality in todays motherboard world.

What's left are the few real Bugs, of which most were fixed with the SP1, and the remaining ones are more or less cosmetic in nature.

Btw. What do you think, those having fully operational systems, are doing ?
Are they surfing the Forums to post messages "My System is working", or are they busy editing their videos ?
Those that you find in the Forums with working systems, are usually there to help others in getting their systems working too (if they are willing to listen and follow the given advice)

Pertti

[DrMordrid]

Pertti is so right on the mark here.....

The newsgroup complaints are from about 1% of the total user base. Truth be told the vast majority of their problems are self inflicted by their ignorance of either the manuals, the manufacturers equipment recommendations or both.

Dr. Mordrid


[This message has been edited by DrMordrid (edited 08 May 2000).]