Bets Socket A Mobo with G400MAX

[rylan]

smcguire: Forgot to mention.. those cheap assed PCI modems suck.. they're actually WinModems which means the modem is actually emulated by the cpu. Also, they get lower connection speeds usually, and slower throughput. I've yet to see a PCI modem beat my old USR 56K ISA hardware modem for connection speed and transfer speed.

Even though I'm using Cable now, I'm still going to keep that ISA modem for a while just incase I need it for something.

[ccoltas]

I'm deciding which of those KT133a boards to get. I built my fathers PC with an EPOX 3G2 and it is fine with his K6-III 400. I wish you hadn't said that about the ZIP drive, as I've been thinking of getting one for work because they're so cheap now. Actually, we have an LS-120 at work and one of our employees has one at home (my spec). I wish LS-120's came out first, then everyone would have them, since they are compatable with 1.44 floppies (and faster with old floppies too!). i'll probably eventually get an LS-120.

I don't use DOS or Linux, so a winmodem is not a problem for me. Do a search on the Lucent Winmodem LT. Its one of the VERY best winmodems out there. I use one and it runs like a top.

BTW, I have a 30 year old + phone line and I'm logged on at 48000 bps right now.

Winmodems don't suck, they just only work in Windows.

Ideally, I would like an external modem. Wouldn't that be the best idea? Frees up your PCI slots. Besides, I will eventually get Cable/DSL and not use my modem as much.

[This message has been edited by ccoltas (edited 13 February 2001).]

[This message has been edited by ccoltas (edited 13 February 2001).]

[Wombat]

...don't suck, they just only run under windows.

Most WinModems are software supported, and suck up a good bit of processing power, important for online gamers.

[jImbEam]

Not all PCI modems are WinModems. You better look carefully though.

WinModems are not good for most online gaming. You don't need something else dragging down your CPU when fragging.

jImbEam

[DGhost]

not all PCI modems are WinModems... take the one in my box for instance...

only the ones that are under $70 are WinModems....

About the Zip/LS-120 drive problem, we have been seeing it around and it appears to be with the 686B chipset, and we have been working w/ EPoX on a fix... nothing has helped yet, but i hope something does. would be very nice.

[Wombat]

You're right, not all of them are. So I said "most". Also, not all WinModems are software-based, some have a full DSP on them.

[This message has been edited by Wombat (edited 14 February 2001).]

[rylan]

I have the 8KTA2 board with the 686B chipset, and have no problems with my Iomega Zip100 drive.

What have other people been seeing anyway?
The board detected it in the bios and winblows sees it and can write to it no problem.

[DGhost]

Mostly that IDE Zips won't work work correctly in WinMe or 2k. It sees the drive and sees the disk, but when you start reading or writing data it will hang before it finishes.

[rylan]

Hmm.. strange that it doesn't work correctly in ME, since I have no problems with 98SE. but then again ME does suck.

For Win2K, it could be that M$ doesn't actualy bave support for the 686B southbridge controler yet. Try using Via's drivers to enable ATA/100 mode and your system will crash constantly. The M$ IDE drivers only set to ATA/66 mode, so I bet thats the problem with Win2K. There is a hot patch out for it that M$ is keeping quiet about (you have to do a lot of digging on their site, and you can't get it unless you place a call with their tech dept and pay them.. rofl). I'll see if I can dig up the link to some sites that have the patch for free download.. it apparently fixes some problems with M$ 686B support in Win2K.

[DentyCracker]

Some winmodems f'n SUCK I've seen winmodems that work once and after rebooting don't. If you must get a winmodem get a Lucent Technologies one . They do not suck, and work in BeOS 5 too. I suspect they will probably work in Linux too. I have one installed in a 2000 Server. Installation consisted of putting the modem in the machine. Next step was to configure internet access on the LT WinModem that 2000 installed with no input from me. I've connected at 52,000 bps with this modem, a feat I've not matched with any other modem (although my external CNET modem is consistent at 50,666). I will stay away from the motorola based winmodems as they have been nothing but trouble.

[Rags]

.

[jImbEam]

Before you buy a winmodem and expect it to work with Linux. Look here:
http://www.idir.net/~gromitkc/winmodem.html

jImbEam

[ccoltas]

Of course not all PCI modems are WINMODEMS. But like I said, ultimately you'd want an external modem anyways. I think AMR and CNR modems, if they ever existed, also rely on CPU for proc anyways. I seriously think they should nuke both CNR and AMR! Its the stupidest thing I ever saw. AGP makes sense. Going to PCI from ISA and having more PCI slots make sense. Another slot just for modems that rely on CPU? Does not make sense.

Geez smcguire. I guess you were looking for a socket A motherboard at some point eh? And now we're all arguing about PCI winmodems and trying to solve Zip Drive problems! LOL.

So how goes the Socket A situation?

[This message has been edited by ccoltas (edited 19 February 2001).]

[Targon]

Go with the Asus A7M266, that's the new board that supports DDR SDRAM. If you are curious about chipsets, this one also uses a Hybrid AMD/VIA configuration for northbridge and southbridge, has both AGP 4x, as well as ATA-100 support. Knowing Asus, it will be very stable.

[smcguire]

Well, I think I am going to go with the EPoX board.

As for WinModems ... <grin>

My current Modem is an ISA WinModem (USRobotics) and I have never had a problem with it. I am currently connected at 52K bps and I get that or 49.3K very regularly. I rarely get anything less than 49.3K.

I don't do a lot of online gaming so that is not a problem. I mostly play single player (Diablo II and Baldur's Gate 1 & 2). I also have Crimson Skies that is screaming for more horsepower! I HAVE started a couple Diablo II realm characters on Battle.Net, but I haven't got them up very high yet.

Having more horsepower should reduce the CPU contention problem somewhat anyhow. I run Windows 98 (with service pack 1) and I don't have a Zip Drive so that is not an issue for me either.

--Stewart McGuire
smcguire@banet.net