Intel D975XBX (Bad Axe)

[Alegria]

Bad news from the Intel Channel Conference in Germany last week:

Intel representatives told us that motherboard supplies are running short. They are changing the production process to 90 and 65nm structures everywhere and will satisfy their chipset and platform contractors first before delivering their own mobo series.
It may well take 6 months before they are back with their stuff in sufficient quantities.
This applies to desktop, workstation and server boards as well. This is tough for retailers, business-to-business server configurators and all of those who need the original Intel stuff.
We had to wait up to 6 weeks from order to delivery for a measly three 7525GP2 server boards. 4 weeks for 2 7520BD2 boards and distributors all over Germany couldn't get D915-whatever-variant boards at all.

So if you decide to get an Intel board don't trust the resellers promise "will take 3-4 days" too easily.

[Sandog]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm all up for some cooler running chipsets anyway.

[JoeBar]

Originally Posted by Joe Public

Intel boards get better and better with each generation, and I'm looking forward to seeing the reviews for the 975 boards. I hope it's as good as everone expects it to be.

Intel chipsets is one of the things that may me return back after a trip into the A64 + NF4 world...

[Sandog]

Hey JoeBar,

Long time no see, glad to hear you may be migrating back to Intel next year.

Here is a good read from Anandtech:

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...oc.aspx?i=2578

In my hardware goings on, I ordered a SB X-Fi Platinum the other day. I am presently stuck with out my woofer/amplifier while it is in the shop and have been using headphones for games and MSN. There is a lot of noise in the headphone audio. It is not always present but sometimes it is terrible. Sometimes I hear the mouse scroll wheel wining as I am using it. I have heard about 3 or 4 distinct noises at various times using the headphones. I am using the audio cables that came with my LianLi case and not the nice shielded cables that go into Intels 3.5" port drive with capacitor board inside but the thing is I also hear noise when I use the audio out on the back of the mobo. Just when I play UT2K3 though. I always have a habit of trusting Intel because they have great engineers but you have to wonder why many other socket 775 mobo makers using Azalia HD audio have the audio circuit on a seperate daughter board. Anyway, looks like I will give the new SB a shot. Also this is a little embarrassing but I ordered a new dell keyboard that I want to try out. Also decided to hold on to my 3.4C and v303 D875PBZLK board and not build a second system with it for now. It was well worth the 374$ total I paid for the board and CPU just so I can have it to hold on to before it is too late.

[TQ]

You will love that X-Fi. I continue to be blown away by mine.
I am curious, however, to see how it performs running in a PCI legacy slot on your 955.

[Sandog]

Hi TQ,
Should operate just like a normal PCI slot does. I just have a problem with board placement since I have hoses and a radiator at the top of my case. I also have several cables up there already but I know I can fit it in, I just hope it doesn't restrict airflow too much. I got it at ZZF for $175 delivered. ZZF rocks right now in price and service.

[AHLnut]

Originally Posted by Sandog

Hi TQ,
Should operate just like a normal PCI slot does. I just have a problem with board placement since I have hoses and a radiator at the top of my case. I also have several cables up there already but I know I can fit it in, I just hope it doesn't restrict airflow too much. I got it at ZZF for $175 delivered. ZZF rocks right now in price and service.

The X-fi has me paraniod now, as I now hear noises I just KNOW are in the house, but, they aren't . I look over my shoulder to see "what" is making that noise. It REALLY is incredible!!!!! This is with my speakers. I put on a headset the other day, and, I just don't know how they do it really, because for the first 10 minutes using the headphones, I removed them to see what in the hell was making all those sounds in my office!!! LMAO!!!

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by AHLnut

The X-fi has me paraniod now, as I now hear noises I just KNOW are in the house, but, they aren't . I look over my shoulder to see "what" is making that noise. It REALLY is incredible!!!!! This is with my speakers. I put on a headset the other day, and, I just don't know how they do it really, because for the first 10 minutes using the headphones, I removed them to see what in the hell was making all those sounds in my office!!! LMAO!!!

Cool

Speaking of headphones, I own set of enclosed Pro/DJ style headphones but was thinking of getting a more comfortable set but they are open-air or spatial. Is this any good?

[Sandog]

New audio and LAN drivers this month.

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df-external/filter_results.aspx?strTypes=all&ProductID=2070&OSFullName=Windows*+XP+Professional&lang=eng&strOSs= 44&submit=Go%21

[TQ]

Originally Posted by AHLnut

The X-fi has me paraniod now, as I now hear noises I just KNOW are in the house, but, they aren't . I look over my shoulder to see "what" is making that noise. It REALLY is incredible!!!!! This is with my speakers. I put on a headset the other day, and, I just don't know how they do it really, because for the first 10 minutes using the headphones, I removed them to see what in the hell was making all those sounds in my office!!! LMAO!!!

The same thing has happened to me. While playing a game I heard a noise that I thought was in the house. I took off my phones and went to investigate, thinking it was one of my pups getting into trouble.
I found nothing amiss.
I put the phones back and it happened again a little while later. I got up to see what was going on and again nothing.
It turned out to be an ambient set of sounds that were running through the game (DS II) I was playing.
Very, very cool.

Over the weekend I was playing F.E.A.R. and was shooting at some bad guys while leaning from behind a concrete pillar.
The ejected brass was bouncing off the pillar and landing behind me.
This...while wearing headphones.

[TQ]

Originally Posted by Sandog

Cool

Speaking of headphones, I own set of enclosed Pro/DJ style headphones but was thinking of getting a more comfortable set but they are open-air or spatial. Is this any good?

I purchased a pair of these from Amazon.com and sent them back after one day of use.
They can't handle low end transients (such as thunder or a large door closing) without splattering. Plus the highs were attenuated and dark.
Over priced and poor performers, I thought.

[Sandog]

Originally Posted by TQ

I purchased a pair of these from Amazon.com and sent them back after one day of use.
They can't handle low end transients (such as thunder or a large door closing) without splattering. Plus the highs were attenuated and dark.
Over priced and poor performers, I thought.

I am currently using a pair of Senns HD280Pro's but they get uncomfortable after prolonged use and kinda hot. No complaints about the audio though.

[TQ]

I spend hours every day under full-coverage 'cans so I'm probably accustomed to it.
My Fostex T50RP's have really plush ear cushioning material but they aren't the lightest headphones in the world.
However, they handle everything I can throw at them and sound incredible. Fostex is the only brand I have purchased for the last twelve years or so. Currently, I own two sets of T50RP's...one I keep at the home studio (and use for gaming sessions) and the other pair I leave at the station.
They're also nearly unbreakable.

[Sandog]

The article in AnandTech I posted a link to is probably the most accurate performance assessment of Cedarmill and Presler to date. The real performance will be slightly better as the article used pre-production samples. From what the article said (OC'd old Pentium D>3.9GHz, OC'd new Pentium D>4.2GHz) I still believe I can go above 4.5GHz on water. Apparently the die shrink will make the power usage of the 3.4GHz DC equal that of a current 2.8GHz DC when both are put under a load. Not as much a power saving as I would have liked but not a bad improvement. As far as performance improvements the most will probably come from the doubling of the L2 cache. The Cedarmill/Presler chips will probably do 300MHz more on air than the old chips.

With the Presler 955, it will offer twice the cache, OC to around 4.5GHz on water, have a 533 CPU FSB, Vanderpool technology, and Hyper-Threading all while keeping the heat down to a little less than my current 840EE. In conjunction with the Bad Axe, there will be other performance enhancements as well. All in all the next Extreme combo will have about the same humongous power draw I have now after I OC but I should get a lot more bang for the watt. I have the perfect case setup to feed this next system and it will be fun pushing this final Prescott system to new peaks (MHz) that won't be matched for a long time. Also I think I will go over 9K 3D'05'Marks for the first time.

[Sandog]

Loaded the new SigmaTel audio drivers with Intel Audio Studio app. Didn't see any changes inside of the program, mic still doesn't have enough volume. Anyway I discovered that I have a bad 1/4"jack connection on the front of the case. If I move it around I get noise. There is only one position (down) that it is quiet. This probably happened from bumping the plug with my legs while it was still in the jack (from putting my legs up on the desk). New SB will arrive tomorrow I believe so it will be my next install project. I will be sure to post some pics later.