SATA PCI Bus Controllers

  • Thread starter Thread starter whattaguy
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In some motherboard designs, the PCI bus represents a bottleneck. I found this out when trying to do audio apps using SCSI drives. SCSI is nice, but the PCI bus could not handle the throughput. Same may apply for SATA...
 
My system:

Mobo: ASUS P4T533-C
RAM: 1 gig RDRAM (PC800)
Proc: P4 2.4 (533)
HD1: Seagate 40 gig 2mb 7200rpm (OS and apps)
HD2: Maxtor 60 gig 2mb 7200rpm (audio)

Sound cards:

SB Live!
Aardvark DP2496 x2

I made the mistake of going the RDRAM route! Not many upgrade options.
 
I found this out when trying to do audio apps using SCSI drives. SCSI is nice, but the PCI bus could not handle the throughput.
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Really?

I've been using a Promise Ultra66 PCI card for some time and it worked flawlessly with audio apps. In fact, the reason I used it was that the on-the-board HighPoint controller on my old PC (a UDMA/66 controller) had problems.
 
Why do you need SATA? Will you be using RAID?

Why not just hook up a PATA drive as a secondry on one of your existing controllers?

I have heard some people have issues getting glitch-free recordings with a hard drive clogging up the pci bus
 
Bulls Hit said:
Why do you need SATA? Will you be using RAID?

Why not just hook up a PATA drive as a secondry on one of your existing controllers?

I have heard some people have issues getting glitch-free recordings with a hard drive clogging up the pci bus
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That's what my concern was with a PCI controller. I would hook up another PATA drive as a secondary drive, but I am already utilizing those resources with a CDRW and a DVD drive. I just don't want to "waste" a drive by just disconnecting it and replacing it. And, no, I don't need SATA, but the flexibility would be nice.

I fear that I might see my lonely drive and think "Hmm, that little drive there looks lonely. I think it needs a home," and end up building another PC. :D
 
Due to nature of down-back compatibility with E-IDE SATA 150 is (proven) actually a notch slower then Ultra ATA 133, as for coming new SATA2, this will finally come close (just close) to performance of Utra SCSI protocol.

This previous remark about SCSI not working with PC is nonsense.

This is industry work-horse and if you are using Adaptec or other decent working makers of SCSI adapters no modern PCI (2) will make any problems, in fact all communication is them assumed from SCSI to SCSI drive.

As for (better buy new and more equipped MBO) placing ATA/SATA PCI card as expansion, there is no reason for fear of losing any performance.

Check always priority of PCI ports and if all are filled with cards, let them share priorities to avoid conflicts,…but, in many cases with good drivers, not even that is necessary.
 
I have two WD Raptor HD's and they only have SATA connections, no IDE. SATA is the only controller I can use from my ASUS P4P800 mobo. One interesting quirk in my computer is that I must disable Network controllers in Device Manager(takes about 15 seconds) before I work with audio files, especially ASIO at 96K and Buffer of 64. If I don't disable, the Network controller hogs PCI resources and I loose ASIO sync. The newer ASUS P4C800-E ??? board does not use PCI resources for network controllers. Whatever SATA controllers ASUS put in the P4P800(865chip), it works great. I've never had a computer that just does what I want without a hitch.

Chuck
 
oneArtist said:
I have two WD Raptor HD's and they only have SATA connections, no IDE. SATA is the only controller I can use from my ASUS P4P800 mobo. One interesting quirk in my computer is that I must disable Network controllers in Device Manager(takes about 15 seconds) before I work with audio files, especially ASIO at 96K and Buffer of 64. If I don't disable, the Network controller hogs PCI resources and I loose ASIO sync. The newer ASUS P4C800-E ??? board does not use PCI resources for network controllers. Whatever SATA controllers ASUS put in the P4P800(865chip), it works great. I've never had a computer that just does what I want without a hitch.

Chuck
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I have that same board. The sata controller is integrated on the ICH5R Southbridge, so it bypasses the pci bus which is good. However the LAN traffic is on the pci bus. Some of their later 875-based boards fixed this by getting the lan off the pci bus.

However I have successfully recorded 3 mics at 24/96 to a Seagate 120GBsata drive without having to disable anything. Just lucky so far I guess
 
Bulls Hit said:
I have successfully recorded 3 mics at 24/96 to a Seagate 120GBsata drive without having to disable anything


What Buffer size did you use for ASIO or did you use WDM or MME? Whatever you did, you will be able to more and with less pops when you disable LAN. It only takes 15 sec. R click on My Computer>Properties>Hardware Tab>Device Manager>Network Adaptors. L click on Adaptor/ Adaptors then L click on computer icon in top tool bar with the red circle to disable. No need to restart. I apologize iif s this was not necessary, but someone reading it may benefit.

Chuck
Click to expand...
 
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