First PC Build for Gigastudio

[jdhiler]

hello collective geniuses!

boy am i glad i found you! i've done tons of research and i think i'm doing okay, but to have your blessing would give me the confidence i currently lack. besides, i'm sure you're excited to read another diy newbie post. ;->

the goal is to build a pc for gigastudio for under $1k. here's what tascam recommends:

http://www.tascamgiga.com/GigaStudio3FAQs.php#recsys

plus they have an 'ultimate' recommendation lower on the same page:

http://www.tascamgiga.com/GigaStudio3FAQs.php#Ultimate

as you can see, the goals are fast cpu, lots of ram, and fast drive access (not necessarily in that order). also desired is a quieter case, an inexpensive dvi video card that can handle the widescreen lcd resolution (1680x1050) of the dell 2005fpw i've got my eye on (not included in budget), and a sound card with 8ch. lightpipe & s/pdif for clock (also not included in budget)

i've read as much as my little brain can handle, and this is what i've come up with so far, thanks to your previous wisdom in this forum:

• Antec Life Style SONATA Piano Black 0.8mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case TruePower 380Watt ATX12V Power Supply - Retail

• GIGABYTE GA-K8N Pro-SLI Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

• AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor Model ADA3500BPBOX - Retail

• (2) pqi POWER Series 1GB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400 (PC 3200) Unbuffered System Memory Model MD441GUOE - Retail

• (2) Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 ST3250823AS 250GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive - OEM

• eVGA 128-P1-N309-LX Geforce FX5200 128MB DDR PCI Video Card - Retail

• Microsoft Windows XP HOME Edition With Service Pack 2 - OEM

i've got all this saved in a newegg cart, and the total was about $971.

for optical, i've already got a dvr-108 i can put in (i think).

unanswered q's:

when a video card says it can go to 1600x1200, that doesn't include 1680x1050, right? i can't find one that specifically says it can do it, other than the ones listed on the dell or mac websites that of course work.

cheap ram, yes, but all the comments on newegg are positive. plus, they've got a lifetime warranty. hmm?

importance of raid? i've never used raid before. on my current mac, every drive has a duplicate that is mirrored nightly (or after a session). i do this instead of raid because of pro tools, and also because it's nice to have a mirror drive that's not instantly duplicated (in case of accidental deletion, ability to go back to previous state, etc.) i am a backup nazi, too, so if i had a stripe raid 0 i'd need two more drives to backup those! i'm guessing that's what raid 0+1 is all about, yes? and that doesn't include the system drive. i've got some 40, 60, and 80 gig drives lying around i could use for a system drive.

in summary, i'd almost rather defray additional costs and see how far i can push the system before it chokes. is this a smart approach? i'm not a gigastudio power user (yet), and the goal is to keep initial costs as low as possible so i can get up and working.

my fears are that i'll assemble a system that chokes prematurely or waste money on things that don't make a difference. it seems it's rather easy/inexpensive to upgrade later, if needed, and if i've got a good motherboard... but even that's swappable! (welcome to the pc world, eh?) besides, there'll be another job in the future that can fund some upgrades then, knock on wood. ah, the joys of self-employment...

okay, sorry for the long post. i look forward to your collective insight.

thanks so much!

john

[Jaggannath]

Newegg only really posts positive comments... so as to that RAM I'm not too sure. I'm pretty sure the video card won't like running at 1680x1050 if it says it only goes to 1600x1200, but that's something for someone who's tried it to answer. As to RAID, it's very nice and all, and provides a lot of backup and quick access, I wouldn't say it's vitally important unless Gigastudio recommends it

[maxnik]

I bet there are a lot of people here who don't like Gigabyte motherboards,
I'd go for ASUS, MSI, DFI, ABIT

let's see for more inputs

[glc]

How about the ultimate GS3 system? What if I want to get crazy polyphony and multiple GigaPulse instances? The limiting factor for polyphony is hard drive speed, so you'll get the best performance with a RAID array for your drives. The below system was tested with over 600 voices of polyphony (using 16-bit samples), of course your mileage may vary. • Windows XP SP1 • P4 3GHz or faster • 2GB RAM • DVD-ROM drive • 1024 x 768 monitor resolution • Two-drive RAID using 10,000 RPM SATA drives • MIDI interface • GSIF 2-compatible sound card or ReWire-compatible host application

Reading this, I'd ditch the AMD idea and start looking at Intel with an Intel or Asus motherboard and DDR2 ram (Corsair Value Select is my recommendation over pqi) - and dual WD Raptors in RAID 0. You will want a PCI-E video card, not legacy PCI - and you need the Sonata II case so it has the required ATX 2.0 24 pin power supply.

RAID 0 is a great speedbooster for this use, but it's essential to keep good backups, because if one drive hiccups, the whole array goes down.

[jdhiler]

thanks to Jaggannath, maxnik, and glc for your replies.

m - yes, i wa frustrated w/ newegg's lack of asus. i was hoping to use one vendor, one order, and i've been using their cart as a budget/research/spreadsheet tool.

g - i know. i'm trepidatious about the amd path, but i did find more than one "made for giga" pc that was using it. tascam's website faq says "GS3 will work fine with AMD processors so long as they support SSE processing." i still don't understand why a p4 would be better. also, thanks for reminding me about the pci-e option and the 2.0 psu. regarding raids, the answer would be 0+1 so i had mirrors of my stripes? 4 drives? or i could just backup the raid to one big offline drive, too... i guess as long as the motherboard has 0+1 on it i could always try it later... see how many voices i can get out of 1 sata first.

i'm going to put together another list using the advice given so far and see if it breaks the bank. of course, more input is graciously sought.

thanks again,

john

[jdhiler]

okay, here's the latest. 1 version amd, 1 version intel.

AMD

- [1] Antec Sonata II
- [1] AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Dual Core Processor
- [1] DFI nF4-DAGF Motherboard
- [2] Corsair 1GB PC3200 DDR DIMM Memory
- [1] MSI Radeon X300 SE RX300SE-TD128E

Intel

- [1] Antec Sonata II
- [1] Intel Pentium D 830 Dual Core - 3.0GHz Processor
- [1] ABIT AS8 i865PE Motherboard
- [2] Corsair 1GB PC3200 DDR DIMM Memory
- [1] PowerColor Radeon 9250 Video Card

both of these are hovering around $900. hard drives i've taken out since they'll be the same with either system.

waddaya think?

[gmanz73]

what OS will u be using? and ur using this PC for producing rite?

[Jaggannath]

Originally Posted by jdhiler both of these are hovering around $900. hard drives i've taken out since they'll be the same with either system.

Should you have also taken out the case and the RAM then?? Just heckling, don't mind me

Either build looks fine, but I'd suggest using the Intel because from what I've heard it's architecture/functionality will support what you're trying to do a little better

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by gmanz73 what OS will u be using? and ur using this PC for producing rite?

sorry, it's xp sp2.

the pc will be used for gigastudio, nothing else.

thanks.

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath Should you have also taken out the case and the RAM then?? Just heckling, don't mind me

lol! of course, you're right. i'm feeling the same re: intel, but one drawback is how everyone says they run so hot. also, head to head comparisons i've read almost always say amd outperforms, but it's beginning to sound like a primrose path.

thanks!

[Jaggannath]

Those heat comments don't sound correct, and I really wouldn't concern yourself regarding that. As to AMD outperforming Intel, well it really depends on what you're doing

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath Either build looks fine, but I'd suggest using the Intel because from what I've heard it's architecture/functionality will support what you're trying to do a little better

okay, then which would you recommend:

- [ ] Intel Pentium D 830 Dual Core - 3.0GHz Processor $327

or

- [ ] Intel Pentium 4 560J w/ HT Technology - 3.6GHz Processor $300

ht versus dual-core?

[blue60007]

This is going to be a heavy mutlitasking computer right?

I would probably go with the dual core. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the compatibility of Pentium D and 865PE chipsets. I'm pretty sure that won't work. You'll have to find a motherboard that has a 9xx chipset that supports Pentium D. You'll also have to find a PCI-E video card...

[jdhiler]

answering some of my own q's:

from tascam's update pdf's (as of v3.04):

• More improvements with Hyper Threading compatibility have been made, particularly with USB audio interfaces. This includes dual processor machines. • Note: GigaStudio is coded to provide performance benefits on Hyper Threading enabled PCs in the following ways: o Projects with heavy VST usage will benefit. o HT may provide more polyphony than non-HT systems.

the last one's most relevant, but you've gotta love the "may"...

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by blue60007 This is going to be a heavy mutlitasking computer right?

not in the same beneficial sense as running multiple programs or chewing on something in the background. but i did since read that it'll run itself on 1 cpu and 'gigapulse' (the convolution reverb) on the other...

Originally Posted by blue60007 I would probably go with the dual core. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about the compatibility of Pentium D and 865PE chipsets. I'm pretty sure that won't work. You'll have to find a motherboard that has a 9xx chipset that supports Pentium D. You'll also have to find a PCI-E video card...

ah so. good one. 9xx chipset. pci-e video card. got it.

muchas gracias.

[heymrdj]

Originally Posted by glc Reading this, I'd ditch the AMD idea and start looking at Intel with an Intel or Asus motherboard and DDR2 ram (Corsair Value Select is my recommendation over pqi) - and dual WD Raptors in RAID 0. You will want a PCI-E video card, not legacy PCI - and you need the Sonata II case so it has the required ATX 2.0 24 pin power supply. RAID 0 is a great speedbooster for this use, but it's essential to keep good backups, because if one drive hiccups, the whole array goes down.

Intel it's the biznass . I'd go Raid 0+1 if you'r wanting back ups plus speed. Cause that speed won't do you any good if one drive fails and you lose it all.

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by heymrdj Intel it's the biznass . I'd go Raid 0+1 if you'r wanting back ups plus speed. Cause that speed won't do you any good if one drive fails and you lose it all.

i think you're right. i thought so, too, about 0+1, and then i realized i didn't need speed for the backup. i'm gonna crawl before i walk on the hd i/o.

thanks!

[jdhiler]

okay, third time's a charm? we'll see...

as you can tell, the budget has grown. mostly from moving into the 'D' realm, and i realized it was important to get it quieter and cooler for the studio. i'm hoping the case & psu will last a long time...

- [ ] Antec P180
- [ ] Seasonic 430W Power Supply
- [ ] Intel Pentium D 830 Dual Core - 3.0GHz Processor
- [ ] Intel D945GNTLKR Motherboard
- [ ] Corsair 2GB PC2-5300 667MHz 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM DIMM Kit
- [ ] HP DVI ADD2 Video Adapter
- [ ] Zalman CNPS7700-AlCu 120mm Cooler
- [ ] Windows XP Pro X64

question:

- anyone have experience with this ADD2 card, or ADD2 cards in general? it's news to me, but since the MB has video on it, i thought i'd use it. will that compromise system performance? otherwise for a little more i can get a bare bones dvi pci-e card instead.

thanks folks! i would've been lost without you.

[Jaggannath]

That PSU should last a very long time... My only concern is do you really need Windows XP Pro X64?? I wouldn't say so personally.
Afraid I don't know about ADD2 cards

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by Jaggannath That PSU should last a very long time... My only concern is do you really need Windows XP Pro X64?? I wouldn't say so personally. Afraid I don't know about ADD2 cards

i thought so, too, but then i read that dual core architecture required XP Pro. i wonder. i had a little trouble sifting through all the versions offered by vendors (what's MUI version? OEM version of OS?). perhaps there's a separate version without the x64? i dunno yet...

thanks!

[blue60007]

I would avoid x64 XP. There's not a whole lot of driver support for it at the moment, especially for older legacy devices.

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by blue60007 I would avoid x64 XP. There's not a whole lot of driver support for it at the moment, especially for older legacy devices.

good to know, thanks. i guess there must be a non-x64 version of XP Pro that they were referring to. i'll look again.

[blue60007]

Yes, you can get a stanard x32 version of XP Pro.

[RazorDX]

I can vouche for pqi Power series being good budget ram, but I don't use heavy applications like that, plus I'm only running 512MB at the moment. For about 5 dollars more you can go with Corsair Valueselect, which I wish I had done with my first stick, that way I could match it for a gig.

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by RazorDX I can vouche for pqi Power series being good budget ram, but I don't use heavy applications like that, plus I'm only running 512MB at the moment. For about 5 dollars more you can go with Corsair Valueselect, which I wish I had done with my first stick, that way I could match it for a gig.

you're right - that's what i'm going to go with - the corsair VS.

thanks!

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by blue60007 Yes, you can get a stanard x32 version of XP Pro.

excellent!

[Sealove]

Hi,

I am building a somewhat similar pc for Gigastudio.
I was wondering if you are up and running yet.

My build will be:

Antec Sonata II w/ 450W PS

Intel D945GNTLKR MB

Intel LGA 775 Pentium 4 650 3.4 GHz CPU, 800MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache, Support EM64T 64 Bit, w/ HT

(4) sticks of Corsair VS 512Mb PC2-5300 Ram (667)

120 Gb Seagate IDE Boot Drive
(4) Hitachi 250Gb SATA II drives
Pioneer DVR-110D DVD/CD drive
RME Hammerfall HDSP 9632 sound card

I'm planning on using the Video and Firewire from the MB

I haven't noticed too many reviews or info on the motherboard.
Sure hope it all works!

Carl

[MaxRat]

It's been said here a 100 times...You cant go wrong with a Intel on Intel combo....

[jdhiler]

Originally Posted by Sealove Hi, I am building a somewhat similar pc for Gigastudio. I was wondering if you are up and running yet. My build will be: Antec Sonata II w/ 450W PS Intel D945GNTLKR MB Intel LGA 775 Pentium 4 650 3.4 GHz CPU, 800MHz FSB, 2MB L2 Cache, Support EM64T 64 Bit, w/ HT (4) sticks of Corsair VS 512Mb PC2-5300 Ram (667) 120 Gb Seagate IDE Boot Drive (4) Hitachi 250Gb SATA II drives Pioneer DVR-110D DVD/CD drive RME Hammerfall HDSP 9632 sound card I'm planning on using the Video and Firewire from the MB Carl

hi. i hope to be up by the end of the week.

that was the mb i almost got. went w/ 955x instead.

attached are little pdf's of diagrams that i used to compare... (hope they u/l properly). just visual aids really. sata is the main difference. also, seagate drives for quiet & 5 yr. warranty. tiger direct 300G seagate <$100 after rebate. ends tomorrow i think. general consensus says sata II is early days yet... for giga more voices w/ raid 0, and sata I fine for that. onboard video is vga only, iirc.

also, intel's website provides excellent comparison tables and pdf's.