New System UpGrade:Sound Card Options

I have a bit of a problem. I am purchasing a new system and it is being built as I write this. I spec'd the following: Abit BE62 PIII 500 13 Gig HD 128 meg RAM VooDoo 3 3000 SB Live CD RW I use the machine for business and of course, GPL. That's why the VooDoo and SBLive cards. The computer store called and first told me they had the VooDoo 3000 on back order so there would be a delay, would I like an ATI all in wonder - NOT and explained the VooDoo was important for my purposes. I said no problem if it is going to be too long for the 3000 give me the system without the card as I can pick one up OEM retail for only a few bucks more. I called yesterday and was told the BE62 was developing some heat problems with the PIII 500 and would I accept an IWill VD-133 motherboard. I did a little research and the IWill seemed like a good board even though it uses the VIA chip set instead of the Intel 820? Has good expansion lots 2 ISA; 5 PCI; and 1 AGP. So I say go for it. Last night they called and said they couldn't configure an SBLive card with the current set-up. I have no idea how this could be and it brings me to my question. Have any of you had a similar problem configuring an SBLive card? I mean how hard could THAT be? Is the IWill motherboard and VIA chip-set weird? What could the problem be? Another question, although I love my current SBLive and want another but is their another card that works well? The Diamond Monster 3 is supposed to have a great game port. Any experience with a similar system and set-up? As always thanks very much in advance. Larry

Sounds like you should find another computer builder. All the components you mentioned work flawlessly together. Stick with the Abit board imo. Good Luck, JM

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> I have a bit of a problem. I am purchasing a new system and it is being > built as I write this. I spec'd the following: > Abit BE62 > PIII 500 > 13 Gig HD > 128 meg RAM > VooDoo 3 3000 > SB Live > CD RW > I use the machine for business and of course, GPL. That's why the VooDoo > and SBLive cards. The computer store called and first told me they had > the VooDoo 3000 on back order so there would be a delay, would I like an > ATI all in wonder - NOT and explained the VooDoo was important for my > purposes. I said no problem if it is going to be too long for the 3000 > give me the system without the card as I can pick one up OEM retail for > only a few bucks more. > I called yesterday and was told the BE62 was developing some heat > problems with the PIII 500 and would I accept an IWill VD-133 > motherboard. I did a little research and the IWill seemed like a good > board even though it uses the VIA chip set instead of the Intel 820? Has > good expansion lots 2 ISA; 5 PCI; and 1 AGP. So I say go for it. > Last night they called and said they couldn't configure an SBLive card > with the current set-up. I have no idea how this could be and it brings > me to my question. > Have any of you had a similar problem configuring an SBLive card? I mean > how hard could THAT be? Is the IWill motherboard and VIA chip-set weird? > What could the problem be? > Another question, although I love my current SBLive and want another but > is their another card that works well? The Diamond Monster 3 is supposed > to have a great game port. Any experience with a similar system and > set-up? > As always thanks very much in advance. > Larry

Thanks John I was thinking the same thing, will probably pull the plug on Monday. Do you or anyone actually HAVE the configuration I spec'd? Larry

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> Sounds like you should find another computer builder. All the components you > mentioned work flawlessly together. Stick with the Abit board imo. Good > Luck, > JM > > I have a bit of a problem. I am purchasing a new system and it is being > > built as I write this. I spec'd the following: > > Abit BE62 > > PIII 500 > > 13 Gig HD > > 128 meg RAM > > VooDoo 3 3000 > > SB Live > > CD RW > > I use the machine for business and of course, GPL. That's why the VooDoo > > and SBLive cards. The computer store called and first told me they had > > the VooDoo 3000 on back order so there would be a delay, would I like an > > ATI all in wonder - NOT and explained the VooDoo was important for my > > purposes. I said no problem if it is going to be too long for the 3000 > > give me the system without the card as I can pick one up OEM retail for > > only a few bucks more. > > I called yesterday and was told the BE62 was developing some heat > > problems with the PIII 500 and would I accept an IWill VD-133 > > motherboard. I did a little research and the IWill seemed like a good > > board even though it uses the VIA chip set instead of the Intel 820? Has > > good expansion lots 2 ISA; 5 PCI; and 1 AGP. So I say go for it. > > Last night they called and said they couldn't configure an SBLive card > > with the current set-up. I have no idea how this could be and it brings > > me to my question. > > Have any of you had a similar problem configuring an SBLive card? I mean > > how hard could THAT be? Is the IWill motherboard and VIA chip-set weird? > > What could the problem be? > > Another question, although I love my current SBLive and want another but > > is their another card that works well? The Diamond Monster 3 is supposed > > to have a great game port. Any experience with a similar system and > > set-up? > > As always thanks very much in advance. > > Larry

Hi Larry, VooDoo3 cards have been scarce as hen's teeth since before Christmas. We run a small computer store and are registered with ten suppliers, and nobody could get us any for a long time, they're just starting to trickle in again now. The only places getting them were the big chain stores that would order a thousand or more at a time. I suspect the heat problems with the P3-500 have nothing to do with the Abit board. It's likely that the store you're buying from uses OEM processors, then attaches their own fan/heatsink. These units come with a little sil-pad attached to the heatsink, which is crap. You have to completely remove the pad, scrape the heatsink down to the anodizing, then apply proper, good quality heatsink compound. I know many here won't believe this, but doing so can drop your CPU operating temps by 30C. I wouldn't have believed it myself, but we had several BF-6 boards trigger the temperature alarm after about 60 seconds of operation until we started scrapping those crappy sil-pads. There's nothing wrong with the BE-6II/P3-500 combo, we sell many and they work fine together, very nice, stable motherboard. The problems they're having configuring the SBLive most likely come down to resource conflicts. The VD133 has UDMA/66 support, which can be tricky to set up if you've never done it before. If you do it improperly, as we also found out, any time you plug in the SBLive you receive the blue screen of death with a fatal exception error. Once you sort out the DAM/66 controllers, the card installs and runs normally, on a BE-6II as well. All the components you originally selected are great choices and will work well together. The store you've chosen is the problem. I'd back away if you still can, and look for a shop with more experienced/qualified personnel. Doug

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> I have a bit of a problem. I am purchasing a new system and it is being > built as I write this. I spec'd the following: > Abit BE62 > PIII 500 > 13 Gig HD > 128 meg RAM > VooDoo 3 3000 > SB Live > CD RW > I use the machine for business and of course, GPL. That's why the VooDoo > and SBLive cards. The computer store called and first told me they had > the VooDoo 3000 on back order so there would be a delay, would I like an > ATI all in wonder - NOT and explained the VooDoo was important for my > purposes. I said no problem if it is going to be too long for the 3000 > give me the system without the card as I can pick one up OEM retail for > only a few bucks more. > I called yesterday and was told the BE62 was developing some heat > problems with the PIII 500 and would I accept an IWill VD-133 > motherboard. I did a little research and the IWill seemed like a good > board even though it uses the VIA chip set instead of the Intel 820? Has > good expansion lots 2 ISA; 5 PCI; and 1 AGP. So I say go for it. > Last night they called and said they couldn't configure an SBLive card > with the current set-up. I have no idea how this could be and it brings > me to my question. > Have any of you had a similar problem configuring an SBLive card? I mean > how hard could THAT be? Is the IWill motherboard and VIA chip-set weird? > What could the problem be? > Another question, although I love my current SBLive and want another but > is their another card that works well? The Diamond Monster 3 is supposed > to have a great game port. Any experience with a similar system and > set-up? > As always thanks very much in advance. > Larry

Hi Doug, Great and very informative post. It sounds like you have probably nailed the problem with the computer builder. I ended up changing to an IWill VD-133 motherboard which as I posted they couldn't get a SBLive to work with. I was getting under some time restraints so I went and got the system without a sound card or a video card. Just figured I would set it up. I still couldn't understand the problem with the SBLive so I had to try it myself. Bought a new SBLive, a new VooDoo 3 3000 stuck em in and it worked perfectly. I had to disable some stuff in the device manager is all and away it went. BUT here is an interesting thing and the second time I had heard of this problem. Apparently all PCI slots are NOT created equal. When I was purchasing the SBLive the clerk told me he had a problem getting the SBLive to be recognized by his motherboard. He had been told to try each of the PCI slots and he tried all 4 and the card would only work in the 4th one he tried. It happened to be the slot right next to the AGP slot. I had read about this in the past and this was the second time I had heard that PCI slots can behave differently. The slot next to the AGP slot was the first one I tried and the metal slot guard had not been broken so I know the shop didn't try this slot. Might have been a coincidence or a bad card or whatever but I thought I would let you know what I found out and wondered of you had any similar experiences with using different slots and having them behave differently. Thanks again for the help Larry Thanks John M

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> Hi Larry, > VooDoo3 cards have been scarce as hen's teeth since before Christmas. We > run a small computer store and are registered with ten suppliers, and nobody > could get us any for a long time, they're just starting to trickle in again > now. The only places getting them were the big chain stores that would > order a thousand or more at a time. > I suspect the heat problems with the P3-500 have nothing to do with the Abit > board. It's likely that the store you're buying from uses OEM processors, > then attaches their own fan/heatsink. These units come with a little > sil-pad attached to the heatsink, which is crap. You have to completely > remove the pad, scrape the heatsink down to the anodizing, then apply > proper, good quality heatsink compound. I know many here won't believe > this, but doing so can drop your CPU operating temps by 30C. I wouldn't > have believed it myself, but we had several BF-6 boards trigger the > temperature alarm after about 60 seconds of operation until we started > scrapping those crappy sil-pads. There's nothing wrong with the > BE-6II/P3-500 combo, we sell many and they work fine together, very nice, > stable motherboard. > The problems they're having configuring the SBLive most likely come down to > resource conflicts. The VD133 has UDMA/66 support, which can be tricky to > set up if you've never done it before. If you do it improperly, as we also > found out, any time you plug in the SBLive you receive the blue screen of > death with a fatal exception error. Once you sort out the DAM/66 > controllers, the card installs and runs normally, on a BE-6II as well. > All the components you originally selected are great choices and will work > well together. The store you've chosen is the problem. I'd back away if > you still can, and look for a shop with more experienced/qualified > personnel. > Doug > > I have a bit of a problem. I am purchasing a new system and it is being > > built as I write this. I spec'd the following: > > Abit BE62 > > PIII 500 > > 13 Gig HD > > 128 meg RAM > > VooDoo 3 3000 > > SB Live > > CD RW > > I use the machine for business and of course, GPL. That's why the VooDoo > > and SBLive cards. The computer store called and first told me they had > > the VooDoo 3000 on back order so there would be a delay, would I like an > > ATI all in wonder - NOT and explained the VooDoo was important for my > > purposes. I said no problem if it is going to be too long for the 3000 > > give me the system without the card as I can pick one up OEM retail for > > only a few bucks more. > > I called yesterday and was told the BE62 was developing some heat > > problems with the PIII 500 and would I accept an IWill VD-133 > > motherboard. I did a little research and the IWill seemed like a good > > board even though it uses the VIA chip set instead of the Intel 820? Has > > good expansion lots 2 ISA; 5 PCI; and 1 AGP. So I say go for it. > > Last night they called and said they couldn't configure an SBLive card > > with the current set-up. I have no idea how this could be and it brings > > me to my question. > > Have any of you had a similar problem configuring an SBLive card? I mean > > how hard could THAT be? Is the IWill motherboard and VIA chip-set weird? > > What could the problem be? > > Another question, although I love my current SBLive and want another but > > is their another card that works well? The Diamond Monster 3 is supposed > > to have a great game port. Any experience with a similar system and > > set-up? > > As always thanks very much in advance. > > Larry