SATA Connectors ( WARNING )

[dawman]

On my P965 board I was forced to use 2 x 15DSP cards, and a 6DSP card as the lower photo indicates the SATA connectors were not allowing a full length card to be installed in PCI slot # 2.

On the DP35DP these are also a problem, but thankfully I won't use the E-SATA connector, or the 5th SATA vertical connection.

The capacitors on a full length card do not seem to be a consideration when this design was made. Luckily with GaryB's 6 inch fingers and a little knowledge of installing the connectors prior to the cards installing, I will still be able to use 4 of the 6, which barely allows the use of this motherbaoard.

On the other hand, the DFI P35 mobo uses the excellent and appropriately placed horizontal SATA connectors. They are definately thinking of gamers w/ big cards. Gamers marketing shares have seemed to benfit us indirectly.

This mobo had better last as we are seeing the support for full length cards and 3 PCI slots diminishing before our eyes.

I will be able to use my pre configured HDD content approach, using 3 x 150GB Raptors. Which are also the last of a dying breed. Large capacity drives w/ multiple platters are taking market share. I have a total of 5 of these w/ 2 in reserve, as I think SSD's will replace these in years to come.

I have prepared for these days by purchasing hardware in advance. Klang's go for dirt cheap, and I fear my greed for more sample based content and storage must take priority. In this way I can use Scope cards until the death of 32 bit PCI's are upon us. I dread the day of a one full length card, mixer based project, but chance favors the prepared mind.

I suppose a PCI riser card could house 3 x Full length cards, but that means a Dremel Rotary tool would have to make 3 cutouts on the ATX case, and I have no idea if these angled extenders are a viable solution.

Astro has seemed to get working results w/ his. But my idea will be drawing much more power from 1 slot to achieve the desired results.

Keep in mind that those of you wishing to do live gigs and use ATX Rackmount cases. 17 - 20.1 inches of depth are good choices. 3 x Full Length cards will cause you to have an external DVD / CD via USB 2.0 if you are using a SATA RAID cage to optimise content housing, tempurature, and noise levels.

This will be the last Intel mobo that can use Scope cards as described. Sad but true.

[garyb]

ehhh, things might not be that bad...

[dawman]

Do you have any knowledge of an adapter which angles off at a 90 degree angle, such as the PCI risers do?

BTW will you need the wireless USB USRobotics adapter next week?

[maky325]

I forgot to say that in my intel DP35DP review but you can use other connectors and i cant see where is problem. I mean you dont want to use more then 2 HDD inside your computer. I mean you can buy one 500 for cheap right noe. Two of them would be 1 Tbyte. Ok you have three of them but you can use them without any hassle. I mean you dont have to connect your drives to 1 and 2. You can freely connect them in other connectors. You can use IDE for optical drive. So no worries using two 14 dsp cards in line. And best of all third is at the end of board. This is good for ventilation..

[dawman]

That sounded like Frank Nitti, Al Capones sucessor.

When the henchman Tomassi explained that the loss of the Heroin shipment to the feds had caused trouble, he excitedly told Frank........" But the junkies are climbing the walls."............Frank Nitti replied...." Relax...............they need the excercise."


Nice link Brotha' Man Stardust, but I doubt we will unsolder and re solder anything on that board, lest we cancel our warranty.

At first glance I thought it was an adapter to fit on top of the other, but the connectors on page 2 must be installed during a build process.

I do not wish any part of my cards to be in touch with a connector, or slightly bend a capacitor, etc. If it doesn't fit, it wasn't meant to be.

Thank You 4 The Link.

[dawman]

Brotha' Man Mpodrug,

A SATA RAID cage will be used in a 4U ATX case.

This needs all 4 x SATA connectors, and 4 x Raptor 150's to pull off my recent findings of HDD arrays in a non RAID enviroment for audio streaming.

It will work fine.

It was the 965 that had to have a 6 DSP card installed.

It was a great running combo none the less.

[dawman]

Probably just Hollywood stuff,...I remembered the scene from the series The Untouchables w/ Elliot Ness.

Great Big Band Soundtrack too.

[garyb]

i like the dfi's horizontal connectors!

the intel board still allows 4 drives which should be plenty.

either is fine. a big part of the reason i suggest intel boards is that they are cheap and stable. it's true that they don't have much to adjust in the bios, but if your main concern is stability(which is primary in a DAW imho), they are already setup with the optimum settings as far as stability vs. performance goes. the DFI board may be a better board. the bios settings can be left more or less where they are at max stability, but if you want to overclock, it's there. of course, if you're not going to overclock, maybe the extra cost isn't warranted, since performance and stability are likely to be similar with the cheaper intel board. add to that that the hardware standards are set or proven by intel, and the choice is easy for me. i have no problem using the DFI, an Asus, Gigabyte or Supermicro mainboard, all of them are quality. i try to avoid the PC Chips or WallMart brands.

[next to nothing]

no space for sata cables with angeled connectors either?

[dawman]

Not enough room for those Brotha' Man Piddi.

The good news is that the DP35DP has 6 connectors. The 4 connectors I will use are for the 4 Raptors, which are crucial for all of the content I have.

I discovered an advantage in streaming audio from the HDD's by using multiple drives for content ( 3 x 150GB 10k rpm ) and 1 x for the O.S. + Apps. I can stream all of the content I need at 600 + polyphony when pre configuring the location of certain libraries. Once one starts mixing sample libraries w/ sampled VSTi instruments, some sort of order must be used, so that one certain HDD doesn't carry the whole process. These drives sit a SATA RAID cage where they are barely heard, and the heat signature is non existant.

On the left side of the 4U ATX I have a big ass 120mm fan that blows air right on the 3 x Scope Pro's, so they will be happy. After all, they are my children, and should be pampered properly.

My warning really was really meant to alert those who wish to use 3 Scope Pro's on a 965 board. It would only house 2 x Scope Pro's and a 6 DSP card.

I am sure there are ways to disconnect the SATA connectors and re solder them w/ 90 degree connectors, but that voids the warranty.

At any rate, the build begins on Wednesday. I am feverish.


Hope You Guys Have A Festive Holiday Week, and a Great New Year !!

[at0m]

Do you have any knowledge of an adapter which angles off at a 90 degree angle, such as the PCI risers do?

i have some SATA cables that have 90' terminator/connection on one side. these maybe would do the job. i have no idea who makes or sells these, i just happen to have a couple. get some, and let us know!



[edit] oops, such connectors would cover the plugs next to it, making them useless in this case :/

[dawman]

Brotha' Man at0m,

I have already done the uprade and the connectors are O.K.

This post was really meant to warn someone that a 965 Intel board wouldn't house 3 Scope Pro's. I found out when I got my 3rd one and tried to put it in between the 2 Pro's, where a Project resided.

There are always workarounds however when you have 6" fingers like GaryB does.