ASUS P5K3 Deluxe for NX Express

[manbart]

I've pretty much narrowed down my selection to this board, but want to be as certain as I can that it will be compatible. These are the expansion slots it's got.
2 x PCI-E x16 (blue @ x16 mode, black @ x4 or x1 mode)
2 x PCI-E x1
3 x PCI

My 8800 video card will take two slots. I have a sound card but I could also choose to use the on board AD1988B 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC which is better than most on board audio. Other than that the only slots that would be occupied would be for the NX and the daughter card. The board has the Intel Chipset, and this board is very highly rated for quality components and stability. I'll be running a quad core 2.6 extreme, and 2 gigs of DDR3 1600. It'll have a 75GB Raptor system drive, a 300GB drive for applications, photos, music, downloads, etc, and I have an external 1TB GSata thats two 500GB drives in software raid that'll be for video editing.

I don't really see any issues. I'm a little worried about this video card and the overlay, but if worse comes to worse my son will have one **** of a game card and I'll have to get something that's proven to work. Everyone seems to think this card will work but I haven't found anyone yet whose actually using it with NX Express for overlay.

[STORMDAVE]

I feel that you shouldn't be worried and if you have your heart set on that board, go for it.

NX Express is a newer card design than older Canopus cards, so no need to worry. You will be using Direct3D for overlay (looks very clean on your monitor) and skip DirectDraw alltogether.

Any board with an Intel chipset is a go ahead around here for the NX.

Good luck!

[cosmo]

Edius NX Express with P35 chipset

Hi!

I've got quite similar hardware:

- Asus P5K -based mobo: 3 x pci-e's (1 x 16 for video card, 1 x 1 for NX, 1 x 16 for NX) -> 3 x pci slots
- Intel E6750
- 2 GB DDR3
- Intel p35 chipset
- 2 x 500 gb Western Digital Caviar, 1 x 160 gb fot the OS
- NVIDIA GT8500 videocard by Asus
- Edius NX Express hardware

With these Edius works like an angel! No problems at all.

--- Cosmo ---

[Robert Charles]

I am thinking of getting the P5K3 Deluxe but am finding the DDR3 memory is more than twice the cost of the motherboard so a bit expensive. So I was then thinking to getting the P5K Premium board wich takes DDR2 memory, but has the same layout and configuration. Eventually I would be installing an NX Express Board. My question is;

- Would it really make that much difference having have DDR2 compared to a DDR3 ? Especially if you factor in say a 1 hour movie export. How much more time would the export take when using the same processor type. Maybe an extra 5 minutes if that ? are there any stats we can look at. Not worth the money for the DDR3, especially if you are going to leave the PC exporting overnight?

- Can you put DDR2 memory in the Asus P5K3 Deluxe, which takes DDR3 memory. I read on the HEXUS site, that it cannot be done, as DDR2 and DDR3 have a slighty different Notch spacing, so you just have to buy the more expensive memory.

Any thoughts on this?

Bob.

[GrassValley_BH]

RAM is "notched" by whether it's registered/unregistered, and by compatibility when there's the same form-factor (SDR/DDR/etc)

Generally speaking, the manufacturers try to put in physical "safeguards" so you don't accidentally toast things.

RAM is not something you want to screw around with. Bad or marginal memory will cause lost data and generally bad experience.

Don't skimp out on your system. It's something you're relying on. If you were a semi driver, you wouldn't risk putting in parts that might get you stuck in the middle of nowhere, would you?

If you really can't afford the DDR3, get the board that takes DDR2.

[Angelo]

I am thinking of getting the P5K3 Deluxe but am finding the DDR3 memory is more than twice the cost of the motherboard so a bit expensive. So I was then thinking to getting the P5K Premium board wich takes DDR2 memory, but has the same layout and configuration. Eventually I would be installing an NX Express Board. My question is;

- Would it really make that much difference having have DDR2 compared to a DDR3 ? Especially if you factor in say a 1 hour movie export. How much more time would the export take when using the same processor type. Maybe an extra 5 minutes if that ? are there any stats we can look at. Not worth the money for the DDR3, especially if you are going to leave the PC exporting overnight?

- Can you put DDR2 memory in the Asus P5K3 Deluxe, which takes DDR3 memory. I read on the HEXUS site, that it cannot be done, as DDR2 and DDR3 have a slighty different Notch spacing, so you just have to buy the more expensive memory.

Any thoughts on this?

Bob.

I've read an article on DDR3 vs DDR2 the web and even thou DDR3 is running at about twice the clock rate the performance gains are in th 2% to 5% gain for applications over DDR2. Here's one conclusion at AnandTech.

...Angelo

[Jerry]

I've pretty much narrowed down my selection to this board, but want to be as certain as I can that it will be compatible. These are the expansion slots it's got.
2 x PCI-E x16 (blue @ x16 mode, black @ x4 or x1 mode)
2 x PCI-E x1
3 x PCI

My 8800 video card will take two slots. I have a sound card but I could also choose to use the on board AD1988B 8-channel High Definition Audio CODEC which is better than most on board audio. Other than that the only slots that would be occupied would be for the NX and the daughter card. The board has the Intel Chipset, and this board is very highly rated for quality components and stability. I'll be running a quad core 2.6 extreme, and 2 gigs of DDR3 1600. It'll have a 75GB Raptor system drive, a 300GB drive for applications, photos, music, downloads, etc, and I have an external 1TB GSata thats two 500GB drives in software raid that'll be for video editing.

I don't really see any issues. I'm a little worried about this video card and the overlay, but if worse comes to worse my son will have one **** of a game card and I'll have to get something that's proven to work. Everyone seems to think this card will work but I haven't found anyone yet whose actually using it with NX Express for overlay.

The only thing to be on the look out for is sharing of certain slots with other slots. I have the P5kWS version of that. I needed a PCI-x slot. Now back to what I was saying.

On page 2.5.3 of your manual you will see IRQ assignments for the motherboard. Study those carefully as to avoid any surprises.

[Robert Charles]

RAM is "notched" by whether it's registered/unregistered, and by compatibility when there's the same form-factor (SDR/DDR/etc)

Generally speaking, the manufacturers try to put in physical "safeguards" so you don't accidentally toast things.

RAM is not something you want to screw around with. Bad or marginal memory will cause lost data and generally bad experience.

Don't skimp out on your system. It's something you're relying on. If you were a semi driver, you wouldn't risk putting in parts that might get you stuck in the middle of nowhere, would you?

If you really can't afford the DDR3, get the board that takes DDR2.

I have decided to go for the DDR2 Board and memory. The extra speed is very marginal and IMHO not worth the extra money. However, I am now deciding on what memory to use. Should I use Asus tested memory, from their Qualified Vendor List or go for a cheaper memory, which has not been tested or tested yet, but the specification is the same as the more expensive memory. The cheaper memory is half the price, but without the extra Bells and whistles such as Heat sinks. I think if the specification and speed rating is the same for cheap & expensive memory, then it should be OK to use. New manufacturers will often sell the memory cheaper than established manufacturers. I can remember when KINGSTON memory started and undercut the big boys. Now that they are established, they are about the same price as other big boys. If the memory turns out bad, I still have the 1 year warranty. Or am I just kidding myself because I want to built a good, fast system for the best price ?!?!

DDR2 1066 2048MB
Kingston £131
Corsair £112
Elixir aka NANYA £60

I'm in two minds and thinking Time is Money and one cannot afford to mess around with untested memory, especially fast memory, I think I may just pay the extra £60 and get the Corsair memory which is tested and comes as a pair. It can be quite fustrating and time consuming to isolate problems especially if it comes down to poor memory. Time better served editing and getting money in !!

Bob.

[Bassman]

I would suggest NOT to buy cheap memory.

Isolating a ram memory problem is quite difficult and seemingly random.

I have always used Crucial, but Corsair has a good name as well.

[JPowell]

Manbart - take a good look at the clearance for the 2 PCIe 1x slots if you plan to run the NX express cards side by side.

My NX version PCIe (expansion uses PCI, not express slot) wouldn't fit on my Asus board's 1x slot because the ram was in the way. I ended up using the black slot down there by the other PCI slots instead of one of the 1x slots.

That worked fine since my expansion board needed PCI anyhow, but I would confirm that your internal connectors from the main NX card to the expansion card are going to reach if you have to seat the main card in the black slot and the expansion in one of the 1x slots.

Or maybe the NX Express cards are both short enough to fit. Wouldn't hurt to check , though.

[GrassValley_BH]

I'm with Bassman on this one. RAM problems can be like walking pneumonia - seems like an innocent or even nonexistent thing until BAM! You're on the floor with an important deadline approaching and now you're up a creek without a paddle.

[harveylexton]

Asus

The DD3 is very expensive and until it comes down in price not a lot of increase over DDR2 also I think the chipset has now gone up from a P35 to P38 check it out.

[McQueenUK]

Raptor Problem

I am having a problem with an old Raptor Card (PCI) I tried to install on the P5K3. I have only two available slots. Not sure whether they are PCI or PCIE. When I install the Raptor card and take out the 1394 card everything works fine. but when I put in the 1394 card the Raptor stops working.
I am using Avid Xpress Pro but like the Raptor Codec so need the card installed. Any ideas how I can use both?

[Imagine Video]

I feel that you shouldn't be worried and if you have your heart set on that board, go for it.

Will your setup NOW and in the near future physically be accomodated by the mobo? say for instance an update to a raid card+drives config...?

Think about it..............

2 slots for the video card - Thats the 2 16x speed slots GONE 1 slot NOT being used...

1 PCI-E SLOT FOR THE NX
1 PCI-E SLOT FOR THE EXPANSION BOARD

Thats all the PCI-E slots gone?

When you find editing HDV or HD needs a raid where will you put the controller card?

DDR 3 memory is cheap enough now to get the board that will see you through into a RAID UPGRADE......You will need!

Also think about the case you will use!

[mike0130]

Just from my experience: I have P5K-E and I wanted to use NX Express, but even it has 2 PCI x1 slots, I could use only one of them because of big capacitor on the board that prevent inserting a card...
I used one PCIx1 slot and one PCIx16 for NX Express, second PCIx16 slot is used by video card.