The Mother of All PCs at DVinfo.net

Peter Moore · December 13th, 2003, 01:14 AM

Ok, well I have to report this somewhere because I'm all giddy. :)

3.2 GHz P4 o.c.'ed to 3.5 GHz (Coolermaster Jet4 fan)
1 GB PC3200 RAM
2 200 GB SATA RAID-0 Hard Drives

I feel like Moses in the Ten Commandments after seeing the Burning Bush. Windows XP installed in 15 minutes. Sustained file writing goes at 60 MB/s and beyond.

I asked long ago where my bottleneck was. Well it was everywhere. The processor, Hyperthreading, and 800 MHz bus all made a huge difference, but I think the single most astounding difference was going to SATA RAID-0.

FYI, RAID-0 is the simplest RAID array, and most effiicient and fastest performing. It takes every file and splits it across multiple drives. When you read files, it reads from all the drives simultaneously and pieces them together on the fly.

The HUGE drawback of RAID-0 is that if you lose one drive, you lose all the data on all the drives, because it's split. So you absolutely must back up anything important.

But my God, it is unbelievable.

Glenn Chan · December 13th, 2003, 03:14 AM

Wait until you get one of these computers:
http://www.go-l.com
3.9mhz
Lotsa RAM
RAM hard drive

There have been computers built that are better than those listed at go-l.com. The processor can overclock more. :)

By the way, your front side bus is not 800mhz. It's a bit faster than that :) Too bad front side bus speeds don't make much difference is performance. It's mainly processor speed (at least for video editing).

K. Forman · December 13th, 2003, 07:36 AM

I had the option of building the biggest, fastest PC too. The day AFTER I had ordered everything, they released the AMD 2100 processor. For all of 10 hours, my machine would have been cutting edge.

But, I did get a machine that is great for editing and modeling, all for $4,495.00.

Jesse Castro · December 13th, 2003, 08:15 AM

64 bit processing is here! It will certainly get better as time goes by. Now if only the software supported it :)

Jess

Peter Moore · December 13th, 2003, 09:07 AM

Right, the FSB right now is about 880 MHz I think.

I'm kind of afraid to try to o.c. it to 4.0 GHz, but I suppose I'll try at least once. My old Mobo shot off if the CPU got too hot - do they always?

Peter Moore · December 13th, 2003, 09:10 AM

Damn you why did you have to send me that link? Now I have to get one of those panoramic monitors!! :)

The thing is this wasn't terribly expensive. I think about $1200 when all is said and done - I already have a monitor, case, etc.

I wonder what kind of cooling system they use for the 3.9 GHz.

Glen Elliott · December 13th, 2003, 10:08 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Glenn Chan : Wait until you get one of these computers:
http://www.go-l.com
3.9mhz
Lotsa RAM
RAM hard drive

There have been computers built that are better than those listed at go-l.com. The processor can overclock more. :)

By the way, your front side bus is not 800mhz. It's a bit faster than that :) Too bad front side bus speeds don't make much difference is performance. It's mainly processor speed (at least for video editing). -->>>

No Intel CPU warranty though. :(

Peter Moore · December 13th, 2003, 11:08 AM

That's why it's better to buy boxed.

I wonder if they can tell if it's been o.c.'ed.

Glenn Chan · December 13th, 2003, 02:22 PM

Quote:

I wonder what kind of cooling system they use for the 3.9 GHz.

They use phase change cooling (by Asetek). It's the same concept as air conditioners and your fridge I believe. The only thing better is dry ice or liquid nitrogen, but those aren't practical solutions!

With air cooling the max is about 3.5-3.6ghz.

Peter Moore · December 13th, 2003, 03:00 PM

So compressed gas? Best way to cool yet invented. :)

I've got the Jet 4 on max, running 3.5 GHz, and the CPU's at 80F. Granted I have the window wide open (I like the cold myself), but even when it's toasty, it hasn't gone above 105F. As I said though I'm afraid to push it to 4...

PS - I just rendered a minute and a half of MPEG-2 video with the MainConcept encoder in 66 seconds. I'm not saying my PC's the best in the world by a longshot, BUT my God I've been missing out! :)

December 13th, 2003, 01:14 AM	#1
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	The Mother of All PCs Ok, well I have to report this somewhere because I'm all giddy. :) 3.2 GHz P4 o.c.'ed to 3.5 GHz (Coolermaster Jet4 fan) 1 GB PC3200 RAM 2 200 GB SATA RAID-0 Hard Drives I feel like Moses in the Ten Commandments after seeing the Burning Bush. Windows XP installed in 15 minutes. Sustained file writing goes at 60 MB/s and beyond. I asked long ago where my bottleneck was. Well it was everywhere. The processor, Hyperthreading, and 800 MHz bus all made a huge difference, but I think the single most astounding difference was going to SATA RAID-0. FYI, RAID-0 is the simplest RAID array, and most effiicient and fastest performing. It takes every file and splits it across multiple drives. When you read files, it reads from all the drives simultaneously and pieces them together on the fly. The HUGE drawback of RAID-0 is that if you lose one drive, you lose all the data on all the drives, because it's split. So you absolutely must back up anything important. But my God, it is unbelievable.

December 13th, 2003, 03:14 AM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Wait until you get one of these computers: http://www.go-l.com 3.9mhz Lotsa RAM RAM hard drive There have been computers built that are better than those listed at go-l.com. The processor can overclock more. :) By the way, your front side bus is not 800mhz. It's a bit faster than that :) Too bad front side bus speeds don't make much difference is performance. It's mainly processor speed (at least for video editing).

December 13th, 2003, 07:36 AM	#3
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	I had the option of building the biggest, fastest PC too. The day AFTER I had ordered everything, they released the AMD 2100 processor. For all of 10 hours, my machine would have been cutting edge. But, I did get a machine that is great for editing and modeling, all for $4,495.00.

December 13th, 2003, 08:15 AM	#4
Jesse Castro New Boot Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Agat, Guam Posts: 6	64 bit processing is here! It will certainly get better as time goes by. Now if only the software supported it :) Jess

December 13th, 2003, 09:07 AM	#5
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	Right, the FSB right now is about 880 MHz I think. I'm kind of afraid to try to o.c. it to 4.0 GHz, but I suppose I'll try at least once. My old Mobo shot off if the CPU got too hot - do they always?

December 13th, 2003, 09:10 AM	#6
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	Damn you why did you have to send me that link? Now I have to get one of those panoramic monitors!! :) The thing is this wasn't terribly expensive. I think about $1200 when all is said and done - I already have a monitor, case, etc. I wonder what kind of cooling system they use for the 3.9 GHz.

December 13th, 2003, 10:08 AM	#7
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	<<<-- Originally posted by Glenn Chan : Wait until you get one of these computers: http://www.go-l.com 3.9mhz Lotsa RAM RAM hard drive There have been computers built that are better than those listed at go-l.com. The processor can overclock more. :) By the way, your front side bus is not 800mhz. It's a bit faster than that :) Too bad front side bus speeds don't make much difference is performance. It's mainly processor speed (at least for video editing). -->>> No Intel CPU warranty though. :(

December 13th, 2003, 11:08 AM	#8
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	That's why it's better to buy boxed. I wonder if they can tell if it's been o.c.'ed.

December 13th, 2003, 03:00 PM	#10
Peter Moore Trustee Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Arlington VA Posts: 1,034	So compressed gas? Best way to cool yet invented. :) I've got the Jet 4 on max, running 3.5 GHz, and the CPU's at 80F. Granted I have the window wide open (I like the cold myself), but even when it's toasty, it hasn't gone above 105F. As I said though I'm afraid to push it to 4... PS - I just rendered a minute and a half of MPEG-2 video with the MainConcept encoder in 66 seconds. I'm not saying my PC's the best in the world by a longshot, BUT my God I've been missing out! :)