[mythtv-users] OT: nForce2 -- the real scoop

[Jeff Clowser]

Renchi Raju wrote:

>>Okay, so it seems that half the folks on this list have had no problems
>>with nForce2, and half have had a bear of a time getting things up &
>>running.  I'm in the market for a new mobo, and I'd really like
>>integrated GF4MX, so what's the bottom line?  Should I or shouldn't I?
>>    
>>
>
>About integrated GF4MX, they do not
>come with integrated tv-out if i'm not mistaken. But if you plan to use a
>pvr350, then it should not be a problem.
>  
>
Some boards have a VGA and a tv out, some have dual VGA, some just one 
VGA - depends on the manufacturer/board.

FWIW, I just built a Windows box for my parents for xmas, using the 
Shuttle MN31N board.  Nice board, but initially it was very unstable - 
would crash randomly (and no, if wasn't a windows problem :)  ).  Turned 
out in the default BIOS settings, it had  "DRAM Auto precharge" 
enabled.  Turning that off fixed everything.  Using Corsair 333mhz DDR 
ram - don't know if that had anything to do with it, but apparently this 
problem is fairly well known (searched for MN31N instability or 
something like that on Google and it came right up).  Also, any nForce2 
board with IGP can't use DDR 400 mhz RAM and onboard video at the same 
time in a supported configuration - the fastest that is _supported_ is 333.

When I was looking around, I saw the Aopen AK79G Max, which looked like 
an ideal board - nForce 2, integrated VGA and TV-out, SATA (for the 
future, when prices come down and linux support is better), 5.1 channel 
sound, firewire, 5 PCI slots, etc.  Was gonna get that until I saw 
customer reviews for it on NewEgg...  Instead got the ASUS A7N8X-E 
deluxe, which has all the same except integrated video and is a little 
cheaper) to build a Myth box from - I plan to put that together over the 
holidays...

 - Jeff