[mythtv-users] AMD Motherboard needed with Plenty of PCI slots, IDE channels and other features onboard

[Robert Schultz]

I currently have 3 TV tuners in my Box (all PVR 250's).
I have your standard motherboard with 2 IDE channels (up to 4 devices 
max) which I have filled up with a Regular CD-ROM, a CD-RW and 2 hard 
drives.
I needed more hard drives so I bought a promise PCI IDE card.
This works fine, but it's taking up a precious PCI slot and PCI bandwidth.
I also don't have onboard ethernet so there's a linksys card taking up 
another precious slot.
I have onboard sound but it's flaky and stops working every once in a while.
I really need to get a USB 2.0 card in there too, as I need more USB 
PORTS! (I have 1 webcam and 1 mouse hooked up now, but I want to add 2 
more webcams, but that's gonna eat my USB 1.0 bandwidth for lunch).

With 3 TV Tuners, NIC and PCI IDE card all on the PCI bus I'd imagine 
I'm pushing the bandwidth limits! (Not to mention that I keep getting 
backend stuffed up errors when watching TV for a while).
It could be related to PCI bandwidth.
Or it might be because I'm using a Soltek SL75-DRV 2 board (Chipset is 
VIA KT266A (VT8366A + VT8233))

So I'm in the market for a new motherboard.
I REALLY don't want to have to upgrade my CPU or RAM as what I have now 
seems to be great (Athlon XP 1800+ and two 256MB 184-pin DDR DIMMs)

What I would love is a motherboard with the following:
- Accepts my Athlon XP 1800+ CPU
- Accepts my two 256MB 184-pin DDR DIMMs
- Has AT LEAST 4 OnBoard USB 2.0 ports (Would really love 6 or more)
- Has ON BOARD Ethernet
- Has ON BOARD Sound, nothing fancy, but it would be great if it was 5.1 
etc.
- Has more than 4 IDE ports. I'd love to be able to hook up like 8 hard 
drives without having to use my PCI IDE Interface card
- Has plenty of PCI slots with lots of available bandwidth! (At least 5 
PCI slots)
- Has an AGP slot of course
- Will fit in a ATX tower case
- Board and things on it should be supported under linux of course 
(redhat 9)
- DOES NOT have a KT chipset. People tell me that my PVR-250's get 
stuffed up because the KT chipsets can't handle large amounts of data.


That last one, not being a KT chipset is probably the biggest kicker.
People everywhere are blaming the KT chipset for causing any back end 
stuffed up issues due to not being able to handle the bandwidth from 
multiple tuners, etc.
So therefore, I need a motherboard that won't give me any problems.


I know this is a tall order to fill.
I don't even know if they make such motherboards.

Please, if anyone knows of a board that fills the above, or knows of a 
place that has like a good searchable very complete motherboard listing 
that is up to date, please let me know!

Also, how much power should I need for 4 hard drives, 2 cd drives, 3 TV 
tuners and an Athlon XP 1800+ chip?
I think I have a 300W or a 350W in there now. Should I go higher? Say 
400W or 450W?