[mythtv-users] RAM differences, was: will this system cut it ?

[allan k]

On Fri, 2009-03-13 at 08:42 -0600, Brian Wood wrote:
> On Thursday 12 March 2009 19:04:15 sonofzev at iinet.net.au wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'll have a spare AMD 4200+ and either 2GB cheap RAM or 1GB good corsair
> > RAM.. available soon..
> 
> I'm wondering if there really is a difference between "cheap" and the "name 
> brand" RAM, or are you just paying for marketing in the latter case?
> 
> The more expensive stuff *might* have better quality control or better 
> warranty support, but is it really "better" in any meaningful way, once it is 
> installed and working?
> 
> I'd guess that unless it actually fails, once it is working the cheap stuff 
> probably makes no difference to the operation of a system.
> 
> I also see memory marketed as "major/third", meaning the chips are made by 
> a "major" outfit but put on boards and sold by "non-major" companies. I'd 
> guess that not too many Mom and Pop outfits manufacture RAM chips.
> 
> A lot of the marketing for the higher-priced memory seems to be aimed at 
> gamers ("Dominate Your Enemies", or the like), never addressing technical 
> issues or anything that might actually mean anything. Of course gamers 
> probably represent a large portion of the after-market RAM business, so this 
> might make sense.
> 
> Certainly putting LEDs on the RAM sticks is not likely to affect performance, 
> but might appeal to gamers, or people who have confused their PCs with 
> display windows.
> 
> I now try to buy the cheapest RAM I can find, as long as I buy from a 
> reputable vendor with good return policies, am I wrong?
> 
> My "Dead RAM" box contains the well-known names as well as unknowns, in about 
> equal quantities.
> 
Some interesting points here.. 

In this case it is more that every 2 years I update my DAW system. As
low latency is an important factor for this kind of system I buy quality
RAM that is rated with low latency CAS RAS e.t.c. I don't go for the LED
ram but I don't just buy the most expensive I try and find a balance.. 

With this system.. I already have 1 GB of low latency (2-2-2-5) quality
RAM but in the system that the 4200+ is coming out of I have 4 GB of
cheap RAM but it has been running 24/7 for a couple of years in a home
server box ..
So the question is, should I stick with the low latency stuff and leave
the system at 1GB or put the cheap RAM in it ... 4GB is probably
overkill so, I was thinking using only 2 of the sticks.. It would seem
that as VDPAU is going to lower the load on CPU and RAM, then the only
consideration is compile time (this is a gentoo box).. but again I run
distcc so not an issue.. I really am leaning towards staying with the
1gb of low latency corsair ram.. 

 (For anyone who is interested, I am actually swapping in my DAW box
mobo, CPU and RAM into the home server for this at next upgrade in one
month primarily because it has been running 24/7 for around 3 years and
I am concerned the caps are going to give out on the mobo which is an
older agp model.. the DAW is a newer solid cap design mobo so it should
have around 22 years 24/7 usage on it on the caps anwyay... I also have
another 939 PCI-e mobo that was my main mythtv system until I bought an
Antec NSK 2480 and needed to find a micro atx mobo for that system. See
it's all incredibly complex... and I kind of wish I never got this IT
bug.. ahh but then I wouldn't have the job I have as a software
engineer...classic catch 22 )....