new and improved motherboard for CAPS 2.0 build?

**gakaudio** · 06-07-2012, 11:44 PM

Hello All, I am going to get started on a CAPS v2.0 build (will likely have someone build it for me so that I don’t break it). Before I begin, I am wondering if there is an accepted new and improved motherboard that people recommend. For example a board that still emphasizes the good things: low power consumption, low heat production and good heat dissipation as well as good connectivity options. However, a new board that has some new and improved feature such as usb 3.0 and perhaps hdmi output.

The connections that I see as necessary are: eSATA, USB, mouse, keyboard, monitor, and a PCI expansion slot. This last connection confuses me a little because there seems to be several kinds available such as PCI express and a PCI with a smaller set of pins that fit into the motherboard. I think that I want the plain and simple PCI. I want to be able to use the SOtM USB card recommended in the CAPS v2.0 article or a PCI sound card such as the Juli@. Help and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Garth

**AudGuy** · 06-08-2012, 02:19 AM

Hello Garth, a PC can be a very good playback mechanism, provided some basic details are seen to and a little learning about what might be getting in the way, and what could prove to be beneficial.

I have worked with PC's since their inception and always marvel at what they are being used for, the scope is unbelievable. An ordinary PC can be coaxed into making pretty good music but if we want the best results then more effort is required.

I have been considering building a dedicated machine and while there is reason to use the products that Chris chose to use, there are other products that could fulfill that mission. My bias as a PC support tech tends to show in my selection reflecting products that I see and use all the time. This ASUS product which is part of a growing family of similar products comes something that meets the criterion that you have identified as neccesary: http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Int...5IONTI_DELUXE/

As to the card slots, PCI is an older form of card slot that while still being used is perhaps not the most modern interface. I want to use a modern sound card (XONAR or Juli@) which will usually come as a PCIe card. As a rule, the small form if PCIe cards are 1X cards and can be inserted into pretty much any PCI slot. I can't speak for the built in audio equipment that this board comes with and it may in fact be not too bad, but I still wish to pursue alternative audio abilities. If you want to use the SOtM card then there shouldn't be any reason why not except that most of these SmallFormFactor motherboards usually only have one card slot. Choices will be made.

What I am suggesting is not to be considered as anything other than as an alternative for consideration. There are lots of other small motherboards from various makers, some will be contenders and some will not.

But this ASUS board has lots going for it and that has me interested.

Hope this helps some ...

**spacey** · 06-08-2012, 02:51 AM

I use one of these: Shuttle Europe: Specification has a better overall spec that the Asus 5IONTI !
Mine has 1x4GB of RAM, 750GB hybrid SSD (will soon be replaced with an SSD and a 1TB SDXC card (when they're out)).
Windows7 home premium, JRMC17, RealVNC, AVG antivirus.

The Shuttle is passively cooled so if an SSD is used, its totally silent with no moving parts at all. It’s tiny (size of a router) and sits out of site; also designed to be used 24/7 as are all the parts chosen. Works flawlessly.

**SeeHear** · 06-08-2012, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by AudGuy

://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_CPU_on_Board/AT5IONTI_DELUXE/[/URL]

As to the card slots, PCI is an older form of card slot that while still being used is perhaps not the most modern interface. I want to use a modern sound card (XONAR or Juli@) which will usually come as a PCIe card. ...

Hi,

Where did you find PCIe Juli@? I have been looking for one for a while now. I saw reference to one in a show posting (I forget which show) but I didn't find it on their site; nor can I find it at any of the retailers I know.

Thanks

**gakaudio** · 06-08-2012, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by AudGuy

... As to the card slots, PCI is an older form of card slot that while still being used is perhaps not the most modern interface. I want to use a modern sound card (XONAR or Juli@) which will usually come as a PCIe card. As a rule, the small form if PCIe cards are 1X cards and can be inserted into pretty much any PCI slot...

Hi AudGuy, Thanks for the reply. I thought that only PCI cards worked in a PCI slot and that a PCIe card would not work in a PCI slot. Your post suggests that I'm wrong and that I could plug a PCIe card into a PCI slot. Could you please clarify. In addition, I was speaking with someone at the newport audio show last weekend and they said that a PCI card is preferable actually because it is slower and latency is less of an issue with a slower connection. Any thoughts? Thanks again for your input.

Garth

**SeeHear** · 06-08-2012, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by gakaudio

Hi AudGuy, Thanks for the reply. I thought that only PCI cards worked in a PCI slot and that a PCIe card would not work in a PCI slot. Your post suggests that I'm wrong and that I could plug a PCIe card into a PCI slot. Could you please clarify. In addition, I was speaking with someone at the newport audio show last weekend and they said that a PCI card is preferable actually because it is slower and latency is less of an issue with a slower connection. Any thoughts? Thanks again for your input.

Garth

You can not put a PCIe card in a PCI slot. I think what he said was that he believed you could put an x1 card in any PCIe slot. I don't think that is true, but I have not researched it.

After re-reading his post, I have to assume it's a typo - you can not insert a PCIe card in a PCI slot. Well, not and expect it to work, lol.

James

**AudGuy** · 06-09-2012, 04:02 AM

Sorry guys, re-reading things suggests I could have been clearer.

NO, we cannot put a PCI card in a PCIe slot and I still think PCI is an older design that will be increasingly difficult to obtain.

I have a PCIe 1X sound card (ASUS XONAR HDAV) installed in a long PCIe 8X slot. Works fine for me, but that might just be the combination that I have deployed.

I just assumed the the Juli@ card was PCIe, but sounds like I am perhaps not totally informed ... will read some more, but those cards are more difficult to obtain (here).

Spacey, that Shuttle looks pretty good but my suggestion was just for a motherboard. Fundamentally, they are quite similar with more packaging but less expansion ability. I see they are quite reasonably priced also ...

sorry for any confusion

**spacey** · 06-09-2012, 05:04 AM

No probs AudGuy, It just an option worth considering. It does everything needed to produce bit perfect results via the Weiss DAC202u I'm currently dem'ing. Theres no PC noise via the USB and runs quite cool. IMHO i cannot see why a PC built soley for music files needs to do or be anything more

**SeeHear** · 06-09-2012, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by AudGuy

Sorry guys, re-reading things suggests I could have been clearer.

NO, we cannot put a PCI card in a PCIe slot and I still think PCI is an older design that will be increasingly difficult to obtain.

I have a PCIe 1X sound card (ASUS XONAR HDAV) installed in a long PCIe 8X slot. Works fine for me, but that might just be the combination that I have deployed.

I just assumed the the Juli@ card was PCIe, but sounds like I am perhaps not totally informed ... will read some more, but those cards are more difficult to obtain (here).

Spacey, that Shuttle looks pretty good but my suggestion was just for a motherboard. Fundamentally, they are quite similar with more packaging but less expansion ability. I see they are quite reasonably priced also ...

sorry for any confusion

No worries, Audguy. I was hoping they had released the PCIe version of Juli@. I have the PCI version and am very happy with it. I'm ready to build a new machine and would like to keep this one as a back up, but I can't find any Juli@ but PCI last I looked (about a month ago).

**gakaudio** · 06-09-2012, 07:58 PM

They have: ESI - Juli@ XTe
I don't know how new it is.

**gakaudio** · 06-09-2012, 08:22 PM

Thanks Spacey for your mention of the shuttle products and site. I have found and should mention Assassin HTPC. I like the look of the site and especially like their willingness to customize a build if one wants. I have been in communication with the owner, i think, and he seems helpful and willing to meet my needs. This is who I will probably have build my server when I have all of my ducks in a row.

It seems that there is no concensus as to a "newer and better" motherboard in comparison to the CAPS jetway. Thanks anyway.

Garth

**SeeHear** · 06-09-2012, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by gakaudio

They have: ESI - Juli@ XTe
I don't know how new it is.

That's it! When I looked a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't there. I guess I have everything is in place for a new machine!

**beetlemania** · 06-09-2012, 11:28 PM

Here are some posts regarding the MB I chose after a *lot* of deliberation:
Completely silent music server ?
Fanless CPU
Anyone Tried A Passive Cooling PC Case?

I have no idea how the Zotac compares sonically to the Jetway Chris recommends but it has a slightly more powerful CPU (and *much* more powerful GPU if you care about video). It can take up to 8 G RAM. It has all the connectivity you're looking for, except instead of the old PCI it has PCIe. You're just not gonna find a modern *passive* board with all the bell and whistles *and* PCI. But not to worry as SOtM is coming out with a PCIe version which might be an improvement over the original: SOtM

The Zotac runs really cool without any fans whatsoever (30-35 degree on the CPU running Foobar) and sips power (11 W idle, 12-13 W running Foobar - that total *system* power including the ODD!).

**AudioDoctor** · 06-09-2012, 11:30 PM

I have not built the CAPS but isn't one of the reasons for a motherboard with a PCI slot versus a PCIe so that it can use the SOTM usb card which is PCI only?

**SeeHear** · 06-09-2012, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by SeeHear

That's it! When I looked a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't there. I guess I have everything is in place for a new machine!

Oops, spoke to soon. Still not available anywhere. Oh well, at least there are pix in the wild and on ESI's website...

**beetlemania** · 06-10-2012, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by AudioDoctor

I have not built the CAPS but isn't one of the reasons for a motherboard with a PCI slot versus a PCIe so that it can use the SOTM usb card which is PCI only?

Yes, that's right. But if you click the link in my post you'll see that there is a new PCI*e* version of the SOtM USB card.

When I chose the parts for my server, I decided that the extra connectivity and other benefits of the Zotac outweighed the potential plus benefits of the SOtM card. Plus, I had heard the rumors of a PCIe version in the works.

**gakaudio** · 06-11-2012, 07:01 PM

Beetlemania, thanks for the input. The board you mentinon seems impressive. Apparently the knock on it is that the HDMI out can have problems. Have you encountered this. I would like this server build to output video to my TV so I might want to use the HDMI. Otherwise, I assume you haven't had any issues with the board correct?

Thanks, Garth

**beetlemania** · 06-11-2012, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by gakaudio

Beetlemania, thanks for the input. The board you mentinon seems impressive. Apparently the knock on it is that the HDMI out can have problems. Have you encountered this. I would like this server build to output video to my TV so I might want to use the HDMI. Otherwise, I assume you haven't had any issues with the board correct?

Thanks, Garth

I have never tried the HDMI but I recall reading that some Newegg customers did have issues with HDMI on that MB. I do not have a TV to test it out. I have not had any issues with it whatsoever (knock on wood) tho' I think Zotac never sent me my rebate. That seems to be a recurring theme with them, perhaps they count on people like me to lose track of whether they have gotten the rebate or not. Either way, I'm happy with it in the configuration I'm using. The ASUS board (with the same AMD processor) looks pretty good, too, tho' one user on these forums said it got hot. I think he was testing the temps, however, from the BIOS which is not fair as the processor is running full blast.

**Chris Gr** · 06-15-2012, 08:52 AM

Hello,

I have built the caps 2.0 with the following mb :

E45M1-M PRO

It has eSATA, USB3, HDMI, DVI, VGA, PCIex16, PCIex1, PCI. Everything you want !

**Kevin M.** · 06-18-2012, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by AudioDoctor

I have not built the CAPS but isn't one of the reasons for a motherboard with a PCI slot versus a PCIe so that it can use the SOTM usb card which is PCI only?

If my dac does not have any USB inputs, is there any reason to use something like the SOTM card?

**Koop** · 06-26-2012, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin M.

If my dac does not have any USB inputs, is there any reason to use something like the SOTM card?

Certainly not. the SOtM card is only a USB card, if you won't be using USB out then there is no reason to get it. If you are using a USB > Coax product though, you very well may see some benefit.

I personally think the perfect motherboard for the CAPS v2.0 is Newegg.com - ASUS E45M1-I Deluxe AMD E-450 APU AMD Hudson M1 Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo now that the SOtM card will be made PCIe. And you can indeed put any PCIe card into any PCIe slot that it will fit into. So a 1x/8x/16x card will all work in the 16x slot.

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