ECS Boards?

**floppybootstomp** · 12-29-2001, 08:24 AM

Anybody had any experience with ECS boards? I'm putting together a system on the cheap for a mate of mine and was looking at the K7S5A model. It comes with onboard AC97 sound and I have a Duron 750 and 128MB Generic 133 RAM to put in it.

He's not after anything fancy, actually upgrading from a Cyrix 200 based system

.

The K7S5A is cheap, only costs £55.90, just wondering if anybody used this make before?

**muckshifter** · 12-29-2001, 09:28 AM

Personally I'm not too keen on SIS, however ...

DDR-compatible motherboards are rapidly overtaking both the OEM and retail market segments. However, one distinct feature differentiates the ECS K7S5A from the mainstream pack; performance. The underlying SIS735 chipset offers superior scaling in terms of memory bandwidth, even as compared to the well established AMD761 chipset. The internal 1.2 GB per second interconnect bus also insures maximum PCI and secondary I/O bus bandwidth. The SIS735 simply represents one of the most powerful Athlon chipsets to date, thus ECS delivers a highly competitive solution with the K7S5A.

http://www.sysopt.com/reviews/ecs-k7s5a/

The only potential design negative is the limited amount of clearance available between the processor socket and the corresponding processor capacitors. Perfectly vertical or offset-notched heatsinks should prove usable, though users hoping to utilize the largest coolers will need to closely examine the heatsinks' size specifications.

**floppybootstomp** · 12-29-2001, 09:37 AM

Thanks Mucks. I think I'll give it a shot then. I have a couple of coolers spare, a Silverado (nice & quiet but only any good for effectively cooling Durons) or a FOP-32.

If the Silverado fits, he'll get that - I wonder if he'll realise he's getting a bargain?

Again, thanks for the links

**DragonAce** · 12-29-2001, 12:49 PM

stable..stable..stable........

Dramen has been running one for a while now..and i just picked up one a few weeks ago (again..tried it a while ago, but wasn't impressed with the NO/OC..) and haven't shut it down since..

there is a bios available tho that will let you play somewhat, after board mods etc..so if you're interested in that, check my post to him at Binary's..

good luck!!

**AmStoned** · 12-29-2001, 01:03 PM

ECS mobos are super integrated for the el cheapo in mind. Basically, you have two choices (AMD), SIS730 or SIS735. The former has EVERYTHING, supports XP chips and SDRAM. The latter lacks only video, supports XP chips, accepts both SD and DDR. Now, I've been chatting with Martz the other day and said he uses SIS730 for customer systems, and pretty much trouble free.

**floppybootstomp** · 12-29-2001, 01:50 PM

Thanks for the input fellas

Now I can't wait to get my mitts on one, definitely curious. Supplier don't open til Wednesday, 3 day delivery, so it'll be a while before I get it.

I'll let you all know how I get on. Thanks again.

**DragonAce** · 12-29-2001, 03:43 PM

AS..aren't their newer ones using the 745??
i think i saw that somewhere, but canna remember where

**AmStoned** · 12-29-2001, 05:17 PM

DA: You're right sir, the ECS K7S6a mobo is based on the SiS745. No word on when it'll be on the market. Here are the specs:

SiS745 , 1st Integrated 1394A with DDR333 Chipset for AMD Athlon™ Platform

Host Interface Controller
- Support AMD Athlon™ / Duron™ CPUs
- 266 MHz Front-Side Bus

Integrated DDR SDRAM Controller
- Up to 3 DIMMs of DDR333/DDR266/PC133
- Maximum 1.5GB System Memory
- Suspend-to-RAM (STR)

Built-in Multi-Threaded I/O Link Delivering 1.2GB/s Bandwidth
- Dedicated High-Speed Data Paths Connecting North-Bridge and Each South-Bridge Masters Including IDE, USB, Audio, Modem, MAC and 1394AControllers
- Concurrent External PCI Devices and Embedded Devices Transactions

Support AGP 4X Interface
- Support Fast Write Transaction
- AGP V2.0 Compliant

Integrated Fast Ethernet/Home Networking Controller with MII Interface
- Support 10/100Mb Fast Ethernet or 1/10Mb HomePNA1.0 with external PHY
- Compliant with ACR and CNR slots

Integrated Audio/Modem Controllers with AC'97 Interface
- Support AC'97 V2.1 Audio Codec and Modem Codec

Integrated IEEE 1394A Link Controller

Advanced Power Management
- ACPI 1.0b and APM 1.2 Compliant

Dual USB OpenHCI Host Controllers with 6 USB Ports
Dual IDE Channels with ATA 100/66/33
Support Up to 6 PCI Masters
LPC 1.0 Interface
Integrated RTC
Integrated Keyboard/PS2 Mouse Controller
PC2001 Compliant

**DragonAce** · 12-29-2001, 05:37 PM

oooohh..that looks good enuf to eat..
urm..i mean buy and build..
thanx for the update AS!!

**floppybootstomp** · 01-12-2002, 05:49 PM

First of all, my friend let me down. I already had all the bits except the motherboard, case & RAM. I put the system together and my friend then told me he couldn't afford it, he had to get 'emergency plumbing repairs' done. I'll give him bloody plumbing repairs....

The parts (went for 256MB Crucial DDR in the end, it's actually quite reasonably priced) cost me a total of £155.00. I mean, that wouldn't be so bad except I'm bloody skint now. In the end I let him have my K6-2 300Mhz based system for £80.00 and he's actually pleased with it. Oh well, thank God for the salesman in me

So now this is what I have as a second system:

ECS K7S5A Motherboard.
Athlon T-Bird 1.33 266.
Akasa Arctic cooler with stock 60mm Fan.
256 Crucial DDR RAM
IBM 30Gb GX75P HDD 7200; 100 ATA.
Hercules Prophet 2 MX 2 32MB SDR.
On board AC97 Sound.
Iomega CDRW, only 4 X write.
52 x CD ROM
300W Generic PSU that came with case.
Connexant internal cheapie hardware 56K modem.
Logitech keyboard & mouse.
A floppy drive.
Really old Dell Monitor, 14", max res. 800 x 600.

Apart from the Monitor, I was only gonna charge him £300.00 for that lot, it was more of a favour than a profit making enterprise.

I feel let down!

On the upside, I do have a fairly good second system chuggin' away with UD now.

Downside: absolutely no overclocking options at all

Anyways, that's enough for now, I'll think about this and post shortly on my experiences with it, I have to look a few notes up, but suffice to say I'm suffering a little instability, possibly heat related.

**Techvillage** · 01-12-2002, 06:40 PM

Bad luck Flops - what the salesman in you needs to do now is to find another mate to flog this one too - £300 is a fair deal - go out there and sell it

**muckshifter** · 01-12-2002, 06:57 PM

Flops, which motorway services on the M4 do you want to meet at?

Can give you £300 cash.

and you can keep the Monitor, CDRW and modem.

**floppybootstomp** · 01-12-2002, 07:38 PM

Mucks: I've replied to your e-mail

I would only let that lot go at that price to a mate, but by now I suppose you are a mate

OK, looks like you got me out of a spot and you , IMO, got a good deal. I hope so.

Can't get down the M4 til Wednesday, will work out a meet point.

Tech: there ya go - sold

**James** · 01-12-2002, 07:45 PM

Swindon,looks like the half-way spot to me

**floppybootstomp** · 01-12-2002, 08:01 PM

Does it really take a New Yorker to work out our Brit travel plans?

Actually, Swindon sounds about right. Only been there once, to watch Spurs V. Swindon at football when I hung about with some football type mates.

Funny old time, somebody set fire to the program stand. So that's why I'm not fond of football