Whick CPU motherboard combo is better for encoding

[winifreid]

I have looked for direct comparisons of this 2 AMD processors, but cant' really tell which one is faster. Sempron 64 seems a better idea because of the socket 754 MB still has a lot of upgrade potential. Whereas the socket A is on the way out. I just wonder how much of a difference the larger cache on the Athlon XP will make for CCE encodes.
Is there much advantage to SSE2 and 3? Or Hyper Transport? neither come with the Athlon XP.
Here are my options:

AMD Sempron 64 2800+ Palermo 800MHz FSB 256KB L2 Cache Socket 754 Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819104245
with the
BIOSTAR NF325-A7 Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce3 250 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813138247
Or the
AMD Athlon XP 2600+ Barton 333MHz FSB 512KB L2 Cache Socket A Processor - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103417
with the
ECS KT600-A Socket A (Socket 462) VIA KT600 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813135143

Any ideas?
thanks[/url]

[BJ_M]

stay away from via for video work

[redwudz]

I'd go with the X64 CPU. The Barton runs fairly warm and needs more cooling. The X64 will do about the same amount of work, but is just loafing along. I've used both.

On motherboards, the later revisions of Force 3 250 has solved a lot of the early problems and is a great platform for 754 CPUs. Biostar has some decent MB's. Though I couldn't find any major reviews of that specific MB, the customer reviews seem good.

The Sempron X64 does have SSE 2 onboard. Yes, there is some advantage with Hyperthreading, but at a price differential. That's probably one reason you chose AMD.

[winifreid]

Thanks, The Sempron has Hyper transport which I think just has to do with memory control. Are there any improtant encoding programs that make use of SSE2 or 3?

[redwudz]

TMPGEnc apparently does, others may use SSE-2 also. SSE-2 has a bunch of different instructions, which ones would aid encoding, I have no idea.

[vitualis]

Or just go with an A64. I can't necessarily say with the A64 based Semprons, but the A64s have definitely much better performance than the older AthlonXPs.

Regards.

[Poppa_Meth]

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 1GHz FSB Socket 939 Processor - Retail $146
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537

CHAINTECH VNF4/Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $84
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813152049

Ups your price, but you'll be thankful for it later.

[bgclarke]

stay away from via for video work

When you say "video work" is there any particular thing that Via chipset mobos are not good at?

[BJ_M]

if you read through all the pro NLE and DAW forums , you will quickly see that via based motherboards are not well liked ... even avid will not warentty their systems if installed on a via based mb (then again their software is rather picky about many things)

[bgclarke]

if you read through all the pro NLE and DAW forums , you will quickly see that via based motherboards are not well liked ...

I did a bit of Googling, and a few sites I saw mentioned that the VIA issues for DAW were related to the older VIA 686B Southbridge.

The newer KT800 chipsets are getting recommendations.

It doesn't matter to me, as I have a KT400A chipset in my bargain system.

even avid will not warentty their systems if installed on a via based mb (then again their software is rather picky about many things)

They may have to, considering they recently bought Pinnacle

[winifreid]

I am , now toying with idea of getting the DFILanparty for $92, but will probably decide that groceries are a better option and stick with Biostar or a Epox. I do think the 754 boards are the way to go since there is more room to upgrade.

[studtrooper]

I am , now toying with idea of getting the DFILanparty for $92, but will probably decide that groceries are a better option and stick with Biostar or a Epox. I do think the 754 boards are the way to go since there is more room to upgrade.

AMD is dropping 754 support here pretty quick. That's been known since AMD switched from 940 to 939...

[QuaiBoy]

Think about it. If you upgrade to a new processor, you're likely going to want/need a new motherboard as well. S939 isn't going to be around much longer anyway. I'd go with the first combo... the A64 is a great proc. When you want to upgrade someday, sell/give the motherboard and proc together.

-Evan-

[Soopafresh]

Eat Macaroni and Cheese for a week and get the A64 3000 .