New Mobo!

[Player0]

Abit KX7-333 is here now! Anyone have any mounting issues with video cards, ram, cpu blocks on this board? It looks a bit different.

Also...does it read the XP diode?

[mdzcpa]

No mounting issues at all for me, although I have heard that the mounting hole just above the zif socket has not aligned properly with some Antec cases.

Also, the area around the socket is a bit tight. I was still able to fit my Swiftech 462-U waterblock fine, but one of the waterblock support posts is too close to the zif socket lever making the use of the lever difficult. Had they used a metal lever (mine is plastic on this KX7) there would be more clearance as the plastic levers are so thick. Not a real problem here, just a bit of a pain in the butt. Anyone using the HSF mounting holes with a plastic zif socket lever knows what I mean.

The mobo does not support the XP diode:(.

BTW, I swapped out the Crucial PC2700 (which was not meeting my expectations) for some Corsair "PC3000" and the mobo hit 185mhz at CAS2, 4-way, 2,5,2 1T Command with a DDR voltage of 2.75v. WOW:eek: is all I can say. That Corsair sure is expensive but it smokes. I'm still trying different memory slots and letting it burn in more, and I have another .1v of DDR voltage to go, so there is likely plenty more headroom in these Corsair DDR sticks.

Well...more on all of this in the upcoming review:)

[Player0]

Its a KT333 CE wooo!

[mdzcpa]

Originally posted by Player0
Its a KT333 CE wooo!

:D:D:D You're on your way!

[RanGer498]

ok im a little behind whats the XP diode?

[dicki]

the xp diode is an internal temperature probe on the xp chips, it takes the teperature reading from inside the chip making it far more accurate, it also responds faster.

at the moment there are not many (if any) mobo's that use it i think asus might but don't quote me on that, so it's still a greatly underused feature

dicki

[mdzcpa]

I think Dicki summed things up very accurately here regarding the XP temp diode.

Right now the only mobos I know that support the Diode are the Asus A7V333 and the Soltek SL-75DRV5. Both are KT333 chipset mobos.

I would have assumed more mobos would have support for the diode by now, but it must me more trouble to get working than it's worth based on how quickly the support has been adopted.

[NorthernYankee]

Well Epox says that there is no support for the diode in the 8K3A but I beg to differ. Reason being is if I load or unload the board or even just let it idele the temps jump around, I don't know of any Thermal probe that reacts that fast. So it makes me believe it is in use in the 8K3A.

--NY

[mdzcpa]

Hmmm. I've heard about that rumor, but I thought it would be very odd for the Epox to support the feature and not advertise it.

The purpose of the diode is to provide precise throttle or shut down at various temps. You could always remove the waterblock during a Prime95 run and see :eek: :eek: :eek: ! Just kidding;)

Your argument is good though. Perhaps Epox is reading the temps with the diode but has not incorporated a good shutdown/throttle mechanism yet.

(BTW, all new AMD mobos MUST support the XP diode by June 10 2002 to recieve AMD support)

[Player0]

I have to agree with Mike here, I think Epox would come right out and claim support for the xp diode reading if they had it. But, who knows sometimes :)

Im really appalled by Abits lack of complience with this yet. The A7V333 is a great board though, and if the ATX layout was better, it might actually be in my main rig but...hmm.

[NorthernYankee]

Actually I was just browsing around and the EPOX UK tech stated @ the AOA forums that the Diode is in fact being used, I wonder why they have denied it for so long. Seems a little fishy to me.

--NY