What is MCP2?

[Smokey]

Sorry I'm looking for another nForce2 board, and one Soltek board listed MCP while the other listed MCP2. Was there some sort of upgrade to nForce2 components?

BTW, if you have an nForce2 mobo that you like do me a favor and let me know? They're all so close in reviews and I've always been an Asus man, but I feel like trying something new (had a bad experience with a refurb MSI board). Anybody like Soltek? I know THGers like Epox, which I'm also checking out. TIA

<font color=purple><i>If I had a notch on my belt for every PC I'd destroyed, I'd have a really crappy looking belt</i></font color=purple>

 

[TKH]

MCP2 is the southbridge for nForce2 based mobo which doesn't come with SoundStorm, dual LAN etc. Maybe Soltek made a mistake or they are using nForce southbridge on nForce2 mobo...
For the mobo, you already phase out MSI and Asus which are the two best nForce2 mobo, so you basically should settle at the up coming Epox 8RDA+.

You never know how stupid you are until you have done something stupid enough for you to realize it.
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=22996" target="_new">My System Rig</A>

 

[Smokey]

Thanks TKH. You really think the MSI is up there with the Asus? I know sometimes MB's just come bad, so I don't hold it against MSI. I've also read that a lot of the Epox boards have come DOA (from newegg.com reviews).

I'm a big OC'er so I'm wondering if I'll really benefit from active cooling on the northbridge (Asus is passive, Epox is passive, Abit is active, Soltek is active).

I'm excited about these good reviews though, sounds like some real alternatives are finally here besides Asus and Abit.

<font color=purple><i>If I had a notch on my belt for every PC I'd destroyed, I'd have a really crappy looking belt</i></font color=purple>

 

[Spitfire_x86]

MCP was used with nForce (1) boards. All nForce2 mobos use MCP2 or MCP2-T

MCP:- For nForce(1), ATA-100, USB 1.1, nForce APU
MCP-D:- For nForce(1), All standard MCP features + Dolby Digital 5.1 encoder

MCP2:- For nForce(2), ATA-133, USB 2.0
MCP2-T:- For nForce(2), All MCP2 features + Dual 10/100 LAN, Firewire, nForce APU, Dolby Digital 5.1 encoder

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[Smokey]

Ahhh thank you!

<font color=purple><i>If I had a notch on my belt for every PC I'd destroyed, I'd have a really crappy looking belt</i></font color=purple>

 

[kmiller]

I have the Soltek SL-75FRN-L and it is a great board. I have almost always used Asus boards in the past, but I am very pleased w/ this Soltek board. I have not had any problems. Running an XP 1700 at 11x166.

 

[nYak]

If that chip is a thoroughbred b then you can push that cpu MUCH farther with that board. It's solid as a rock.

 

[bikeman]

It's been a very long time since I've been around on this forums, so I hope you won't find it to leeching-like of I just come by to ask you thisone question:

The Asus A7N8X Deluxe uses the MCP2-T southbridge, but it also has a realtek-chip in order to provide a 6-channel sound-solution. (Look at <A HREF="http://www.asus.com/prog/spec.asp?m=A7N8X Deluxe" target="_new">the specs at asus.com</A> if you want to see for yourself). Does this mean that the sound-features of the MCP2-T are not utilized, or that they are used, but that the realtek-chip is just there as an amplifier, because the MCP2-T doesn't have amplifiers built-in to drive external loads? I think the difference is very big, especially if you read <A HREF="http://www.tomshardware.com/game/20030405/index.html" target="_new">THG's (small) article about the impact of 'soft-audio'-solutions on gaming performance</A> you have to realize this.

Greetz,
Bikeman

<i>Then again, that's just my opinion</i>

 

[SMabille]

I found a test on HardOCP stating that the CPU utilization during sound reproduction on the A7N8X Deluxe is really low and the fact the Asus don't provides/uses the Realtek ALC650 drivers could lend towards the use of the realtek as amplifier only (good news). On the asus website, in the download the have realsed driver for a 2.0 revision on the PCB. Does any one have any info of the differences between the PCB revisions?

 

[Spitfire_x86]

All nForce2 mobos (except Chaintech Zenith 7NJ-S) with MCP2-T southbridge use nForce2 APU and use Realtek ALC650 only for amplification and output.

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