If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Front Panel Multifunction Bay with Abit AN7 Recommendation
Hi All:
I'm a relative novice building computers. However, I just built my first computer this past month and I really enjoyed the experience. I had an old ATX case that I still like, gutted it of the old components, and bought an Abit AN7 mobo, AMD 3200+, 1 GB dual-channel memory, SATA drive. Anyway, I've really enjoyed it as a learning experience and the computer performance is wonderful. I do use my computer for a lot of things and one of the things I want to use this computer primarily for is as a multimedia creation and entertainment center. I have a 128MB nVidia 5200 video card with TV out, TV/video capture card, no additional audio card - all connected to my A/V system. I have a DVD multiformat burner and CD burner. Everything is working well. But now I want to put in the last component for ease of use: a front panel multifunction bay for easy access with IEEE1394 devices like my digital camcorder, card readers for various digital components like digital cameras, and lastly, but least important, basic audio I/O jacks. I would really appreciate a recommendation as I've never owned one of these devices and just learning about the capabilities. I've been looking at newegg.com at various products. I think I know what the AN7 is capable of supporting, but I would like some clarification. It appears to me that the AN7 can additionally support the following: 1. 2 USB 2.0 ports through the FP-USB1 connector, which can support a multifunction bay with card readers (1 USB connection) and an additional USB front panel access port. Is this correct? 2. 1 IEEE 1394 firewire port from the front panel via the FP-1394-1 connector. 3. The audio connectors totally confuse me. From the user manual, it seems that the connector FP-Audio1 will support EITHER front panel audio jacks OR rear panel jacks dependent upon how it is jumpered. Is this correct? I currently use the rear panel jacks to connect to my desktop speakers and my A/V system, but I'd like front panel access also. Is this possible? Considering all this, is there a front panel multifunction bay which match the capabilities of the AN7 that anyone would recommend? I don't want to overbuy (buying a device with more ports than the mobo will support); however, I would like to buy and use all the mobo capabilities I can connect to a device. I was looking at the Koutech F7209-B although the Koutech F7210-B seems to be a newer model with the same ports and additional SATA ports. (I like the black device also as my case is solid black. However, I do have a slick sliding panel that covers the bays so it doesn't have to be black.) My problem with these devices is that they seem to have A LOT of superfluous ports the AN7 can't support (2 IEEE1394, 3 USB, not sure about the audio jacks), not to mention they are relatively expensive although not terribly so. Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated. OK, sorry I've been long-winded. Hopefully, someone can clarify my questions and help with a recommendation. Thanks in advance. Pete P.S. I will also be posting this at the forums at www.abit-usa.com and www.motherboards.org. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
http://www.frontx.com
"Sid Joyner" wrote in message ... Hi All: Considering all this, is there a front panel multifunction bay which match the capabilities of the AN7 that anyone would recommend? I don't want to overbuy (buying a device with more ports than the mobo will support); however, I would like to buy and use all the mobo capabilities I can connect to a device. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
front panel audio hardware | Christo | General | 5 | October 26th 04 03:51 AM |
Leadtek K7NCR18D-PRO Front Panel Audio Help | Yertman | General | 2 | January 14th 04 10:08 PM |
Antec SX635BII Front Panel USB Won't Work | callsignviper | General | 1 | January 12th 04 04:26 PM |
Case front panel audio connectors - Help | Adam | Homebuilt PC's | 7 | December 15th 03 03:46 PM |
Simple question about front panel connector labeling | Alan Meyer | Homebuilt PC's | 1 | July 26th 03 08:20 PM |