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i'm thinking of getting a PCI IDE controller card, so i can move the HDs to it and free both mobo's IDE ports for optical drives.

i was curious if anyone has any experience with running optical drives off such an IDE card.
i know it's generally not recommended, but i've heard (i think) that Siig cards are better than Promise in this respect.

http://www.siig.com/product.asp?pid=437 is the card that I have had the most success with.

Promise + burning = headaches (reading is fine, but burning over 16x on a CDRW was troublesome)

shaun wrote:http://www.siig.com/product.asp?pid=437 is the card that I have had the most success with.

Promise + burning = headaches (reading is fine, but burning over 16x on a CDRW was troublesome)

thanks for the link.

do you have a recommendation on an external case? (from the other topic)

BTW, welcome to CDRLabs

Glad I could help I have been lurking for a long time, but now I am going to try and help out around here a bit and do some hardware reviews to take the pressure of Ian, and help out in the forums the best that I can.

As for cases, I am partial to Kingwin aluminum enclosures (I have used several...not sure if I like the new "pimped out" ones or not), The aluminum helps keep the drives cool...and there are models that support USB2 and Firewire. ( http://www.kingwin.com/pdut_detail.asp? ... =27&ID=182 )

Bytecc are cheaper, but still good enclosures too ( http://www.byteccusa.com/product/enclosure/ME-340.htm )

shaun wrote:Glad I could help I have been lurking for a long time, but now I am going to try and help out around here a bit and do some hardware reviews to take the pressure of Ian, and help out in the forums the best that I can.

WOW! we have a PiMP on board!
i just now noticed (when i read you're gonna do hardware reviews)!
great news.

thanks for the 2nd link! (kingwin)
i've been contemplating an external case for a while now.
finding a combo case (FireWire + USB) that uses the Cypress chipset for the FireWire part isn't easy. i don't think i saw kingwin before.
this look interesting:
http://www.kingwin.com/pdut_detail.asp? ... =27&ID=179

i agree, it looks a bit gaudy!

now gotta find out how much it costs!
OK $53 at newegg...not too bad.

the Bytecc one looks nicer IMO
http://www.byteccusa.com/product/enclosure/ME-340.htm
but i think it uses the Prolific chipset, alas.

Living in Canada, the cheapest I could find for the Kingwin was $85 Cdn (http://www.canadacomputers.com/storage.html)...so with the exchange rate being the way it is, the Newegg price is very good