Tualatin in a Cubid

[ahodgekins]

Tualatin in a Cubid

[ahodgekins]

Seems I'm always on here asking for the impossible :-)

In an earlier thread I noticed someone asking if the cubid PSU would handle a celeron.

My ideal plan would be to have a BN860T in a Cubid case with a 1Ghz Tualatin, cooled by a 7-volted copper 1U cooler (like the Akasa one Kustom PC's have).

Just wondered if anyone had successfully run a celeron from the cubid power supply?  I've seen people posting that their entire EPIA systems only draw about 25Watts, and a 1Ghz Tualatin seems to draw about 30Watts, so maybe it's just about possible.

Regards.

Andy

[cyberdude2403]

I'd be interested in a system like that also

However I think maybe I would add a decent PCI graphics card in as well .. not sure how much juice that would pull

[ansalmo]

Haven't tried anything more powerful than a C3-800 (with a big passive heatsink), but I can confirm that the B860T fits fine in the Cubid - mine's in there at the moment.  No problems with the PSU connector either, as it's in the same position as on the EPIA.

[ahodgekins]

Excellent - so I guess it's just the PSU requirement that's the only possible problem.

Are you using the big, passive cooler that comes with the retail C3? (as in the B860T review on mini-itx.com). If so - does that fit in the cubid with the lid on?

A B860T and a C3-800 from Dabs is barely more expensive than an EPIA, and I've more chance of recycling it with a celeron at a later date.

Andy

[ansalmo]

Hah - that's my review, so yes!    

Actually, my C3 was OEM and I got the heatsink from Kustom here.  There's about 1cm gap between the top of the heatsink and the lid of the Cubid.  I've got the case vertically mounted though, so effectively the side grilles are "above" the heatsink.

[ahodgekins]

A few more questions Ansalmo if you don't mind ;-)

Did you get your B860T from DOS Computers, and if so - how were they to deal with?

Also, did your B860T come with the right ATX blanking plate?

If you don't need front USB or LAN LED or memory reader, are there any other advantages of the 2977R over the 2988R case?

And finally, whilst the passive heatsink fits in the Cubid, would/does it stop you from fitting a CD or DVD drive? (from the pictures on the net it looks close)

Andy

[ansalmo]

Yep, got the B860T from DOS - ordered it online and it arrived within a couple of days.  I didn't get a blanking plate, but I had an email from another guy who bought 2 B860T's recently and they're now shipping with them.  I ended up slightly modding an existing one I had to fit.

I've no experience of the 2688 case, but I believe the differences are just those you've listed.  The earlier case has nicer buttons in my opinion though  Oh, actually there is one thing - the 2677 has a big blank space on the front left - just the right size to mod an LCD into (there's plenty of space behind the facia for the circuit board etc.

The heatsink is just small enough to let you use a CD drive - I'm running one in mine.  The edge of the heatsink just presses against the back of the IDE header, though you can easily bend the heatsink metal away by one or two mm.  One thing I've found with my case is that I can easily use full-height DIMMs at the same time as a CD drive, whereas most people say that only low-profile DIMMs can be used.  Odd.

[Jasper]

I used a Tualatin P3 1.26 and a PCI 7500 in the Lex System which is actually smaller then the Cupid

Sudhian Lex System Review

[ahodgekins]

That's pretty impressive IF the Lex system uses the same PSU as the cubid case.  It certainly looks like it's the same.  Wonder if a full size harddrive pulls a lot more power?

[Cash]

I like the BN860T.  It would be cool to build a really small custom made plexi case around it.

EDIT:  I mostly say this because I don't like the build quality of any of the really small cases.  Also,  some of the power supplies are somewhat questionable,  which is basically the subject of this thread.  

[Gamer]

I just want to jump in here and raise some interesting new information I have discovered. The figure of 25W you may have seen could be mine. I have recently been doing some more power comsumption work and have come up with some interesting results. I'm not quite ready to publish the information yet, but I'll let you in on some of it now.

I recorded how much how much power my entire Cubid/EPIA system was consuming using a watt meter (computer plugs into it). I didn't use special equipment to figure out how much each of the componnents was drawing individually, then add them results up.

I recently decided to hook up a 250W full size QuitePC ATX power supply to my EPIA. I was shocked when the power comsumption on the watt meter jumped nearly 16W.  My system that was consuming 19W awake, was now consuming 35W awake.

I'm not sure if when the Cubid power supply says it is good for 55W, if it includes its own power draw or not.  

[cyberdude2403]

Just to check .. will a Celeron 1.10A Ghz  FC-PGA2 fit into the B860T

If a chip is FC-PGA2 does it mean it is Tualatin.

Sorry to ask such a basic questions .. but I'm confused by the different pin layouts.

Thanks

[ahodgekins]

Yes, it should do.  I believe the A in 1.10A refers to the Tualatin core - they did make a 1.1GHz Coppermine Celeron.  FCPGA2 also means Tualatin.  Physically, the Tualatin chips have a metal heat-spreader over the core, whereas previous versions have the core exposed.

Andy

[cyberdude2403]

So .. question

Will this work EBuyer Celeron 1.1Ghz ??

Thanks

[ansalmo]

Yep - the B860T takes all socket-370 Celerons.  The ones it doesn't take are the s-478 type.

The Ebuyer one is Tualatin - you can tell this by the fact it has 256K cache.  Alternatively, a Google search on the Ebuyer product code will turn up the full specs

As an addendum - the 1.4GHz variety from EBuyer is much better value (only a few quid more).  Just ignore the picture they've got!  Also available for a similar price at Komplett.

[cyberdude2403]

OK Thanks

I think I will stick with the 1.1Ghz .. since this is more than enough power than I need

I'm going to use thew Cubid case with the 55W PSU .. so I need to keep the power consumption down the 1.1Ghz takes 29.5W .. so I think .. according to Intel's site

My plan is this

Celeron 1.1Ghz
Jetway B860T board
IDE hard disk .. ATA100 .. probably 120GB
An ATi Radeon 7000 PCI with TV-Out on it

Possibly two USB devices plugged in

NO CD-ROM drive

My only question is this .. will the 55W PSU be enough

Thanks

[ahodgekins]

Let me know how you get on, or if I get there first I'll let you know my results.

I was considering a B860T, Cubid 2677R, Celeron 1.2GHz Tualatin, 256mb RAM and I've got a 5400rpm 10gig drive lying around.  If that all works from the PSU, then I'll buy a heatsink that will actually fit.  Coolermaster do a low profile, copper one that Dabs sell for £10 + VAT.  Loud at 36.5Db, but should be 7-voltable.

Don't need a CD drive either, nor a PCI graphics card - though a Radeon 9000 PCI would be nice :-)

Reckon the harddrive will pull a maximum of 6/7 Watts and the motherboard and RAM should be minimal.  Not sure about the Radeon, but anything without a fan shouldn't be too bad.

Andy

[ansalmo]

<< My only question is this .. will the 55W PSU be enough >>



My guess would be.........no.

You might manage it at a pinch if you drop the Radeon too - bear in mind that the B860T has TV-out onboard.  Even then, I wouldn't bet much on it working stably.  29W is around 3 times the power of the C3 that would normally go in a Cubid.

[ahodgekins]

<<
My guess would be.........no.
>>



I was thinking that it wouldn't, but then Jasper said they'd stuffed a 1.26Ghz PIII, 512Mb of PC150 and a Radeon 7500 into the Lex system, which also uses an external 60W power brick.

Andy

[ansalmo]

True.  I'd love to be proved wrong, as it'd make a seriously nice little bit of kit.