Pentium M dothan

[fester]

Anyone using pentiumM yet?

For a while now been using AMD64 3200 90nm and Intel 3.0C 130nm, and I use both MCE2005 and BTV3.5 ...w/ each PVR tested on each machine.

conclusion - better gaming, higher performance / watt and low noise (runs very cool under load w/ stock cpu fan @ 7volts) goes to AMD A64 all day long. But system performance /response /speed /tasking during any heavy MPEG2 application is dramatically better w/ Intel when it comes to CPU utilization. Intel ~5-22% cpu util (measured ONLY during MCE /BTV live TV) vs. ~20-50%+ for AMD. So I just bought a Pentium M 755 2ghz + asus CT-479 adapter for the P4P800-VM to mess with btv and mce. now we'll see how the pentM dothan performs.

as far as software? ... always liked the slick mce interface and now the new lighted mce remote (though it lacks a mouse) - but btv is actually less intrusive, has entirely superior options/tweaks /plug ins, is more compatible with 3rd party hw /sw - and provides equal if not superior mpeg2 performance using less cpu cycles than mce.

[Joebob]

I am using a Pentium M 750 processor with the AOpen i915GMm-HFS motherboard. I chose this combo because I wanted the higher FSB of the even number PentiumM and I wanted to dual channel DDR2-533 ram capabilities of the 915 chipset.

I love this machine. It runs hotter than I would expect, but Intel says the chip is rated to run continuously at 100C so the constant 60C is acceptable. The performance is very good. The built in SATA2 interface helps my WesternDigital drive run faster thanks to NCQ. The only noise that comes from this computer is a VERY slight fan noise from the power supply and the seek noise from the hard drive. I am getting ready to soft mount the harddrive to reduce the seek noise, I sure hope that helps.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by Joebob

I am using a Pentium M 750 processor with the AOpen i915GMm-HFS motherboard. I chose this combo because I wanted the higher FSB of the even number PentiumM and I wanted to dual channel DDR2-533 ram capabilities of the 915 chipset.

I love this machine. It runs hotter than I would expect, but Intel says the chip is rated to run continuously at 100C so the constant 60C is acceptable. The performance is very good. The built in SATA2 interface helps my WesternDigital drive run faster thanks to NCQ. The only noise that comes from this computer is a VERY slight fan noise from the power supply and the seek noise from the hard drive. I am getting ready to soft mount the harddrive to reduce the seek noise, I sure hope that helps.

Are you sure about that 100 C ? I mean that's boiling water temp. Even if you COULD run at that temp 24/7 .. it would be turning your PC case into a toaster. Maybe 100 F I could understand, but not 100 C. Who would want to dissapate 212 degrees (F) inside their box ?? Unless of course Intel is trying to take the pain of this thing running much hotter than other CPUs by telling you "It's okay to run 60 .. it's capable of running 100".

I worry about my HTPC (running 24/7) when it gets over 40 C.

[jsereda]

I heard those CPU's are suppose to run steady 100 F.

Rich,
I've been using S3 Standby after 5 minutes of inactivity and its been working great with 2 minute padding. No more keeping the system on 24/7 for me. S3 is where it's at. Only turns on for scheduled recordings.
BTW I just got my USBUIRT. So I'll be hooking up my STB to the 150.

[Joebob]

Originally Posted by Rich A

Are you sure about that 100 C ? I mean that's boiling water temp. Even if you COULD run at that temp 24/7 .. it would be turning your PC case into a toaster. Maybe 100 F I could understand, but not 100 C. Who would want to dissapate 212 degrees (F) inside their box ?? Unless of course Intel is trying to take the pain of this thing running much hotter than other CPUs by telling you "It's okay to run 60 .. it's capable of running 100".

I worry about my HTPC (running 24/7) when it gets over 40 C.

Yep, Intel rates the Pentium M to run continuously at 100C. I guess they had to build in extra heat capabilities because it is so hard to keep a laptop CPU cool. My M heats up to 57C in about 30 seconds and then it barely moves regardless of CPU load. The heatsink that AOpen provides is absolute crap and that is a big part of the heat. One person found that lapping the heatsink reduced the temp by almost 10C. Another person found that they could install a Zalman VGA cooler and reduce the temp by about 25C. I haven't done either of those yet, but I do plan on lapping the heatsink. The interesting thing about this cooler is that the CPU runs at the same temp regardless of fan speed which tells me the cooler is not even absorbing the majority of heat.

[bnflaherty]

thats one Hot chip...

http://support.intel.com/support/pro.../CS-007971.htm

[jsereda]

Wow, this is very interesting, especially after reading that you don't even need a fan with these chips. Im with rich on this one, there's no way I would want that kind of heat in my case.

[Rich A]

Well being "capable" of running at 100c doesn't mean much to me. Obviously it gets plenty hot. My HTPC running 24/7 with 2 PVR-x50s and an HD tuner very seldom gets above 38c.

I built my system to replace 3 ReplayTVs and a VCR .. all of which were never shut off either. After checking I find my 24/7 SnapStream PVR box is using less than 1/3 the power of those 4 devices combined.

I mean you don't totally shut down a VCR right? Or a TIVO? Or a ReplayTV? Yeah they might go into "hibernation" or spin down the HD etc. But they have to be "on" 24/7.

I think I know what you mean however when going into "standby". Although not fully "off" I guess it would save some heat and power? Thanks for the info about it coming out of "standby" okay. That's good to know.

I just wonder how much you really save ? There's a test for someone.

[Joebob]

Originally Posted by jsereda

Wow, this is very interesting, especially after reading that you don't even need a fan with these chips. Im with rich on this one, there's no way I would want that kind of heat in my case.

Actually the chip runs below 30C with a decent heatsink. When the chip is running at 60C, the heatsink is only slightly warm.

[Rich A]

Ah thanks for that Intel link. Now I understand. This is VERY important. What they are talking about is the actual center die core temp. as a max. Do some research and you'll find that typically the temperature reported as the op. temp. by your mother board CPU sensor is 30 to 35 degrees LOWER than the actual core temp. Some newer modern setups have some way of measuring both the CPU temp AND the CPU Core temp.

So ... If you are seeing something like 60 C. from your CPU temp. monitor, then your actual CPU CORE temp is getting up near the danger (90 to 100c)

I think some people are mistakenly thinking that 100 C figure is what they would get from a normal mother board CPU temp monitor .. which is usually a sensor BELOW the CPU on the mother board, and actually 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the Manufacturer's CPU Core limit.

[Joebob]

Unlike most processors, the Pentium M temperature reading is of the actual CPU Core. CPU temp of a Pentium M is not based on the socket temperature like a normal desktop processor.

[fester]

Originally Posted by Joebob

I am using a Pentium M 750 processor with the AOpen i915GMm-HFS motherboard. I chose this combo because I wanted the higher FSB of the even number PentiumM and I wanted to dual channel DDR2-533 ram capabilities of the 915 chipset.

I love this machine. It runs hotter than I would expect, but Intel says the chip is rated to run continuously at 100C so the constant 60C is acceptable. The performance is very good. The built in SATA2 interface helps my WesternDigital drive run faster thanks to NCQ. The only noise that comes from this computer is a VERY slight fan noise from the power supply and the seek noise from the hard drive. I am getting ready to soft mount the harddrive to reduce the seek noise, I sure hope that helps.

Nice. I had purchased a dothan 755 2.0 400fsb but returned it for a 730 1.6 533fsb. I honestly cannot tell them apart performance wise... (i felt silly spending all that $$$ on a cpu - especially with Yonah dual core pentM coming out in 6 mos...)

ohhh - didnt realize that board /chipset had sata2 support. wow. looks like intel is all geared up for MCE2006 already (MSFT recommended hardware = sata2 / ncq)

That makes it the **ONLY** mATX motherboard on the planet w/ SATA2. (at least until a nForce 4 ultra/sli mATX board is released.

Ive been buggin since I dont have sata2 running yet. (Even sata150 raid 0 is just a bit faster than pata133 raid 0) great article in anandtech on bench test of new hitachi sata2 /ncq drives that completely outperform those loud 74gb 10K rpm raptors (i'm sooo glad i waited)

[fester]

running 1.86 yonah (T2400) for about 6 monthas now. 42C all day silent (still dothan was 30's C)

Dual core goodness + cheap asus Yohan /core duo mobo fixed bios 8/2/06 works. I can STRONGLY RECOMMEND NOW. There is no faster or quite setup on the planet than Yonah. Conroe actually cheaper but no mATX boards.

AAPL releases apple mediacenter pvr app in jaguar OSX in 2007. AIMO.

[pwlong]

Originally Posted by fester

Dual core goodness + cheap asus Yohan /core duo mobo fixed bios 8/2/06 works. I can STRONGLY RECOMMEND NOW.

Which ASUS board are you using? N4L-VM DH?

http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l...92&modelmenu=1

Thanks

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by fester

running 1.86 yonah (T2400) for about 6 monthas now. 42C all day silent (still dothan was 30's C)

Dual core goodness + cheap asus Yohan /core duo mobo fixed bios 8/2/06 works. I can STRONGLY RECOMMEND NOW. There is no faster or quite setup on the planet than Yonah. Conroe actually cheaper but no mATX boards.

AAPL releases apple mediacenter pvr app in jaguar OSX in 2007. AIMO.

What kind of times do you get with the Super Pie bench mark with that? I've often thought to try an Intel but have been an AMD guy all my life. Mostly because the AMDs give me the best bang for the buck. Try running Super Pi for a 1 meg and 8 meg test. I'd be very interested to see the results.