ASUS P5AD2 architecture

Evgenie Rudometov

http://www.rudometov.com

Company ASUSTeK on the basis of Intel chip set 925X develops and releases motherboard ASUS P5AD2 concerning to topovym to products. This card supports processors of Intel of Pentium  4 in konstruktive LGA  775 and dynamic storage DDR2 units. Feature ASUS P5AD2 is implementation in its structure of resources WLAN, and also of some perspective firm processing techniques.

The spectrum of motherboards of company ASUSTeK covers products of the different architecture and a functional saturation. In the nomenclature are presented as rather simple products applying for a role budgetary, and vysokonasyshchennye, topovye the models oriented to exacting users.

One their such hi-tech products rather recently created by ASUSTeK corporation, motherboard ASUSP5AD2 is. This card supports processors of corporation of Intels released in newest konstruktive LGA  775 and realising in architecture newest, perspective branch and firm processing technique. Except new processor konstruktiva, to such processing techniques the new built in resources of a multi-channel sound of excellence, resource RAID and, of course, a two-channel subsystem of dynamic storage with units of type DDR2 SDRAM concern operative PCI Express. The newest and popular chip set of Intel 925X became a basis of this card intended for the market of high-powered desktop solutions.

Intel chip set 925X motherboard ASUS P5AD2

Intel chip set 925X (i925X) is oriented to creation of high-powered desktop personal computers. Supports systems with processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading. These processors are created on processing technique of 90 nanometers, hooked up through LGA 775 plug and work with bus FSB of type QPB (Quad-Pumped Bus). Clock rate of the given processor bus can make 133 or 200 MHz that provides a transfer rate of computer data with frequency of 533 and 800 MHz, and 266 addresses and 400 MHz accordingly.

The base package of a chip set i925X consists of Intel chips 82925X Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and Intel 82801FB (ICH6). However as the second chip improved variant ICH6 — Intel chip 82801FR (ICH6R) which possesses the expanded possibilities of operation with a disk subsystem of memory can use .

Chips MCH and ICH are jointed by special Direct Media Interface (DMI local bus to a transfer rate to 10 Gbit/with in each direction, that is the full duplex mode in information transfers between chip set components is provided.

The MCH component contains in the structure controllers of interfaces of the system bus with data transfer with frequency of 800 MHz and two-channel dynamic storage. Besides, they will organise operation of graphic interface PCI Express x16 and communication facilities with a chip of input/output ICH.

Built in Intel chip 82925X the memory controller provides support of two-and one-channel functional modes of memory DDR2 SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM — SDRAM with data transfer on lobbies and back edges of clock pulses of the bus of memory). Probably patterns with usage of DDR2 SDRAM units with frequency of 400 and 533 MHz. Two-channel memory DDR2 with frequency of 533 MHz has maximum capacity to 8,5 Gbytes/with. Maximum size of dynamic storage — to 4 Gbytes.

The controls built in chip ICH for peripheral devices of a base set support: one channel IDE with support ATA 33/66/100 (to two arrangements IDE), four ports Serial ATA 150, eight ports USB 2.0, to four PCI Express x1, to seven PCI (PCI Rev 2.3, 32 bits/33 of MHz), LPC (Low Pin Count), the controller of Intel High Definition Audio with support of three codecs, AC ’ 97 2.3 (to 8 channels), integrated controller LAN (10/100 Mb/s Ethernet), SMBus, Wireless Connect Technology (only for ICH6W/ICH6RW), APIC, ACPI Rev.2.0, and also other resources and functions.

Except Intel 82801FB as it has been specified above, usage of the expanded version of hub ICH6 — ICH5R is possible . It allows to realise functions RAID.

Variants ASUS P5AD2

Company ASUSTeK offers two variants of motherboard ASUS P5AD2. The first is presented by package ASUS P5AD2 Deluxe, second, more powerful variant, is a package of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium. Differences in the given products consist in more complete set of the second variant, and also in architectures of the specified cards. So, for example, as a part of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Deluxe there is one controller Gbit LAN, and as a part of card ASUS P5AD2 Premium is used whole two controllers Gbit LAN. Besides, for card ASUS P5AD2 Deluxe — two ports IeEe1394a, and for ASUS P5AD2 Premium — only one port IEEE1394a, together with two ports IEEE1394b. 

Structure of package ASUS P5AD2 Premium

Fig. 1. Structure of package ASUSP5AD2 Premium

According to accompanying documents the structure of a package of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium standardly includes following accessories:

·         the Packing box,

·         Motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium,

·         the Unit on two ports IEEE 1394b and one port RJ-45,

·         Serial (COM2 Unit,

·         the Unit on two ports Serial ATA,

·         the Unit on two ports USB 2.0 and one port GAME,

·         the Cover plate of input/output corresponding to specification ATX 2.01, 

·         the Quick reference guide of the user in English,

·         the Compact disc with the software from ASUSTeK,

·         Compact disc InterVideo WinDVD Suite Platinum (only in version Retail),

·         Two cables Ultra DMA 133,

·         Cable IDE 80-contact,

·         Ten signal cables Serial ATA 150,

·         Four cables of power supplies Serial ATA 150,

·         the Cable for hooking up of the flexible drive,

·         Aerial Wireless LAN (only for Wireless Edition).

The main technical parametres of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium

Fig. 2. Motherboard ASUSP5AD2 Premium

Fig. 3. Motherboard ASUSP5AD2 Premium plugs

The processor

·         Support of the processor of Intel of Pentium 4 (Prescott) in tank LGA775 with the system bus of 533 both 800 MHz and support of processing technique Hyper-Threading.

Chip set

·         Intel 82925X (MCH), Intel 82801FR (ICH6R).

Dynamic storage

·         Four plugs (240 contact electrodes) for dynamic storage DDR2 SDRAM DIMM,

·         Support of one or two channels of dynamic storage,

·         DDR2 400 Units or DDR2 533,

·        maximum size — to 4 Gbytes.

USB 2.0

·         Eight ports USB 2.0,

IEEE 1394

·         Two ports IEEE  1394b,

·         One port IEEE  1394a.

Video

·         the Videoadapter in PCI slot Express X16.

Audio

·         the Audiosubsystem of Intel High Definition Audio on the basis of 8-channel codec C-Media CMI9880 7.1-channel audio CODEC c support Dolby Digital Live.

LAN

·         Two gigabitnyh (10/100/1000 Mbit/c) network controller Marvell 88E8053 PCI Express.

Wireless LAN (optional)

·         Resources Wi-Fi with support IEEE 802.11g/b (to 54 Mbit/c).

Disk drives

·         the Interface of the floppi-drive,

·        Intel ICH6R: one Parallel ATA IDE with support of UltraDMA 100/66/33 protocols; four Serial ATA c RAID 0, RAID 1 and Intel Matrix Storage Technology,

·        Silicon Image 3114R RAID: four Serial ATA with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, JBOD and RAID 5 (program).

·        ITE 8212F IDE RAID: two Parallel ATA IDE with support of UltraDMA 133/100/66 c RAID 0 protocols, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, JBOD.

Plugs of peripherals

·         One parallel port,

·         One port IEEE 1394a,

·         One port LAN (RJ-45),

·         One port Wireless LAN antenna,

·         Four ports USB 2.0,

·         One port Optical S/PDIF Out,

·         One port Coaxial Optical S/PDIF Out,

·         Eight ports of audio,

·         keyboard and mouse Ports PS/2.

Slots

·         One PCI slot Express x16,

·         Two PCI slots Express x1,

·         Three PCI slots.

System BIOS

·        AMI BIOS (8 Mbit of ROM),

·        Support Plug and Play, DMI2.0, SM BIOS 2.3, WfM2.0.

Form factor

·         ATX,

·         the Sizes of 305 mm h 244 mm.

Features of ASUS P5AD2 Premium architecture

The motherboard is created according to referens-design which by tradition develop the manufacturer of a chip set, in this case is a corporation of Intel.

Rather recently Intel corporation has passed to the new standard of tank and the plug — LGA 775. It has found the reflexion and in the motherboard architecture. Appearance of the new plug is presented in a Fig. 4.

Fig. 4. The processor plug of standard LGA 775

High efficiency of modern processors is accompanied considerable teploobrazovaniem. It demands appropriate resources of cooling.

Appropriate resources of cooling chip MCH (a Fig. 5) which structure the controllers which are responsible for link with the processor are built in, subsystems of dynamic storage and video, and also with chip ICH demands also .

Fig. 5. A part of Intel chip set 925X chips Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and and I/O Controller Hub (ICH) with cooling resources

It is necessary to mark, that motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium is oriented as a basis of mass high-powered systems of wide application. Usage of processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading and the bus of 800 MHz providing reaching of a maximum level of productivity therefore is recommended  . However usage and less efficient models is possible. It can be, for example, the processors calculated for the bus of 533 MHz.

Together with motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium probably usage of models and without support of processing technique Hyper-Threading though it also will not allow to reach extreme possible performance level.

One of features of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium is application in a subsystem of dynamic storage of DDR2 SDRAM units. The Functional mode of a subsystem of memory can be one-channel or two-channel. The two-channel mode allows to receive completely depthbalanced system for a case when pass-bands of the processor bus and the memory bus coincide and make equal values — 6,4 Gbytes/with. Thus operation of memory modules DDR2 SDRAM can be or synchronous — clock rate coincides with frequency FSB, or asynchronous — clock rate differs from frequency FSB.

Graphics solution PCI Express x16 provides speed to 4 Gbytes/with in each direction, that more than in three and a half time exceeds high-speed performance of the best external graphics adapters with interface AGP8X.

For handle of input\output devices the second component which is a part of the used chip set traditionally responds. As this component of the given copy of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium Intel chip 82801FR (ICH6R), resulted on a Fig. 5 uses .

From features of the architecture it is necessary to mark an audiosubsystem realising processing technique of Intel High Definition Audio. It provides considerable improvement of playback of a multi-channel sound 48 kgts in comparison with traditional solutions AC ' 97. Support of new formats of house cinemas and support of simultaneous playback of several separate sound streams is Besides, carried out. As the codec chip C-Media CMI9880 7.1-channel audio CODEC c is used by support Dolby Digital Live. It is realised eight audiochannels («Flexible 8-channel audio with jack sensing»).

The network controllers Gigabit Ethernet realised on chips of controllers Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI Express are built in the motherboard architecture. These chips are presented in a Fig. 7 (are designated red). The given integrated network tools allow to include easily the computer through built in RJ45 (LAN plug in local area network structure.

For the extension of the computer system created on the basis of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 PREMIUM, the appropriate slots presented by traditional PCI plugs and PCI Express x1 are. Thus it is necessary to mark, that the subsystem of input/output PCI Express x1 provides speed more than in 500 Mb per second. It more than in 3,5 times exceeds speed of traditional PCI architecture which, as is known, has capacity in 133 Mb per second.

One more feature in the architecture new materinski cards which concerns and ASUS P5AD2 Premium, is a processing technique of Intel Matrix Storage. The given processing technique realised in ICH6R and ICH6RW, provides high efficiency at usage of one disk or a RAID-file.

Increases productivity of hard disks by means of processing technique RAID 0 and protects data by means of processing technique RAID 1, applying them on the same disks. Interface AHCI raises productivity thanks to integration of sequence of commands and provides support of hot installation and changeover of hard disks.

The processing technique of Intel Matrix Storage helps to protect data, simultaneously raising productivity in comparison with systems with one hard disk. And it is important, that supports transition from a pattern "RAID ready" with one hard disk on array RAID 0 or RAID 1 without OS reinstallation.

For the purpose of the extension of possibilities of the motherboard the additional chips which are ensuring functioning with an additional set of disk drives are integrated into its architecture. These are chips Silicon Image 3114R RAID and ITE 8212F IDE RAID. Thus Silicon Image 3114R RAID are four Serial ATA with RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, JBOD and RAID 5 (program), and ITE 8212F IDE RAID — two Parallel ATA IDE with support of UltraDMA 133/100/66 c RAID 0 protocols, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, JBOD.

Thus, motherboard ASUS P5AD2 PREMIUM supports operation of three arrays of disk drives with functions RAID. Thus one array is controlled by a chip of Intel ICH6R, and the second and the third — Silicon Image 3114R RAID and ITE 8212F IDE RAID. In total it is possible to hook up to the card of about 14 disk drives.

In a Fig. 6 plugs of the disk subsystem which are a part of the architecture of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium are presented.

Fig. 6. Plugs of a disk subsystem of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium

It is necessary to mark, that card ASUS P5AD2 Premium supports to eight ports USB of 2.0 and three ports IEEE1394 (Firewire). For support last on the card two controllers of production Texas Instruments are installed: TSB81BA3 and TSB82AA2.

Considering possibilities of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium, it is necessary to mark, that this card supports variety of firm processing techniques.

As an example it is possible to mark hardware-software support of the developed system of dispersal (overclocking).

In spite of the fact that Intel chip set 925X officially support only memory DDR2 400/533, engineers ASUS managed to provide support of DDR2 600 units . It provides increase in capacity and razgonnyj potential between the processor and memory.

Innovative processing technique ASUS Hyper Path2 considerably reduces latentnost at calls to memory on series chip sets 925X and improves memory operation, not bringing on assurances of engineers ASUSTeK of a victim stability of system.

Processing technique ASUS Q-Fan2 intellectually controls two fans: processor and case in correspondence to load on system, for silent and effective operation.

The important feature of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium implementation in its architecture of resources of wireless data transfer — Wi-Fi with support IEEE 802.11g/b (to 54 Mbit/c), presented in a Fig. 7. The external aerial is hooked up to special high frequency-plug.

Fig. 7. Controllers Gbit LAN (it is designated red) and resources Wi-Fi (is designated yellow) motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium

Power supply of units of motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium is carried out through system of impulse stabilising devices.

The main components and motherboard subsystems receive energopitanie from the special stabilising devices built in its structure.

In a multi-channel (fourline) impulse surge protector of the processor (a Fig. 8), traditionally allocated round a processor socket, the considerable quantity of filtering capacitors is applied. In the stabilising device four are applied one capacitor on 1500 mkf, on 1000 mkf and some less capacious capacitors.

Fig. 8. VRM motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium

Except this converter, on the card there are additional converters of supply voltage PCI Express x16 and dynamic storage units. So for PCI Exрress x16 2 capacitors on 1000 mkf, for memory — 4 on 1000 mkf are used . Inductive elements are Besides, applied.

In motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium architecture possibilities of the hardware monitoring providing the control over supply voltages and operation of cooling fans are realised.

Stability and dependability

In the course of durable testing motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium worked steadily as it usually and is characteristic for products of this manufacturer.

For data acquisition about dependability of card ASUS P5AD2 Premium it is necessary to access or to the computer corporations realising this product, or it is direct to the manufacturer of mother chamber — companies ASUSTeK through its representations.

High-powered card ASUS P5AD2 Premium can be recommended a wide range of users.

Motherboard ASUS P5AD2 Premium package it is given by the Moscow representation of company ASUSTeK