Motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe architecture

Evgenie Rudometov,

Victor Rudometov

http://www.rudometov.com

Rather recently ASUSTeK corporation had been released motherboard ASUS P4C800 which in short period became one of the most popular cards among users. The high-powered chip set of Intel 875P became a basis of this card. Motherboard ASUS P4C800 is oriented to creation of the high-powered computer systems which basis is made by processors of NetBurst architecture with processing technique Hyper-Threading.

ASUSTeK corporation is one of leaders of the computer market. This corporation stably takes the upper positions in the list of manufacturers of motherboards. Moreover, the last years this corporation steadily takes the first places on number of released cards.

One their recently released models of the motherboards created on the basis of a popular chip set of Intel 875P, card ASUSP4C800 which is thanks to the functionality one of the most popular products of given type is. Its expanded variant is motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe.

Motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe is oriented to development of powerful workstations and high-powered desktop personal computers. As well as all products created on the basis of a chip set of Intel 875P, this card allows to realise all advantages of the architecture of processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading. High efficiency of motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe is reached thanks to support of the processor bus with a transmission frequency of the given 800 MHz and units of a two-channel subsystem of memory DDR400.

Intel chip set 875P motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe

Fig. 1. Structure of the computer created on the basis of a chip set i875P

Intel chip set 875P (i875P, Canterwood) is oriented to the architecture of workstations and high-powered desktop personal computers. Supports systems with processors of Intel of Pentium 4 with processing technique Hyper-Threading, 0,13 microns created on processing technique . The given processors are hooked up through Socket 478 plug and work with bus FSB of type QPB (Quad-Pumped Bus) which clock rate for the given chip set can make 133 or 200 MHz. However usage of the models calculated and on frequency of the bus of 100 MHz is possible .

The chip set i875P consists of two components — Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and I/O Controller Hub (ICH), jointed by bus Hub Link (256 Mb per second).

MCH component is presented by Intel chip 82875P, containing resources of interfaces of operation with the processor, AGP videoadapter, dynamic storage units, and also with chip I/O Controller Hub.

Built in Intel chip 82875P the memory controller provides support: two-and one-channel functional modes of memory DDR SDRAM (Double Data Rate SDRAM — SDRAM with data transfer on lobbies and back edges of clock pulses of the bus of memory), DDR400/333/266, a maximum memory size — to 4 Gbytes, chips 128, 256, 512 Mbit DDR SDRAM, units both with ECC, and without ECC. In patterns with support ECC in a two-channel mode the bus of 144 bits, without support ECC — 128 bits uses   .

Chip MCH supports different frequency functional modes for processor and memory buses.

For a synchronous functional mode of memory DDR400 and frequency of the bus of 800 MHz probably usage of the mode providing raised productivity of a subsystem of memory, — processing techniques of Intel PAT (Performance Acceleration Technology). In this mode the delays linked to synchronisation are minimised.

The built in controller of a drawing supports one arrangement 0,8/1,5 In AGP 3.0, working in modes AGP 8х/4x.

In the architecture of a chip of Intel 82875P the special interface is provided, allowing to realise Gigabit Ethernet. Carrying over of these resources from ICH in MCH speaks insufficient capacity of the local bus jointing hubs MCH and ICH.

Handle of computer peripheral devices is carried out by Intel chip 82801ЕB — ICH the fifth version which are a part of a base package of a chip set i875P.

The built in resources of a chip of handle of peripheral devices of a base set support: two channels IDE with support ATA 33/66/100 (to four arrangements IDE), two ports Serial ATA 150, eight ports USB 2.0, six PCI (32 bits/33 of MHz), LPC (Low Pin Count), AC ' 97 with support of three codecs of the audiochannels, integrated controller Ethernet 10/100 Base-TX, SMBas, ACPI 2.0, and also other resources and functions.

Except Intel 82801ЕB, usage of the expanded version of hub ICH5 — ICH5R is possible . This expanded variant is presented by Intel chip 82801ЕR which differs from the predecessor function RAID of level 0.

The main technical parametres of motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe

Fig. 2. Motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe package

Fig. 3. Motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe

Fig. 4. Motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe plugs

The processor

·        support of processors of Intel of Pentium by 4 clock rate of 3,06 GHz + and with processing technique Hyper-Threading with the bus 800, 533, 400 MHz in 478-contact tank mPGA,

·        support of processors of Intel Celeron in 478-contact tank mPGA.

Chip set

·       Intel 82875P (MCH) and Intel 82801ER (ICH5R);

·        two ports Serial ATA 150 c support RAID 0;

·        Ultra ATA 100/66 protocol;

·        five PCI plugs.

Dynamic storage

·        four plugs (184 contact electrodes) for dynamic storage DIMM, DDR 400, DDR333, DDR266 (2,5 In, 128/256/512/1024 Mbit, unbuffered), is supported mode ECC, maximum size — to 4 Gbytes;

·        support of one or two channels of dynamic storage.

Video

·        one general-purpose size 1,5 or 0,8 In AGP 3.0 with support of mode AGP 8X/4X/Pro.

Audio

·        an audiosubsystem on the basis of codec ADI AD1984 6-channel audio CODEC.

LAN

·        the integrated network controller 3Com 3C940 Gigabit PCI LAN controller (RJ45).

IEEE1394 (optional)

·       VIA 6307 IEEE 1394 controller with support of two connectors IEEE 1394.

Interfaces of disk drives

·        two connectors Ultra DMA 100/66/33;

·        two connectors Serial ATA 150.

Interfaces of disk drives (Promise PD20378 – optional)

·        one connector Ultra DMA 100/66/33;

·        two connectors Serial ATA 150;

·       RAID0, RAID1, RAID0+1, Multi-RAID.

System BIOS

·        AMI BIOS, 4 Mбит Flash EEPROM.

·        Q-Flash.

Slots

·        one AGP slot, five PCI slots.

Peripherals plugs

·        one Floppy port (supports arrangements in size to 2,88 Mb);

·        PS/2 the keyboard and PS/2 the mouse;

·        one parallel port (Parallel);

·        one serial port (COM);

·        four USB 2.0 plugs;

·        one IEEE1394 plug;

·        one RJ45 plug;

·        one S/PDIF Out plug;

·        audioplugs (Line-In, Mic-In, Line-Out).

Monitoring of hardware

·        monitoring of powers and temperatures.

Form factor

·        ATX, the sizes 30,5 x 24,4 sm, 6 layers PCB.

Structure of a package of motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe

Into package structure enter:

·        a box;

·        motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe;

·        a compact disc with drivers and utilities;

·        the user manual in English;

·        quick reference guide Quick Setup;

·        the short quick reference on Ai Series;

·        the cover plate of input/output corresponding to specification ATX;

·        loops for hooking up of drives;

·        stickers.

Fig. 5. The description of firm processing techniques presented to a box with motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe

Features of the architecture and design of motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe

The design of motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe as a whole corresponds to referens-design of similar products.

Fig. 6. Motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe structure

Motherboard ASUSP4C800 Deluxe, as well as its less powerful prototype, is oriented to application in high-powered systems. Therefore in the systems created on the basis of the given card, 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 is recommended  . However usage and less efficient models is possible. It can be, for example, the processors calculated for the bus of 533 MHz and even of 400 MHz. Thus together with the motherboard of Intel В875PBZ application of models and without support of processing technique Hyper-Threading is possible. However together with this card can be maintained and models of processors Celeron though, it is necessary to recognise, that it does not provide the high levels of the productivity accessible to more efficient variants of processors and the given motherboard.

The functional mode of memory modules DDR SDRAM can be as one-channel (3,2 Gbytes/c), and two-channel (6,4 Gbytes/c). The two-channel mode allows to receive completely depthbalanced system in the event that pass-bands of the processor bus and the memory bus coincide and make equal values — 6,4 Gbytes/with. Thus operation of memory modules DDR SDRAM can be or synchronous — clock rate coincides with frequency FSB, or asynchronous — clock rate differs from frequency FSB. It is set in BIOS Setup — SDRAM Frequency.

The built in resources of the motherboard allow to change a standard set tajmingov.

In case of a synchronous mode for frequency of the bus of 800 MHz and memory modules DDR400 usage of the mode providing raised productivity of a subsystem of memory is possible. This processing technique realised in all products, created on a basis i875P, carries the name «PAT» (Performance Acceleration Technology). The idea laying in its basis, consists in an expedition of passing of data through MCH at the expense of refusal superfluous in this case synchronisations. Thus will not be involved superfluous sinhronizatsionnye bufery in a chip set, and data are handled directly. By estimations of experts of Intel, the reached scoring makes 3‑5 %.

Possibilities of dispersal are not ignored also. Clock rate of the processor can be changed over a wide range: from 100 MHz to 400 MHz with step 1 MHz.

Fig. 7. Chip MCH of a chip set i875P with resources of cooling and processor Socket 478 plug

Cредствами a chip set the mode of Intel RAID 0 (only for the operating system of Windows XP) is supported  . Usually it is realised by means of two ports Serial ATA 150, however with the help vstroivanija in the motherboard architecture it is possible to increase quantity portoy this type. This path also has been selected in ASUSP4C800 Deluxe, that has allowed to realise a complete spectrum of possibilities RAID.

The network controller is built in the motherboard architecture 3Com 3C940 GigabitPCI LAN. This network controller allows to include easily the computer through built in RJ-45 plug in local area network structure.

Fig. 8. Chips ICH, BIOS, SerialATA plugs and UltraDMA

Rise of dependability and stability of operation is promoted by implementation of the hardware monitoring providing the control over supply voltages and operation of cooling fans. This possibility simplifies the control in case of usage of modes of dispersal.

Following parametres are inspected: power of processor Vcore, +3,3, +5 and +12 In; temperature of the processor, the card and the external sensor which is hooked up to the card, a rotating speed of three fans.

One more feature of ASUSP4C800 Deluxe architecture is usage of two-channel variant VRM though many manufacturers of motherboards use already fourline solutions. Nevertheless, testing has shown high stability of operation of the card.

Fig. 9. VRM ASUS P4C800 Deluxe

In a two-channel impulse surge protector of the processor 7 capacitors on 1500 mkf and 3 on 1200 mkf are applied, also on the card there are stabilising devices of power supply of buses AGP and memory.

Testing has shown high stability of operation of card ASUS P4C800 Deluxe and its high productivity, but about it in one of following articles.

Motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe can be recommended a wide range of users.

Motherboard ASUS P4C800 Deluxe is given by the Moscow representation of ASUSTeK corporation