picoPSU enough for my high end rig?

LodeHacker · Post by **LodeHacker** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:27 am

Okay this ain't high end for gaming, but it is my DAW and I want to know if a picoPSU can drive it:

Motherboard: ASUS P5K Workstation
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 (Conroe)
RAM: 2GB Kingston HyperX 1066Mhz CL5
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
HDD: Samsung SpinPoint F1 320GB SATA
Audio: ECHO LAYLA 3G PCI

Using this power calculator http://www.antec.outervision.com/ the result I got was slightly under 200W. If it is of any relevance, the CPU is both undervolted and overclocked (1.064V / 2010Mhz vs stock 1.25V / 1860Mhz). Although it's only a small difference in speed, temperatures got very low (almost 10C low) and the system is rock solid. Also, the RAM is undervolted and underclocked (1.80V / 800Mhz / 5-5-5-18 vs stock 2.2V / 1066Mhz / 5-5-5-15). Last but not least the GeForce 8400 GS is based on the new G98 core with full VC-1 decoding capabilities and not the more power hungry G86 core.

I am very certain that a picoPSU is way too tiny to handle this system, but maybe some of the experts here can give more insight. I can't recall the name for it but does anyone know what this "PSU" is? I refer to a "PSU" which basically is external and only modular cable sockets are installed in place of a "real" PSU.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Tobias · Post by **Tobias** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:49 am

I'm the first to admitt that I don't know anything regarding Intel mobos, but the system found at this link
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article889-page4.html
was built around Asus p5q and comparing that to yours, I can't see that a 8400 + that soundcard would draw more that 70W (which is your ceiling with a Pico150).

LodeHacker · Post by **LodeHacker** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:01 am

Stupid question, but do ATX motherboards draw more than mATX?

JamieG · Post by **JamieG** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:45 pm

You could try going with an mATX mobo with integrated graphics, which could help.

The main system in my sig runs off a 60W brick, even though the particular PSU (PW-200V) is rated for up to 200W - I just couldn't get a brick with more power that didn't include an active fan (which would defeat the purpose!). The E5200 is at 1.8Ghz (can't remember voltage off the top of my head). The motherboard is a Gigabyte G31M-ES2L. I've had no problems with stability with an extra hard drive and DVD drive hooked up to the system for doing windows installs and other stuff.

I don't know how much power your audio card would use and how much difference your older CPU might make, but if you can find a higher power brick that doesn't use an active fan, a bigger picoPSU (eg the 150XT) or the PW-200V that I'm using could be enough of a power supply.

Alternatively, a fanless PSU like the Silverstone Nightjar series might be just what you need. I think Fortron also make a reasonably well-regarded fanless PSU.

LodeHacker · Post by **LodeHacker** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:20 am

I'm making an HTPC hence the need for something like the PicoPSU. I don't think an ATX PSU will fit. Also using an mATX motherboard with IGP will defeat the purpose of the HTPC, namely to be a portable DAW and for that I need my ASUS P5K WS. Also an IGP is hard to find with full VC-1 decoding capabilities for example like the 8400 GS with VDPAU in Linux.

hybrid2d4x4 · Post by **hybrid2d4x4** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 10:24 am

Sorry for my confusion, but what does the P5K WS have that something like the Gigabyte GA-E7AUM-DS2H doesn't? I'm don't know about VDPAU, but if the 8400GS supports VC-1 in Linux, I'd expect the GeForce 9300/9400 to do the same. Have you checked into this? Also, I'm not sure why you think an ATX PSU wouldn't fit a "portable" computer, but still insist on a full ATX motherboard when someone suggested mATX?

But all that aside, to answer your original question: yes, a 150W picoPSU would almost certainly run all the hardware you listed with sufficient headroom. The 120W should be able to do it too, but unless you get yourself something to measure power, you won't know for certain. The 90W might be able to do it too, but you'd probably be cutting it close during startup and full-load.[/url]

LodeHacker · Post by **LodeHacker** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:07 am

Something my ASUS P5K WS has that your mentioned Gigabyte doesn't is PCI-X. There are a few minor things but PCI-X for now is important as I will buy a new internal low profile SCSI RAID card for direct compatibility with my SCSI digital recorder. That is the reason I chose this motherboard for my DAW setup. Haven't seen an mATX with PCI-X and Socket 775.

According to http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/VDPAU#Supported_Cards the 9400 is supported, but I couldn't find the information whether VC-1 decoding is supported. The DAW will be used to synchronize audio with various movies and for that I really need to have the CPU focus on audio 100% and let the GeForce do the decoding. After finding out the capabilities of the VC-1 codec I am very certain I will integrate it in my projects. Not only this but I need TV out support using composite video / S-Video, which most current IGPs do not offer in favor of HDMI.

Please do ask for more details if you need to, but one thing that bothers me with picoPSU or any other PSU of its kind is that I need an external brick which is in between the wall outlet and the PSU. Not that it will take unnecessary room but it will be hard to find a quality brick which can drive 150W for example, so the PSU won't feel slim driving my high end rig.

Any other suggestions?

lm · Post by lm » Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:01 pm

I don't understand why you need PCI-X for a RAID card that you are going to buy but don't have yet?

Can't you just get a RAID card that goes into PCI Express bus that all mobos have today? Isn't PCI-X obsolete technology?

LodeHacker · Post by **LodeHacker** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:54 am

lm wrote:I don't understand why you need PCI-X for a RAID card that you are going to buy but don't have yet?

Can't you just get a RAID card that goes into PCI Express bus that all mobos have today? Isn't PCI-X obsolete technology?

there are at least three points as to why I refuse to get a PCI-Express RAID card:

1) Most likely to support SAS, not Ultra 320 SCSI.
2) Required I/O bandwidth calls for at least x8 card.
3) Price very high.

My digital hard disk recorder uses Ultra 320 SCSI so I will not do anything with SAS. Also even if it was a parallel SCSI interface card, it will most likely require a x8 slot. In combination with an IGP it could work that I install this RAID card into the x16 slot initially designed for a graphics card. I don't know how rich you are but I am so poor at the moment after upgrading audio hardware that I simply can not afford a PCI-Express card.

PCI-X definately is not obsolete technology. Call it legacy if you like but it is not obsolete. There are new boards out with PCI-X as it is very common in the server market still to date.

Monkeh16 · Post by **Monkeh16** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:36 am

LodeHacker wrote:there are at least three points as to why I refuse to get a PCI-Express RAID card:

1) Most likely to support SAS, not Ultra 320 SCSI.

Parallel SCSI HBAs are available for PCI-E.

2) Required I/O bandwidth calls for at least x8 card.

So how do you plan to get 2GB/s out of PCI-X 1.1 133MHz, exactly? Hint: Your planned PCI-X card will in reality be using four PCI-E 1.1 lanes.

3) Price very high.

This applies to all high end controllers, not just PCI-E.

LodeHacker · Post by **LodeHacker** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:12 am

Look I mixed up a few things but I intended to say that SAS controllers are more widely available than parallel SCSI. I do know that my P5K WS uses a NEC chip which is a bridge for providing a single PCI-X slot in favor of x4 PCI Express. Last thing, I know many companies personally who are in the SCSI/server market and I can get a very good deal through them, for example a high end Adaptec RAID for 1/4 of original price. Of course these guys deploy only PCI-X, not PCI Express.