Is a CPU upgrade worth it- Q6600 to P4?
 

Currently have a Q6600 intel quad CPU (775 mobo). I am failing the PC check (MMC 8.7) "Not MMX architecture". I am pretty sure MMC cannot use the 4 cores. Not sure if this is a big deal either, but I can pick up from a local Microcenter a Refurb P4 3.0GHz (I think it's model Prescott 530). Will I gain anything from a faster proc? It would be a $22 "upgrade"?

Rappy

You don't want a Prescott, ignore the Mhz numbers. Its old (released in 2004), slow and runs way too hot. The running joke when it came out was that it could cook you breakfast. The Core2 CPUs were a big improvement over the old P4s in terms of efficiency, your Q6600 can easily beat it in encoding speed.

Not sure why the installer is failing the MMX check, then again ATI's software from that era wasn't known to be bug free either.

This isn't really about "upgrade" or "downgrade" -- it's about building a system around a set of compatibility specs. If you're simply going to use the computer for capturing, there's really nothing wrong with the Prescott CPU. It's when you try to "use it" (gaming, video encoding, LAN server, etc) that a known-hot CPU starts to decay. Capturing won't peg out a CPU at 100% or even close to it, so it's not a real worry. I have a "hot" CPU here, too, and it works great for the work I give it.

I think that would be a safe buy, to build an ATI All In Wonder (Radeon AGP chipset card) based computer. :thumb:

If you can get a P4 system for $22, do it. (If Microcenter was close, I'd do it! Never hurts to have backup gear.)

This would be strictly for capture- I have sitting next to it a EVGA P67 FTW/I7(2600K) with SSD (OS) 8gig memory ect...ect. I have the capture rig up and sunning (sort of) just want to make sure it is the best for the job! Once I resolve my TBC issue (see other post) I will start capturing complete tapes. I guess that will be the true test huh? What is considered the best 775 socket processor for the job?

Nope. The "true test" is when you have a new homemade DVD, and it looks good. :)

I would get the biggest, meanest single-core CPU. The 3.6Ghz, maybe?
The per-core speed matters, the "dual" cores does not.
Bunch of them here, from $23 to $30 each, plus shipping: http://www.geeks.com/products.asp?ca...&CJPID=3235990
Do that.

Ok - so I went with the biggest, meanest CPU, the 3.6GHz. System does feel more peppy! :cool: the ATI Multimedia Center Config. PC Check still fails the MMX architecture test. But from what I have read, this might be just a glitch in the test. I do not want to re install the SW, since everything else looks to be running ok. the only other thing that might be concerning is that sometimes when I run the PC test (often run it when I make a change), I get the warning for the sound card clock stability. Most times it passes, but then once in a while I get the warning. Is this something to be concerned with? When I am playing a tape, it always passes.

Thx, rappy

Then, no, don't worry about it.
The failure may be related to not having a live signal.