I concur with John. I built a couple of these machines last winter, albeit
with a different motherboard (K7VEM-Pro). It's a good compromise in being able
to use an ISA card (like a 16-bit Soundblaster that K6STI's RITTY software
requires), yet you can still run a fast AMD processor and the whole package
won't set you back a whole lot.
Remember, most DOS-based software requires a separate IRQ for each interrupt,
while most cards with Windows drivers can share a single interrupt. In other
words, those interrupt-sharing cards won't work as you expect with DOS
software, so you better be able to put a 2-port or 4-port ISA card in your
system.
Finally, think about audible noise! I generally replace the power supply fan
and case fan(s) with quieter parts from PC Power and Cooling. Get a video card
like the Nvidia MX440 or 5200 that has a passive heat sink (i.e. no fan).
Seagate makes some low-noise drives (Barracuda IV series). The less noise in
the shack, the less fatigue during a contest.
73 - Jim AD1C
=====
Jim Reisert AD1C, 7 Charlemont Court, North Chelmsford, MA 01863
USA +978-251-9933, <jjreisert@alum.mit.edu>, http://www.ad1c.com
PGP Fingerprint: D8E2 3D78 339F A7F1 8C13 1193 B5D1 4FB6 79D1 70DC
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