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WIN: Asus Xtreme Global Summit Competition Week 1

Discussion in 'ASUS' started by Sifter3000, 28 Jul 2009.

  1. Sifter3000

    Sifter3000 I used to be somebody

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    http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2009/07/28/asus-xtreme-global-summit-1-design-matters/

    WIN WIN WIN! Now you’ve seen how Asus engineers have developed and designed new functions for their boards, we want to hear your ideas for a new feature that could be added to a motherboard. Together the bit-tech editorial team, Asus will select the five best ideas and those who submitted them will each win a ticket to the Asus Xtreme Global Summit in London on the 28th of August.

    :)
     
  2. Spiny

    Spiny What's a Dremel?

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    How about:

    - An automated overclocking utility at the BIOS level with a built in soak test?
    - Automatic BIOS backup for flashing
    - Internet enable TurboV to share successfull hardware & overclock settings. Should make it easier for people to get a stable overclock more quickly.
    - A quick boot manager menu for booting from different hard disks when you have multiple OSs on different discs.
     
  3. flibblesan

    flibblesan Destroyer

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    hotkeys for switching overclocking profiles on the fly without using any additional programs. Either using the keyboard or button on the rear IO panel.
     
  4. Shuflie

    Shuflie What's a Dremel?

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    I would like to see an intelligent motherboard with onboard processor, memory and storage that could run an alternative start up mode and test the basic built in functions of the motherboard and attached memory and storage devices. This could probably be done using an ARM processor with a small ammount of seperate memory available to it running from a flash DOC module that had a custom linux operating system installed on it. Output to a proper monitor rather than a series of hard to decipher blinking LEDs would be preferable.
     
  5. ffjason

    ffjason What's a Dremel?

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    I love the idea of overclocking in windows but remember having so many problems with it using the nForce 680 SLi chipset. I would rather not have the situation where if I set a setting too high in windows the system would boot to the windows loading screen and then BSOD when the software loaded. I would therefore say that the overclock should always have a backup setting if it crashes on the first try (if its automatic on startup).

    In addition to that, forget the fancy "cool" looking interfaces which companies think overclockers want. Instead focus on getting a clear and detailed interface which is simple to use. Clarify what the settings mean with detailed help tips.

    I've loaded up a few "overclocking" utilities which look cool but I actually found that the settings I wanted were too hard to find in the limited interface. Stick with the basics. If the users want to add skins allow them too! Please don't scare off new users by making the interface so far away from a standard window style that they don't know where to start and don't just list all the options you can change. A new user is going to have no idea what the CPU PLL or DRAM voltage settings do or why they would want to change them.

    One last idea to avoid is automatic overclocking. It doesn't work and if it does it achieves minimal results. It is a waste of time to attempt it. On the other hand having a quick and easy way for users to share their results would be good. A .txt printout of the settings they have sucessfully used and detailed information about their setup could provide useful for others. Creating an online overclockers database for users to browse through could provide invaluable and I have never seen another manufacturer provide this before.

    New features I would like to see would be:
    1. In the BIOS, when choosing the hard drive to boot from, it would be nice to see the operating systems listed next to the hard drives (obviously mulitple os's might be necessary if the disk is partitioned).

    2. Dynamic BIOS pictures. Basically those annoying logo's which are set by default to come up instead of the post readout could be changed so that they had the text from the post come up over them giving the user a nice interface but with the necessary detail for those advanced users.

    3. A battery meter for the BIOS battery. Just to give a rough estimate of how much life it has left.

    4. Post-Code explanations. I'm not sure whether the ASUS boards have a post-code display but I've found them to be useful but frustrating. If you board won't boot and it is giving a post-code error you then need to find another PC to look up what the post code means. It would be nice if, upon the event of the error, a small message would be displayed on screen (obviously as long as its not a graphics error) with a detailed explanation of what that code means and possible fixes for it.

    5. Generally just more detail regarding BIOS settings. An explanation that "this setting increases the CPU voltage" isnt very useful. However, "You can increase the CPU voltage with this settings. This would be used for achieving stability on very high overclocks" would be more useful. This is especially important on the more obscure settings.

    6. BIOS consistency. It would be nice for manufacturers to agree on settings names. The same settings appear under many different names on different manufacturers boards. One standard set of BIOS settings wouldn't go amiss.

    7. CPU coolers compatibility lists. It would be nice to know which CPU coolers work with your board. Though this may be the job of the cooler manufacturer it maybe wise for motherboard manufacturers to read up on the most recommended coolers and state that they work on their board. This will benefit cooler manufactures and motherboard manufacturers.
     
  6. LT.BEECH

    LT.BEECH Minimodder

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    sofware that you type what hardware you hve into, or detects what hardware you have, and auomaticaly creates overclocking profiles
     
  7. chocolateraisins

    chocolateraisins :D

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    1. Replace Key parts of Copper with Gold, Gold is known for its better heat conductivity, and also electrical conductivity = increased speeds, and cools well

    2. Greener design, using materials that do the same job, but are more environmentally friendly and can be readily recycled.

    3. Effective design, and a cheap price too boot.
     
  8. cjmUK

    cjmUK Old git.

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    - Semi-automated overclocking tools:

    Most people want a moderate stable overclock for day to day use. Having a BIOS that could incrementally test different parameter settings for the given hardware, with an option to set limits (or fix) various parameters (temp, voltages, mem speeds etc). It would be a good way of determining what your mobo would regard as a sensible configuration, which enthusiasts would naturally take further

    - Import/Export Settings (might be already available for all I know)

    I often see (and indeed seek) other peoples BIOS settings for similar or identical hardware. It would be nice to be able load and save these profiles from machine to machine. Obviously even 'identical' hardware can perform differently, so there would need to be checks and balances. An addition use would be as a backup in case of mobo failure. Many boards have the capability to store one or two profiles on-board; this idea extends that a little further.
     
  9. Madness_3d

    Madness_3d Bit-Tech/Asus OC Winner

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    Customizable expansion slot layout
    So that you can rearrange your PCI, PCI-E 16x, PCI-E 4x and PCI-E 1x slots on the motherboard, to best suit your hardware configuration. I.E. arranging so that your Dual Slot graphics card doesnt block off the only PCI slot you need for your X-Fi Card. This could be achievable by creating a dense LGA that contains pins for both PCI and up to 16x PCI-E. Then each connector would locate onto the slot, and route the pins it needs up to the top of the slot. It's quite easily achievable especially when you consider how much space there is between expansion slots.

    OR for the hardcore bencher or tester, little feet underneath the board which pop down, to allow you to run and insert graphics cards without the need to run the board on top of a box.

    Also For Modders, and people looking to build a colour co-ordinated system, Asus could manufacture new heatsinks in differing colours. If the idea of interchangable Expansion slots was carried out these two could have their colours changable. These could be sold at a premium to the Users who want them and would cement Asus' position as the No. 1 Manufacturer for High End Systems.

    Asus could also follow on from the "Overclocked By" Tags on the Rampage II Extreme and have a LCD Poster replacing this, for the high end user to have a customisable internal display.

    Also Asus could expand on their Fusion Heatsink and Expand this to the VRM cooling area.

    Also an expansion of the OC-Palm, Secure Overclocking across multiple platforms, such as the Apple iPhone OS , Android OS etc. To allow people to see the voltage and temperature readings of their components on their handheld devices, while also being able to tweak overclocking settings.
     
    Last edited: 28 Jul 2009
  10. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

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    DFI's have the auto BIOS backup and the boot manager atm. The soak test would be good - some form of Prime95 built in like the NF4 boards that used to have memtest86 built in.

    I'd quite like to see more mobo-controlled fan headers, better power cable placement and inboard USB ports for readyboost drives.

    Another niceity would be the customizable slots, but that's just not a sensible option, how could you possibly route 16x PCI-e slots and control them throughout the board?

    Using gold for parts of the conductive traces in the motherboard is all well and good, but it's hellishly expensive compared to copper and doesn't provide any benefit at all since it's less electrically conductive. Thermal conductivity is a moot point when you've got massively increased electrical resistance.
     
    Last edited: 28 Jul 2009
  11. Xir

    Xir Modder

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    Mainly Asus's own old virtue: stability

    Correct readouts on temperature monitor programs such as everest et al would be good. If it has to be a windows programme: keep it simple and small.

    Gigabit ethernet should be standard even on the cheapest of boards by now.

    For Overclockers...dual BIOS, so even in the worst case you won't have to take out the ROM to have it flashed.
     
  12. g3n3tiX

    g3n3tiX Minimodder

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    - Eco-friendly packaging (already partly done) but there might be ways to improve even more : for example, removing the individual plastic sealed bags for things like USB brackets, or not excessively printing shiny graphics on the box itself : as it's bought for what's inside, the features and "tick boxes" are not really needed (except for "real world" retailer versions, which could use the graphics). I don't really care about glossy pictures when I buy it online, knowing it will perform.
    Thus, having cheaper packaging means cheaper price. And the environmental cost of printing is lessened.

    - Improve the Splashtop software so that new programs can be installed, making a Linux-on-ssd with instant power-on. (maybe support for VLC and storage device mounting at least)

    - 90 degrees rotated ATX connector !

    What about that Marine Cool concept board ? I'd like to see it released ! (or at least the cooling technology behind it if it works well)
    It looks AWESOME !

    - Maybe more detailed BIOS entries (a better explanation of what the setting does, when we press a button)

    And a bit more experimental :
    - Some kind of WC loop pump connector, so the MB could monitor temps (it has them already) and control the WC flow/pump speed automatically. Also it could measure back the flow/water temp/... But I guess you'd some specialized hardware (norm ?standard ?) in order to achieve this.
     
    Last edited: 28 Jul 2009
  13. andrew8200m

    andrew8200m Multimodder

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    1, Jumpers on the motherboard that engage different user set bios options. EG 4 different OC profiles that can be engaged using a switch on the IO panel of the motherboard prior to system start.

    2, Right angled 24pin and 8pin connectors on the motherboard to aid cable management.

    3, 6pin a 8pin pcie connectors embedded into the motherboard so the graphics card runs entirely from the motherboard reducing cable clutter inside the PC. Similar to having the 24pin mb connector on the board. Having shorter "daughter" type cables running from a universal 8pin connector on the board to a 6pin and 6+2pin via this "daughter" cable.

    4, Individual core temperatures for the CPU as a singular temp does not represent an accurate temp of the CPU.

    5, For extreme overclockers, a plug in daughter board with extra caps installed and a digital variable resister to alter and adjust the resulting v-drop from overclocking under load. Resulting in a more stable and true power delivery.

    6, Individual voltage adjustment for memory on alternate slots. eg slots 1,3,5 can be adjusted different to slots 2,4,6 in the event of different ram being used when current ram cannot be obtained anymore so an alternative which may have a different operational voltage can be used and set to correct working frequencys without causing issues with the previously installed units.

    7, A universal layout with expansion slots eg.
    -slot 1, pice 1x or 4x (for a sound card for instance).
    -slot 2, pcie 16x (gpu 1)
    -slot 3, pcie 1x or 4x. (incase use of single slot gpu)
    -slot 4, pcie 16x (gpu 3)
    -slot 5, pci (for older sound cards such as x-fi pci incase you dont go tripple gpu),
    -slot 6, pcie 16x (gpu 2),
    -slot 7, pice 16x incase you like to run folding at home on numerous single slot gpus.)
    This was you can run tri-sli of you wish and run a sound card (slot 1), something that is very rare today. Keeping 3 slots free (2 slots if dual cooler) between gpu 1 and gpu 2 (if running 2 cards) will aid with card cooling which in turn should help with overclocking on air.

    8, Move the southbridge as far up the board OR as far to the edge as possible so that GPUs do not cover them causing restricted air flow and excessive heat. and/or so they can have a water block fitted easily for ultimate cooling. The above should be enough to enable 3x gpu's for tri-sli and a sound card whilst also being able to water cool every possible available component that can be water cooled resulting in a truely epic layout for a motherboard.



    Andy (andrew8200m)
     
    Last edited: 28 Jul 2009
  14. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

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    Some great ideas there - an OEM version with just a plain box printed with the model numbers and without bags and other crap - no driver CD included would be good too.

    Another good idea is the 90' ATX connector - it's almost universally at the edge of the board these days anyway, why not just rotate it?
     
  15. 1ad7

    1ad7 What's a Dremel?

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    Motherboards often suffer from layout issues, however 5 of the last 6 of my motherboards have been asus and each time the layout improves and while this is important its not a large market selling point. Your average consumer is not picky about layout as long as it all fits.

    However I have another idea, similar to the 5 sec quick boot feature on my current board keep the internet access but add the ability to run Overclock testing tools. This way we can post and boot into this seperate os and partition and have access to the internet for help as well as things like Intel burn, prime 95, different memory stability testers etc. These tools could be included or support could just be added and we could include the files on the partition for the system. Although I have never used the quick boot feature this is a feature I would love, not just for the first system setup and overclock but I would likely use it any time I ran into a issue to diagnose the problem. I think this would appeal to a much wider range of individuals than any hardware change, while at the same time helping us enthusiast.
     
  16. wyx087

    wyx087 Homeworld 3 is happening!!

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    1. BIOS fan controller that's similar to Abit's uGuru BIOS!
    as soon as a board have this, im sold! been using Abit for a while and can't live without full fan control. can be marketed as an intelligent silent overclocking line of motherboards, who doesn't want a silent PC? who doesn't want an overclocked beast?
    i now have a single PC that's silent in idle, fans only spin up when under load, that's what BIOS controlled fans give me. it's BIOS controlled so that hackintosh/Linux can still be as silent.

    2. higher PWM coolers so that the exhaust case can can have more effect

    1-2. in fact, can be a new line of motherboard: silent overclocker: larger PWM heatsinks, BIOS fan controls.

    3. all right angled SATA connectors. latest few Asus LGA 1156 boards i've seen are not using right angled. ditch the PATA somewhere else, they are not important nowadays.

    4. numeric LED read-outs on non-ROG boards (instead of nothing)

    5. Linux based quickstart firmware system that allows quick internet access (i know you've already got this). the system can also have the ability to do overclocking with more graphical approach. (eg. port Windows tools to the quick start Linux)

    6. boot menu in the embedded Linux. say: F12 to go into boot menu in the Linux, enter to go into Linux and up/down to select other HDD. this way, a more complex Linux can be loaded in the background.

    7. i think Asus already have this: onboard buttons for BIOS navigation, so when USB keyboard fails, no need to get a PS/2 one.


    even if only number 1, 2, and 7 get into a motherboard. i'll buy it as soon as it hits retail.
    i've been scared to move to USB keyboard for a while, and the lack of BIOS fan controls prevented me buying new platform (P45+q9450 and now x58+i7. waiting for LGA1156 to upgrade). the heatsink isn't necessary, but would be nice if the heatsink are cool to touch when mildly overclocked.
     
  17. LT.BEECH

    LT.BEECH Minimodder

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    what asus could do is for the high end boards that people with large cases will buy is position the motherboard power connector is sit it parrallel with the board. as to aid in making the cabling neater
     
  18. Krikkit

    Krikkit All glory to the hypnotoad! Super Moderator

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    wuyanxu - surely the easiest way would be just to include a USB->PS/2 converter?
     
  19. Xtrafresh

    Xtrafresh It never hurts to help

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    Oi, where to start! Oh, i know:

    Cable routing
    All the components in a PC keep evolving to look and cool better, and then we all screw up the looks and cooling performance again with all the cables. Getting your cabling right often involves elaborate sleeving and even self-manufacturing of cables. Impressive to read in worklogs, but very elegant it's not. Some suggestions for improvement:
    • Angled ATX and 8-pin (CPU) power connectors. Asus already does it on graphics cards, so why not on a motherboard? I can honestly say it would influence my buying decision. In fact, i wont care if you stop reading my post right now and pass this on to your designers, i'm having that much trouble to force the 24 cables through a decent 180-degree turn.
    • Quad and dual SATA connectors like those seen on some RAID cards. Those of use that use more then two SATA ports (one of HDD, one for ODD) will always be using the extra ports to power a RAID array or dual ODDs. A connector that could take a cable akin to this or this (disregard the SAS-functionality, i'm speaking of physical appearance) would be most helpful and give the board that extra sense of high-end application and desirability.
    • Fanconnectors on the underside of the board, at the edge, angled. Of all the cables running through the PC, i find fancables most fiddly. They are often installed dead last, and at that time there's just no more place to route the cable, especially if the connector is located in the middle of the board. At times i have been reallt frustrated with fan pinout placement, as it sometimes completely screws up a good job. Angled connectors at the bottom would be my saving grace.

    Functionality
    There's also some additional functionality that i'm eager to see in a motherboard.
    • A fancontroller. Why not? Just line up three or four fanheaders, and a row of pinouts for tempsensors, connect to a little controllerchip, and make the whole thing accessible onscreen through windows, and watch us modders fall all the way back in love with the PSOne screen mod again! It would be a unique selling point for high-end users, and thanks to the fact that you don't need any additional hardware apart from a few connectors and one chip, very cheap to add.
    • Hardware RAID support. This one will be expensive and complicated, i understand, but if pulled off, you will have a proper must-have on your hands for everybody that just shelled out on double SSDs. Dont go aiming for RAID-5 either, a chip that will draw all the performance out of a dual or four-way SSD-setup in RAID-0 would be every gamer's wet dream.

    Crazy stuff
    • Aim for ITX, especially on mid-end P55. If Zotac can do a decent 775 board on ITX, i know you guys can do much better with the single-chip P55 platform. And yes, that's a direct challenge! I really am fond of the Gene boards, you are clearly on the way, but in my humble opinion, mATX is just the first step towards greatness (pun intended).
    • Colors. People are still raving over the "rather cool motherboard mod" thread. Though the mod in question is not particularly well-done, the effort of the original modder and the intensity of the following discussion shows how strongly people feel about the looks of their motherboard.
    • Crazy form factors. I would LOVE a round motherboard that could be the base for a sweet HTPC or a really long and thin motherboard with the RAM mounted on the back and length-wise placed PCIe slots. The crazier, the better! Ok, i admit, my imagination went wild there!

    So, those are my suggestions, ordered from most realistic to most wild. I hope you like them enough to let me come to London and ramble on some more, or even better, just implement them! Much thanks for this competition to Bit and Asus.
     
    Last edited: 28 Jul 2009
  20. CrapBag

    CrapBag Multimodder

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    Being able to re-orientate the AM2 mount would be of great use. I know I'm presently using an MSI board but the same problem seems to exist for Asus boards, although it wasn't an issue on my M2N-32 SLI

    I have a Titan Fenrir and can only have it mounted so that the fan blows directly up or directly down which is no use in my case.

    If there were pre drilled holes to allow the mount to be fitted in the other direction it would allow you to to use a cooler like this and be able to orientate it in the direction you want. I know this is more of an AMD failing due to choosing a mount that isn't symmetrical but I can't see it being too difficult to provide additional holes for mounting in the board.
     

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