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From: jdb@reef.cis.ufl.edu (Brian K. W. Hook)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: building a clone: good stuff vs. trash?
Keywords: clone,homebuilt,motherboard
Message-ID: <26936@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Date: 15 Feb 91 02:27:30 GMT
References: <1991Feb15.000423.26009@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>
Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU
Organization: UF CIS Dept.
Lines: 59

In article <1991Feb15.000423.26009@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu> ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Nur Iskandar Taib) writes:

>What motherboards are best and what should be avoided?

Well, going with the name brands can't seem to really hurt.  Don't skimp on
parts since you will end up paying for it down the road.  I would recommend
either AMI, MYLEX, or MICRONICS.

>Which bioses are best?

Well, most of the big name motherboards carry big name bioses....Phoenix,
Award, and AMi are the top 3.  They all work about equally well, although
Phoenix and AMI have a bit better rep in the 386 marketplace.

>What about those $40 keyboards?

NEVER buy a cheapo keyboard!  The best inexpesnives keyboard that I can
recommend is the Fujitsu.  I don't like mtek, Chicony, and abhor
keytronics.  The keyboard I have is the Northgate and I swear by it.  And
it has a 5 year warranty, is rock solid and works beautifully.  This is the
Omnikey 102.

>What about video cards and monitors?

Well, I would recommend a 16-bit SVGA with either 512K or 1MB of VRAM, and
that supports non interlaced 1024x768x256.  The best are usually the the
ones based on the ET4000 or Trident 8900 chip set.  The LOGIX card I have
heard real good things about.  The name brands are expensive and you don't
usually get your money's worth, although I hear good things about them too.
LOGIx has the widest selection of drivers out there.

For monitor, I just fell in love with a Samsung Syncmaster 3 (?) that is
.28mm dp, 1024x768 interlaced, and is beautiful.  Crisp, sharp, and it has
VERY vibrant colors.

>Then there are the hard drives. What to buy and what to avoid? 
>Are Kaloks, for instance, any good? 

I'd stick with name brand hard drives....I haev a preference for Seagate
and especially Conner drives.  I prefer the IDE interface sinc eit is fast,
reliable, and inexpensive.

>By the way, the system I have in mind is a 25 MHz 386 on which
>I intend to run Windows 3, so I suppose Bios and video compati-
>bility are major considerations.

Recommendatin:

386-33 Micronics MB w/ 8MB and 32k cache (1800 total mail order)
Logix 1MB ET4000 based board (189 dollars mail order from Logix)
Samsung Syncmaster .28 monitor (~430 dollars)
Northgate or Fujitsu keyboard (50-120 dollars)
Seagate ST1144 (?) 20ms 125MB IDE (around 500 mail order)
TEAC floppy (65 mail order)
Logitech Mouseman or MS Mouse (~80 dollars)

You total it....I don't have a calculator handy.

Brian