GIGABYTE GA-EP43-DS3L Need help....

Looking at this motherboard which is very good deal...but where is the plug for the monitor at????
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128347

 

You need to buy a video card for this motherboard. This would be a better choice if you want to play some games or do more graphic intensive work. A dedicated video card is much better than on board video.

I think the equivalent board with on board video would begin with G43 although I am not 100% positive on that. I think the G stands for Graphics.... So look for G33/G43/G45 chip set if you want a motherboard with integrated Graphics.

A better deal in my opinion is the EP45-UD3P: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

 

The UD3P, apart from being out of stock, is really intended for dual graphics configurations. Considering JMobile is used to integrated graphics, I'm sure he won't be needing Crossfire. A cheap grahics card and the EP43-DS3L you chose would be the best match, as integrated graphics really do suck compared to cheap graphics cards. You needn't buy something expensive, if you don't do any complex work in games or video encoding, you may as well get this:
Despite its minute price, it's an admirable performer at playing HD video.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121259

 

hum...I thought I had to get a vid card for that.
My main reason to get this motherboard is that it supports XP and I hate Vista!!!!
I saw some other cheap Asus and MSI motherboards under $80 that also support XP.
I'm not much of a pc gamer so..graphics card is not much of a priority. I do edit and do lots of things with videos though.

 

The DS3L will be a better option then. On board Video may not work well if you edit videos.

That is really more of a CPU/RAM issue, but having a dedicated video card releases stress on both CPU and RAM, so you get an overall system improvement.

That $20 video card will be enough for what you are doing. You will still be able to play some games as well. Also, Gigabyte is a very good motherboard manufacturer.

 

as sammorris said a low end video card will do the trick but atlease
try in get a board that you can do alittle oc'ing Sam's choice of video..

Sam's choice
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121259

my choice in board fallin price match set of Asus Quality
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131299

 

Pretty much all motherboards support XP. I don't know about i7 but all of the current generation boards support XP, whether they say it or not.

Sorry will, I don't understand your last sentence: "my choice in board fallin price match set of Asus Quality", would you mind explaining it?

 

for the motherboard I'm inquiring on, is there also a ATI All in Wonder card? I would like to record TV programs as well...and if I do get the All in Wonder, do I still need the other Vid card for the sake of connecting my PC to a Monitor?

 

They do still make All in wonder cards, but nowhere near as cheap as the HD3450, they cost more than $100.

 

so they are all HD cards now? Didn't want to spend that much on it like that.

Any other TV tuner vid card cheap compadible for the motherboard I'm trying to get?

 

HD is just ATI's new product name, they are all capable of rendering video, so you can see their point (but so was the X1000 series). The All in wonders to my knowledge are still the only cards with AVIVO capability with TV inputs. If you want just basic TV functionality in your PC your best bet would probably be to stick with a cheap HD card, and buy a separate TV tuner card.

 

New questions...I found this card reader on Newegg...how do I know if its compatible with my motherboard and XP?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820342001

I also know that the motherboard does not come with Firewire...is there a Memorycard reader that includes firewire that is compatible with this motherboard?

 

Pretty much all cases nowadays have a firewire port on the front, which connects to a firewire header on the motherboard. If the motherboard doesn't even have a header for firewire though, a front panel device can't magically add it, you will need to buy a PCI firewire controller card.

 

I was looking at the motherboard specs...but how do I know that the motherboard ,that is mention in this thread, has a firewire header?

 

As it happens, the EP43-DS3L does not have a firewire header, so you will need to buy a PCI Firewire card.

 

Is this compadible?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124003

If not, I'm wondering in getting this Motherboard since it comes with Firewire.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128359

But I am trying to save lots of money(not by switching to Geico) so hopefully that firewire card works out....

 

The UD3R is cheaper than the DS3L + PCI card.

I say go for the UD3R.

The DS3L and PCI card will cost about $105 after shipping. The UD3P will cost $99 after rebate. You save $5 and get an upgrade at the same time.

I have a UD3P and I am completely satisfied with it. The UD3R is the same board, except it has 1 PCI express vs 2 on the UD3P. However, the UD3R has one extra PCI slot.

That PCI card is compatible with the DS3L, but I still think the UD3R is the way to go.

 

There's no reason not to, you'll probably have fewer driver issues using a motherboard's firewire rather than some unknown extra add-in card.

 

Thanks guys and it looks like I am going for the UD3R.
I was looking to add this to the tower.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820162016

But with the UD3R, it looks like it does not come with the header, right?
Am I screwed?

 

The UD3R has four USB headers, so that's no issue, but is currently out of stock at newegg, so you will have to either wait, get it somewhere else, or pick something else.