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Date |
:
Jul 24th, 2001 |
| Category |
:
Motherboards |
| Manufacturer |
:
ECS |
| Author |
:
Jin-Wei Tioh |
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ECS also decided to go with the OEM-ish feature of integrated AC'97 audio, though the practice of integrating at least some amount of audio functionality onto motherboards seems to be popular among all manufacturers. The Avance Logic ALC100P CODEC is utilized for the K7AMA. For casual use, the integrated audio performs acceptably, with processor use not noticeably slowing down the system. However, for more intensive uses, such as DVD playback or gaming, it is definitely better to go with a hardware-based sound card as they provide more audio functionality and better overall sound quality.
The K7AMA also sports integrated 10/100 LAN, a very rare feature on consumer motherboards. For some reason, integrated networking hasn't caught on with manufacturers the way onboard audio has. ECS opted to use the RealTek 8139 Revision C chip, which is a good choice. Though NICs based on the RealTek 8139 don't quite match up to NICs based on the Intel 82559, they perform competently and enjoy near universal driver support (ie. Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, etc.). Personally, I welcome this feature, as long as the integrated network controller is decent.
To round out the bundle, ECS includes the appropriate cables and headers, a detailed manual, and CD which contains the drivers and utilities. This includes MediaRing Talk and PC-Cillin 2000 for Win9x/NT/2000, which saves the end-user the time, money and trouble of separately purchasing an antivirus program.
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