New build plan

[Trader]

Good evening everyone,

I have been doing alot of research since chatting with Bean and am thinking of this build.

Would any one care to critique this list? This will be a trading computer with
4 22" or 24" monitors. It will have to handle much live streaming data on all
4 monitors.
Case Lian Li PC V2010 (If available) I like the big cases.
Processor E8500
CPU Cooler Any ideas? (Zahlman seems highly recommended)
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 LGA 775 DDR3 X48 ATX(is this a good one?...seems well rated at New Egg also)
Mother board 2nd choice igabyte P-35 DS3L LGA 775 (seems pupular)
Memory I'm not sure...(Crucial!?)
OS Vista Ultimate X64
DVD/CD ROM Nor sure yet.
Hard Drive(s) 1 or 2 Velociraptors 10,000 rpm 300Gig (if available)
Grafics Cards 2 MSI NX 8800 GTS 512 GeForce (will these fit on boards?)
Sound Card Creative Labs
Power Supply PC Power/Cooling 860 Watt



Software ideas:
Perfect Disk Pro?
Acronis Recovery software?


Please set me straight if I am way off base.

Cheers!:)
Trader

[RickyTick]

You listed 2 8800GTS video cards. Your 1st choice motherboard doesn't support SLI, only crossfire. Plus it designed for DDR3 memory which is quite expensive compared to DDR2. Your 2nd choice motherboard does not support SLI, so that's out. Furthermore, SLI does not support multiple monitors, so I'm not sure how this is going to work out at all.

Its late, maybe I missed something. Sorry.

[The Wise Monkey]

Ok, there are a few things that you could change:

1. Why Vista Ultimate? You really don't gain that much over Home Premium/Business edition, plus it costs a lot more.

2. You'll probably want to have 4GB of RAM to support all your open applications. Most things from Crucial/Corsair are pretty good, but it gets really expensive very quickly if you decide to go with DDR3.

3. What Ricky said is true - you cannot use SLI over multiple monitors. However, you can use more than one GFX card in the same computer without SLI enabled and so support up to 4 monitors.

4. You may want to look at getting a quad core processor to help deal with all the processing requirements. I recommend either the Q9300 or the Q6700 - both are excellent processors.


So my overall advice would be that even though you are looking to build a computer that will last a long time, there is no need to pay extreme amounts for components. If you could give us a rough idea of your maximum budget, then we could give more advice. :)

[Trader]

Dang! I keep missing the mark! :o :confused: :)

Thanks Ricky & Wise Monkey for your time.

Ok; this is where most of my ideas came from:

[URL="http://www.tradingcomputers.com/TCdesktop.html"]

Falcon F-22 Ultimate Trading System
• The most powerful Core2 Dual-Core computer you can buy
• Intel Core2 Duo E-8400 or QUAD QX-9650 Extreme Edition CPUs
• 3.75GHz CPU with 1.6GHz FSB -faster than anyone else
• More than 7x as powerful as a Pentium D 3.2 GHz computer
• Now using the new Intel X48 Chipset
• 2-4GB PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066) System Memory
• Windows XP or Vista Operating System options
• Premium chassis style
• Server grade (high reliability) SATA II hard drives with 16MB cache
• Double booting hard drives + automatic full backup options
• Up to 12 monitors supported ( I see they recommend 2 GeForce 7300GT cards for 4 monitors)

List Price: $3,299
Discount Price: $,2849
Motherboard: I cannot seem to find what they use.
Operating system (will plan on business x64 now)

If you can identify a Mother Board or if better options, that would sure point me in a better direction.


If I can build the case for around $2500 that would work for me as I realize some of these parts are pricey

Thanks again guys.

[shyster]

Here are my suggestions for a cheaper cost choice.

CPU: Q6600 (I would recommend the Q9XXX series but they seem to keep getting pushed back on when they are going to be released.)

Mobo: Probably the Gigabyte P-35 DS3L or the Abit IP35 Pro
RAM: Corsair or G-skill ram is probably the cheapest and among the most reliable and most supported, in both DDR2 and DDR3.
HSF: Most people either choose the zalman or the arctic fan pro
PSU: Going to recommend the usual Corsair 520HX, it should be enough to power even two high end graphics cards.
GPU: I would look into the nvidia 9600GT series they are reasonably priced with better cooling than the 8800 series and equal speed. The thing to look at would be if you need the extra stream processors that you lose with the 9600GT. That I cannot answer unfortunately but somebody here should be able to.
Case: Well that is always a personal call.
HDD: Is there some reason you need two raptor hard drives? Basically are you trying to run a mirror raid setup that you would need two of them?

Those are my suggestions for building a cheaper system that would probably not run you more than $1,500 depending on how much shopping you do.

I could post a higher end system later, using DDR3 as the base, but most of the parts would still be similar.

Just a few other notes, the 8800 GTS is a great video card, but running two would be like sticking the sun in your case, your computer would get really hot really fast. So if you were going to use those, you might need to look into extra cooling solutions like fans, water, or actually changing the stock fan on the GPU (this is possible right?).

Also using the QX not that you listed it, but do not even consider it, it is a joke, and the new Q9XXX series whenever they come out will be equivalent.

I am just suggesting a quad core since streaming four videos I imagine would take some considerable processor power, but that does not mean you could not use the E8XXX series. I just do not know much about running multiple monitors or multiple streaming.

[Trader]

P-35 DS3L sounds good. Is the only difference between p-35 and x48 boards the fact the X48 is DDR3?

As far as hard drives, I am a bit dumb on what I need and am relying on builds by trading companies to compare. My thought is if I have high dollar
trades open and the hard drive dies, I should have a second to be ready to take over. I probably don't need raptors but heck they sound cool:D

I want this computer to push 4 years of use.

Thank You Shyster, I know once I get the Processor, MotherBoard and
Graphics in order every thing will fall into place.
OK! This is my newest direction:
Processor-Q9xxx (if available in reasonable time)
Graphics -Navidia 9600GT series
MoBoard -Gigabyte P-35 DS3L
RAM - Corsair
If I am still off....Fire Away!:)

[The Wise Monkey]

Raptor drives are good, but you will probably want more storage than they can provide. The best idea would be to have a Raptor drive for the OS and a larger drive for storage. In addition, you could have two Raptors in a RAID-1 array (mirror) so that if one failed, you could just switch to the other straight away.

[RickyTick]

After thinking about it a little more, you may be better off with one of those Quadro FX cards. I don't know much about them, but PNY makes a few different versions of it. Just sorta thinking outloud.

You may be better served with a quad core processor. The Q9300 is a hot item right now and appears to be the replacement for the Q6600. However the Q9450 is really head and shoulder above everything else.

http://techgage.com/article/intel_core_2_quad_q9450_266ghz/

[shyster]

Nice I did not realize they were out here, I was trying to look for them but could not remember the exact number so I was not getting any hits.

That would definately probably be the way to go if you are going to stream multiple video feeds over mulitple monitors.

I was also thinking of the Quadro FX cards, but I could not remember their name either, nor how many video out feeds they came with. If they come with four or more on one unit that could also be a way to go. I know they are mostly for doing video encoding and 3d rendering, so their specs read differently from the usual nvidia GT series, but they are supposed to be the best at a "reasonable" price for what they do.

By the way Ricky, or possibly whoever else has the answer (Chunky), do you know if those types of video cards could also stack up to playing video games at a comparable or better rate than the nvidia series? I am just wondering because their specs read totally different value sets so I cannot compare them by that at the very least.

[Trader]

Supper! I stumbled onto the Quadro cards this afternoon while searching high and low. I will look to see if better to go with it or stay with 2 regular cards. Thinking back to bean again, he mentioned going with 2 incase of card failures.

Good articles at Techgage on the iprovement in price/performance of the DDR3 setups.

So I'm now checking out the Q9300 or Q9450 (if available),the Quadro GFX card and to see how tuff it is to set up one hard drive for the OS and one for storage.:eek: :eek: :eek: Does any one here have this hard drive setup?

I have much homework yet to do.

Hey!...Is that Rob Williams at the TechGage site the same person that runs this site?

Thanks guys.

[The Wise Monkey]

So I'm now checking out the Q9300 or Q9450 (if available),the Quadro GFX card and to see how tuff it is to set up one hard drive for the OS and one for storage.:eek: :eek: :eek: Does any one here have this hard drive setup?

*puts hand up*

Seriously, this is really easy to set up. Plug both HDs in, install the OS onto one, then format the other once your OS has been installed. That's all there is to it. :)

[Trader]

AWSOME!
I like what you said about that dual Raptor set up also.
I will be intouch here down the road when I get to this stage. :)

Thank you again Wise Monkey

[RickyTick]

By the way Ricky, or possibly whoever else has the answer (Chunky), do you know if those types of video cards could also stack up to playing video games at a comparable or better rate than the nvidia series? I am just wondering because their specs read totally different value sets so I cannot compare them by that at the very least.

The Quadro series is an Nvidia card. Its marketed towards a Workstation computer as opposed to a Personal computer.

All I know about them is what I read here.

http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadrofx_family.html

[bean]

Trader

Haven't been on the forum for a while. Good to see you're still at it.

Remember what I said about getting something like the Quadro. If it's broke so may you be. If you get my meaning. Two dual DVI cards will be fine.

Two of these would be OK. 128 stream processors.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130325

A cheap 3rd card may maybe a good idea if you have to ever do some quick maintenance if one goes down during the trading day. I have a couple lying around from other upgrades. I use a separate PC for placing orders. And, another for the regular PC/email stuff. The one for streaming charts is a stand alone uncluttered pristine system.

This Gigabyte X48. (not the X48T)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128331

is DDR2 and won't cost an arm to get RAM. It will be OK for the next couple years untill DDR3 gets cheap. Get some RAM with low latentcy. I have these

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144120

Remember, when you are trading, you are not competing with the big operators. They are determining the market. You are collecting the change they leave lying around. What you want is to have knowledge; a good plan ;and, good execution. By execution, I mean, you are going to be "smoking" the guy with the HP or Dell loaded up with photos, etc. Get two, 2mb sticks for the Vista 64 bit. Check the Gigabyte site under the MOBO for compatible RAM.

As far as operating system, I chose Ultimate. I know the XP Home didn't work with some trading platforms and only XP Pro worked. So, I reasoned that it may be the same with Vista home. That is, when they eventually upgrade to Vista. So I opted for Ultimate. MSFT stops selling XP in June. It will be unsupported by MSFT soon enough and the platforms will have to support Vista. If you are not going to use something like e-signal or Trade station, then Vista Home Premium 64 will probably be OK.

The Q9450 is better and faster due in part to the larger 12mb L2 cache. The 9300 has only 6mb. The Q9550 is probably not that big of step up for the extra bucks.

Hope this helps. I gotta go.

Keep it fast. Keep it clean. And vacuum up the lose change.

[Trader]

Hi bean,

Thanks for the tips. I study probability trading with a focus on swing and core trading until I get my feet wet finally. Then I will slowly work into intraday charts as I gain skill. I deffinately agree with you
on picking up small gains here and there.

Do you use more than one hard drive for a saftey net or use any auto back up programs?

By the time I get this built Tradestation will probably be fully Vista x64 and
DDR3 will be cheaper:D

[bean]

Trader

I have 2 WD raptors 150G but am only using one. I want to get a raid controller card but haven't gotten around to researching it.

To keep it humming along


http://www.perfectdisk.com/small_medium/small_perfectdisk_professional.cfm#key

and


http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

The streaming real time I use has its own backup capability at their server. So I can save all charts and formulas.

Get the fastest connection you can, too. Don't want a slow DSL.

I've been thinking about getting Carbonite.com for back up. $50 bucks or so for a year. I haven't looked into it enough to come to a decision. I don't want to slow everyting down by some sort of transfer or whatever running in the background. Also, no security to bog things up. If you only use this for the trading, streaming data from you vendor, you should be ok. Use a desktop shortcut to open your vendor and don't even think about surfing the net.

have a good one


The Cabonite would be for the other computers. Not the one for streaming. It is a single purpose machine. A vacuum machine.