Before we get into the details, let me go through the package consists.
1) The SY KT600 board
2) E-Box which includes a Flash memory card slot for smart media,
memory sticks etc, Flash memory card slot for CF type I/II, IBM Micro
drive, 2 x USB ports, 2 x IEEE 1394 (Firewire) port.
3) SPDIF Audio Connector
4) All cables required for the E-box
5) Software bundle
This total package is definitely a lot better than what SOYO used
to ship out in their past packages. They even include white, silver
and black faceplates for the E-Box which allows you to customize it
so that it'll blend in with your case. Furthermore it's likely that
you'll have to change the back panel of your case to accommodate the
increased ports in the back of the mainboard. This is also included
in the package, so it's just a matter of taking off the existing panel
on your case. The E-box consists of two USB ports, 2 IEEE 1394 ports,
and two Flash Memory card slots. All cables required for the box is
included and the cables are color coded for easy installation.
Another very sensible feature SOYO has included in the E_box is a
CMOS clear button. You no longer have to creep inside your casing
each time you need to reset the CMOS, it can simply be done by pressing
the button on the E-Box. I don't know why most others haven't thought
of this simple feature, which definitely is a lifesaver if you're
experimenting with overclocking.
Fitted onto Case
The board itself is very feature rich, keeping in line with the dragon
series. SOYO seems to have made full use of all the functionality
offered by the new chipset. The board consists of four SATA controller
ports as seen in the picture.
The SATA 1 & 2 ports are controlled by the 8237 South Bridge and
SATA 3 & 4 are controlled by a Silicon Image Sil3112 controller.
In total this board can support up to 8 hard drives. We unfortunately
didn't have a SATA supporting hard drive with us to test the onboard
controller's performance. If you want to make use of this new technology
and don't have a SATA supporting Hard drive, SOYO provides a S-Serial
ATA Kit which allows you to use your existing ATA HDD in Serial mode.
At the time of writing this review we were trying to source one of
these kits; in the event we're successful it'll show up in our tests.
If you want to use the RAID functionality the board supports RAID
0, RAID 1, and RAID 0+1.
