Other specs are fairly standard including the 2/4/1 setup (2 ISA slots, 4 PCI slots, and 1 AGP port). Users wishing for a 5th PCI slot would do well to remember that the LAN and Ultra2SCSI controllers are built into the board itself, thereby eliminating the need for additional slots beyond what is already given. We found that in reality the 4th PCI slot on the P2B-LS is dead when the LAN and Ultra2SCSI controllers are activated (they each occupy the resources of one PCI slot, even though they're integrated on the mainboard). This makes the P2B-LS one of the first boards from ASUS that supports a total of 5 PCI devices simultaneously, even though two of them are forced. When all 4 of the external PCI slots were loaded with peripherals, and both the LAN and Ultra2SCSI controllers were activated, the 4th external PCI slot on the P2B-LS just shuts down and fails to detect whatever peripheral is placed in it. (Due of course to the fact that the user is trying to run a total of 6 PCI devices at once).
From top to bottom the P2B-LS is a high quality, highly polished mainboard. Four DIMM slots allow the board to support up to 1.0GB of main system ram, which is rare for most 440BX boards. A SB-Link port is thrown on the board to support true bus-mastering for older Creative sound cards like the PCI version of the AWE64. Bus speeds are typical to the ASUS mold, allowing the following speeds to be set via onboard jumpers: 66, 75, 83, 100, 103, 112, and 133MHz (133MHz is a hidden setting not documented in the literature. Post to the SE discussion board should you need the diagram for it….)
Not listed in the spec sheet above are the numerous SCSI ports that ASUS mounts on the P2B-LS, going the extra mile yet again versus some of the other SCSI-integrated boards we've seen lately. A 68-pin Ultra2 port, a 68-pin Ultra Wide port, and a 50-pin SCSI-2 port are all included on the P2B-LS, and are clearly labelled so as to avoid confusion.
ASUS throws all the cables you'll need for Ultra2SCSI into the box with the P2B-LS, including a SCSI terminator for some sweet daisy-chaining of multiple devices from one cable.
The informative manuals included with the P2B-LS can take even a rough beginner and transform them into a SCSI magnate, with separate guides for the P2B-LS itself and the Adaptec SCSI controller options. The permanent diagramming that's been inked onto the P2B-LS's PCB will also assist users in case they happen to misplace their manuals and need to set the board up from scratch. Typical ASUS quality is all over this product folks.
Let's go back to the utilization of jumpers on the P2B-LS. Normally we'd lament the fact that ASUS didn't include a dip-switch selector option or even a BIOS controllable Soft-Menu type of system on the P2B-LS and instead used basic jumpers. But the fact is that the P2B-LS will largely be used in some light server duty or other high-end applications where every ounce of stability is needed for day to day operations. There's no more of a stable way to accomplish true 100% mainboard stability than to use old-fashioned jumpers.
From start to finish the P2B-LS serves to remind its owners why ASUS is one of the largest and most respected mainboard manufacturers in the world.
