[Scuddie]

I'm setting up a possible rendering workstation for a school project, and I'm trying to do it on the cheap.  I have everything figured out except for the storage.  I'll need either a RAID0 or RAID5 (haven't decided that yet), and I'm having problems finding what I'm looking for.  Granted it's just a school project, it may actually come to life, so I want to put some thought into it.  This is essentially what I need.

True hardware RAID controller(No drivers, thank you.)
PCIe x4 interface
RAID 0/1/5/10/etc capability
SATA, SAS, or both (4 ports at least)
Something that costs less than or around $200 US.

Am I stretching it?  It seems no matter where I look, there are only chipless RAID controllers, laneless RAID controllers, or upwards of 800bux.  And it's starting to piss me off.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Stealth]

yeah let me see if i have anything lying around in the server room that you can have.  i'll know tomorrow sometime, and i'll let you know

[Hellstryker]

  do you two know each other in RL or somthing?

[Stealth]

... no.  is that how it works these days? you have to know someone in "RL" to want to help them out? 

weird... here i thought this was what a COMMUNITY was for (by definition).

get TF out of here...

[Ashrak]

mmmm depending on how many drives you have id go for either 0 0+1 or 5 (5 with 5 drivers or so 0+1 with 4 and 0 with 2)


sas might be pushing it, kinda expensive for drives sata should do fine though

[Tyrian]

I found these on NewEgg, both inside your price range:

External Ports:  HighPoint RocketRAID2314MS

And this one:

Internal Ports:  Adaptec 2240900-R

The last one doesn't have RAID 5 compatibility though...