Re: [linrad] Buying the Linux PC for Linrad use.

[Terry <terry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim,

    You will need to look at the Mandrake webpage, I have SuSE 8.2 
here.   More importantly, go to the svgalib.org webpage and check out the 
video chips that it supports.   The list is very limited.

    I would be very worried about the on board modem working under 
Linux.   Chances are the modem is what is known as a WinModem.   Winmodems 
leave out hardware DSP and instead do it on the host PC.   They require 
special drivers to work under windoze and they usually won't release the 
details so that a Linux driver can be written.   I yanked out the WinModem 
card and found a used USRobotics external modem which has been working great.

    Check out the ratings on the power supply too.   I think that a 400 
Watt power supply is what is recommended for the XP1800.   I have one and 
these things run hot.   I have two fans on my PC and am thinking of putting 
in a third.

    More memory is always better.   WARNING - I work for Micron and we make 
memory so I have a vested interest.   I have 512 Megs in this PC and 1.5 
Gigs in my son's PC that he uses for multimedia animation.   Of course you 
can always add more later if the motherboard has enough memory slots.

    Have you considered buying the parts and putting your own PC 
together?   That is what this PC is.   I bought the case locally so I 
wouldn't have to ship it.   I found the CD-RW at Staples for $20 after 
rebates and the rest came from the web.   I would recommend that you buy a 
full sized ATX motherboard and case rather than the MicroATX you are 
looking at.   You will run out of space in the case and slots on the board 
quicker than you think and then you are stuck buying replacements.   That 
happened to me with an older PC that I bought.

     With the latest version of SuSE pretty much everything works now with 
the exception of my USB scanner.   The USB printer finally works.   It 
didn't work with SuSE 7.3.   That seems to be one of Linux's biggest 
problems.   Because so much of the code is done by volunteers, the only 
hardware that works is the stuff they personally have.   They can't afford 
and don't have the time or money to go out and buy every piece of hardware 
to test it and write the code.

Terry  KJ7F

At 04:40 AM 7/4/2003 +0000, you wrote:
>Hi Terry,
>
>Thanks.
>I have a CD here and plan to install Linux Mandrake 8.1.
>Any ideas about the video chip for Mandrake 8.1?
>A modem is built in to the PC motherboard.
>
>73, Jim.
>
>On 3 Jul 2003 at 7:47, terry@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > Jim,
> >
> >    Sounds like this has a microatx motherboard.   I think that only
> >    one
> > serial port and one extra pci slot (you will use one for your sound
> > card) might be a problem down the road.   I have an older system in
> > the shack with a microatx motherboard and both pci slots are full and
> > I need another serial port for rig control and there is no place to
> > put it.
> >
> >    Make certain that the  mnotherboards video chip is supported by the
> > version on linux that you have and svgalib.   Otherwise you will end
> > up buying another video card and use up your last pci slot for that.
> > If you plan on hooking up a modem you will have to get an external
> > one, they are rather cheap on ebay, and that will use up your one
> > serial port.
> >
> > Terry  KJ7F
> >
> >
> > > http://www.pcusa.com/
> > >
> > > Home Series: AMD Duron / Athlon / XP DDR System
> > >
> > > Home Series: AMD Duron / Athlon / XP DDR System Configurator :
> > > Standard with all ports : 1  serial, 1 printer, 2 USB Ports.
> > >   Current Price: $275
> > > AMD XP 1800+  1.53 ghz 266 fsb
> > > 266mhz fsb pc chips 810d sis730d w/video, audio, lan
> > > 256mb ddr / 266 MHZ ram
> > > Maxtor 20gb 7200 rpm
> > > 52x cd rom internal, IDE
> > > video 32mb max 3d svga share
> > > Specs are available on site.
> > >
> > > 73, Jim Shaffer, WB9UWA.
> >
> >
> >




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