linuxaudio.org

On Thu, May 29, 2008 at 10:34:49AM +0200, Karl Hammar wrote:

quoted text
> Dave:

> ...

> > I'd like to purchase a machine strong enough to handle my work with the

> > AVSynthesis software. My desktop boxes include 2.0 and 2.4 GHz CPUs,

> > with 3 and 2 GB memory, and they are not powerful enough for some of the

> > combined OpenGL/Csound realtime processing. I'll need a machine with a

> > very fast CPU (preferably 64-bit), large HD support, large RAM capacity,

> > and accelerated 3D-capable graphics. The on-board sound will be replaced

> > by an external device, preferably *not* a USB audio device. I want very

> > high-quality audio, and eventually I'll need support for multichannel

> > output. The display doesn't have to be humongous, just very clear.

> ...

>

> Could a barebone laptop be a solution?

>

> If you go to http://www.intel.com/go/VerifiedByIntel/, you will

> find a link to

> http://cache-www.intel.com/cd/00/00/38/70/387018_387018.pdf

> which presents the barebones Intel has "verified".

> To get more info from them you have to be accepted as a partner, it

> seems.

>

> I have not found any notebook barebones for AMD.

>

> The good points are:

>

> . the cpu is pin-mounted, i.e. you can choose your own and upgrade

>   the cpu (amd notebooks all has pins/socketed, not soldered, from what

>   I have found out)

> . you can choose any socket P processor, the fastest I can order from my

>   distributer is currently Intel Core2duo T9300 2.5GHz 800/6M

> . any sata (normal length) 2.5" disk you like

> . your choise of memory size (up to 4GB)

> . an optional mini-pci-express, mostly wifi-lan cards

> . no os included

> . firewire (4-pin), usb

>

> The bad parts:

>

> . pc-card-express, sorry no pc-card

> . the one I got came without any documentation whatsoever and none to

>   be found on the net

> . the infamous hd-intel soundchip

> . you will probably need close-source drivers for the 3D graphics

>

> I am testing an Asus one (AS96SP965PM2) for the moment which I might

> resell for 4160SEK+vat (that would be something like 250USD). To make

> a working notebook you have to add cpu, disk, memory, and software.

> Also check whether keyboard, batteries and power adapter is included.

>

> Perhaps you can find a reseller in your area for such a ting.

>

> I am currently trying to find out which (Linux) drivers which works on

> this one.

I have an ASUS barebone Z96F, into which I plopped a 2.33Ghz 7500 Intel Core 2 Duo CPU (which ASUS said wasn't supported, but it works fine), 2GB RAM, and a 100GB 7500RPM PATA drive (which also wasn't supported). So basically I built myself MacBook Pro, for a little over US$1000 at the time.
Only trouble I ran into, is that using a PATA drive on these laptops is a BAD IDEA. That's because there is no PATA interface in computer! The chipset only understands SATA, and there's a goofy, lousy, crappy hack somewhere on the motherboard that makes the PATA drive appear as a SATA drive to the rest of the machine. Thus: the BIOS doesn't even recognize my drive. However, the linux drivers have no problem with this, and the drive works fine once I tell the BIOS to boot anyway even though it thinks there are no drives in the machine.
-ken

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