Retail theropy - AC3, DVD and linux
List, I feel the need for some new hardware. I was thinking for some time of getting a new graphics card, the Geforce 2 MX powered ASUS cards look nice. But I also decided I would get a DVD drive. This leaves me with some questions. 1) Is it worth getting TV out on a graphics card? for a desktop machine? 2) How well is the geforce 2 MX supported on Linux? 3) Are DVD rom drives fixed as a single region? if so how do I unfix it? 4) Do DVD rom drives have a S/PDIF output on the drive? 5) Can any one recommend a cheap sound card which will give me 6 channel sound output from the DVD drive and allow me to output it to my surround amp? 6) What dvd decoding software would people recommend? I think that was all. Thanks D PS did rabbit go down today Mark? PPS Owen, did I send my last email to you or the list? ===== -------------------- "We all know Linux is great... it does infinite loops in 5 seconds." Linus Torvalds __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, David Freeman wrote:
1) Is it worth getting TV out on a graphics card? for a desktop machine?
IMHO no, unless you want to watch DVDs on a larger screen etc. but I don't know if this is supported under Linux. I did have TV out on my last Nvidia TNT and never used it.
2) How well is the geforce 2 MX supported on Linux? I have a GeForce 2 GTS and all Nvidia cards later than the Riva128 are supported with hardware acceleration, BUT the drivers to do this are binary only (they work fine though) Nvidia will not open source them. There is an implementation built into XFree86 that supports them but no hardware acceleration == no Quake III.
3) Are DVD rom drives fixed as a single region? if so how do I unfix it? Yes, but you can unlock quite a few with a patch (a bit like a Bios update) I don't know where there is a site that tells you more, google might. If you do find more info let me know as I am also looking at some retail therapy!
4) Do DVD rom drives have a S/PDIF output on the drive? I would of thought that some do and some dont. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
5) Can any one recommend a cheap sound card which will give me 6 channel sound output from the DVD drive and allow me to output it to my surround amp? Probably one of the cheap Creative Labs would do, again don't know really
6) What dvd decoding software would people recommend? don't know :-(
My god I am soooo tempted to spend money at the moment! I am tempted by an Athlon 1.2Ghz 512Mb 2100DDR memory, motherboard and DVD drive along with a IBM UDMA100 60Gb hard disk and a Iiyama Vision master Pro 451 19" monitor, but I have to keep telling myself that I live in the real world and can't afford it...... Adam PS also wanting to know if rabbit fell off the net? -- This message is Copyleft - all rights reversed Adam
--- Adam Bower <abower@thebowery.co.uk> wrote:
On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, David Freeman wrote:
1) Is it worth getting TV out on a graphics card? for a desktop machine?
IMHO no, unless you want to watch DVDs on a larger screen etc. but I don't know if this is supported under Linux. I did have TV out on my last Nvidia TNT and never used it.
Sounds like its not worth the extra dosh then, my room is 7'^2 so I wont have anything bigger than my 15" monitor.
2) How well is the geforce 2 MX supported on Linux? I have a GeForce 2 GTS and all Nvidia cards later than the Riva128 are supported with hardware acceleration, BUT the drivers to do this are binary only (they work fine though) Nvidia will not open source them. There is an implementation built into XFree86 that supports them but no hardware acceleration == no Quake III.
When you say supported do you mean under X or as a kernel module of some sort? Also what about FB support?
3) Are DVD rom drives fixed as a single region? if so how do I unfix it? Yes, but you can unlock quite a few with a patch (a bit like a Bios update) I don't know where there is a site that tells you more, google might. If you do find more info let me know as I am also looking at some retail therapy!
Will do a search and let you know of the result.
4) Do DVD rom drives have a S/PDIF output on the drive? I would of thought that some do and some dont. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
Hmmm, I notice Xine can decode the output, te question is how I can output it, I think I will join th Xine mailing list and Ask them.
5) Can any one recommend a cheap sound card which will give me 6 channel sound output from the DVD drive and allow me to output it to my surround amp? Probably one of the cheap Creative Labs would do, again don't know really
Hmmm, more searching needed.
6) What dvd decoding software would people recommend? don't know :-(
Well I'm thinking Xine ATM, I am also thinkning of the dark side and upgrading from Peanut to debian, but not sure how great an idea this would really be.
My god I am soooo tempted to spend money at the moment! I am tempted by an Athlon 1.2Ghz 512Mb 2100DDR memory, motherboard and DVD drive along with a IBM UDMA100 60Gb hard disk and a Iiyama Vision master Pro 451 19" monitor, but I have to keep telling myself that I live in the real world and can't afford it......
Go on, you know you want it. Thanks D PS I think rabbit did fall over based on some pinging and a bit og guess work, thanks to the techies who got it back on, who ever you are.
Adam PS also wanting to know if rabbit fell off the net? -- This message is Copyleft - all rights reversed Adam
===== -------------------- "We all know Linux is great... it does infinite loops in 5 seconds." Linus Torvalds __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, David Freeman wrote:
On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, David Freeman wrote:
2) How well is the geforce 2 MX supported on Linux? I have a GeForce 2 GTS and all Nvidia cards later than the Riva128 are supported with hardware acceleration, BUT the drivers to do this are binary only (they work fine though) Nvidia will not open source them. There is an implementation built into XFree86 that supports them but no hardware acceleration == no Quake III.
When you say supported do you mean under X or as a kernel module of some sort? Also what about FB support?
The Nvidia chipset is supported under X (4 BTW not 3.3) for unaccelerated things, but you need a kernel module to get 3d acceleration working (and change 1 line in the XF86Config) and it really is a quick card for 3d though. AFAIK there is no fb support but there would be no real point using it if it does because the 3d would not work and then there would be no Quake which is the most important issue here.
Well I'm thinking Xine ATM, I am also thinkning of the dark side and upgrading from Peanut to debian, but not sure how great an idea this would really be.
Do it, or I will say Ni repeatedly at you at the next meet.
Athlon 1.2Ghz 512Mb 2100DDR memory, motherboard and DVD drive along with a IBM UDMA100 60Gb hard disk and a Iiyama Vision master Pro 451 19" monitor,
Go on, you know you want it.
Well yeah I know that already, the problem is affording it! unless the fairy Tuxmother comes and grants some wishes, my cashflow atm resembles that of a dotcom company. Adam -- This message is Copyleft - all rights reversed Adam
On Sat, 07 Jul, 2001 at 10:43 -0700, David Freeman wrote:
--- Adam Bower <abower@thebowery.co.uk> wrote: PS I think rabbit did fall over based on some pinging and a bit og guess work, thanks to the techies who got it back on, who ever you are.
Nah, rabbit was a-ok. Cable and Wireless dropped East Anglia. http://www.ja.net/outages//a0107071542.html Andrew. -- All views are my own, who else would want them?
--- Adam Bower <abower@thebowery.co.uk> wrote:
On Sat, 7 Jul 2001, David Freeman wrote:
When you say supported do you mean under X or as a kernel module of some sort? Also what about FB support?
The Nvidia chipset is supported under X (4 BTW not 3.3) for unaccelerated things, but you need a kernel module to get 3d acceleration working (and change 1 line in the XF86Config) and it really is a quick card for 3d though. AFAIK there is no fb support but there would be no real point using it if it does because the 3d would not work and then there would be no Quake which is the most important issue here.
So does the latest debian have X 4? if not how easy is it to add with KDE as WM (might change to the one the Peter showed me.
Well I'm thinking Xine ATM, I am also thinkning of the dark side and upgrading from Peanut to debian, but not sure how great an idea this would really be.
Do it, or I will say Ni repeatedly at you at the next meet.
Well if I do I will back up all my data onto CD and then blitz the entire machine and Dual boot Linux and OpenBSD, I will also have two kernels to boot 2.2 and 2.4 (I need 2.4 for the Herione warrior). But I have two NVQ's to do before the end of the month or I get fired. so It might take some time. Also whilst I'm at it I may increase the list traffic a bit with questions.
Athlon 1.2Ghz 512Mb 2100DDR memory, motherboard and DVD drive along with a IBM UDMA100 60Gb hard disk and a Iiyama Vision master Pro 451 19" monitor,
Go on, you know you want it.
Well yeah I know that already, the problem is affording it! unless the fairy Tuxmother comes and grants some wishes, my cashflow atm resembles that of a dotcom company.
And since when has that stopped people? NE way I thought you were going to Aus, if you comeback via the US you can get the HW cheaper. Thanks D
Adam -- This message is Copyleft - all rights reversed Adam
===== -------------------- "We all know Linux is great... it does infinite loops in 5 seconds." Linus Torvalds __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
participants (3)
-
Adam Bower -
Andrew Savory -
David Freeman