123c778f6aef
tech



Hello Wayne - 

--8<--cut 

->> Seems few understand the Compaq 'setup partition'. It was an 

WC> Count me among them. 

->> idea ahead of it's time (sort of). IBM used something
similar for the PS2 line of computers. 

WC> Hated it there too, tossed a model 55 on account the proper
WC> setup disks failed to work. 

I don't remember a great deal about the two PS2s I had but I do
remember thinking it would be easy to lock yourself out if you
didn't plan ahead when messing with the config software. :-) 

--8<--cut 

WC> I might have differing opiniions if I knew about how this
WC> is done and experience with same. Compaqs can sure be had
WC> used cheap in the paper's classifieds, they dominate
WC> computers for sale. 

I would have to get a newer Compaq and do some 'hands on'
experimentation before I would want to commit to an opinion
re:Linux installs. For one I know the sound is on the
motherboard and I don't think _all_ Compaqs made it easy to
shut that circuit out of the system. 

--8<--cut 

->> FWIW: The combination of the Conexant sound card and Roland
->> soundfonts creates some of the best musical instrument
->> sounds for MIDI that I have found so far. TIMIDITY is good
->> for orchestral arrangements but is also a 10 meg (or more)
->> proposition to add to a machine. 

WC> I expect since the Turtle Beach uses the same fonts it'll
WC> sound the same but I need to pick up a "wall wart" to power
WC> the speakers. No amp on the hardware sound card. 

Headphones are probably more useful and usually sound better
than most speaker systems sold for computer use. 

--8<--cut 

->> I know this is terribly 'geeky' and all that but whats to
->> stop a person from just sitting a HUGE powersupply
->> _outside/alongside_ the tower rather than finding one that
->> fits _inside_ the tower? I remember one of my friends
->> having 3 hard drives sitting on the table with his XT
->> computer with longish ribbon cables connecting them to the
->> machine. It worked. Looked very geeky but it worked. 

WC> It's a *very* good idea and one that has occured to me, say
WC> an Antec 450 watt? One thing to watch is to use oversize
WC> wiring as the error voltage controlling power regulation
WC> could be thrown off due to voltage drop from high current
WC> draw. 

WC> Another is the standard ATX PS differs from the SFX in one
WC> pin that can be disasterous if not taken into account on
WC> some systems. I believe the SFX drops the -12V while the
WC> ATX retains it? 

I don't know the answer to that but I would definitely want
that answer if/when I tried to use an external power supply. :-) 

>
>        ,                          ,
>      o/      Charles.Angelich      \o       ,
>       __o/
>     / >          USA, MI           < \   __\__
 

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