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baslinux - Re: [BL] 2001 Gateway 300S PRB PC

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  • From: sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
  • To: lforrestster AT gmail.com, baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [BL] 2001 Gateway 300S PRB PC
  • Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2007 04:12:48 +0000 (UTC)

It is possible to replace the onboard video in this computer.

A search on 'low-profile video card' found me some general info (these cards do not have space for full power so are only found with 128MB DDR RAM instead of 256MB) and a long listing at Amazon.com including one sold by Joy Systems (Tiger Direct) for $24.99 plus shipping (about $5?) minus a $20 mail-in rebate until 3-1-07.

It is an NVidia GeForce. I have two NVidias that worked well for me with svgalib and X (even did framebuffer text mode) that came with 16MB or 32MB RAM and heat sinks and fans. This card has 'only' 64MB DDR RAM, which should be quite adequate for viewing photos or watching DVD movies.

Some of the other cards listed went to 1920 resolution.

I view DVDs at 800x600 resolution under X, or use svga or vesa modes, with mplayer. Mplayer will not do svga mode with my 4MB or 32MB AGP Riva cards, or vesa mode with the 2MB Matrox Millenium PCI cards. Watching DVDs requires at least 600MHz (if you don't mind dropping frames regularly) or better, and/or a fast video card. The ones with more RAM that I have were not faster for movies.

I do not guarantee this card will work in linux but it is cheap.

There are others starting at $35, most about $50, one fancy one for $810 (plus shipping).

Make sure you get output to a standard monitor not some fancy TV.

$80-90 gets you a USB external video card with lots of RAM and 3D for games. There are also USB external sound cards. I have a USB external wireless ethernet card (containing a PCMCIA card and some greenboard).

The i810 sound works with mplayer and timidity and i810.o module.

If you can't get 1MB video RAM out of the i810 is won't be useful for movies even with the right X.

Sindi

keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org




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