specs

[Robert Olson]

[Copying ag-tech on this, since I think Marty's questions are probably of 
general interest given some of the questions at the tutorial yesterday]

>    We're (finally) trying to spec out actual node hardware.  One local 
> vendor we
>have used for other projects (and thus which has a local contract - would
>expedite ordering) apparently uses the "Intel L440GX" or "Intel L440GX+" 
>system
>boards.  Has anyone had experience with them.  Once concern I have is that 
>they
>have an integrated Intel Etherexpress Pro 100 and Cirrus Logic SVGA display
>adapters.  Does the display adapter "get in the way" of the quad adapter 
>on the
>display machine?

I suspect it might. For the display, make sure you've got an AGP port 
available, since you really want to have an AGP card for some of the 
display panes.

Looking at the product page for that board:
http://developer.intel.com/design/servers/l440gx/index.htm

if it had an AGP adapter it'd be a cool board to try for the display, with 
its dual PCI busses. But without AGP I'd not recommend it. (This I suspect 
is going to be a problem with any of the "server motherboards").

What I think I would recommend are the new 820-based boards, with the 
faster front side bus, AGP 4x, etc. For instance:

http://developer.intel.com/design/motherbd/vc/vc_ds.htm

with an integrated PCI128 audio :-).

>   Has the spreadsheet on the web page been updated lately?  The last one I
>printed was on 4/20/00 and it seems the revision history isn't obvious.  To
>expedite things it would help to be able to buy the PCs from one of the 
>outfits
>we have contracts with (e.g. Dell or a local builder of custom PCs who has 
>built
>PCs for some linux clusters here).  Given the delays that KU has 
>experienced the
>local outfit may be quicker.

We've not updated it in a while. I worry a little about machines from 
vendors like Dell and Compaq that they do things that will make it hard to 
run Linux and the multiple adapters. I'm VERY happy with the SAG machines 
based on the Supermicro P6DBE motherboard, tho this is outdated tech at 
this point.


>I had a couple of questions about the specs:
>
>1.  It appears all the machines have 256 MB of RAM.  Is that 
>right?  Should any
>have more than that?

We've not seen a need so far, nothing too memory intensive yet.

>2.  I think you are recommending W2K for the Display machine (and dual
>processors) now, right?


Yes to both.


>3.  Is the G200 quad card for the display machine all that is needed or
>should we plan for more than one card?

Depends on how many displays you want. With a G400 Dual and G200 Quad you 
can have six. I highly recommend driving a couple panes with the G400 AGP 
card, as you will get much better video performance.

>4.  I notice you have 3 video capture cards listed.  For some reason I thought
>there were 4 (with one for a screen shot).  With three I assume you'd have
>presenter, audience, and a third for operator or screen, etc.  I think someone
>had mentioned model number problems (was it getting S-video in addition to
>composite) but I can check the archives on that.

Yah, that should say four now. For S-video you need a model 401, WinTV 
Radio or model 495, WInTV Theater. I've not tested the latter. See

         http://www.hauppage.com/html/products.htm

for the product lineup.

>5.  Is the SoundBlaster PCI-128 still the best bet?  I had heard rumblings 
>about
>availability of these right now.  I think you recommend 3 in the audio capture
>plus one each in control and display machines.

Yes, that's right. The AudioPCI product is roughly the same, and 
inexpensive. (http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.asp?EDC=115070 for 
CDWs page). If I can get the ALSA Rat hardened up (it still has problems, 
and ALSA is still in its infancy but better than OSS) there are some better 
cards I'd recommend (Hoontech, others). But for now we've had the best luck 
with these.

>6.  I noticed some variability in number of PCI slots and type.  Are there 
>some
>"gotchas" I should be aware of?  I suspect the audio and video capture 
>machines
>would have the highest card use but haven't looked at that real closely.

There probably are. Some of the gotchas go away with the G200 quad, so you 
don't have to juggle multiple dipslay cards. You need to have enough slots 
for the cards you have in the machines (obvious, but easy to forget).

--bob
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