[rescue] O2 Questions...

[Joshua Boyd]

On Tue, Sep 14, 2004 at 08:13:55PM +0000, Lionel Peterson wrote:

> I've got an O2 (R10K, 175 MHz, 256 Meg RAM, one disk & audio module),
> and I either want to enhance it or sell it... 
> 
> I'm wondering - is the O2 camera a worthwhile item? I guess it plugs
> into the O2 and provides a "web cam" with minimal
> configuration/effort, correct? Is it reasonable for "novelty" uses
> (i.e. "warehouse cam")? 

The O2 camera requires the AV module instead of just the audio module.
If you have a use for a web cam, then the O2 Camera can be a cheap, but
average option.

I don't know what you mean by minimal configuration.  I haven't tried it
with my O2,but my understanding is that you just plug it in, and write a
simple script.  I'm not sure what command to use to grab the frame.  I
think you could do something really inefficient with dmrecord, but I'm
pretty sure there is an example .c file out there somewhere that can be
compiled to capture a single frame more efficiently.

It seems like it should all around be simpler than setting up a linux
webcam, but perhaps not as simple as a SunVideo web cam.
 
> Upgrading the RAM, I've got 8x 32 Meg DIMMs, and to upgrade looks
> expensive, any pointers on upping the RAM? 128 Meg DIMMs go for around
> $55/ea on ebay (BIN price) - what should i expect to pay for a 4x 128
> Meg DIMM upgrade? (is it $220?) 

I think I've been seeing 512meg lots on ebay for less than $220.  The
same guy was selling $200ish R12k 400 modules for the O2. 

OK, on ebay, I see 7 512meg O2 kits with 1 day 6 hours to go with prices
ranging from $5 to $62.  Also those R12k modules with about the same
amount of time left for $150.
 
> My R10K O2 has one HD slot, while the R5K O2 (heading off to Todd,
> maybe) has two drive slots - what is supposed to go in the other
> "space" on the R10K MB? 

A bigger heat sink?
 
> Finally, in comparison as a desktop machine - is the O2 inferior to
> the (noisy) Octane with similar CPU? My recollection is that the O2 is
> just different than the Octane, and should not be construed as a
> specific "upgrade" to it - is this correct? 

O2s don't accelerate OpenGL as much as an Octane would, and keep in mind
that historically, SGI wrote X11 to sit on top of OpenGL.

Also, I think that the O2 might not have as much ram bandwidth.

However, it does support texture mapping with out having to buy
amazingly expensive TRAM, and it doesn't support video without having to
buy amazingly expensive XIO options.

Other than that, I don't have experience with R10k or R12k O2s, so I
can't say exactly how much it differes for general work.
 
> I do like the HD15 video and the PS/2 keyboard/mouse ports (they work
> well with my IOGEAR KVM with PCs attached), but if the Octanes are
> simply better machines, I think I'll offer this box up for sale... 

It all depends on what you do.  Generally Octanes seem better, but there
are specific areas where the O2 is better, and there are lots of areas
where a fast O2 is more than good enough, even if the Octane is better.


-- 
Joshua D. Boyd
jdboyd at jdboyd.net
http://www.jdboyd.net/
http://www.joshuaboyd.org/