[rescue] Hardware up FT/FS

[gsm at mendelson.com]

On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 05:30:06PM -0400, Dave Fischer wrote:

>I was toying with the idea of getting some sort of xserve to be
>a dedicated osx mpeg encoder.

I've had great results using Handbrake on an X86 computer under linux.

I've also used mencoder and VLC and sometimes ffmpeg. These programs are
all available for MacOS (I've used them to re-enocde video), but if you are
looking for a stuff it in the corner and run machine, Linux does the same
thing for far less money.

At this point dual core Intel computers with the old style motherboards,
e.g. ones that use DDR RAM and will never be upgraded are give away or 
really cheap items. 

If you don't mind the electricity, and less than wonderful I/O, you could
set up a farm of them running Linux. 

If you are looking for a cheap, low power, slow stuff it in the corner machine,
you can get a dual core 1.6gHz ATOM system for around $200 new. So low power
they don't have CPU fans.

Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
Occam's Razor does not apply to electronics. If something won't turn on, it's 
not likely to be the power switch.