[Gllug] Notebooks...

[Hong Chyr]

Dylan

The things to watch out for are video chip and modem compatibility. 

I run a fujitsu notebook and its not until XFree 4.3 and Kernel 2.4.20 before my Intel830 video is fully supported (for full screen video, higher res and color, etc). Opt for a notebook with more "normal" video RAM architecture, since mine was doing RAM sharing with the main memory pool so it requires (I think) agpgart module to be configured properly to take advantage of the memory space.

Then theres the modem issue. Most notebook these days have winmodem chip in them. The fujitsu notebook I have uses the AC97 chipset (both for modem and sound). Sound was no problem, but modem remains an issue and I can only go online via the ethernet connection. 

Otherwise its Linux is getting better all the time. Watching DVD is no problems now with Mplayer and Xine.

Cheers
HC

----- Original Message -----
From: Dylan <dylan at dylan.me.uk>
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 04:18:24 +0000
To: gllug at gllug.org.uk
Subject: [Gllug] Notebooks...

> Hi All,
> 
> I'm looking to buy a notebook machine in the near future, and would 
> welcome any advice, pointers or horror stories...
> 
> I will be using ti to watch DVDs when away from home, and to control my 
> telescope 'in the field.'
> 
> My requirements are:
> Serial port (or a USB to serial adaptor which is supported by Linux)
> WIFI and wired LAN port (wifi could be a PCMCIA card)
> External keyboard and pointer-device connection (could be USB, of 
> course, but with a possible USB-serial adaptor, and the essential 
> pen-drive, we're running out of USB sockets and a powered hub ain't 
> gonna cut it on a hilltop...)
> Bluetooth (for connection to mobile phone if this is supported)
> Modem
> Full install set for Windoze (sorry about this, but the data upload 
> s/ware for the 'scope is Windoze only, although xephem controls the 
> thing once the catalog is uploaded. - there are *nix projects to do the 
> job but they're all 0.2 releases max and I'm not risking them on £1000 
> of kit!) I don't want restore disks because I'll only ever use it to 
> upload to the 'scope, so OS free would probably be OK and I could use 
> the dusty Win98 I've still got (assuming the CD still reads and it can 
> drive the machine.)
> 
> So, what experience does the group have to offer...?
> 
> TIA
> Dylan
> 
> -- 
> "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little 
> temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." 
>                                   -Benjamin Franklin
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