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Hardware FAQ Solution #20, Build VS Buy:
Does it make sense to build a custom hardware solution or to buy a pre-packaged commercial system from a reputable vendor?
Please visit our ready-made hardware configuration pages at...
http://www.scala.com/systems
When making this choice the guiding considerations are:
- What does this solution have to do? Is this solution a simple info display kiosk, a corporate desktop, a cable television barker channel at a head-end, or a geographically distributed digital satellite downlink station?
- Can a given commercial machine actually be made to do this role?
- Does the machine have enough expansion slots of the correct types?
- Does the machine have enough free system resources? [Interrupts, Memory Address Ranges, I/O Ports, DMA Channels]
- Are there any special purpose expansion cards that this solution requires that will simply not work with a given machine?
For Scala Broadcast Multimedia "Player" applications, the following motherboards and computers can form the basis of supportable, stable, cost-effective systems.
Complete Commercial PC's:
"Small Footprint"/(Special Presentation) applications:
The Saintsong "Espresso" and "Cappucino":
http://www.saintsong.com.tw/
These are a single FC-PGA Socket370 CPU, Intel 810/815-based, compact desktop PC that is about the size of a "SONY Walkman"--with NTSC/PAL TV output that is suitable for various "Sales Presentations" applications. It can be equipped with, (maximum), a PentiumIII-800 MHz CPU, 256 MB of RAM, and a 60 GB Hard Disk Drive. This machine works best with Windows2000sp2 and WindowsXP.
The Micro-Star International "MS-6215":
http://tw.msi.com.tw/showroom/netpc/eng/6215.htm This is a classic "Bookshelf PC". This compact unit, approximately the size of a large text book,
is a complete desktop PC with Audio, Video, LAN, "NTSC/PAL TV-OUT", and two "half-length" PCI slots. It can be equipped with, (maximum), a PentiumIII-1.13 MHz CPU, 256 MB of RAM, and a 120 GB Hard Disk Drive. This machine works well with Windows2000sp2 and WindowsXP
Conventional Desktops/MiniTowers:
For Compaq "TV Output"-type applications:
Compaq EVO D500 Small Form Factor Desktop: D5S/C1.0/20/6/128c part number : 470023-294* Celeron 1GHz, 128 MB SDRAM, 20 GB HDD, Intel Video/Audio/NIC. --This unit will require a 128MB RAM upgrade.
For Compaq "Plasma Panel"-type applications:
D5S/P1.5/20/6/256c part number: 470023-312, Pentium4 1.5 GHz, 256 MB SDRAM, 20 GB HDD, Intel, Audio/NIC, nVidia, Video.
The DELL "Optiplex GX150 Series"
http://www.dell.com/us/en/bsd/products/model_optix_optix_gx150.htm
Intel(R) Pentium(R) III or CeleronTM processors with the Intel 815E chipset Processors/front side bus: Pentium III 1.13GHz/ 133MHz; 1.0GHz/133MHz; 933/133MHz 256KB Advanced Transfer Cache and Celeron 1.1GHz/100MHz; 1.0GHz/100Mhz; 900/100MHz with 128KB L2
internal cache, Two gold plated DIMM slots support 64 - 512MB Non-ECC PC133 SDRAM Shared1 memory. These machines work well with Windows2000sp2, and WindowsXP.
IBM NetVista M-Series:
6830 TAU
PentiumIII 1.0 GHz, 128 MB, 20 GB HDD, Intel Audio/NIC, nVidia Video. --This unit will require a 128MB RAM upgrade.
979211U
Pentium4 1.6 GHz, 128 MB, 20 GB HDD, Intel Audio/NIC, nVidia Video. --This unit will require a 128MB RAM upgrade.
Laptops:
The Compaq "Presario 17xx Series"
http://athome.compaq.com/showroom/static/features/series-highlights/1700/1...
The Compaq "Presario 27xx Series"
http://athome.compaq.com/family_details.asp?ProductLineId=440&FamilyId=905
The DELL "Insperon 3800, 5000, 7000, & 8100 Series:
http://www.dell.com/us/en/biz/products/series_inspn_notebooks.htm
These are capable product lines with good Displays, Stable Video and Audio Drivers, and NTSC, (or PAL), TV-OUTPUT. These machines work well with Windows2000sp2.
Regards,
Scala Technical Support
Scala Technical Support FAQ Soution #297, last modified 12/02/2002
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