Very Computer

> I am considering the purchase of a new computer to replace a pentium 120
> machine.

> The machine I am considerig has a video card in the AGP slot, described by
> the seller's literatures as follows:
> ASUS GEFORCE 2MX 32MB TV-OUT VIDEO CARD

> The sound card is on the motherboard and is described by the seller as an
> AC97.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Not Good!

> I am used to machines where the preipheral cards were all in pci or isa
> slots.

> Am I likely to have a problem driving these cards under Linux mandrake
> 8.1?

>>I am considering the purchase of a new computer to replace a pentium 120
>>machine.

>>The machine I am considerig has a video card in the AGP slot, described by
>>the seller's literatures as follows:
>>ASUS GEFORCE 2MX 32MB TV-OUT VIDEO CARD

>>The sound card is on the motherboard and is described by the seller as an
>>AC97.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Not Good!

>>I am used to machines where the preipheral cards were all in pci or isa
>>slots.

>>Am I likely to have a problem driving these cards under Linux mandrake
>>8.1?

>> I am considering the purchase of a new computer to replace a pentium 120
>> machine.

>> The machine I am considerig has a video card in the AGP slot, described
>> by the seller's literatures as follows:
>> ASUS GEFORCE 2MX 32MB TV-OUT VIDEO CARD

>> The sound card is on the motherboard and is described by the seller as an
>> AC97.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Not Good!

>> I am used to machines where the preipheral cards were all in pci or isa
>> slots.

>> Am I likely to have a problem driving these cards under Linux mandrake
>> 8.1?

>> This indicates that the sound uses an integrated chipset. These are not
>> simple to use and are not yet directly supported by any distribution.

> I beg to differ. I have VIA AC97 integrated sound on my mainboard, it
> works just fine out of the box with RedHat 7.2. I expect the situation
> will be the same with Mandrake.

> [it even worked with RH 6.2 with the latest RH kernel upgrade
> (2.2.19-something) and a little help (manually editing "alias
> sound-slot-0 via82cxxx_audio" into /etc/modules.conf, I think)].

> This may not be true for all chipsets, though. You should check what
> kind of chipset the mainboard uses.

>  > Even
>  > a SB16 PCI would be a better bet and these are cheap right now.

> It is hard to come across mainboards without integrated sound these days.

> If you can't make it work, or want to use a separate soundcard,
> integrated sound can be disabled in BIOS setup.

>> GForce
>> cards mostly work fine out of the box.

> Agreed.

> Here is what is available as options from the seller of the machine, as
> cpied from his web page.

> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE VALUE DIGITAL         $42
> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE VALUE DIGITAL 5.1     $49
> SOUNDBLASTER XGAMER 5.1                 $113
> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE MP3 + 5.1             $113
> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE PLAT 5.1              $215
> BESTEK X-ERA SOUND LIVE                 $25

> The prices are for boxed cards. I assume that the price for OEM cards
> purchased with the machine will not be very different.

> Of course, the seller doesn't support linux so any card that I specify
> will be at my onus as to the availability of sound modules.

> > This indicates that the sound uses an integrated chipset. These are not
> > simple to use and are not yet directly supported by any distribution.
> > Even a SB16 PCI would be a better bet and these are cheap right now.
> > GForce cards mostly work fine out of the box.

> >> I am considering the purchase of a new computer to replace a pentium
> >> 120 machine.

> >> The machine I am considerig has a video card in the AGP slot, described
> >> by the seller's literatures as follows:
> >> ASUS GEFORCE 2MX 32MB TV-OUT VIDEO CARD

> >> The sound card is on the motherboard and is described by the seller as
> >> an AC97.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Not Good!

> >> I am used to machines where the preipheral cards were all in pci or isa
> >> slots.

> >> Am I likely to have a problem driving these cards under Linux mandrake
> >> 8.1?

>> Thank you. I was expecting to have to replace the sound system with a pci
>> sound card.  On my pentium 20 machinces, I am running Soundblaster isapnp
>> cards and am content with them except for some hesitation playing some
>> midi.

>> Here is what is available as options from the seller of the machine, as
>> cpied from his web page.

>> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE VALUE DIGITAL         $42
>> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE VALUE DIGITAL 5.1     $49
>> SOUNDBLASTER XGAMER 5.1                 $113
>> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE MP3 + 5.1             $113
>> SOUNDBLASTER LIVE PLAT 5.1              $215
>> BESTEK X-ERA SOUND LIVE                 $25

>> The prices are for boxed cards. I assume that the price for OEM cards
>> purchased with the machine will not be very different.

>> Of course, the seller doesn't support linux so any card that I specify
>> will be at my onus as to the availability of sound modules.

>> > This indicates that the sound uses an integrated chipset. These are not
>> > simple to use and are not yet directly supported by any distribution.
>> > Even a SB16 PCI would be a better bet and these are cheap right now.
>> > GForce cards mostly work fine out of the box.

>> >> I am considering the purchase of a new computer to replace a pentium
>> >> 120 machine.

>> >> The machine I am considerig has a video card in the AGP slot,
>> >> described by the seller's literatures as follows:
>> >> ASUS GEFORCE 2MX 32MB TV-OUT VIDEO CARD

>> >> The sound card is on the motherboard and is described by the seller as
>> >> an AC97.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Not Good!

>> >> I am used to machines where the preipheral cards were all in pci or
>> >> isa slots.

>> >> Am I likely to have a problem driving these cards under Linux mandrake
>> >> 8.1?

> Note that Pricewatch shows SB PCI 16 models for about 20. The Bestek card
> I am not familiar with. The Esoniq cards work fine even with my old
> distribution. Via chipset built-in sound should work so sve the money
> until you get an Idea if the thing works as is. You can spend the money
> later if need be.