Wapsi Square Forum

It's an old Gateway {edit}, (oops make that an) HP PC w/ an AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor (but also 7.1 channel analog/coax digital outputs).

Slapped a later, (but not by much) Video Card in it that has an SVHS port and, so far, Bob's muh Uncle!

Still need to dial in the SubWoofer's separate Amp & the Center Channel Speaker isn't yet mounted way up high Like the L+R channels are already.

I'm running Ubuntu Studio 16.04 x64 w/ VLC, and while I have the A/V front end on there called KINO, oops, No; Kodi, I don't really like it too much and have defaulted back to just going it plain ol OS for now.

SO, soon enough I'll be able to rattle the windows in a proper fashion...

How heavily loaded is that CPU when in use? The source say it's about a 95-watt TDP chip, and then there's the hard drive and video card.

Recycling is all to the good, but the power consumption of that box may start to add up as the months go by. Something built around an Atom or an ARM processor might be a worthwhile step-sideways at some point.

Dave wrote:Something built around an Atom or an ARM processor might be a worthwhile step-sideways at some point.

Might I suggest a Raspberry Pi, installed into this elegant Kodi Edition Raspberry Pi Case? Sounds like it might be a worthwhile solution, and it certainly would not cost much: $11 for the case, and up to $35 for the Raspberry Pi, depending on the model purchased.


(My own take on the Raspberry Pi is that ever since it first came out, I keep thinking I'd like to have one, but I can't figure out why I would, since I can't think of a purpose for me to have one...)

Dave wrote:How heavily loaded is that CPU when in use? The source say it's about a 95-watt TDP chip, and then there's the hard drive and video card.
Recycling is all to the good, but the power consumption of that box may start to add up as the months go by. Something built around an Atom or an ARM processor might be a worthwhile step-sideways at some point.

Yeah, as it turns out you have a point, esp in terms of overall power consumption, BUT- it's hardly ever used and/or turned on. (On the flip side, it can also serve to help heat the room, now that it's Winter and everything...

lake_wrangler wrote:

Dave wrote:Something built around an Atom or an ARM processor might be a worthwhile step-sideways at some point.

Might I suggest a Raspberry Pi, installed into this elegant Kodi Edition Raspberry Pi Case? Sounds like it might be a worthwhile solution, and it certainly would not cost much: $11 for the case, and up to $35 for the Raspberry Pi, depending on the model purchased.
(My own take on the Raspberry Pi is that ever since it first came out, I keep thinking I'd like to have one, but I can't figure out why I would, since I can't think of a purpose for me to have one...)

Heh heh, Me Too. In fact I've been trying to get one, and make USE of it, for a long time now.

Really though it's less like a full-time TV situation and more like a 'Movie Night' special occasion rig, even more so a 'work out the bugs in easy of use' type test mule. So far, other than Labor, I haven't spent a single nickel on the thing...