New case for the SAM almost ready

@Faranheit

>>Yes you can use one Radeon PCI card on Sam 440EP but as the PCI slot in only at 33Mhz, it will be much slower than the integrated chipset :)

Is that true?! D'OH!

@Mrodfr

TheDaddy wants to make a tiny box, so, in this objective, we must forget PCI slot use I think :)

@TheDaddy : yes, it's true, but not for the Flex version of course, only for the 440EP version :)

Laurent aka Faranheit

@Faranheit

>>@TheDaddy : yes, it's true, but not for the Flex version of course, only for the 440EP version :)

I see...but it would still be useful to use a 128/256MB Radeon for the extra memory or maybe for another type of PCI card, will it?

@TheDaddy

You could but I think you are trying to use the Sam in a different use than what it was made for.
If you don't need more GFX, use Sam, if you want more, use the Flex.

@TheDaddy:

As Elwood says it, graphic card is only useful on Flex version, absolutely not on 440EP.
Having more graphic memory is not a good point if its speed is 2 / 2,5x less speeder !
The only use of the PCI slot on 440EP version would be for a wireless card, but as there is strictely no driver for the current card which can be found on the market, this is why I think that for the moment, PCI slot on 440EP version is useless.

Laurent aka Faranheit

@Faranheit

So why in the hell didn't they axe the PCI expansion and keep the potential 1 gig memory population option...

sometimes I know hardware developers need at least one
sensible power user (who will actually be using the end product) sitting in on ALL the meetings regarding finalising the design aspects of the motherboard/product

@TheDaddy

Sorry for hijacking your thread ;)

but to start on topic, I'm afraid the box thing is going
to be too late for me, my SAM finally made it to my hands
today and I'm off tommorrow to get all the bits and pieces
for it...

but since I will be also buying a SAM-flex or anything
else for that matter, we can look at something then!

@Other Kiwis

SO any other would be other Kiwi SAM purchasers out
there... the final cost for the SAM + 512megs + OS4.1
for SAM + (GST customs BS) was $1700.00 NZ

I won't update my Sig till I have the little beast
ticking away!

what took me by surprising is it has a SVIDEO output

heh... that's cool...

@Slayer

I think thats 3 Sam owners in New Zealand now. You, me, and Hans!

Btw, my Sam was significantly cheaper than that, but:
1. Customs saw the price on my package and assumed it was NZD instead of EURO, due to the specs. so because it was under $500 nzd (supposedly!) they didnt charge any duty!
2. I got a developer discount on my mobo
3. Because I was helping betatest, I didnt have to buy OS4.1

Oh and also, I got an el cheapo MicroATX case with 300 watt psu, and I also used the 2x 250gb sata drives from my A1, so I saved even more there.

@jahc

Quote:

Is there another Hans here in NZ? I have an A1-XE, which I'm still waiting to be shipped to me (I sent it to myself from Canada). Canada Post says that it's in NZ now, so I will hopefully have it up and running again by the end of next week.

I wouldn't mind having a SAM since it would save having to swap graphics cards in and out when testing my driver on multiple cards, but I can't afford one at the moment.

Hans

@Hans

I was referring to you. Whoops!

Hi Slayer,

Wow!

Well, 1700 NZD works out to $1202 Canadian.

I spent $1700 Can. for my 800 Mhz G4 XE with no ram, desktop case, audio card, CD-RW (52*32*52), and an ATI 9600 card I couldn't use. (I think it came with an ATI 7000, 32 Megs.) AOS4.0 came with it. I've yet to buy AOS4.1. I am embarrassed by this.... Financial crunch on my end.

My 2 Gigs of ram cost $1100 NZD.


I'd like to say a BIG HUGE thank you to all that have been willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money for this strange obsession. (It helps make sure I will have new versions of AOS4.x and hardware available to buy in the future. I'm totally selfish in this. )

@jahc

Just you and me then? (since Hans hasn't quite got one?) and nice one on the custom oversight and the other variables... well, you've earned it I say :D

I did notice something too, apart from the wicked (well I thought it went together nicely and operates SO quiet I wonder if it's working) tower case I acquired (Thermaltake Matrix Case with 430w PSU - lol Overkill like in The Last Remnant ;) The harddrive I brought was SATA 2 whereas the DVDRW was SATA. I didn't notice till I got home... just wondering if there was any conflict with SATA 2 devices or was SATA considered too old?

@Atheist

You're very welcome, I've spent so much money on Amiga systems since 1986 I don't even think I could count it... so $1700 is really a lousy amount trust me...

I saw an ad for the sam-flex for 375 euro with no ram... hmmmm... LOL

I brough the tower the dvdrw and the harddrive for $395.00 I was so impressed with how it all went together I am considering just going down and buying it all again and store it for the next SAM in my life!

Amen

Now, if I can just work out what the device (if any) of the DVD section of MPlayer-GUI is looking for so it'll play a DVD on the SAM based DVDRW instead of selecting an actual file...