Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] ppc linux audio
From: Jay Ts (jay_AT_toltec.metran.cx)
Date: Thu Jun 29 2000 - 01:07:41 EEST
John Lazzaro wrote:
>
> (someone else wrote:)
> > One thing that is big on my wish list is a silent computer. I have
> > heard that iMacs don't use a fan
I heard that too, but my friend's Bondi Blue iMac (the original model)
does seem to have a fan in it, judging from what he tells me, plus
the air calmly blowing out of the vent on the top. It does seem pretty
quiet - perhaps that has something to do with the fan being way down inside,
and not blowing very hard.
I've been thinking maybe computers (Pentium PCs) need mufflers.
Motorcycles without mufflers are pretty noisy compared to the
fully-muffled models. I think the same can be done for computers.
Except that I doubt if any of the major manufacturers care about it.
Maybe it would be possible to put rubber washers and a silicone caulk
gasket between the case and power supply to minimize vibrations, then
attach a baffled port onto the back of the computer to quiet the noise.
Also, there are quieter fans than the cheap models commonly used in
computer power supplies. It might be possible to find a quieter
drop-in replacement.
Another possibility is to just open the case and let ambient airflow
cool the thing. Pretty raw, and it may reduce the life of the system,
especially if you remove the CPU cooling fan! Actually, one of my
older Pentiums lost functionality in the CPU cooling fan a while ago,
and the system worked until it got hot here (N. Arizona) in the daytime.
That CPU was a P166 overclocked to 200 MHz, and it still worked fine at
night when it was cooler. (That was my clue that the random lockups were
due to a hardware problem! :) Again, removing the CPU cooling fan will
definitely void your warranty. And I don't know if it'll work at all with
PII or PIII CPUs. And the Athlon? I doubt it!
> > A daw based on pentiums can never be
> > fanless, but maybe a ppc based system could.
IIRC, the PPC draws about 1/2 the power, so there is a win in that.
Or just use a laptop... of course, then it's hard to find a good
laptop that will work with your favorite PCI sound card. ;-)
> A new trend we're starting to see is to make rack-mount systems out
> of laptop components,
More like it.
- Jay Ts
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