Best portable platform for multimedia? Redux

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Drew Tronvig wrote:
> I started a topic three days ago--which makes it old news now--looking
> for suggestions on a portable computer and O/S for multimedia.
> Drewjames (could that be one of my two cousins named James Drew?)
> kindly suggested a Mac PowerBook. Krystian Polak and J. Clarke then
> argued for an SGI system but I haven't yet found the portable SGI
> machine. My standards for portability have evolved somewhat,
> particularly after looking at the CPU-in-screen 20" iMac G5. I would
> seriously consider schlepping that, or a similar machine, in a case
> like the iLugger (http://www.ltaprojects.com/_wsn/page7.html). This
> takes me back to when we were lugging around Compaq lunchboxes and
> classic Macs or, even earlier, Kaypros. We survived that, though one
> shoulder may still be slightly lower than the other.
>
> I schlep awkward 50-pound compressors and miter saws with single
> handles every day and I would just need to carry this setup to and
> from the car. I don't fly a lot and I rarely need my computer--an
> ancient Micron laptop--when I get there. I've hardly ever needed to
> run the laptop on battery. So here is a revised version of my
> original posting:
>
> I'm looking for a portable computer that will be a solid platform for
> multimedia over the next few years and would appreciate any advice on
> operating systems and hardware.
>
> I would want to run smooth HD video, preferably on a built-in ~9:16
> ~1080-line screen but would consider driving a widescreen monitor,
> either one that stays at home or a flat panel that I could carry
> around with a compact CPU, with the whole combination fitting into a
> single, possibly huge, case with one handle. In either case I would
> also want to drive a generic HD TV set. I don't expect to do any
> heavy-duty video editing but who knows. I will be editing sound and
> doing live sound mixing and equalization, if that's possible. I will
> be using Photoshop or equivalent. I will be doing architectural CAD.
>
> I've been looking at the HP Media Center zd7380us (search for that
> model number at hp.com) and I'm waiting to see the zd8000 series. I'm
> also now looking at the 20" iMac G5. The only comparable PC I've found
> is the Gateway 19" Profile 5XL-C and that appears to have a 3:4 screen
> of unknown resolution. I'm open to any operating system. I don't need
> to run on battery but if not I'd need to figure in a small UPS that
> could trigger an automatic sleep mode with memory backup to disk.
>
> Prime considerations would be available software, now or in the near
> future and the ability of the platform to work smoothly with real-time
> audio and video. What platform would you bet on to, say, do the job of
> a Tivo, recording two video signals while playing another, all without
> dropping a frame? What if they were all HD signals?
>
> Thanks,
> Drew

You might consider one of the barebones boxes such as Shuttle.
Basically, the small form factor or barebones systems offer the power of
a desktop with a small, more easily ported design. Gamers use these for
lan parties for their portability. You purchase the barebones box with
power supply and mainboard designed for a particular CPU. The CPU, RAM,
graphics card, drives, and display are purchased separately. Routinely,
the mainboard is complete with ports, lan, and sometimes wireless lan.
Best Buy currently has an OEM Shuttle computer, as does Sam's Club, so
you can see what these are about. Cooling is via heat pipe like most
laptops and that can be an issue as is the usual single AGP or PCI
express and PCI slots which limit expansion. www.newegg.com has pretty
fair descriptions of barebones systems. These are not price-competetive
with normal desktop systems, but are very price competetive with laptops
since there are no concesssions (except for mainboad design and cooling)
to device size and are not end of the line for upgrades. You can outfit
these with multimedia graphics cards with all the basic multimedia
functions, including TV in/out.

Q

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi Quaoar,

These look really interesting, though I'd end up carrying two bags.

To anyone:

What would be a good schleppable widescreen flat-panel monitor. One
that could double as an HD TV monitor would be great.

Also, this raises the question of Linux vs. Windows as a software
platform for mutimedia as described in my original post

Thanks,
Drew

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Shuttle or Iwill XPC's.

www.shuttle.com

www.iwill-usa.com



dk


"Drew Tronvig" <dtronvig@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1102620689.975694.310520@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I started a topic three days ago--which makes it old news now--looking
> for suggestions on a portable computer and O/S for multimedia.
> Drewjames (could that be one of my two cousins named James Drew?)
> kindly suggested a Mac PowerBook. Krystian Polak and J. Clarke then
> argued for an SGI system but I haven't yet found the portable SGI
> machine. My standards for portability have evolved somewhat,
> particularly after looking at the CPU-in-screen 20" iMac G5. I would
> seriously consider schlepping that, or a similar machine, in a case
> like the iLugger (http://www.ltaprojects.com/_wsn/page7.html). This
> takes me back to when we were lugging around Compaq lunchboxes and
> classic Macs or, even earlier, Kaypros. We survived that, though one
> shoulder may still be slightly lower than the other.
>
> I schlep awkward 50-pound compressors and miter saws with single
> handles every day and I would just need to carry this setup to and from
> the car. I don't fly a lot and I rarely need my computer--an ancient
> Micron laptop--when I get there. I've hardly ever needed to run the
> laptop on battery. So here is a revised version of my original posting:
>
> I'm looking for a portable computer that will be a solid platform for
> multimedia over the next few years and would appreciate any advice on
> operating systems and hardware.
>
> I would want to run smooth HD video, preferably on a built-in ~9:16
> ~1080-line screen but would consider driving a widescreen monitor,
> either one that stays at home or a flat panel that I could carry around
> with a compact CPU, with the whole combination fitting into a single,
> possibly huge, case with one handle. In either case I would also want
> to drive a generic HD TV set. I don't expect to do any heavy-duty video
> editing but who knows. I will be editing sound and doing live sound
> mixing and equalization, if that's possible. I will be using Photoshop
> or equivalent. I will be doing architectural CAD.
>
> I've been looking at the HP Media Center zd7380us (search for that
> model number at hp.com) and I'm waiting to see the zd8000 series. I'm
> also now looking at the 20" iMac G5. The only comparable PC I've found
> is the Gateway 19" Profile 5XL-C and that appears to have a 3:4 screen
> of unknown resolution. I'm open to any operating system. I don't need
> to run on battery but if not I'd need to figure in a small UPS that
> could trigger an automatic sleep mode with memory backup to disk.
>
> Prime considerations would be available software, now or in the near
> future and the ability of the platform to work smoothly with real-time
> audio and video. What platform would you bet on to, say, do the job of
> a Tivo, recording two video signals while playing another, all without
> dropping a frame? What if they were all HD signals?
>
> Thanks,
> Drew
>

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

"Drew Tronvig" <dtronvig@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1102628283.027631.326590@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Quaoar,
>
> These look really interesting, though I'd end up carrying two bags.
>
> To anyone:
>
> What would be a good schleppable widescreen flat-panel monitor. One
> that could double as an HD TV monitor would be great.
>
> Also, this raises the question of Linux vs. Windows as a software
> platform for mutimedia as described in my original post
>


I travel with a Shuttle (models have varied over
time from SN51S to SB75G2) and a 16" Sharp LCD
(pedestal removed).

Shuttle now has a portable/foldable 17" LCD that
comes with its own carrying case.



dk

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Dan Koren wrote:
> "Drew Tronvig" <dtronvig@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1102628283.027631.326590@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>> Hi Quaoar,
>>
>> These look really interesting, though I'd end up carrying two bags.
>>
>> To anyone:
>>
>> What would be a good schleppable widescreen flat-panel monitor. One
>> that could double as an HD TV monitor would be great.
>>
>> Also, this raises the question of Linux vs. Windows as a software
>> platform for mutimedia as described in my original post
>>
>
>
> I travel with a Shuttle (models have varied over
> time from SN51S to SB75G2) and a 16" Sharp LCD
> (pedestal removed).
>
> Shuttle now has a portable/foldable 17" LCD that
> comes with its own carrying case.
>
>
>
> dk

Shuttle's display received absolutely terrible reviews at Anandtech.com
for poor color redition and, AIRC, poor pixel rates. Too bad, it's a
cool looking portable display.

Q

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Drew Tronvig wrote:

> I started a topic three days ago--which makes it old news now--looking
> for suggestions on a portable computer and O/S for multimedia.
> Drewjames (could that be one of my two cousins named James Drew?)
> kindly suggested a Mac PowerBook. Krystian Polak and J. Clarke then
> argued for an SGI system but I haven't yet found the portable SGI
> machine. My standards for portability have evolved somewhat,
> particularly after looking at the CPU-in-screen 20" iMac G5. I would
> seriously consider schlepping that, or a similar machine, in a case
> like the iLugger (http://www.ltaprojects.com/_wsn/page7.html). This
> takes me back to when we were lugging around Compaq lunchboxes and
> classic Macs or, even earlier, Kaypros. We survived that, though one
> shoulder may still be slightly lower than the other.
>
> I schlep awkward 50-pound compressors and miter saws with single
> handles every day and I would just need to carry this setup to and from
> the car. I don't fly a lot and I rarely need my computer--an ancient
> Micron laptop--when I get there. I've hardly ever needed to run the
> laptop on battery. So here is a revised version of my original posting:
>
> I'm looking for a portable computer that will be a solid platform for
> multimedia over the next few years and would appreciate any advice on
> operating systems and hardware.
>
> I would want to run smooth HD video, preferably on a built-in ~9:16
> ~1080-line screen but would consider driving a widescreen monitor,
> either one that stays at home or a flat panel that I could carry around
> with a compact CPU, with the whole combination fitting into a single,
> possibly huge, case with one handle. In either case I would also want
> to drive a generic HD TV set. I don't expect to do any heavy-duty video
> editing but who knows. I will be editing sound and doing live sound
> mixing and equalization, if that's possible. I will be using Photoshop
> or equivalent. I will be doing architectural CAD.
>
> I've been looking at the HP Media Center zd7380us (search for that
> model number at hp.com) and I'm waiting to see the zd8000 series. I'm
> also now looking at the 20" iMac G5. The only comparable PC I've found
> is the Gateway 19" Profile 5XL-C and that appears to have a 3:4 screen
> of unknown resolution. I'm open to any operating system. I don't need
> to run on battery but if not I'd need to figure in a small UPS that
> could trigger an automatic sleep mode with memory backup to disk.
>
> Prime considerations would be available software, now or in the near
> future and the ability of the platform to work smoothly with real-time
> audio and video. What platform would you bet on to, say, do the job of
> a Tivo, recording two video signals while playing another, all without
> dropping a frame? What if they were all HD signals?

Bottom line--a laptop is not going to do what you want to do without lugging
along a lot of accessories. Just for your video alone you'd need at least
one external tuner and for HD you'd need two--there aren't any laptops that
I'm aware of with an HD tuner. If you're talking about recording HD other
than as a modulated signal then you're going to need some fairly fancy
hardware--there isn't anything that goes in a PC that will take a DVI input
and record it so you'd need a board that takes component, and that's rather
specialized equipment. Getting multiple sound inputs is also
problematical. So is getting the necessary outputs to drive an HDTV--you
need either DVI or component outputs and if you're going to be working with
multiple sets should have both--some like component better, some like DVI
better.

Your best bet would be to go over to http://www.avsforum.com and find a
hardware configuration that will do everything that you want and then put
it in a lunchbox case.

As to which OS to use, find the hardware that does what you want and let
that drive the OS decision.

> Thanks,
> Drew

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I'll start a new topic on this
but I'm wondering if a lunchbox PC could redirect video output to a
Firewire or USB signal that could be displayed, say, on the nice 20"
screen of the iMac G5, for those times when I need to run Windows or
Linux software?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I'll start a new topic on this
but I'm wondering if a lunchbox PC could redirect video output to a
Firewire or USB signal that could be displayed, say, on the nice 20"
screen of the iMac G5, for those times when I need to run Windows or
Linux software?