[RAMChYLD]

Great... I might not be able to give up Audrey simply because I'll feel bad if I do. What if the need for her arises again in the future? And what if my aunt doesn't really need a new PC?

I still plan on refreshing her, but I might end up keeping her. I have to wait and see.

Get a 4-Port KVM+USB switch instead. Problem solved. The one extra port is for future expandability.

For added oomph, throw in a USB 1.1 card and a ADC-to-VGA adapter for your classic Mac. Now you're a real sysadmin.

[cpd2009]

Great... I might not be able to give up Audrey simply because I'll feel bad if I do. What if the need for her arises again in the future? And what if my aunt doesn't really need a new PC?

I still plan on refreshing her, but I might end up keeping her. I have to wait and see.

Get a 4-Port KVM+USB switch instead. Problem solved. The one extra port is for future expandability.

For added oomph, throw in a USB 1.1 card and a ADC-to-VGA adapter for your classic Mac. Now you're a real sysadmin.

Well, I need to find Audrey's place first. I will attempt one last time at a media PC, with Audrey as test subject. Not full MCE, but for R0/R1 DVD playback and storage of all my DivX TV recordings. Thus, said PC will stay connected to Anna-Lena, though I may set up either a network file share or a Homegroup to ease transferring files between all my PCs.

I already decided on the 2 port USB KVM for Lilly and Jasper, but now I insist on DVI. I am now willing to find and pay for an expensive DVI KVM. I am seeing how much clearer DVI is thanks to Lilly. Plus, with VGA, Jasper doesn't detect the HP S2031's resolution correctly. He's stuck at 1280x1024. I know he outputs at full 1600x900 resolution on DVI.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I can only handle so many PCs. If Audrey does work out as a media PC, then I really don't see a need for another one down the road unless if it's a really vintage one like an Apple II or Mac Plus. Theoretically I could get a Linux PC, but I would prefer that to be on an late 2000s laptop rather than a desktop.

[cpd2009]

Ahh... the wonder of Bloatware might have brought me a way to use Audrey with ease.

Question is... will Acer Remote cut it? Or will I have to acquire an inexpensive MCE PC remote?

[huckleberrypie]

Now you're a real sysadmin.

Like a boss.

Seriously though, that would be neato, though I don't have a spare rig to test a KVM on.

[RAMChYLD]

Well, I need to find Audrey's place first. I will attempt one last time at a media PC, with Audrey as test subject. Not full MCE, but for R0/R1 DVD playback and storage of all my DivX TV recordings. Thus, said PC will stay connected to Anna-Lena, though I may set up either a network file share or a Homegroup to ease transferring files between all my PCs.

I already decided on the 2 port USB KVM for Lilly and Jasper, but now I insist on DVI. I am now willing to find and pay for an expensive DVI KVM. I am seeing how much clearer DVI is thanks to Lilly. Plus, with VGA, Jasper doesn't detect the HP S2031's resolution correctly. He's stuck at 1280x1024. I know he outputs at full 1600x900 resolution on DVI.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I can only handle so many PCs. If Audrey does work out as a media PC, then I really don't see a need for another one down the road unless if it's a really vintage one like an Apple II or Mac Plus. Theoretically I could get a Linux PC, but I would prefer that to be on an late 2000s laptop rather than a desktop.

Noted. I'd suggest using Lily for the MCPC instead (the HD3000 graphics can only take you so far. On the other hand, Audrey has not yet reached her full potential yet- you've yet to get her a compatible card to do CrossfireX/Dual Graphics). Slap on an Elgato USB tuner or two and a cheap USB DVD-RW drive, and XBMC/Kodi, and she'll be a serviceable MCPC. Especially since she already has a built-in IR sensor and a reasonably large hard drive. And well, with a wireless USB keyboard and mouse, you can still do video editing on her (which will work out too since you will then have a large screen for viewing).

And yes, there's a Mac-native version of XBMC/Kodi.

It's a win-win solution that way. Lily gets used for video editing and MCPC, Audrey keeps her audio duties (and possibly gaming), and Jasper gets put back to use as a retro box.
---

Like a boss.

Seriously though, that would be neato, though I don't have a spare rig to test a KVM on.

Indeed. The power tastes kinda awesome.

[cpd2009]

Noted. I'd suggest using Lily for the MCPC instead (the HD3000 graphics can only take you so far. On the other hand, Audrey has not yet reached her full potential yet- you've yet to get her a compatible card to do CrossfireX/Dual Graphics). Slap on an Elgato USB tuner or two and a cheap USB DVD-RW drive, and XBMC/Kodi, and she'll be a serviceable MCPC. Especially since she already has a built-in IR sensor and a reasonably large hard drive. And well, with a wireless USB keyboard and mouse, you can still do video editing on her (which will work out too since you will then have a large screen for viewing).

And yes, there's a Mac-native version of XBMC/Kodi.

It's a win-win solution that way. Lily gets used for video editing and MCPC, Audrey keeps her audio duties (and possibly gaming), and Jasper gets put back to use as a retro box.

In regards to Audrey being an MCPC, it appears Gateway had that in mind. She has an HDMI output which fits Anna-Lena perfectly as well as a remote control program called Acer Remote. However, I tested it last night and it's far too limited for my uses. Only basic playback functions for PowerDVD/WMP are present and no access to a real Menu button. I'm going to have to acquire an inexpensive MCPC remote off eBay, such as the one below:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tinyurl.com/msmdxmr">http://tinyurl.com/msmdxmr</a><!-- m -->

I ran some test DVDs last night also, and video playback is smooth and fluid. Color reproduction seems far better than Lilly for some reason, though I used the basic Apple DVD player when Lilly was tried as an MCPC. Perhaps PowerDVD has better processing or something. If I wanted PowerDVD on Lilly I would have to purchase it, even if I wanted to use WMP for playback. VLC would work for DVDs too, and it's free, but I find it's video processing is not as smooth as PowerDVD/WMP. However, I shall use VLC for R2 DVDs that don't have Macrovision.

I appreciate the ideas, and maybe if Audrey doesn't work out in the end maybe I'll consider it. As of now though I'm arranging the setup the way I feel comfortable. I prefer video and audio editing at a desk, and while Anna-Lena would provide me a massive screen for video editing, doing that on a couch or anything but a desk seems uncomfortable to me.

Oh, and Greta is the gaming PC, since all I play are casual games and she has the Nvidia GeForce 610m.

[RAMChYLD]

Whatever works for you I guess. Optimally I wouldn't use a laptop for gaming, but I am only because my working hours are pretty unstable nowadays- I've stayed back to 8PM on several occasions now, worked to midnight on two days, and on one occasion, even went in to work on a public holiday.

But yeah. I've just upgraded Dongwa to a six-core machine. I upgraded Edison to six-core earlier this year. Now I intend to upgrade Sally to a four-core first-gen Phenom CPU (unlike Edison and Dongwa, Sally's motherboard is designed for the Phenom-I since she uses DDR-2 RAM).

[Stella Grapes]

Buildings to further grow business.

[cpd2009]

Buildings to further grow business.

Cool.

[RAMChYLD]

CD-RW drive on Cleo died. So I decided to get funny and throw in Dongwa's DVD-RAM drive.

Not only I can boot from the drive, I just found out that Toast 5.2.3 (which I've been using to write CDs on Cleo) can also handle DVDs >.>

This must've been unrealized potential for Cleo. Now, if only I can use the Apple DVD player...

I've shuffled the LG I had in Maxwell into Dongwa, since I never burn discs on Maxwell anyway, the drive so far has only been used to boot Linux DVDs for diagnostic purposes.