[geeks] Virtualization-supporting Celeron

[Lionel Peterson]

Comments in line...

On Nov 23, 2009, at 3:43 PM, nate at portents.com wrote:

>> In case anyone was interested, the cheap, 64-bit, virtualization-
>> supporting 2.4 GHz w/ 1 Meg cache Celeron is $53 @ newegg, it is an
>> E3200 Wolfdale piece.
>>
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116265&cm_re=Celeron_CPU-_-19-116-265-_-Product
>>
>> There is an E3300 part, for $60 @ newegg as well.
>
> These have been out for a little while, and I think it's Intel's  
> reaction
> to their earlier stupidity in stripping out features in their low-end
> processors unnecessarily, and AMD being more sane and leaving them in.

I agree, but at $53-60, including fan/heatsink, that's a pretty good  
deal. Low-end AMD CPUs don't support virtualization, but they are used  
almost exclusively in 'netbook+' class laptops as far as I've seen.

>> I got one a while ago, but haven't put it together (yet) - was goig  
>> to
>> build a HTPC, but I had issues with digital cable reception and lost
>> my motivation. Comcast requires a converter box, and that tripped me
>> up...
>
> Comcast doesn't so much require a converter box as they are encrypting
> most (if not all) of their digital cable lineup while removing the  
> analog
> cable signal, and would like you to think you need to rent a cable  
> box.
> This digital transition isn't complete in all markets, but most if  
> not all
> cable providers are in the process of doing it (RCN called their
> transition "digital crush" in internal documents).  Rural areas will  
> be
> last, more urban/dense areas first.

Comcast is at least 90%+ converted to digital in my area, and as far  
as I can tell, there is no rhyme or reason for what was or was not  
converted to digital.

If I can't decode the channels without a box, I need the box.

Comcast allows each subscriber to have 3 free converter boxes, but I'm  
not sure if the free converters have any direct, hard-wired way to  
change channels... I got distracted before I found the answer.

I had a TiVo, but I dumped it for the comcast DVR, it cost as much as  
TiVo but also replaced a cable box on the TV (cheaper solution), but I  
miss the TiVo interface.

> The FCC requires all cable providers to give any customer who asks  
> for a
> cable box with a Firewire port (for changing the channel and digitally
> recording shows over Firewire), so you can certainly request that from
> your cable provider and use software in Windows or Linux to record one
> show at a time per cable box you rent.  See these links for more info:
>
> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/FireWire
>
> http://wiki.mythtv.org/wiki/Firewire_Cable_Box_Compatibility

Thanks for the links, I'll follow-up when I get to my laptop (on  
iPhone poolside right now in FL)...

> The FCC also mandated that consumers be allowed to buy cable boxes
> themselves to own, however the cable companies have used their  
> existing
> lock on the market to indirectly (or perhaps directly, and secretly)  
> put
> pressure on cable box makers not to make any cable boxes available for
> purchase by consumers.

I will not hold my breath for that to happen.

> You also have the Cable Card decoder option (Cable Card being a PCMCIA
> card your rent from your cable company for anywhere from $1-$5 per  
> month
> that has some unique decryption keys that your cable company records  
> and
> then permits to decrypt the digital stream).  Cable Card *used* to  
> only be

I have a cablecard-equipped TV, but it is a pain in the arse... But  
great when it works.

> an option available to OEMs (meaning you had to buy a complete "Media
> Center PC" from an authorized box builder for a significant premium),
> which was restricted by the company Cable Labs by putting additional  
> keys
> in the BIOS of those PCs that authorized the use of the Cable Card
> decoder.  Then members of the public figured out where those keys were
> stored, and also figured out how to inject those keys into modified  
> BIOS
> files in standard motherboards so anyone who wanted to build their own
> HTPC and use a Cable Card decoder could, so I think as a result of  
> that
> Cable Labs decided to release their restrictions recently and the  
> last I
> heard they were going to let anyone use a Cable Card decoder on a  
> custom
> built PC - you'll just have to also use Windows Media Center, as I  
> don't
> think there is any support for Cable Card decoders in MythTV.  Windows
> Media Center also imposes even more stringent DRM that solutions  
> such as
> TiVo, where last I checked there was no way to transfer shows off  
> Windows
> Media Center and play them back or transcode them on another PC.

I'm not aware of any way to 'shove' a cablecard in a PC, or even  
emulate one. The only way I can get my hands on a cablecard is to have  
comcast roll a truck and install it...

You've given me some great pointers to follow-up on, thanks!

Lionel