IBM

Hey Guys

I need to ask someone more experienced - I purchased an Intellistation 9111-285
Really nice machine - I have AIX7.1 - so far so good - OS is bit different from what I'm used to - but its very interesting.


My machine is equipped with standard audio device - the pci one. It is a /dev/paud0 but I can't see any /dev/mixer or anything similar.
Audio works but it is balsting full volume

My question is how does one control the audio levels - mixer of some sort - at this stage I simply ran out of ideas - it must be something obvious as no one is talking about that on the net. I even checked the chdev paud0 - but it only controls some pci attributes.


Does any one know ?

--thankyou

i'd like to try AIX too. Another stupid question.. about the license, was it originally included like apple+macos ?

ppcaddon wrote: i'd like to try AIX too. Another stupid question.. about the license, was it originally included like apple+macos ?

Depends on the box. RS/6000s used to be all AIX, then IBM added a Linux option, and now they've unified platforms with System i (AS/400 - OS/400). However, you need to have both a transferable license (rumor has it that some now aren't), and "Proof of Entitlement". You also have to be able to convince IBM to update their records to show you have a license. This update is supposed to be fast and easy provided you buy from IBM or an authorized reseller.

You used to be able to order AIX for unlicensed systems online - I think it was $800-$2k for most hobbyist type systems. Seems that IBM updated their online sales and now you need to put in a request for a sales contact, which will probably result in your being completely ignored unless you're buying 20+ systems. You'd think that companies would realize by now that "mystique" is not a substitute for "available and affordable" in most instances. My suspicion is that most hobbyists run AIX boxes under IBM's "don't ask, don't tell" policy with eBay media.

Speaking as someone who went through this trying to get media for my POWER6: yes, in general you are entitled just by owning the system, confirmed by my IBM consultant buddy. No, IBM won't make end user sales -- they want the service contracts, not piddling little stuff to us little people. I ended up buying it off eBay. AIX media is not keyed because it won't install on anything but a supported system, so any set that works with your hardware will do.

Ironically, the municipal agency I work for now has an IBM contract, and they are more than happy to sell me stuff *now* because I work for the agency they want contracts from!

SAQ wrote: This update is supposed to be fast and easy provided you buy from IBM or an authorized reseller. You used to be able to order AIX for unlicensed systems online - I think it was $800-$2k for most hobbyist type systems. Seems that IBM updated their online sales and now you need to put in a request for a sales contact, which will probably result in your being completely ignored unless you're buying 20+ systems.

The more things change ...

I bought a new correcting Selectric III once. Cost $1500 and was a major operation just to find out how to get it. Was worth it, though. That's one nice typewriter.

You'd think that companies would realize by now that "mystique" is not a substitute for "available and affordable" in most instances.

Works for Apple Just saw an article about how they plan to enter that emerging market, China, blah blah blah. That's something they should have done ten years ago, the mouth-breathing fools. "We're going to sell a lot of stuff in China, our new market !" Not if you make people fly to Hong Kong and make an appointment with a fifteen minute window on either side, just to buy a fucking telephone. These people are such creeps, I will laugh my ass off when they go under. They deserve it.

(There is a vast difference betwewen the Selectric and the iPhone. The Selectric was superior in every way to anything else available at the time, and beautifully made to boot. The iPhone is made like crap and has exactly one advantage over a Samsung of half the cost - it's narrower so it fits girls' hands better.)

My suspicion is that most hobbyists run AIX boxes under IBM's "don't ask, don't tell" policy with eBay media.

IBM does (did ?) a lot of that Old-timers around there were quite generous to private parties. That was pre-Gerstner though, so things may now be different.

hamei wrote: The Selectric was superior in every way to anything else available at the time, and beautifully made to boot.

I'd go so far as to strike your past tense and replace it with the present tense. My Correcting Selectric II is hands-down my favorite typewriter. Built like a tank, great feel when you're typing, no jammed type bars or fussing at it the way you do when you're trying to convince an electronic typewriter to do something your way while it's trying to "help you out"

sorry for the delay:
bluecode: Yes the sound card works - I can hear mpg123 etc - problem is there is absolutely nothing to be found reassembling a mixer.
I was convinced it will be easy since IBM documents everything - well except sound cards it seems.
I got a full set of install media together with the machine - latest one - machine was used in Germany in Porshe - has a nice grafic card.

If it comes to aix - there are great things and annoying things - the whole vg thing (Virtual Volumes etc) is really great, whole disk subsystem is very effective - but when it comes to opensource compatibility its a nightmare its much easier to compile stuff on Irix.
Linux Compatibility is just a legend - found only one current distro able to boot - crux - I was thinking about Linux from Scratch in a future - but for now I want to get familiar with aix.

There is a great repository of opensoftware - http://www.perlz.org - but some stuff - like ffmpeg, python and couple other things that are there but they don't work - linking is different than on most systems - can't use gnu-ld

If it comes to Hardware - its really nice and powerful - but I think it is bit abandoned. AIX works fine but this is so far only useful as ftp server - what a pity

AIX hasn't been a workstation operating system since 4.1. Around 4.3 and 5 they started going to a pure server approach. I can't even get Firefox 3.6 to work on AIX 6 properly. My AIX systems are all servers and that's all they do. If you want to use it to learn AIX, that's fine, but it's not going to be a good under-your-desk system.

What's wrong with CRUX?

Well nothing is wrong with CRUX - I just don't like to run linux on that machine LFS or gentoo at least would give me a good overview on performance under load while compiling . Also I used to run Gentoo for many years on my first Intellistation Mpro 6889 - so its kind of nostalgia.
Well after I experienced the AIX goodness - especially the way it deals with storage I decided to stick with it.
After initial pain during first days - I got to know it better and I like it.

I'm just wondering because this machine was surly used as a workstation for some Catia or other mechanics CADs, hostname was cinsta02.porsche.de (something close any way) unfortunately all data was wiped - just a naked system left. It has audio adapter so I assumed it has to work - but so far I found nothing on the topic.
It also hase the nice video card GXT6500P - can deal with big displays easy.

So the question still remains if its would be possible to get some sort of a mixer to work. (not that its deadly important - just wondering)

jfs and the logical volume management features have always been AIX's strong suit. But, again, since it is now almost totally server-oriented you would expect this.

Anyway, to answer your question, I don't know of an audio mixer for AIX. I don't remember there one back in the day either.

jeremy123 wrote: Well nothing is wrong with CRUX - I just don't like to run linux on that machine LFS or gentoo at least would give me a good overview on performance under load while compiling .

CRUX PPC is source based thus you have to compile stuff and it also has good support for ibm utils. And at least, it is very closed to an LFS system. You moreover have the option to rebuild glibc with your own cpu asm optimizations enabled.

Nello

Very nice Blog man! inspiring - one day I would have to write down my adventures in similar way.

jeremy123 wrote: Audio works but it is blasting full volume

The RAD audio card does the same thing on the optical channels. The easy solution is to run active speakers with volume control. Active speakers are pretty nice. Edirol makes some decent small ones that you could fleaBay for cheap.

My question is how does one control the audio levels - mixer of some sort - at this stage I simply ran out of ideas

There is a Motif audio mixer called Xmmix that you could try to find and compile ...

Does anyone know where to find benchmarks for the 285? I'm interested to see how it compares to the 275 and G5 Quad.

IBM does not publish benchmark results.

kjaer wrote: IBM does not publish benchmark results.

What ?!? You say IBM doesn't pander to a bunch of teenagers having a circle jerk in Mom's basement ?

I never heard of such a thing ! It's downright un-American ! They should be brought before the HUAC !! goddamned Commies, trying to destroy our way of life because they're jealous ! Jealous of our freedoms, I tell you !

"CPU power is sufficient"...

The POWER5+ does have a lot of cache, though. Apple always undercached the G5, even in the quad.

Hey if making a big cache was easy everyone would do it!