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Planning my first system - tseter - 09-15-2019

Hi Guys,

after contemplating about it for some time now, I am coming closer and closer to buying my first SGI system.

I think I will go for an Octane2 with a single R12000 CPU and V8 or V10 graphics as systems along these lines are within my allocated budget.
I like the looks of the Indigo2 better, but probably the Octane2 is all in all the more versatile system. Do you concur?

Now, what I did not find out yet by googeling are answers to the following questions:
-will I be able to use Youtube on an Octane2 running IRIX?
-is it possible to install a modern OS like a *BSD or Linux? If so, will I have a system that runs all modern web sites (online banking etc.) that would also run on a modern PC running e.g. FreeBSD or Ubuntu?
-Any chance of getting WiFi?

I am also not sure yet which monitor I should get. I think it must be an SGI monitor. I have read that the SGI 1600SW is only really good with an O2 as the Octane2 will not be able to output the native resolution of the display. Is that correct? Wikipedia mentions that there are three graphics cards that natively support the 1600SW display: Oxygen VX1-1600SW, Revolution IV-FP and Siemens Nixdorf S26361-D964-A11GS-7. Would these cards work in an Octane2? Could I then use the native resolution of the 1600SW? What would happen to the V8 or V10 graphics system in this case? Would it just idle and be unnecessary?


Thanks for your help and patience Biggrin

RE: Planing my first system - Irinikus - 09-15-2019

(09-15-2019, 10:52 AM)tseter Wrote:  Hi Guys,

after contemplating about it for some time now, I am coming closer and closer to buying my first SGI system.

I think I will go for an Octane2 with a single R12000 CPU and V8 or V10 graphics as systems along these lines are within my allocated budget.
I like the looks of the Indigo2 better, but probably the Octane2 is all in all the more versatile system. Do you concur?

Now, what I did not find out yet by googeling are answers to the following questions:
-will I be able to use Youtube on an Octane2 running IRIX?
-is it possible to install a modern OS like a *BSD or Linux? If so, will I have a system that runs all modern web sites (online banking etc.) that would also run on a modern PC running e.g. FreeBSD or Ubuntu?
-Any chance of getting WiFi?

I am also not sure yet which monitor I should get. I think it must be an SGI monitor. I have read that the SGI 1600SW is only really good with an O2 as the Octane2 will not be able to output the native resolution of the display. Is that correct? Wikipedia mentions that there are three graphics cards that natively support the 1600SW display: Oxygen VX1-1600SW, Revolution IV-FP and Siemens Nixdorf S26361-D964-A11GS-7. Would these cards work in an Octane2? Could I then use the native resolution of the 1600SW? What would happen to the V8 or V10 graphics system in this case? Would it just idle and be unnecessary?


Thanks for your help and patience Biggrin

Youtube on any SGI is out of the question.

As far as machines go, The Octane2 is your best option, but just be aware that it doesn't have an internal CD-ROM, so it would be advisable to acquire an external CD-ROM for it.

I personally wouldn't run anything other than IRIX on a MIPS SGI machine.

As far as monitors go, there are plenty of non-SGI monitors that will work.

RE: Planing my first system - Trippynet - 09-15-2019

1) Octane is a faster and more capable system than Indigo2, and might be a better starter system in my opinion. I love Indigo2s, but they are more limited when it comes to performance. Plus graphics options for Octane are much better - kind of obvious really as Octane was the successor to Indigo2.
2) No. YouTube needs a pretty modern browser supporting HTML5 for video playback. The newest we have is Firefox 3, that won't handle YouTube.
3) It is possible to install some flavours of Linux, however GUI support on V8/V10 does not exist as far as I know, so you'll be stuck with a command line. And to be honest, it's a complete waste to use Linux on an SGI machine IMO.
4) Not natively, no. Saying that, you could hook an SGI machine up to a wireless repeater or something to work around this. In my man-cave, my PC, NUC and SGIs all connect to a switch which is cabled to a wireless repeater that hooks onto the wifi in my house. This works fine and means I don't need my machines physically cabling into my broadband router.

Regarding monitors, you could use a standard PC monitor - but it must support Sync on Green, or else you'll get a display with a very green tint to it. Alternatively there are some adaptors that will supposedly allow a none-SOG monitor to be used, but I haven't used these myself. Note that graphics output from the Octane is 13W3, so you'll need a 13W3 to VGA adapter (one that is SGI compatible).

For the SGI 1600, those graphics cards are for PCs - they won't work in an Octane. I believe it is possible to run a 1600SW on an Octane, but it isn't trivial, and to be honest I'd wait for someone who knows more here to confirm.

Final point, I would strongly advise against considering any real form of modern web browsing on an SGI machine. They're simply too old for it, and modern browsers are an absolute nightmare to port (hence Firefox 3 is the latest we have - and even then it is very slow). You're far better off using rdesktop to remote to a PC or something and browse that way, or browse properly on a PC and use your SGI for other purposes.

RE: Planing my first system - tseter - 09-15-2019

Thanks for your input! Actually, I leaned towards the Octane2 because I thought it might be just capable enough to serve as a "backup daily driver" with some limitations.

Now if I understand you correctly, even the Octane2 is not really suitable for that purpose.

On the other hand this would mean that I could simply go for the Indigo2 which looks nicer, as both Octane2 and Indigo2 are not up for modern tasks.

Choices, choices Biggrin

RE: Planing my first system - Trippynet - 09-15-2019

Yeah, it's always going to be tough to use an SGI for daily stuff these days - especially if you do a moderate amount of web browsing. You have to remember of course that the Indigo2's design dates originally from 1992 (with R10k and IMPACT added on in 1995), plus the Octane is also around 20 years old now. The world (and especially the web) have changed massively in this time. Of course, not always for the better...

Personally I find it better to use a PC for web browsing these days, and to use SGIs for music, 3D stuff, plus fun with programming, porting and general IRIX bits and pieces.

RE: Planing my first system - commodorejohn - 09-15-2019

I wouldn't advise planing any SGI system, the plastics on those are fragile enough as it stands!

RE: Planing my first system - Irinikus - 09-15-2019

"Planning" is the word!

RE: Planning my first system - Intuition - 09-15-2019

I only use my Octane and O2 for using the Irix OS and the software that runs on it.

The web browsing is VERY limited in capability.

Browsing Nekochan wasn't too bad. Though I can't ever seem to get anything to upload very well I do seem to download just fine.
Often I have to network the SGI to my windows using a little application that sees the SGI from my windows box or an application that sees the windows drive from my SGI.
Then I can at least send stuff to my windows machine for uploading things to the web OR getting stuff for my SGI actually onto it.

Octane and Octane 2 are great SGI machines and have a snappy immediacy feel that I really like. Running the 3D software on the Octane with 2 cpus is very nice at render time.

RE: Planning my first system - tseter - 10-05-2019

I have found an Indigo2 with 200 MHz R4400 CPU, 64MB RAM, the HIGHImpact Graphics, Impact Video, external CD and an original SGI external DAT drive plus tons of software (including original Photoshop and Designer) and used the opportunity Biggrin Love it already!

I worked for one day (see pic), but when I wanted to switch it on again in the next morning, it was dead. All I hear is a faint clicking noise form the PSU. My guess is that the PSU is defect. Does that sound plausible to you?

RE: Planning my first system - Intuition - 10-05-2019

(10-05-2019, 10:35 AM)tseter Wrote:  I have found an Indigo2 with 200 MHz R4400 CPU, 64MB RAM, the HIGHImpact Graphics, Impact Video, external CD and an original SGI external DAT drive plus tons of software (including original Photoshop and Designer) and used the opportunity Biggrin Love it already!

I worked for one day (see pic), but when I wanted to switch it on again in the next morning, it was dead. All I hear is a faint clicking noise form the PSU. My guess is that the PSU is defect. Does that sound plausible to you?

Yeah, that could be Power Supply.

I just received a replacement power supply unit in the mail for my Octane. Crossing fingers that was the only problem.