[Irinikus]

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

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.