With an old PC I'm soon going to build a MythTV. It's like Tivo, but better, and free.

http://www.mythtv.org/modules.php?name=MythFeatures

By the way, MythTV can do the pictures and MP3s thing, too.

We'll see how well it works in practice.

 

Even a 500MHz Duron is a capable web browser. LOTS of people just use a PC for web, e-mail, and office-style apps, and any PIII-equivalent and up should do fine.

A pal of mine is doing that MythTV thing, too. If I had cable, I'd probably consider it myself (except that I just gave away my Hauppauge 250 since I never used it after getting a DVD recorder).

 

As the old Unix guru once told me.. "old computers don't die, they get reborn into Linux boxes" and rightly so!!

7 Dying Trees, aren't you back in school studying computers or something?? Why not build your own linux server and turn it into a web server or something? Or if you're really looking for something to do, rent a copy of the movie "Office space" and get some ideas from that machine they trashed :wink:

 

yeah i turned all my old computers into dedicated cs linux servers...

 

Here's an idea for those of you that have too many old boxes. Install Linux on them and then cluster them!! It'll really be one big learning experience! A super computer at your own home.. well.. technically speaking if they were high end computers you'd have a super computer, four really slow machines is about as fast as one relatively fast machine with four times the electricity bill.. but it IS a great learning experience!

(I actually did that once with some old 486DX's that I found and it only turned out to have the same amount of power as a PII-233 but I sure learned a lot.. now only if I could remember HOW I did that)

Note: Is it just me or do processors like 386, 486SX and 486DX sure sound a lot like something made by Ibanez? Sooner or later Ibanez will have model names that sound like 'something-ium' or 'somethin'-on'... ok I better stop before I look too geeky...

 

There are also charities that used them in educational projects in underdeveloped areas, at home and abroad.

 

With an old PC I'm soon going to build a MythTV. It's like Tivo, but better, and free.

http://www.mythtv.org/modules.php?name=MythFeatures

By the way, MythTV can do the pictures and MP3s thing, too.

We'll see how well it works in practice.

That's just opened a can of worms for me :mrgreen:

 

do a server with it or you can lett it run with this
http://dl.ncgamers.net/pub/utilitai.../utilitaires/autres/world-community-grid_world_community_grid_anglais_18018.exe

it will really help .... World Community Grid

 

Install windows 98, and try to play all the old games I bought and now can't use. Particularly X-wing vs Tie fighter.

I also had a recording suite called databecker which was really easy to use, and that ran on 98 only.

Think I might do this actually.

 

Here's an idea for those of you that have too many old boxes. Install Linux on them and then cluster them!! It'll really be one big learning experience! A super computer at your own home.. well.. technically speaking if they were high end computers you'd have a super computer, four really slow machines is about as fast as one relatively fast machine with four times the electricity bill.. but it IS a great learning experience!

(I actually did that once with some old 486DX's that I found and it only turned out to have the same amount of power as a PII-233 but I sure learned a lot.. now only if I could remember HOW I did that)

Note: Is it just me or do processors like 386, 486SX and 486DX sure sound a lot like something made by Ibanez? Sooner or later Ibanez will have model names that sound like 'something-ium' or 'somethin'-on'... ok I better stop before I look too geeky...

I have a friend do something like that.. he has his older machine running in front of his newer machine for internet use. The older one runs all his AV and spyware blockers etc....
I couldn't even begin to tell you how he has it hooked up, cause computers are his life.

 

Im trying to get mine to record hehe... like thats gonna work!

 

Im trying to get mine to record hehe... like thats gonna work!

Well, you *could* record - just use older software (if you can find it). You can get 8 tracks out of an old win98 pentium (even more, depending on FX); people certainly did it back in the day.

 

yeah i turned all my old computers into dedicated cs linux servers...

I have an old P3 that I borrowed that I use as a dedicated cs server when I game on a LAN with friends. Got the zombie mod installed - that's a whole new twist to the game!

My desktop is an old computer but aside from gaming (no AGP slot) it burns up most newer computers. Dual Pentium III-S 1.4Ghz CPUs, 2gb RAM and I have a 320gb internal hard drive, 320 external, dvd burner and a cd burner/dvd combo drive to sweeten it up. I put an ATI 9250 256MB PCI video card in here and it runs Counter Strike Source, so that is all the gaming I need...

 

Install windows 98, and try to play all the old games I bought and now can't use. Particularly X-wing vs Tie fighter.

I also had a recording suite called databecker which was really easy to use, and that ran on 98 only.

Think I might do this actually.

That was an incredibly fun game. I have an old celeron I am going to do that with sometime!

 

Well, you *could* record - just use older software (if you can find it). You can get 8 tracks out of an old win98 pentium (even more, depending on FX); people certainly did it back in the day.

I have an old version of Cool Edit Pro...

You can record decently with an old machine. You can use whatever you want just fine with a PIII though and those are cheap.

 

Im trying to get mine to record hehe... like thats gonna work!

A P3 with enough RAM will run stuff like logic fine, the only real issue with recording is hard drive speed and ram. Unless you start using ****loads of plug ins, but most of the time you don't. martin from the old band who did all the keys layered ejntire orchestras on a P3 800Mhz with 512Mb of ram. Just make sure it's a clean install with as little as possible extra installed. Just strip down the operating system to just the bare essentials you need for recording and it should be well good!

My old PC has become the music and file storage system now, and i've hooked it up to the TV and stereo so people can play music in the front room and have instead of CD's. I'm going to also rig up a remote control jb so it can be controlled from other pc's as the tv-out into a widescreen TV really does suck, you can't read anything!

So, anyone got any tips on good programs to remotely take control of PC's?

 

when i thought you meant old, i thought
northwood 2.6 ghz
1 gb ddr2

old...
not 30 mhz...
graphic caculators are stronger then that.

 

I should also mention that Windows 2003 server does wonders on older machines. Much more stable than XP or even 2000, with boot times like XP and run times faster than 2000. They say that they require 128MB RAM, but I would not be suprised if it ran better than 2000 on 64.

 

I should also mention that Windows 2003 server does wonders on older machines. Much more stable than XP or even 2000, with boot times like XP and run times faster than 2000. They say that they require 128MB RAM, but I would not be suprised if it ran better than 2000 on 64.

Cool!!!

Regards

André

 

Well, some people, if not more than a few, pr9obably have an old PC lying around gathering dust, so instead of talking about the latest and greatest, why not have a thread about uses for old PC's and systems.

What do you do with them? What do you reckon could be done with them?

Currently, when the new system gets built (depending on time and component delivery, some time this week or next) and set up properly, the current machine will get semi-retired and used as a "storage" for all my mp3's and pictures, and as such I'm going to hook it up to the TV in the front room (and the stereo) and use it as a sort of jukebox through the TV (all this while still hopefully being able to play the mp3's etc from the new machine)

And then, upstairs I have a 500Mhz duron or something like that, ancient thing, but there may be a use for it, can anyone think of one?
__________________

It's always good to keep an old PC around in case you have old games you want to play from the old DOS days .

Regards

André