Re: [9fans] Consindering eBox-4854 for Plan9

[erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>]

> The eBox-4854 box features Realtek RTL8100B 10/100 Base-T Ethernet.
> This is not listed on the Plan9 hardware compatiblilty page.  Perusing
> online forums suggests that this adapter can be driven on some Linux
> distros with 8139too.  How likely is Plan9 to similary drive this
> ethernet adapter?

should work with the 8139 driver.

> It also features integrated VIA UniChrome Pro II video to which the
> Plan9 hardware compatibility page suggests it can be driven in VESA
> mode.  However, I do not know if there are key differences between
> UniChrome and UniChrome Pro II that would prevent this.  Are there any
> such differences?  Notwithstanding said differences, at what maximum
> resolution would Plan9 enable on this adapter?

vesa mode works.  unichrome II is propritary and you can't get the
programming docs without an nda.

> Rather than a traditional hard disk, the eBox-4854 fits an IDE Flash
> SDD.  I imagine that this would pose no problem for Plan9, since such
> devices usually internally manage translation from Flash to standard
> IDE.  Am I about right in this assumption?

this might be a problem.  these boxes typically have 30 or 40w power
supplies.  you might not have enough juce to run a hard drive.  but
we use similar machines for terminals.

- erik