Between GeForce 7 & 8, XvMC support has been dropped, and 2d performance has gone to shit.

 

On the Mac (FWIH), 2d compositing is actually handled by mapping a texture onto a 3d object. (Add details from the wikipedia pages about Quartz Extreme et al.)

 

I picked up a used E520n from Craigslist, and the only deficiency I’ve noticed is no DVI or dual-DVI output. I swung by my local parts house, and picked up and 8600GT video card. The 8 series card is visably slower than the onbard Intel video chip.

 

Like the Diamond S3 cards in the distant past, this card deserves the moniker “Video Decelerator”.

 

Why even consider putting a new video card in the E520n? It seems to suit the family much better than the last Windows box in the house, and I don’t enjoy running good quality LCD displays from analog VGA. Also, there are two 20” displays, and only the one onboard video port.

 

The transition to FiOS went smoothly.  I’m a little perplexed that Verizon would bring my network connection in over coax. Seems like a bad PR move, making all the fibre goodnes become cheezy old cable before it gets into the house. I’m suprised that Craptastic Comcast hasn’t had a field day over that one point.

 

The first ONT needed to replaced after one week. Hot days and direct sunlight was crashing the ONT at 10:30am every day.