[mythtv-users] Quick-boot linux?

[Brian Wood]

David Brodbeck wrote:
> On Feb 20, 2008, at 6:44 AM, Brian Wood wrote:
> 
>> Jay R. Ashworth wrote:
>>> On Wed, Feb 20, 2008 at 03:29:18AM +0000, Sarah Hayes wrote:
>>>> Goat for SCSI array issues.
>>> Rule 1: It's the terminator, stupid.
>>> Rule 2: It's the jumpers, stupid.
>>> Rule 3: It's the cable, stupid.
>> Rule 4: Using 4 cascaded adapters to get from the DB-25 on your old  
>> Mac
>> to the Centronics 50-pin on your external drive was probably not the
>> best idea.
>>
>> Rule 5: The 20' SCSI cable you picked up at a computer show for $5 was
>> not a bargain.
> 
> Even 6' is usually too long, in my experience.  Of course, the system  
> won't fail immediately.  It'll fail weeks later and take one of the  
> devices on the bus with it, generally the most expensive one.

Depends on what variant of SCSI you are using. Obviously the 
differential stuff goes farther without problems.

Active termination also cures a lot of ills.

> 
> Rule 6: All the weird science audiophiles only think is true about  
> speaker cables really is true about SCSI cables.  If they're not gold- 
> plated, oxygen-free, double-shielded, and blessed by the pope, forget  
> it.

I always had good luck with Amphenol cables. One big thing is you need a 
separate ground conductor for each line, not the "Three Musketeers" 
approach (one for all).

Mixing cable types in a chain always seemed to be a bad idea.

Stay away from anything that uses DB-25 connectors for SCSI.

When I lived in NYC there was a place called "Cables and Chips" down on 
Fulton Street (just checked, they're still there). Their motto was "We 
have it or we will make it, in one hour, lifetime guarantee". I always 
had great luck with their cables, though they were quite costly.

> 
> Rule 7: SCSI is one of those things that works better the more money  
> you throw at it.  If it fails after spending $n, it means you should  
> have spent $(2*n).
> 

Certainly can't argue with that.

beww