LIX Systems LX8100-AM2BB-M2NPV HTPC
The selection of installed packages is quite nice and contains literally everything to get viewing as soon as the system is connected. LIX Systems also sets up two user accounts by default. After powering up the system and scanning the channels, we were immediately able to begin our multimedia experience. Flight Gear also comes pre-installed for some gaming enjoyment.
Software wise, one of our major gripes about the LIX Systems LX8100-AM2BB-M2NPV is the lack of shipping with MythTV, which has become the leading PVR (Personal Video Recorder) software for Linux. However, LIX Systems does have legitimate reasons behind their withholding. Their failure to include MythTV by default is due to existing patents on some compression algorithms found in the program, and distributing MythTV would be in violation of the GPL. Using Fedora Core, however, MythTV can easily be installed from the ATRPMS repository. We had also installed Fedora Core 6 Test 3 on the system, and had no problems configuring all of the hardware components as well as setting up MythTV v0.20.
We had also inquired to LIX Systems about Fedora Core 6 based installation media, seeing as FC6 will be pushed out in just a matter of days. In some time, we can expect LIX Systems to update their media to Fedora Core 6. In addition, they are working on Ubuntu installation media with all of the HTPC software and drivers included.
All of the software was properly configured and when using the media applications we had run into absolutely no troubles. The experience was a breeze and there were certainly no shortcomings. One item to point out is that LM_Sensors will function on the Socket 939 Lx8100 models, but at this time the software is incompatible with the AM2 products. With HTPCs being used most often in living rooms, noise is a critical concern of most, and with the Lx8100, we were stunned with the silence of this system. Running the system for days, we were shocked with how quiet the system really ran. Excluding passively cooled systems, the Lx8100 is without a doubt the quietest system we have used.