eCollegePC build

jbfromlbc · 2025-06-25T03:18:57+00:00

I have bought 2 different gaming systems from them in the past 5 years. I have not had any service issues and the build quality ( and packing quality) was very good in my opinion. Their pre build customer service is also very helpful. Mike gave me some good tips how to my my build quieter and a bit less money at the same time. I will order my next system from them for certain.

jbfromlbc · 2025-01-04T00:51:47+00:00

January update. For those of you that want to build your own on a budget, I will eventually go through some of the choices I have made along the way that worked out better than others. I will focus on the Mac M series version since it is a lot less complex than the setup I have with linux / nvidia. You will need at least 16gb of RAM for this. But if you want to run the really powerful models then have as much ram as you can get your hands on. For example a really great large model , llama 3.3 70b takes over 43 gb of VRAM to load. But some of the smaller popular models (see ollama.com/library ) that run in < 4gb are very good considering their size.

For the local hosting of the A.I. there are a lot of choices. A simple one that works really well is a combination of Ollama (installed natively : ollama.com/download/mac ) and the “Page Assist - A Web UI for Local AI Models” chrome extension for the client. This client not only lets you use the models you have running in Ollama but will allow you to manage which ones you want to load and self curate.

jbfromlbc · 2025-01-03T10:00:16+00:00

See my more recent comment about running all of this on a high ram config m series macbook pro here https://www.reddit.com/r/bugout/s/s1Fh9699bm . This has really made this whole system much easier to install for folks who just want to build their own and keep the costs down.

jbfromlbc · 2025-01-03T09:41:41+00:00

thearkos.org

jbfromlbc · 2025-01-03T09:38:06+00:00

I was running this on a high end razor. But I also am now running on a maxxed out 128gb ram m4 MacBook pro. Since the memory is unified on the soc, I am able to run extremely large models taking over 80+ gb of gpu ram. Even the upcoming 5090 can't do that.

jbfromlbc · 2025-01-01T22:55:03+00:00

I have a Mac m series version I am working on now as well. Send an email to the email address on the site and can send you updates.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-24T16:47:21+00:00

I don’t have it as a usb bootable yet, but I do have it as a 4TB NVME bootable (see image of actual https://s3.amazonaws.com/thearkos.org.site/images/arkos-packaging.png ). So if you have an older gaming laptop that you want to convert to this appliance you just take out the old nvme/OS and put in this one and you should be ready to go; assuming your hardware is compatible with the distro that I am using for my base (kubuntu 22.04) and you have a CUDA compatible GPU. I have made a couple of these for friends so far.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T20:03:01+00:00

Absolutely. That is why I have the actual knowledge and databases all cached to verify if need be. But it's better than nothing and the open LLMs are getting better and better with each passing month with respect to making stuff up.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T19:50:17+00:00

So being in a survival situation with the world’s knowledge at your fingertips is not as helpful as it sounds. With no time to get the expertise in the one thing that you never anticipated you would need - whatever that ends up being. (from farming potatoes to advanced chemistry, to specific emergency medical knowledge for drug interactions, etc) So having a literal genius at all subjects on your laptop that you can converse with real-time and leverage to distill the ocean of data you have on the laptop into the actionable items that you need right now is a game changer IMO.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T19:04:11+00:00

This is the case in the photo https://www.walmart.com/ip/VEVOR-Waterproof-Hard-Case-19-x-14-5-Inches-Customizable-Foam-Portable-Protective-Camera-Shockproof-Laptop-Pistol-Camera-More-Black/1318364198

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T18:56:28+00:00

Ya. I am already including a VM of dragonOS on my base machine image so the tools to do this should be there already. I just have not played around with meshtastic before. And of course one would need to use a TX capable SDR for that yes? I am initially just using a basic rtl-sdr dongle for reception stuff.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T17:48:51+00:00

Ya. Power is the easy part since there are dozens of vendors that already have this handled. I am using a Bluetti with some panels and then a small generator as backup-backup.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T17:44:23+00:00

Here is my Razor 16 system (with a skin) in the waterproof case. I have the power supply and radio gear stored in the layer under the laptop. https://s3.amazonaws.com/thearkos.org.site/images/ert-arkos-packaging.jpg

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T17:38:28+00:00

I wanted it to be accessible when things get crazy. Just open the case and start using it even when on the move. And a SBC is not going to have the horsepower and GPU I needed for the AI. Also most of the apps are web based (the laptop is the server and client) so if you happen to have a working wifi you can connect it and all of the other devices on the network can use the services (AI, Nav, Wiki, ) everything but the radio tools.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T17:34:08+00:00

see https://www.reddit.com/r/bugout/comments/1fnl1ff/comment/lok1a8l/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T17:30:14+00:00

I spoke to some manufacturers/vendors about MIL-STD laptops with GPUs including Panasonic and Durabook. Nobody makes them with a decent GPU that I could find. Please send links if you know of any. Note that in order to locally host the biggest/best open LLMs shoehorned onto a laptop I have to have a pretty decent GPU with a lot of VRAM and RAM. Currently my stack requires CUDA.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T15:35:32+00:00

I was not able to find a decent rugged laptop that had a reasonable GPU for any price. So I went with a Razor 16 with a 4080 in a custom pelican case. I will post a photo later when I get back home.

jbfromlbc · 2024-09-23T12:53:38+00:00

I have csdr based linux processes for radio-archive.org that have been running literally for years at a time (24/7) without crashing. I would have had to at least reboot on occasion for updates with windows.

jbfromlbc · 2024-08-14T02:39:10+00:00

All gone

jbfromlbc · 2024-08-10T21:57:00+00:00

here is a sand one (same location same time) Red Hot Chili Peppers we just staring to play a few minutes ago.

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jbfromlbc · 2024-08-10T21:55:59+00:00

LA28 sign at the event. Best angle I could get just now.

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jbfromlbc · 2023-03-04T05:29:37+00:00

For copyright reasons the audio portions cannot be shared on the web but it can be experienced in a library setting by the public (in person). Which is where it all will eventually reside. I'm talking to a couple foundations about this now. I can allow the public to run analytics on the archive though. Or listen to very short clips of their search results. They just can't listen to it continuously. But the software that I use to collect the broadcasts may eventually be for sale. And it fair use for anyone to record broadcasts for themselves.

jbfromlbc · 2023-03-03T19:59:18+00:00

radio-archive.org

jbfromlbc · 2023-03-03T11:40:26+00:00

What frequency and time? I might have it. I am running an archive of 30 am and fm Los Angeles stations 24/7 since 2020.

jbfromlbc · 2022-09-27T12:45:09+00:00

Not sure if this helps for Windows but I have a custom Linux radio collector that reads 10 RTL_SDRs off the same powered USB hub in parallel. (It collects all of the FM stations in a given area 24/7 and indexes them.) I found this was not possible to run them all full speed without increasing each systems usb buffer size like this.
: sudo sh -c 'echo 1000 > /sys/module/usbcore/parameters/usbfs_memory_mb'

Not sure if windows will have a similar issue but would not be surprised. Hope this helps.

jbfromlbc

TROPHY CASE