[rwparris2]

Another interesting piece of hardware I've been watching is the neuros OSD2. Neuros is stepping out the media center GUI market and investing in a "open hardware" platform. Their dev box (http://store.neurostechnology.com/neuros...-p-55.html) promisses to be an open platform on which third parties can develop multimedia applications for. Full specs are here (pitty the partial support to 1080p): http://wiki.neurostechnology.com/index.p...ifications

The processor in the Neuros is ARM, which xbmc cannot run on.

[BLKMGK]

The processor in the Neuros is ARM, which xbmc cannot run on.

Cannot is a strong statement, if it were ported to ARM it could - it just hasn't been.

[rwparris2]

Cannot is a strong statement, if it were ported to ARM it could - it just hasn't been.

Very true.

Fixed for correctness:

The processor in the Neuros is ARM, which xbmc cannot currently run on.

[giovanisp]

I see... I am not a xbmc programmer, but... how much effort has to be made to port xbmc to run on ARM?

This open hardware platform could be a solid base to build a stb project with xbmc, and depending on costs/effort we could try go finding partners to give a shot...

Or do you think it is better finding hardware like http://www.globalsources.com/gsol/I/HD-s.../23932.htm which will run xbmc out-of-the-box in full HD?

Ideas?

[althekiller]

Plenty.

[bmfrosty]

There are probably better answers in future devices like the EEE Box. Intel is working on multi-core system on a chip for nettop devices:

The next generation of the Atom, "Lincroft," architecture will be launched in 2H 2009 and is code-named Pineview. It will be used in Netbook/Nettop systems, and feature a system-on-chip (SOC) with an integrated single-channel DDR2 memory controller and an integrated graphics core. Pineview, like Diamondville, will be available in single and dual-core versions. It will feature HyperThreading, and is to be manufactured on a 45nm[26] or 32 nm [27] process.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini has stated that, along with other improvements, Atom (specifically Silverthorne) will shrink to the 32 nm process in 2009.[28] It has been suggested that the Atom will be the first Intel chip to transition to 32 nm due to its small size and low complexity.[29] A 32 nm Atom is expected to be demoed at the upcoming San Francisco IDF.

Newer Intel chips have increased size and complexity due to things like Trusted Computing and Hardware Virtualization, which seem like things that would be of little use to this type of project, and of more use to those wishing to control what consumers can do with their purposes.

Hopefully the EEE Box is enough of a success to warrant a 2nd generation.

[BLKMGK]

<snip>
Newer Intel chips have increased size and complexity due to things like Trusted Computing and Hardware Virtualization, which seem like things that would be of little use to this type of project, and of more use to those wishing to control what consumers can do with their purposes.

Hopefully the EEE Box is enough of a success to warrant a 2nd generation.

Umm, TPM is primarily done via support chips and so far as I have heard the CPU hasn't been modified to support it. Used properly TPM gains a great deal of security. VX instructions certainly add some complexity but it's hardly so bad as all that and could possibly come in handy - who knows. VX is hardly allowing someone else control over your computer either - FUD. Hypervisors can be pretty handy to say the least although perhaps not particularly suited for a HTPC.

Certainly something cheaper with lower power needs would be nice but I hardly see a big scary monster in today's hardware other than the costs.

[giovanisp]

Well, if porting to an open hardware platform like neuros is out of reach (because of time/efforts/etc...), then I think there are only 2 ways to build a mass-production model for a floss media center STB:
* bet on eeebox and similar, like the ASUS NovaP22 (see specs tab: http://promos.asus.com/US/evensite/Nova/index.htm)
* study specs of cheap STB's already in market like those in http://www.globalsources.com/gsol/I/HD-s.../23932.htm and try to get linux+xbmc running

But IMHO, the ideal scenario for mass free/open source media centers in people's living room is something like:
- A set-top box hardware which allows the user to modify it as he/she likes (just like the PC, you can change memory, processor, stack hard-drives...)
- A base O.S. which enables the user to install/uninstall their preferred media center app (I'd personally start with linux+xbmc/boxee, but the platform should be open to others willing to port their app to run on this STB)
- Downloadable/upgradable media center applications available on the web (working pretty much like the apple tv patchstick to install/upgrade xbmc/boxee).

With such base architecture, there would be little or no reason for the masses to buy proprietary boxes or software for media center.

There would be an open hardware standard to run such multimedia apps and enrich the user experience in infinite ways (each media center app will offer something different: tv tunning, social networking, p2p, voip... etc...) and the user is free even to have 2 or 3 installed on their box!

This is what the Freedom Box project is all about. Do you think this is something interesting? If it is... I'd like to invite you to share your ideas and experiences (here or in a separate place if you like). We are open to discuss and build the steps to make this a concrete reality.

[giovanisp]

The processor in the Neuros is ARM, which xbmc cannot run on.

News! News! Neuros launched x86 architecture hardware, and OS is based on Ubuntu...
Better chances of running XBMC/Boxee here ?
http://wiki.neurostechnology.com/index.p...ifications
http://www.neurostechnology.com/neuros-l...ical-specs

please feedback...

[yuvalt]

If it's running Linux and it has an ATI HD, how can we access their hardware accelerated codecs? since when ATI has hardware accelerated codecs for linux? It does say that they have their own version of Ubuntu 8.10, so maybe that's what it is *crossing fingers*

[BLKMGK]

Hrm, CPU too slow without hardware assist and I don't think ATI has released anything yet. If it releases and is possible to access easily AND isn't profile restricted in some silly way then this might be interesting if priced right. Honestly they would probably be smart to load XBMC on it out of the box!

[theuni]

Just saw this today...

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/200...a-ion.html

With a platform like this, an easy XBMC machine would be a snap (assuming XBMC gets vdpau support) Tiny, silent, powerful, and cheap. Let's hope this gets picked up.

TheUni

[topfs2]

Just saw this today...

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/200...a-ion.html

With a platform like this, an easy XBMC machine would be a snap (assuming XBMC gets vdpau support) Tiny, silent, powerful, and cheap. Let's hope this gets picked up.

TheUni

Looks like our praises were heard If I had one of these I would probably code until my fingers bled to get vdpau support into XBMC. hehe

[CosyCat]

first look on NVIDIA's Ion Platform http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3478&p=1

edit: "That's 27% CPU utilization on an Intel Atom processor when playing back a 18Mbps 1080p H.264 scene"

Cool

[althekiller]

Looks like our praises were heard If I had one of these I would probably code until my fingers bled to get vdpau support into XBMC. hehe

I'm sure we can liberate some funds to get you speech to text software should it come to that