[LINUX] Splashtop/ExpressGate as XBMC Linux distro (<5-second boot ~ instant-on OS)?
#1
Lightbulb 
Yep, thats it! boots in 5 seconds, P.O.S.T included.

GNU/Linux based.
Some motherboards from asus already have it.
It is a combination of bios + linux on flash ( 512mb )


http://www.splashtop.com/index.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splashtop

http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20072/?a=f

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelm...3=572&l4=0

asus amd boards with nvidia with onboard graphics will follow this month| model M3N-HT or M3N-HT HDMI

Saw this on slashdot !!

what do you think ?
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#2
Used a board with this the other day. Boots to a sort of GUI splash page that gives you the choice of Skype, a browser, or the OS. If you do not move the mouse etc. it will boot to the OS in 30seconds. Not sure how you would boot XBMC on this, the LinuxBIOS project might be a better way to go?
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#3
The biggest problem I can see (among other things) with this is the openGL stuff. I am pretty sure it is not implemented in splashtop, and I am quite certain LinuxBIOS does not support openGL either - it hardly has video support at all.
I think the best way to go is to just make a stripped down linux install. It really doesn't take that much time to boot up - especially when compared to devices like TIVO.
I did a minimal install of Ubuntu, and managed to get XBMC running on it in under 500MB of space. I didn't even try to save space. It wouldn't surprise me if, with a little work, it could take up half the size.
If startup times were that big of an issue, I would probably focus more on getting standby working with XBMC - seems quite a bit easier, and a little more practical than other solutions.
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#4
If it really takes 30 seconds to boot, then they are lying! 5 seconds would really be a dream.

- splashtop is a linux distro. openGL or any other needed package could be added, including video drivers. Not as easy as apt-get install or emerge or any other package manager, but I think it could be done with not to much effort.

- I still like the idea of botting from onboard flash, with a nice bios integration. It starts to look less to a pc and more to a multimedia device.
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#5
BLKMGK:

I googled some more on the boot time subject and consensus is that it takes about 10 seconds from hitting the power button to being ready for use!

are you sure about the 30 seconds ?

Anyone else have tryed splashtop ? It's also included on some asus notebooks.
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#6
I looked into SlashTop quickly when I first heard about it a few months back, as I understand it the SlashTop distro is not fully open source, nor do they allow you to modify it (in order to put whichever software packges you like in it and flash thoese motherboards with, like for example XBMC and the library packages that XBMC is dependent on). Otherwise one of those platforms could possible make a nice reference hardware for XBMC.

...oh, and the SlashTop discro does not yet have 3D device drivers for NVIDIA nor ATI.
Always read the XBMC online-manual, FAQ and search the forum before posting.
Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
For troubleshooting and bug reporting please make sure you read this first.
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#7
Actually the source code is available, or at least part of it, as I couldn't find the kernel anywere inside

http://www.splashtop.com/download3.php?t...ad2b46a531

I guess that hacking splashtop is something that will get solved by someone outside XBMC, before Team XBMC declares XBMC for linux official Wink

3d device drivers are no harder to include than software dependencies, actually, they are easier.
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#8
Idea is great but too few mobos supporting it and existing ones are very expensive
Regards,
Embrion
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#9
finas Wrote:..
are you sure about the 30 seconds ?
..

He means when Splashtop running, and that will be in 5seconds or what.. then when you DONT MOVE YOUR MOUSE for 30 seconds it will automaticly boot Windows/Linux or what so ever..
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#10
Asus will release this month another splashtop enabled motherboard: the M3N-HD HDMI, that will be based on the upcoming 8200 chipset from nvidia. The chipset has integrated VGA et all, and will probably be priced bellow 100$ ( as it is usual with these all-in-one boards )

If the price tag is meet, it's quite a dream, because the 8200 is able to do HD ( superior to 7050 and 7150 ). Add a cheap x2 cpu 1gb ram or less, take care with the price of the rest of the components ( case, dvd-player, hdd ?, hdmi cable ) and sudently a below 150$ system is possible.
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#11
Razor_109 Wrote:He means when Splashtop running, and that will be in 5seconds or what.. then when you DONT MOVE YOUR MOUSE for 30 seconds it will automaticly boot Windows/Linux or what so ever..


Got it Smile

that's a relief! 30 seconds or something is what ubuntu studio takes to boot on my pc. 5 to 10 seconds is spectacular. Actually, boot time would be the only thing I would miss when moving from xbox to another platform, as I don't care about xbox games, there are alot of spectacular cases arround, and the rest is there too, plus more ( emulators, web browsing, etc )

this case is a good example, albeight a very expensive one:

http://www.alienware.com/product_detail_...dm11.95723
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#12
finas Wrote:If the price tag is meet, it's quite a dream, because the 8200 is able to do HD ( superior to 7050 and 7150 ). Add a cheap x2 cpu 1gb ram or less, take care with the price of the rest of the components ( case, dvd-player, hdd ?, hdmi cable ) and sudently a below 150$ system is possible.

IMHO it would be dream if they release a C2D supporting version with some OC potencial as OC'ed Pentium Dual Core is much better (faster and cheaper) option
Regards,
Embrion
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#13
embrion Wrote:IMHO it would be dream if they release a C2D supporting version with some OC potencial as OC'ed Pentium Dual Core is much better (faster and cheaper) option

The board I used supported C2D and could have easily overclocked the CPU. This was a full sized board that had 802.11-N onboard, 2NICs I think, and just about every other doodad you can imagine. I only used it briefly to test some software, I never even got a chance to try out the two Splashtop apps as there was no Internet connection. <shrug> Was a pretty expensive board I think but not bad for say a desktop I guess.
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#14
BLKMGK Wrote:The board I used supported C2D and could have easily overclocked the CPU. This was a full sized board that had 802.11-N onboard, 2NICs I think, and just about every other doodad you can imagine. I only used it briefly to test some software, I never even got a chance to try out the two Splashtop apps as there was no Internet connection. <shrug> Was a pretty expensive board I think but not bad for say a desktop I guess.

Which model?
Regards,
Embrion
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#15
embrion Wrote:Which model?

Ya' know I figured it would be easy to find this on NewEgg if anyone asked, I mean how many 802.11N motherboards could there be from ASUS right? Umm yeah, had to use Google to narrow it downShocked

This looks like the one -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.as...6813131218

I knew it wasn't cheap but $300+ is pretty sick! I'd agree with the guy who said that the Linux functionality in the BIOS was of questionable use. I cannot think of an instance where I'd really want it that badly...
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[LINUX] Splashtop/ExpressGate as XBMC Linux distro (<5-second boot ~ instant-on OS)?0