[freddyflinty]

It just occurred to me that those of us without HDMI receivers could potentially use a USB SPDIF adapter. Then HDMI/DVI for video and SPDIF for audio with the Revo is within reach.

This box could become the "de facto" XBMC machine and XBMC Live could have some settings for it... *crossing fingers*

[Gamester17]

This box could become the "de facto" XBMC machine and XBMC Live could have some settings for it... *crossing fingers*

IMHO a 'de facto' reference box for XBMC would have to come with built-in SPDIF as well as a built-in IR-reciever for the remote.

...but don't worry, NVIDIA have promised that at least 40 Atom-based ION platforms will be released before the end of 2009:
http://www.tweaktown.com/news/12024/asro...index.html

During a recent press conference in Taipei, NVIDIA commented to Chinese press that it expected to have 40 of its Intel Atom CPU based ION platforms on the market by the end of the year.

The report says that there will be a mixture of single-core Atom 230 and dual-core Atom 330 systems available and we will probably end up seeing many of them during Computex Taipei, which is held during early June.



During the conference, NVIDIA and its partners showed off some new ION designs.

Acer has already started selling its Aspire Revo ION nettop and if we are to believe what we are told, we can expect many more from various manufacturers soon.



ASRock and Pegatron displayed one ION system each, both pictured above. ASRock came up with the highly creative name of ION 330, but it's most likely still a work in progress.

Pegatron is calling its ION system the Cape 7, but it is probably just a codename and will likely be an OEM / ODM design, which other companies will badge and sell in the channel.

You can read more over at HKEPC, translated from Chinese to English via Google.

[scrp]

It just occurred to me that those of us without HDMI receivers could potentially use a USB SPDIF adapter. Then HDMI/DVI for video and SPDIF for audio with the Revo is within reach.

This box could become the "de facto" XBMC machine and XBMC Live could have some settings for it... *crossing fingers*

nvm see Gamester17 post above

[MrDVD]

But there must be something wrong. There are people having success with xbmc on aspire revo out there:

http://translate.google.de/translate?u=h...e&ie=UTF-8

And I've seen XBMC with vdpau on another box with 9400 GeForce and Core2Duo, which had about 5 % CPU usage while playing 1080p mkv with high bitrate. Of course the atom 220 is far slower, but not by factor >20. Same with difference to xine...

There must be something wrong with your setup. Have you tried the live DVD?

edit:
Have a look at the comments from:
http://translate.google.de/translate?js=...ry_state0=

They say, that they used the 9.04 live DVD, the only change was setting HDMI as audio output device. They report to run 1080p with 20% CPU usage which sounds more reasonable to me than 100%.

Thx for the link, i tested today the new Windows 7 beta with MPC-HC and this combi play the mkv's just fine with maybe 20% cpu load. I will test later the Live CD to be sure.

@motd2k - composite was off for sure (xorg.conf and inside gnome visual effects)

[motd2k]

Then what about Vsync?

There's no way this system should be hitting 100% with VDPAU enabled.

[MrDVD]

Played a bit more. The livecd works perfect and the only diff i can see is that the run it with the default alsa, nvidia 180.44 and in standalone mode.

Maybe i have tomorrow the time to test it with xubuntu.

@motd2k - vsync was also enabled, i checked this as i installed my own iso again.

[motd2k]

sudo apt-get purge pulseaudio might help

[malga]

xbmc working well on the revo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaqcImfnnwU 1080p and dolby

[AllanMar]

Been desperately waiting to be able to buy one of these. Considered waiting for a dual core version, but im too impatient.

Has anyone heard anything about when this will be released in US/Canada? I had heard May 5th mentioned, but it doesn't seem like that's the case.

[Gamester17]

Does the Acer AspireRevo really offer dedicating 512MB RAM to the graphics? in BIOS?

...if not then you will not be able to playback high-bitrate 1080p Blu-ray disc backups.

If it only allows to dedicate 256MB or less to the GPU then it won't playback all 1080p.

Yes the Revo offer 32,64,128,256 and 512MB @ the Bios.

Is that on the model that comes with 1GB RAM or the model that comes with 2GB RAM?

I am wondering if 2GB is required to enable 512MB for the graphics in the BIOS?

I suspect that the BIOS will only let you assign 256MB if the machine only has 1GB RAM total?

If someone here only has the 2GB RAM model could you try removing one RAM module and check the BIOS when you only have 1GB RAM installed?

[MrDVD]

Its the model with 2GB RAM. I installed now XUbuntu 9.04 and there it play now also fine. I realy dont know why it want run on Ubuntu for me.

[needmorstuff]

this is all very promising... I think I am fortunate to be have been happy with my xbox one up to now. with the advent of HD I have been searching for a new player.. I was again contemplating one of the popcorn hour type players.. but remembered that the 6 or so i tried before never did what they said on the tin. Roll up xbmc! "it just works"

if a platform like the revo £155 can play the big HD stuff then we have hit nirvana! if not then I am sure the Nvidia ION with the Atom 330 will do it - be it on a new apple tv or another revo type system.. in any case I thnk in the next few months we will have all we need (if the revo hasn't already done it)

A big thanks to the community in general - especially the developers who do this for no other reason that to give US the platform we desire.

[malga]

the ion 330 is on asrock's website. http://www.asrock.com/nettop/spec/ION%20330.asp

[uomiarz]

the ion 330 is on asrock's website. http://www.asrock.com/nettop/spec/ION%20330.asp

this one has room for blue ray player(currently DVD is installed) and SPDIF output, nice but still missing built in remote

[Steve_McQueen]

this one has room for blue ray player(currently DVD is installed) and SPDIF output, nice but still missing built in remote

Now that would be really sad. That would mean you'll have to walk over to the computer or use some long stick. A receiver would do.
We are getting closer but I'm yet to be convinced on the designs so far for ION (this one is way better then Revo). Hopefully one of the 40+ versions has a gorgeous htpc design.