XBMC Specific Hardware - Make and Sell a Hardware Box Specifically made for XBMC?
#1
Question 
Hello All,
Since XBMC is open-source and has so many great people working on it, has anyone considered creating a group to create a hardware specific XBMC platform. You know, a bunch of us nerds get together and either put together a bunch of components that will work best with xBMC or design our own board with integrated GPU, CPU, RAM, SSD etc.

Since we know that XBMC now works well with any NVIDIA 8 series GPU and takes away most of the CPU load, we can design a MB with integrated NVIDIA 8200 chipset. Add a small 8GB Flash SSD, 1GB memory with a small Intel Atom processor that requires only a heatsink, integrated power supply and voila you have a tiny XBMC system that should be capable of doing almost anything.

This is just a thought... Any ideas?

And yes I know it's not as simple as I wrote but I'm just looking for some opinions... Anyone?
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#2
Already discussed many times here... (in sticky threads fyi)

And it's not very usefull since we now have ION based hardware spreading for few hundred bucks (Aspire Revo, Asrock ION330, Zotac MAG, EeeBox1012, ...)
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#3
Slicster Wrote:Since we know that XBMC now works well with any NVIDIA 8 series GPU and takes away most of the CPU load, we can design a MB with integrated NVIDIA 8200 chipset. Add a small 8GB Flash SSD, 1GB memory with a small Intel Atom processor that requires only a heatsink, integrated power supply and voila you have a tiny XBMC system that should be capable of doing almost anything.

albator1932: IONs don't do VDPAU feature set C.

A single core 1.4gHz or even dual core 1.0gHz, paired with 1GB of ram, Feature set C video card (Mobile edition). HDMI w/audio on board in addition to SPDIF out and 8 channel out analog. Slim line CD.

No parallel, floppy, or serial ports.
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#4
albator1932 Wrote:Already discussed many times here... (in sticky threads fyi)

And it's not very usefull since we now have ION based hardware spreading for few hundred bucks (Aspire Revo, Asrock ION330, Zotac MAG, EeeBox1012, ...)

I saw all those models and they would probably work great but I'm taking about a hardware design specific for XBMC. So, let's say, the XBMC live contains all the drivers to that specific setup. The hardware could allow HDMI, D-Sub, USB Ports, SATA connectors, 7.1 Audio, MCE, etc etc... Everything in one. People could still make custom builds but with a small hardware designed just for XBMC in mass production would be much cheaper than the models you talk of above... All this if it would be possible to get a bunch of guys together to design one.

May not sound all that feasible but the Media Center market is booming and the best thing around besides building a PC media center is NMT which doesn't come close to what XBMC can do. And I've tried them all!!!
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#5
Slicster Wrote:Hello All,
Since XBMC is open-source and has so many great people working on it, has anyone considered creating a group to create a hardware specific XBMC platform. You know, a bunch of us nerds get together and either put together a bunch of components that will work best with xBMC or design our own board with integrated GPU, CPU, RAM, SSD etc.

This article comes close to what you would like, it lists the best mobos for a Linux HTPC and also includes a full build with component recommendations:
http://www.linuxtech.net/features/best_l...oards.html

There is another article about Atom+ION stuff on the same web site too.
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#6
Big Grin 
Just 4 months, and this thread became obsolete. I´ve got a ZOTAC MAG and it has awesome results. It´s the best media center ever. And of course with full support of the XBMC community.

Tongue
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#7
I think we should build a custom unit for XBMC like Boxee Box.
The normal XBMC log IS NOT a debug log, to enable debug logging you must toggle it on under XBMC Settings - System or in advancedsettings.xml. Use XBMC Debug Log Addon to retrieve it.
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#8
The problem is everyone has a different idea as to what is the optimal setup. Some people don't want a SSD ($$$), some don't want a DVD/CD drive, don't like the selected chassis, want something quieter, want to store their 15TB collection in the chassis, etc.
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XBMC Specific Hardware - Make and Sell a Hardware Box Specifically made for XBMC?0