Amiga.org
Amiga computer related discussion => General chat about Amiga topics => Topic started by: WelshBoy on June 19, 2004, 08:59:46 PM
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I've been keeping an eye on the AmigaONE mini atx development with a keen interest as I'd love to buy one with AOS4 to fit into my cramped home -
however I saw this just now -
http://www.sterlingxs.co.uk/scpages/espressominicomputer.html
Comparasions? Could anybody be able to make a comparable Amiga compatable (I.E PPC) system with the new mini board?
Daz
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It's neat looking, but since it's so small, it looks like a toy and if AmigaOne's start coming out like that, the whole re-launch of Amiga will be branded as a game or toy machine and not taken seriously. Wasn't that a problem ten years ago, people thinking that Amiga was a games only machine? (Odd, because most people bought IBM's for games, not "serious" computer stuff.)
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Fair point with that comment.
Would be a useful thing to have though - the truely take anywhere system. However saying that I noted that the system specs didn't mention a "proper" graphics/sound card, so I take it they are built into the motherboard. In my opinion - thats never a good sign :-(
I was trying to show my girlfriend a picture of one of the mini atx cases earlier and I stumbled across this - although I'd still like to find the pictures (cant remember if I saw them on here or amigaworld.net :lol: ) Can anybody point me in the right direction? I think they may have been used in recent Amiga shows. As far as I can remember they are 2 tones - one colour being blue. The other grey?
Daz
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check this!
http://www2.skyos.org/aboutnew.php
and it runs on cheap mini-itx HW too.
I think any of the cases featured here:-
http://www.mini-itx.com
would be okay.
check out the mobo specs too. SkyOS suddenly seems more alluring :-)
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Hey
Thanx for the link to SkyOS - interesting to see what other companies are doing, however I will be sticking to my mix of AOS and Windows. I'd give up XP if I could - i'm waiting for OS4 personally, and a price drop in the HW.
As for the mini-itx link...thanx..that was the one I was looking for! :-D
Daz
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Hum,
They all look just too big, to me...
Why settle for a space hogging `Colossus`, when you can have one of these? (http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4228247530.html)
(http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/misc/personal_media_teacube-thm.jpg)
(Er, Click to enlarge (http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/misc/personal_media_cube_teacube.jpg))
:lol:
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Now thats what I'm talking about !!!
Thx for the link - seems an interesting piece of kit :-)
Technology (as in motherboards) is always going to get smaller - but as this box demonstrates...most of the space now needed is for the various connections u need. What do u do when the connections u need for your computer are bigger than the motherboard itself :-?
Daz
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You use a dongle? :-)
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Hum,
perhaps your right...i was quite taken with the ethernet port...
But i can see problems when you want to insert a cd...
(http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/misc/personal_media_cd_teacube-sm.jpg)
Bother!
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@ blobrana
:lol:
Yeah good point! I know this size is really neat and everything but we still need the media of CDs/DVDs etc there isn't much point...
All I want is something PS1 sized that fits everything u'd ever want into a portable (and stylish) case.
Daz
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@blobrana:
But i can see problems when you want to insert a cd...
:-)
Of course, it was never intended for desktop use, so one would argue that there is no need for removable media.
The point that AmigaOne and Pegasos II based systems don't have any special hold on the embedded/small form factor market is a valid one. The competition is out there, and it's much tougher than many people seem to think it is.
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in answer to connections point...
WiFi!!!
:-)
HiFi kit is already on the ball. STB are following suit.
You could connect one of these babies up to your printer, your TV / flatscreen LCD, your home hifi. all with one WIFI card (built-in).
Of course you would have to buy lots of next generation home theater kit, but if you are anything like me you do anyway!
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Of course you would have to buy lots of next generation home theater kit, but if you are anything like me you do anyway!
Yeah - got to agree with you there - practically everything in my house is high-tech..and why stop there eh
I know of one project (cant remember the website addy now - will ask my brother 2nite) that a guy has built - he has put a PC system into his car, and using a wireless connection it uploads his emails/other various info from his main PC in his house b4 he leaves for work in the morning! Now all he needs to do is add voice software, pain the car black and call it kit! :-D
Seriously though - AOS4 in your car...that would be sweet :)
DPaint Mobile anyone?
Daz
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lol!
better yet get it hooked up to a 3G wireless data card :-)
Internet on the move :-)
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If what you need is a small web server, you should give this (http://www-ccs.cs.umass.edu/~shri/iPic.html) a try... :-D :-P :lol:
Saluditos,
Ferrán.
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Not exactly a Mini ATX case, but I kinda like this one (http://www.quietpc.com/uk/tnn500a.php). If the price wasn't quite so outrageous, I'd seriously consider it for my next system.
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looks butt ugly man! though it sounds (doesnt sound ?) like it works a treat.
V. expensive though. I can only imagine they make the chasis out of platinum or something :-)
Or perhaps its laden with heat-conducting gold like the Mclaren F1.
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Yeah, reading the site sounds like the 'heat pipes' are gold plated copper, not to mention the whole case is one giant heatsink.
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Naeem wrote:
looks butt ugly man!
Agreed. It works like a giant heat sink and looks like one. Still, the looks I'd be able to live with...
though it sounds (doesnt sound ?) like it works a treat.
It does indeed. Think about it: no fans at all, even with monster CPU and GFX card. No noise and no dust. *sigh*...
V. expensive though.
That's the problem. It's way out of my budget, however much I'd love to have one, even though I expect to spend a fair amount on my new system.
So realistically, having decided I want a quiet understated black case with a good build (so no Xasers or Diablos etc.), I'm looking at the Lian-Li PC-6070B (http://www.lian-li.com/product.php?action=viewPD&prdid=1199) as my first choice, and since that seems hard to locate in the UK (the silver version is very common), the AccoustiCase C6607 B (http://www.acoustiproducts.com/en/acousticase.asp) as my fallback. After that I'll just have to choose my PSU, hard and optical drives and cooling system with care te get as little noise as possible. At least both look nicer than the Zalman. :-)
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why not give up the chase and get a small form factor Hush PC or something?
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Because my main system is required to do a whole bunch of jobs - that's just my pattern of use - and a small form factor would be very limiting. Although I want it to be quiet - which would be a huge change from the current environment - I'm looking for a fully versatile solution. The Hush PC doesn't match my required specs: AMD64, SATA, good graphics card etc. Basically, you sacrifice components for space, and I don't want to do that.
I think I can build a system that does everything I want, but the drawback is that I'll have to chase up a lot of components from a lot of different suppliers, rather than buy everything in one big bundle.
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Gotchya.
Personally though I think CPU's are way too fast nowadays. A Hush PC could handle everything I do on my Pentium 4 3.06 Ghz setup currently. And it would look cute and not at all out of place next to my Plasma TV.
In fact if anything I would get more use out of it as I would use it as a PVR too, and also the CD / DVD drive would get a lot more use. For TV / Video work you dont need a super hot graphics card.
I am intrigued though, what use do you put your beats of a machine to? 3D modelling work? Any major ass-kick games out there that demand such performance? That is probably where a HUSH pc would fall over latest games, though it would meet 90% of current games requirements (all need direct X 9.0b + P III 700 MHz +), it wont have much shelf life.
For me I am not too fussed my XBox is about for that kind of nonsense.
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Naeem wrote:
Gotchya.
Personally though I think CPU's are way too fast nowadays.
Yeah, because nothing sucks more than having lots of CPU power. Everyone, abandon whatever you're using right now and switch to this:
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=787
I am intrigued though, what use do you put your beats of a machine to? 3D modelling work?
I do. I still play with VistaPro and a few other things like that. Additionally, having lots of CPU power makes things like encoding video go much, much faster (although an MPEG2 card helps a lot in that area).
Any major ass-kick games out there that demand such performance?
Yes. Half-Life 2 will need loads of horsepower to draw what can only be called cinematic graphics, as will DOOM-III (I tried running the latter on my PIII/700...let's just say the results were...slow). As of right now, I'd say Far Cry really beats up the CPU and graphics card - but that's a good thing. Tech needs to advance.