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Mini Computers and HDTV
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Sieges
#1 - 2012-01-12 23:40:17 UTC  |  Edited by: Sieges
I have a large screen television in my living room and a nice Bose sound system. I have a dream of sitting on my couch and playing EVE. I was hoping to buy a small dedicated computer for this and leave it in my TV stand next to my Blu-Ray player and satellite box. My question is, would any of these new "mini" computers be any good at running EVE? I am hoping to run the video and sound output through the HDMI ports and use a wireless Logitech Keyboard/trackpad.

These are the mini PC's I had in mind. I know they don't have great CPU's or GPU's, but could they run EVE?
* Acer
* ZOTAC
* Lenovo

This is the Wireless Logitech Keyboard/Mouse that I am interested in.
Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#2 - 2012-01-13 01:08:19 UTC
It looks like it has GeForce 9400M equivalent video hardware, DX10, Shader Model 4. It will do EVE, EVE uses Shader Model 3 at this time. If CCP jumps a generation and goes to DX11 with Shader Model 5, you will have an expansive paperweight.

Build or buy a small normal pc, where you can at least change video cards.

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!
Renturu
In Glorium et Decorum
#3 - 2012-01-13 07:12:37 UTC  |  Edited by: Renturu
This is what I run (XBMC) for all of my entertainment interfacing. You can use a Zotac machine to do this:

XBMC

My next project is to strap one of these badboys to the side of an External HDD and Run XBMC through it as well.

By the orders of PlunderBunny: ☻/ /▌ / \ This is Bob, post him into your forum sig and help him conquer the forums.
ariana ailith
Dukalin
#4 - 2012-01-13 15:26:03 UTC
mac mini
Renturu
In Glorium et Decorum
#5 - 2012-01-13 16:23:59 UTC
ariana ailith wrote:
mac mini


Even the AppleTV2 ($99) can be Jailbroken and XBMC installed. Runs quite nice and in fact is fully supported by the XBMC community.

DL

If you want to give it a try, DL and burn the Live CD. Runs on Lynux quite well and doesnt make changes as it wont install (unless you want it to; at that point, you can set it up to run as a shell and will run solely XBMC and you have a great HTPC.

By the orders of PlunderBunny: ☻/ /▌ / \ This is Bob, post him into your forum sig and help him conquer the forums.
Zagam
Caldari Provisions
Caldari State
#6 - 2012-01-13 17:05:56 UTC
Build a desktop (a good gaming box can be built for $600ish), get a wireless keyboard and mouse, and voila! EVE on a gigantor TV with surround sound!
Endeavour Starfleet
#7 - 2012-01-14 06:34:19 UTC
Issue is with higher settings EVE is going to eat just about anything low end during heavy battles or grids. All current onboard GPUs also seriously suffer from reliance on system memory which is extremely slow compared to GDDR5.

What I tell people these days is that if your budget is 500+ Build your own or ask someone to build for you (Many computer repair places offer this service) If it is under 500 get a good computer locally or order online and replace/add a video card (Be aware most come with crap power supply which might need to be replaced as well)
Endeavour Starfleet
#8 - 2012-01-14 06:38:11 UTC
Renturu wrote:
This is what I run (XBMC) for all of my entertainment interfacing. You can use a Zotac machine to do this:

XBMC

My next project is to strap one of these badboys to the side of an External HDD and Run XBMC through it as well.


Did they (XBMC) finish the work they were working on with dirty regions? (Stuffz that reduce CPU need in simple terms folks) The ARM stuff was apparently plagued by high CPU load otherwise.

I am going for the B model once things have time to develop for the platform. If somehow something can be made for it to interface with my HDhomerun it will be a low power FULL OF WIN!
Renturu
In Glorium et Decorum
#9 - 2012-01-14 15:33:32 UTC
Not sure if they (XBMC) have fixed it. I do know, a coworker of mine is running it on an A8 with great success and no escessive heat or lag on it.

Llano

By the orders of PlunderBunny: ☻/ /▌ / \ This is Bob, post him into your forum sig and help him conquer the forums.
Endeavour Starfleet
#10 - 2012-01-15 05:26:42 UTC
Looking around. It seems that one of the XBMC devs has a Rhasberry PI board and has XBMC running on it.

That really solidifies my desire to purchase one. And as a common standard we can see specific programs made to run on that Broadcom SOC to do things to the most of its potential. They have Quake 3 1080P at max settings at over 20FPS. At about 3 watts!

What I also found interesting is that it seems that the choice of the Broadcom SOC was the best value at this time for their goals. It is based on an older ARM system. Yet cheap to produce with the needed GPU side of things. The hyperpower modern cores you see in phones and tablets are one the main reasons said devices cost so much.
Renturu
In Glorium et Decorum
#11 - 2012-01-16 05:54:49 UTC
Endeavour Starfleet wrote:


What I also found interesting is that it seems that the choice of the Broadcom SOC was the best value at this time for their goals. It is based on an older ARM system. Yet cheap to produce with the needed GPU side of things. The hyperpower modern cores you see in phones and tablets are one the main reasons said devices cost so much.


Agree. I'm looking to getting into them as well. One for me (HTPC) and one for my daughter to get into coding. Right now (she's 12) she has an interest in Python (OMGWTFBBQ your brain). So, I'm supporting her in it with whatever tools are out there.

By the orders of PlunderBunny: ☻/ /▌ / \ This is Bob, post him into your forum sig and help him conquer the forums.
Endeavour Starfleet
#12 - 2012-01-16 09:46:02 UTC
I will get one for HTPC work but I think I might end up purchasing two more for my little brother. If I can convince him to mess around with command line linux for a time he might develop a better understanding of computer technology and how things arent so easy when it comes to how things in the tech world work.

My dream for an HTPC setup would be.

Model B with XBMC or OpenELEC (Whatever develops support for TV viewing and recording under the ARM core first) Ethernet port plugged into my HDhomerun dual tuner One USB into passive hub for control devices other into active hub (Powered externally) with an External HD and Wireless stick so I can use is as a light NAS and stream into the other room.

I may even forgo the HD altogether and have it run temp and record directly into a NAS.