Thursday, July 17th 2008

VidaBox Presents Monolithic PicoPC

by
btarunr
 Discuss (16 Comments)
While not attempting to be a HTPC, the VidaBox PicoPC is a light-weight (quite literally) device that adds PC functionality to your HDTV. It features Windows XP Embedded OS on a ROM, it has security software embedded too. It features no moving parts, the software is on a ROM (hardwired, a-la the software that drives routers), you it ships with a Compact-Flash slot and a 2GB CF card, you can expand storage based on the capacity of the CF card. Optionally, the device can come with a 32GB SSD.

The device features two USB ports, an Ethernet port, a D-Sub for video output and line-in/out for audio. The unit is also available with 802.11b/g options. It comes with a multifunctional wireless keyboard. The device is so tiny that you could hide it behind the HDTV. For now, it's priced at a sore US$ 929 at the moment. For details, please visit the product page.
Source: Electronic House

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16 Comments on VidaBox Presents Monolithic PicoPC

#1
Darknova
I think that's brilliant.

Stick it behind your TV, stick a USB HDD enclosure and any size HDD you need and bingo. Great little PC.
Posted on Reply
#2
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
DarknovaI think that's brilliant.

Stick it behind your TV, stick a USB HDD enclosure and any size HDD you need and bingo. Great little PC.
Use a USB-USB port replicator, get more USB ports :)
Posted on Reply
#3
Darknova
btarunrUse a USB-USB port replicator, get more USB ports :)
It's got 2 USB ports and wireless with keyboard....why would you need more USB ports? lol
Posted on Reply
#4
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
DarknovaIt's got 2 USB ports and wireless with keyboard....why would you need more USB ports? lol
For the multiple external HDDs and thumb-drives and iPod all running connected? Ofcourse, it means sharing USB bandwidth.
Posted on Reply
#5
mdm-adph
Pretty neat, but that price is ridiculous, especially for something you could make on your own for a few hundred (if that). :wtf:
Posted on Reply
#6
Darknova
btarunrFor the multiple external HDDs and thumb-drives and iPod all running connected? Ofcourse, it means sharing USB bandwidth.
I could maybe understand if it was your only PC, but someone like me who would only use it for browsing the net on the TV or something like that, I see no point in lots of USB ports lol.
Posted on Reply
#7
jydie
mdm-adphPretty neat, but that price is ridiculous, especially for something you could make on your own for a few hundred (if that). :wtf:
Yeah, I agree 100%. That price is ridiculous. :laugh:

Couldn't you just get one of the tiny Asus Eee laptops along with a wireless keyboard and plug that into your HDTV? That would only run $300-$400. Of course the Eee is a little bit larger then this thing... but not much.
Posted on Reply
#9
Easy Rhino
Linux Advocate
i guess the size of the unit is the main selling point. we could all easily for 300 bucks make a nice PC in a microatx case with dvi->hdmi and it would work just as well.
Posted on Reply
#10
unsmart
It looks like a picoITX mobo in a external HDD enclosure and wouldn't linux be better.
Really though you can run a HDMI cable to your TV and put your PC anywhere for a lot cheaper and with more options. Right now I'm typing this on my HTPC[ 15" LCD on my desk] while my kids watch a cartoon[ off the HDD] on the HDTV in the entertainment center And I did this for around $800 including The TV. This is like rich mans webTV.
Posted on Reply
#11
captainskyhawk
unsmartIt looks like a picoITX mobo in a external HDD enclosure and wouldn't linux be better.
Really though you can run a HDMI cable to your TV and put your PC anywhere for a lot cheaper and with more options. Right now I'm typing this on my HTPC[ 15" LCD on my desk] while my kids watch a cartoon[ off the HDD] on the HDTV in the entertainment center And I did this for around $800 including The TV. This is like rich mans webTV.
Exactly -- why not use a linux distro like MythTV? It'd shave some money off the price, for one thing, and you don't have to deal with the "digital recording broadcast restrictions" like you do with Windows. :shadedshu
Posted on Reply
#12
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
unsmartReally though you can run a HDMI cable to your TV and put your PC anywhere for a lot cheaper and with more options.
i did that for a little while. 5 meter HDMI cable (cost me $50 with DVI-> HDMI adaptor) + digital (coax) audio means i needed two wires, and i could have my PC anywhere in the room. with a wireless mouse and keyboard, you're not limited to being next to the screen anymore. In the end i moved it back next to the TV, just cause walking all the way across the room to plug in a flash drive or DVD was a pain in the ass.
Posted on Reply
#13
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
Musselsi did that for a little while. 5 meter HDMI cable (cost me $50 with DVI-> HDMI adaptor) + digital (coax) audio means i needed two wires, and i could have my PC anywhere in the room. with a wireless mouse and keyboard, you're not limited to being next to the screen anymore. In the end i moved it back next to the TV, just cause walking all the way across the room to plug in a flash drive or DVD was a pain in the ass.
why the hell would you spend $50 on a cabel mine was $6 hehe
Posted on Reply
#14
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
cdawallwhy the hell would you spend $50 on a cabel mine was $6 hehe
it was an XFX kit that included HDMI cable, DVI-HDMI adaptor and SPDIF audio cable for NVidia cards (to get audio over HDMI)

a little expensive, but the audio was something i wanted.
Posted on Reply
#15
cdawall
where the hell are my stars
ahh ok thats cool
Posted on Reply
#16
newconroer
I don't know why, ..I read the title 'monolithic' and thought this wass going to be small.


Definatley cool though.
Posted on Reply
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