Hi-def straight from the Web to your TV
Claimed as the "first consumer Web-to-TV product that can easily run Boxee, Hulu and other leading Internet video services" - as well as jokingly being called a "magic box" — the Ion allows you to play web-streamed high-definition videos without mucking about with a computer hookup. It might be likened to a cable box, but for streaming video.
The device actually is a mini-computer, with the Intel Atom Processor 330 and NVIDIA ION Graphics Processor. and allows you to access web-streamed videos without booting up your computer. It ships with a full install of Ubuntu 9.10 and has a Windows 7 dual boot option as well, allowing users to run NetFlix, CinemaNow and other services.
"Technology has finally caught up with what consumers want out of Internet video services," Myka President Dan Lovy said in a press release. "They want to be freed from their computers and watch the growing variety of Web video content on their large-screen, high-definition living room TVs."
It'll ship in four weeks and cost $379. Its expansion options include Blu-Ray and a larger hard disk.
Processor | 1.6 GHz Intel Atom 330 Dual Core 533 MHz FSB |
Chipset | NVIDIA MCP7A-ION |
System Memory | 2 Dual channel DDR2 667 DIMM slots Up to 4 GB of memory |
VGA | Integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Graphics |
Supported Resolution | 1920 x 1440 (VGA) |
Expansion Slots | PCI Express Mini Card |
Onboard IDE | None |
Onboard Serial ATA | 3 SATA (3 Gb/sec.) connectors (RAID 0, 1, 0+1) |
Onboard USB | 10 USB 2.0 |
Onboard LAN | Realtek RTL8211C GbE 10/100/1000 |
Onboard Audio | Realtek ALC662 5.1 channel HD codec |
Back Panel I/O | 6 USB 2.0 ports 1 VGA port 1 DVI-I port 1 HDMI port 1 eSATA port 1 LAN port 1 PS2 keyboard port 2 S/PDIF-out ports (coaxial/optical) 3 Audio jacks: line-out, line-in, mic-in 1 DC jack |
Onboard I/O Connectors | 3 SATA connectors 4 USB 2.0 via 2 pin headers 1 RS-232 COM pin header 1 Front panel audio pin header 1 Front panel pin header 2 Fan pin headers 4-pin Molex connector (for peripheral power) |
BIOS | AMI BIOS 8 Mb flash memory |
System Monitoring & Management | System power management, RTC timer |
Operating Temperature | 0ºC ~ 50ºC |
Power |
DC 19 V @ 4.74 A |
Form Factor | Mini-ITX (17 x 17 cm) |
Includes | Driver CD 90 W AC adapter & cord 3 SATA cables 1 SATA power cable User manual |