Items tagged with box
Harcoreware.net has an interesting article on-line today that details the power consumption characteristics of today's top three new consoles while playing back video and playing games. And for the sake of comparison they also built a mid-range gaming PC to see how it stacked up. "Today's video game console war is taking an interesting twist, as we fire up our trusty power meter to look at power consumption levels of the 3 newest video game consoles. We tested power consumption during video game play, DVD playback, HD video, standby mode, and other console functions. We also added in a PC and a dedicated DVD player to make things interesting....
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Sub-$400 VoomPC X86 Car PC Platform Ideal for Telematics, Entertainment and General PC Applications FREMONT, Calif, Jan. 24 2007 - Mini-box.com, a subsidiary of Ituner Networks Corp., today announced it has launched the VoomPC-2T family of low power, high performance car PCs. Based on the small form factor Mini-ITX platform and with an integrated battery management unit, the VoomPC family is ideally suited for navigation, productivity and entertainment with superior audio and video performance. The unit is equipped with an intelligent power supply eliminates battery drain and prevents damage from unwanted power surges, a key requirement for successful car PC designs. The VoomPC-2 is now shipping,...
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Hot on the heels of Broadcom's announcement STB SoC yesterday, STMicroelectronics has announced the STi5107. Integration of the latest security specifications seem to be the biggest selling point of the new chip, although other performance enhancements have been added. STMicroelectronics, the world's largest supplier of silicon chips for set-top boxes (STB)*, has announced the STi5107, a new MPEG decoder for standard definition TV, within the Company's OMEGA family of STB solutions. Using the new device, manufacturers will be able to cut their total component cost and simplify board design and assembly, while offering enhanced security features. The STi5107 is designed to address the requirements...
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Broadcom is already sampling these chips to early adopters, and is providing a value line reference implementation as well a top-of-the-line reference platform. With all of the various new specifications and related standards being supported, this chip will certainly command the lion's share of set-top boxes for the near future. Based on NGNA developments to date, the BCM7118 provides support for all of today's cable network operating requirements, and also integrates features required to support the transition to CableLabs-based open industry standards (i.e. OpenCable(TM) Applications Platform (OCAP), DOCSIS 2.0 with DOCSIS Set-Top Gateway...
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If you're not running a state of the art gaming rig, or looking at pictures of your grandchildren, you're not interested in a desktop computer anymore. With overall PC sales expected to slow sharply next year, the biggest action is shifting to the smallest machines. Just look at the numbers. Current Analysis, a research firm that tracks PC sales, found that revenue from laptop sales at major retailers it surveyed climbed 25% in the week that ended Nov. 25 from the same week the year before. Consumers seized deals such as the ones offered on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year, at three of the biggest computer chains--Best...
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With the millions of people arguing over the XBOX 360 vs the Playstation 3, it's always interesting to get a game developers take on the issue. One of the major points of argument, is that even though the PS3 has better hardware specs on paper, its lack of programming flexibility will hamper its performance. While the anonymous interviewee seems to agree with this point, there's no way to know what we'll see a few years down the road. "Graphics: The XBOX 360 is a clear winner. The GPU is more powerful. It has more powerful fillrate, and far more pixel and vertex processing horsepower. Part of the reason is their choice of memory, and architecture of pixel and vertex procesing. I can't...
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Well, no one's shot one another over a Wii yet, but it's still early. The media might run out of Playstation 3 horror stories, so you never know. Nintendo's new Wii gaming platform launch is kind of flying under the radar. But it's cheap, and new, and innovative. And you can buy add-ons for its motion sensing "Wii-mote" controller already. Nintendo wants you to hold the motion sensing controller, lovingly dubbed the 'Wii-mote', in your hands to control your bat, racquet, club, steering wheel or more. But along with the launch of the Wii in the US has come a range of Wii-mote add-ons that are so cool and affordable, you'll want them for the novelty value if nothing...
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Because your X-Box has a big hard drive and is likely wired to both your television and the internet already, Microsoft figured they could make some cake selling you downloadable video entertainment for it: Console owners with a broadband Internet connection can download the videos directly to the 20-gigabyte hard drive on the Xbox 360, which already is connected to a television in most homes. The service also stands out because it offers videos in standard-definition and high-definition formats. Xbox chief Peter Moore says that if nothing else, it will help position the 360 as an entertainment device that can appeal to each family member....
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Microsoft has just publicly stated that the company will be offering a software upgrade later this year that will "unlock" the ability to output game and movie content at 1080p. The whole topic of 1080p and how necessary it would be for this generation of consoles has been an interesting topic the last year or two. As many will remember, Microsoft initially dismissed 1080p and downplayed the Playstation 3's full support of the resolution. However as we can see within an old E3 report by Anand, Microsoft and ATI have always had the ability to support 1080p with the XBox 360 hardware. In fact, the Xenos GPU within the XBox 360 can actually support 1080p (1920x1080) with 4x AA...
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Microsoft has set its sites on YouTube's pie, using its new Soapbox service to carve a slice. Like other video services, users will be able comment on, and rate videos, as well as create RSS feeds and share links. Video size is limited to 100MB, though there are no limits on video length. "Unlike YouTube, Soapbox will have no advertisements, but Bennett said Microsoft can monetize the video by showing it on the main MSN Video site or by creating a "viral video hub." Bennett also showed off a "visualizer" video search tool for MSN Video's existing licensed content that lets people search for and browse video by seeing relationships...
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DigiTimes reports that sources are indicating Microsoft is planning to launch a new version of the popular XBox 360 game console with an internal HD-DVD drive. This is surely in response to the pending launch of Sony's Playstation 3 console which will feature its own internal Blu-Ray drive. At this time, the only HD-DVD solution "officially" pending for the XBox 360 is the external drive option which will be released in the near future. The article does mention that the external drive can only play back movies, seeming to hint that the internal version will handle HD-DVD games. However, the business model for this approach seems tragically flawed as developers...
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Well, you know you want one of these. You want to be able to see and record Tiger Woods not sweat, in HD, when he's sinkin' those putts; and you want to rewind and watch his competitors wet their pants while he does it. And now you can. Soon, anyway, if HDBeat's inside source at an electronics store is right. Better bring money: It's no secret that TiVo's on the verge of shipping its HD-capable Series 3 set-top-box -- after all, the company's already notified the FCC, posted a product page, and even ignited a flurry of controversy over Time Warner's CableCARD policy -- but we have yet to hear of a solid release date or retail price for this highly-anticipated device. Well HDBeat's...
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In their latest interview, Ars Technica chats with XBox 360 developer Matt Lee, covering a range of issues from his job duties, to XBox 360 hardware and market expectations. Matt is also the developer of the old "DopeWars" game for the PalmPilot. "Now with the massively redesigned and more powerful Xbox 360 released, many people are wondering what the future has in store for Microsoft's gaming efforts. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Matt Lee, a software developer who works at Microsoft in the Xbox division. He had some fascinating things to say about the console, the games market in general, and the future of the...
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Those of you who are thinking about adding an DTV tuner to your rigs will be interested in this review at HTPC News. They evaluate the VBox Cat's Eye DTA-150 HDTV tuner and ended up linking it very much. It's kind of a simple looking card, but it got the job done. "DTV is absolutely amazing the first time you lay eyes on it. In fact, it is shocking how much better it will look over standard definition broadcasts. Of course nothing in life is a cakewalk. Poor signal reception, driver problems and hardware compatibility can hamper the effort for broadcast HDTV nirvana. That, of course, always leads to a grumpy significant...
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In an attempt to cut down on the Xbox 360's power issues, MS will switch to a version of the Xenon CPU fabbed on a 65nm die process, beginning in 2007. The CPUs will be made by Chartered Semiconductor in Singapore, under license from IBM and Microsoft. The launch of the Xbox 360 was not without its problems. From low inventory to repeated rumblings online about defective and overheating units, Microsoft found itself with a more trouble than it bargained for from day one. While the early launch was important to cash in on holiday shopping demand and gain a headstart on Sony's much-anticipated PS3, it seems like since the units have hit the shelves Microsoft's highest priority has been dealing...
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If you're looking for a fully configured small form factor system, [H]ard|OCP's subsidiary, [H]Consumer may have just posted something of interest. They've evaluated Polywell's Mini-Box2 939NP, and they seemed to like it quite a bit. The system earned an 8.4 on the Hard-O-Meter. "The Mini-Box2 is a solid, no-frills computer from what appears to be a solid, no-frills manufacturer. Polywell offers a versatile and varied online configurator with two levels of options - catering to both enthusiasts and mainstream users alike. That is something we have yet to see elsewhere."...
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Network media players have been making huge waves in the mainstream community, and ThinkCE.net got their hands on a slick little player called the Slim Devices Squeezebox. This handy little device allows you enjoy music from the comfort of your living room, even when your computer is off!Media, over the past few years all different types have been flooding our lives, from music to video we see it everyday. There are services to download music and video now. We have MP3 players and media players. This past year we have seen the introduction of network media players. These players are very big and most of them do not support wireless networks. Well today we are going to take a look at a network...
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Without question, there is seemingly an endless number of music fans with a massive collection of songs and albums. Unfortunately, managing these impressive collections can be tedious at the very least, to downright appalling for larger compilations of music. Traditionally, music fans were forced to stockpile their collection of CD's in racks or protective folders. Although these methods served their purpose well, it was difficult to bring that collection of music with you. With the dawn of MP3's, the world soon began storing these accumulations of music on PC's. Armed with massive hard drives and competent ripping software, entire racks of CD's soon became neatly stockpiled on PC's. Despite...
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Looking for an already built media PC? While it's always fun to build your own, sometimes a pre-built system with a full warranty is the way to go, and as Viper Lair explains, the Polywell MiniBox 939NP Media Center PC could be what you're looking for. "Pre-built systems can ease your pain in several ways. To begin with, they all come with warranties, so if something fails, you can just get it fixed. Everything has been pre-tested, so there's no guess work into trying to make things work. Finally, due to the sheer volume of purchasing, it is actually possible to save money to buy pre-built rather than doing it yourself."...
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Additional accessories for the XBox 360 are starting to appear, and today Krunker has a review of Logitech's Harmony Advanced Universal Remote. It's is stylish, comfortable, and packed with just about every feature you could want in a remote."Once you have the configuration down pat, this will be the only remote control that you'll ever need - especially for Xbox 360 console owners." ...
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If you're able to shell out enough money to purchase an XBox 360, you probably have enough money for a decent Headset. Tweaknews.net takes a look at the sub $80 Turtle Beach Ear Force AXT Xbox/Xbox 360 Live Headset, which is certainly worth the price if you're looking for a great audio experience. "Providing excellent sound quality and surprising comfort, the Turtle Beach Ear Force AXT headset is a great product for the Xbox enthusiast looking for better quality sound and a more immersive gaming experience. Couple this with a MSRP of just under $80 US and the AXT is an excellent value as well. Better yet, availability is good with some online...
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Well, none other than Bill Gates himself has put the rumors to rest and formally announced an external HD DVD drive for the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, no pricing information was made available and beyond the obvious HD DVD movie playback we have no idea whether any games will adopt this new technology. Hopefully, more information will make its way out as CES progresses.Building on Xbox 360 leadership in high-definition experiences, the company announced plans to deliver a new Xbox 360 external HD DVD drive in 2006. The new drive will offer millions of Xbox 360 owners the ability to easily enjoy HD DVD movies and will provide consumers with even more choices for experiencing high-definition content,...
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