back to article Shuttle offers Linux-loaded all-in-one Atom desktop

Shuttle has introduced a version of its X500 "ultra-thin" all-in-one desktop PC that now comes pre-loaded with Linux - openSUSE 11.1, to be precise. The X500V is based on a dual-core Atom 330 processor running at 1.6GHz. The base spec includes 1GB of DDR 2 memory - a second Dimm slot lets you up that to 2GB - and a 160GB hard …

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  1. Mike Hebel
    Thumb Up

    Not wild about SUSE...

    ...but it appears to be a nifty little box. I wonder if you could put Ubuntu or something on it.

    (On the heels of the Snow Leopard article I also have to wonder if it's got hardware that would support an EFI dongle and OSX.)

    This looks like the perfect wall-mounted media center PC. Nice and thin, touch screen, and with added ram would have more than enough oomph to display at least standard definition video out the VGA port.

  2. Adam C 1
    Megaphone

    Diddy little thing!

    But Media Centre PC? Running on an Atom? This couldn't make a dent in proper HD content, surely?

  3. Ray0x6

    so...

    what is that windoze logo, then?

  4. Rob Beard
    Thumb Up

    Kitchen PC

    Hmm, I could see something like this as an ideal kitchen PC, assuming that is it is possible to get some sort of cover for the screen to stop any grease or what not getting stuck inside.

    Just wish I had a big enough kitchen!

    Rob

  5. Dave 129

    @Adam C 1

    Based on past articles about Atom CPUs and HD... that would likely be a 'no'. Still, can't complain with the rest of the base specs, Gigabit and Wifi-n. The last box I picked up (HP Pavillion SF slimline thing-gummy - it's a dev box what do I care ;) ) has neither.

  6. Matthew 3
    Thumb Up

    @Adam C 1

    You didn't see the Gadget Show's test then? The Aspire Revo had no troubles with HD content - and, yes, it runs on an Atom processor. But IIRC it had separate graphics capability.

  7. Nick Ryan Silver badge

    @Adam C 1

    When sensibly done, HD decoding should depend more on the graphics hardware rather than the CPU... but then admittedly most Atoms are paired with the awful joke that is Intel's current graphics chipsets so chances are it's not going to be too good. Should still be good enough for standard video though.

  8. Patrick O'Reilly
    Linux

    @Mike Hebe

    You know if you can stick openSUSE, you can be damn sure that Ubuntu'll run on it.

    Given the touchscreen I'd say it'd look great sporting the netbook remix.

    I do see one drawback with the media centre PC idea, no DVD drive.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Single Touch or Multi Touch

    Can I request reviewers FROM NOW ON to please note whether a touch screen is Single Touch or Multitouch ?

    Capactive or Resistive would also be nice to know, but that might require technical knowledge.

  10. R 11

    @Adam

    The Atom will happily playback HD content as long as it's coupled with a decent graphics card to do the hard work. Google 'Nvidia Ion'.

    Given there's no mention of the graphics card I'm guessing this is an all intel setup in which case you're correct - it will be less than ideal if you have HD content.

    I use an eeebox with an atom chip and intel graphics for a very very nice XBMC server. It only plays SD content, but then that's when most my content is. It'll also happily play anything off the iplayer. Next year I'll probably replace it with an Ion setup, keeping the very low power consumption, but significantly boosting the playback capabilities.

  11. Shaun Hunter
    Linux

    nice

    @ mike any distro will work and ubuntu probably right off the disk. But SuSe's a good distro give it a try, Ignore the in fighting.

    @adam no one claimed it to be a media centre PC. It's 15" @ 720p, wich a single core atom can do (done it on my acer one, crappy intel driver and all).

    KDE and gnome are slow on the gutless atoms though. I look forward to seeing how moblin shapes up. From the alpha's I've used it could rule the atom's easily. That's why intel's developing it though I guess.

    Oh yeah touch screen = goodness

  12. Mike Taylor

    QQ

    What does the windows button do?

  13. Michael Habel
    Linux

    Re: Diddy little thing!

    I can't make an attest to Windows MCE.... AND WHO'D WANT TO USE THAT POS!

    When you have either MythTV and or better still VDR.

    Which unlike the above (Microsoft!), works with every DVB Standard out there and, VDR which works even better then MythTV!

    Assuming for a moment that we have VDR as a player and a Reel Multimedia ~*Netceiver~ (sitting somewhere out of the way (ie Attic or in the Basement), Which you connect to your Dish / Cable Network / Areal, and then to a local Network throughout your House.

    I could see something like this working out well enough if Shuttle were to allow us to use a Remote control as well a touch options.

    As for being able to do 720P (1366x768 = 1280x720 IIRC), that would depend on what kind of IGP this thing came with. Assuming for a second that it was a modern nVidia Chip GF8400 or better then you could use the VDPAU Driver to display such content.

    My TV is also native to 1366x768 and is capable of both 720P and 1080i.

    I use a Reel-eHD to do the heavy lifting h.264 decoding for the moment, but I do plan to move to the nVidia VDPAU in the near future. With the release of VDR-1.8.0.

    *http://www.reel-multimedia.com/de/shop_netceiver_technische_daten.php

  14. Graham Wood

    @Adam C 1

    Depends on whether it's based around the nVidia ION chipset, or something a little more mundane...

    With the graphics acceleration from the nVidia platform, I think atoms are more than capable of doing HD playback.

  15. Ian Yates
    WTF?

    Have I missed something?

    What's with the Windows Start-button-esque... err... button? Is it dual boot to Vista?

  16. Mike007 Bronze badge

    Windows Button

    The windows button is for when people go "how the hell do i use this thing?" - they say "oh that looks like how to get back in to windows", click that, then it gives them a helpful message saying "sorry, this is linux not windows, you're shit out of luck"

    either that or the promo pictures are from the windows model not the linux model, but i'm sure it's probably the first explanation

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    $752?

    Should be $300 - $450

  18. Jon Green

    HOW much?

    "[The] X500V is priced from €511 (£366/$752)."

    Eh? According to the FT's currency converter, although the US$ price is about right, the UK price is more like £446. Sadly, we're not back to the dizzy heights of £=2$!

  19. Goat Jam
    Linux

    Looks OK

    No ION gfx though. Might have to look into getting one of these in 6 months when the "ooh, look, shiny new product!" price disappears.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @Ian Yates

    That looks like it is the Shuttle X 5000T, which comes with Vista Home installed.

  21. Chris 12
    Heart

    I want

    But at ~£450 it's a bit steep to try and persuade the missus :(

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