nVidia ion platform

[jarod]

On Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:03:09 -0500, Tom Metro <tmetro-blu-5a1Jt6qxUNc at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Jarod Wilson wrote:
>> An nVidia ion platform system -- low-power atom processor with nVidia
>> graphics that also support gpu-based mpeg2 & h.264 decoding.
> 
> I found an article with some photos and videos for the nVidia ion 
> platform here:
> 
>
http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/12/nvidia-ion-platform-gets-demonstrated-at-ces/
> 
> Looks promising. If the price point is good, and they're well supported 
> by open source drivers, they should obsolete dedicated set-top-box 
> hardware using the semi-supported Sigma Designs MPEG4 decoder chips, 
> like the Popcorn Hour[1] or the soon to be released HD version of 
> Hauppauge MediaMVP[2][3][4].

Yup, that's what I'm thinking. nVidia claims their chipset is actually
cheaper than the Intel chipset used in most netbooks right now, so I
don't see how you couldn't get a display-less atom box for well under
$300. Heck, the Intel D945GCLF2 mini-itx motherboard w/a dual-core
atom 330 on it I picked up a few weeks ago only cost me $90. Mix in
1G of RAM for $25, a 16G SSD for $35 and all you're left needing
is a case for it. So yeah, south of $300 seems quite likely to me,
and I think even $200 isn't out of the question.

-- 
Jarod Wilson
jarod-ajLrJawYSntWk0Htik3J/w at public.gmane.org