[olug] Tiny computers

[Rob Townley]

On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 2:31 PM, Kevin D. Snodgrass
<kdsnodgrass at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I remember some time ago talk about little computers like the Marvell Sheeva Plug.  I also found the fit-PC.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/976/1/
> http://www.amazon.com/fit-PC-Slim-Linux/dp/tech-data/B001L18ED2/ref=de_a_smtd?ie=UTF8&m=A3J2VUK9571N8X
>
> Anybody get one?  Or something like these?
>
> My neighbor asked me about setting something up so he could watch youtube on his 50" plasma.  He has an 8 year old PC at the other end of the house, and wifi setup.  (Not sure why the wifi with only one computer...)  Simple is better, and something like a Sheeva Plug sounds like it would work.  Any other ideas?
>
> Kevin D. Snodgrass
>
>
>
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You may want to look at previous posts on HDMI vs DisplayPort machines.

At BestBuy in the _computer_ section, there were 1 or 2 devices for
this purpose (i believe).  One was made by NetGear for about $99.00.
NetGear supported and purchased ReadyNAS, so opensource friendly.
BuffaloTechnology uses Linux and _may_ have been the other brand.

At BestBuy in the _TV_ section, some of the BluRay players were
networkable but artificially limited in the sites one can visit if
they had a webbrowser at all.

The HDHomeRun doesn't quite do what you want directly.  It hooks up to
your cable box and multicasts over your LAN.  Another PC (used
batteryless, harddriveless, crying for a USB stick / SD memory card
harddrive guaranteed to work x41 Lenovos were selling for $0.99 on
ebay)  hooked upto the BigScreen via HDMI or DisplayPort would be
needed.
http://www.silicondust.com/products/hdhomerun_t1_atsc

There are other solutions to this that escape me at the moment, but
keep us posted as i have a similar project.  Would like a small
wireless keyboard with a trackball.  And a gyration mouse.