Shuttle’s XS29 barebone PC has a 1.6GHz processor, up to 4GB of RAM, gigabit ethernet, DVI, VGA and standard audio jacks, 6 USB ports and Via Chrome9 HC3 video. It’s a Via Nano version of the X27, an otherwise identical machine equipped with an Intel chipset and Atom CPU.
Thoughts follow.• I haven’t tried the X27, but in principle, the difference would be slightly superior performance but greater power consumption. There’s also the XS29F, a slower fanless version.
• Equipped with 2GB of RAM and a 150GB toshiba hard drive, desktop performance was fine, but it’s not up to (modern) gaming. It just doesn’t have the grunt.
• 1080p HD movies worked great, not a spot of chop. The chipset supports MPEG-4, VC1 and WMV hardware accelleration. But there’s no HDMI!
• If you’re OK with DVI and put in Blu, it would make a great home theater PC.
• Price is TBD, but it’ll liekly be $450-ish for a complete system with the basics and $200-ish for just the case, motherboard and CPU.
• All said, it’s bigger than a Mac Mini and a Dell Studio Hybrid, but not any better. Unless you like the Shuttle’s basic black look, a little more money gets you a smaller and more stylish system in both cases. it’s a real PC and you can tinker with it to your heart’s content.
• However, what it does have over rivals is upgradeability: the case comes apart in moments without the use of tools. Upgrading RAM or the drives would be a snap. There’s even an unused PCIe slot, should you manage to find something that’ll fit in there.
• The review unit came with Windows 7 beta build 7057, and it was a little glitchy. So build a system with XP, Vista or Ubuntu until someone verifies all is well with Microsoft’s latest.
Web store [Shuttle]
How well does it run Hulu?
Where did you buy this?
@Aaron: The X2700 Rob links to as the price estimate is an Atom Dual-Core 330, but from what I’ve read, 1080p is just out of its reach – that GMA 950 cripples it for video.
You could, maybe, stick this $58 Broadcom HD accelerator into the PCIe slot. No guarantees there.
Instead, check out the AspireRevo, about $400 for a full Vista Home Premium system, or ASRock Ion 330 for about $370 OS-less. Both have the NVIDIA Ion chipset for 1080p HD video acceleration and HDMI – the AspireRevo is a single-core Atom, the ASRock dual-core.
I didn’t try hulu, but it was fine with full-screened HD youtubes.
It was a review unit. It’s not out, yet; you can get the atom one here: http://us.shuttle.com/barebone/Models/X27D.html
You could put a Hauppauge HVR-2250 video tuner card in the PCIe slot, and turn this into a cute little MythTV PVR.
Really? Full-screen HD YouTube ran OK? I think that’s a first for an Atom machine. Is it running the new dual-core 330? Final shipping specs seem to be hard to find on the intertubes.
I’ve been waiting for a cheap SFF box to use as a Hulu and video front end. The Eee Box 206 was promising, but apparently choked on Hulu and full-screen YouTube HD.
Rob, in the future, I think lots of people (myself included) would be grateful if you let us know how full-screen Hulu (and/or Hulu Desktop) runs on boxes like this that are clearly aimed at the living room.
Great review
)
Thanks
Four Mobile Processors Compared
http://www.viaarena.com/four-mobile-processors-compared.aspx?ID=316&MCatID=2
VIA Nano v teste „jednašestiek“ (update 01.06.2009)
http://www.extrahardware.cz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=5912
Recenzia (Review): Lenovo IdeaPad S12 s VIA Nano U2250 1.3+GHz
http://www.extrahardware.cz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=8166
Underwhelmer, you know what? I think this model actually does all of that:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/06/30/review-a-weekend-wit-6.html
No HDMI kills it for me. I’m currently rocking an AppleTV running Boxee, and it’s painfully slow. So I ask: Any recommendations for an HTPC that fits this spec list?
- Enough power to handle HD video/Hulu/Boxee
- Windows or OS X (No linux)
- HDMI out
- IR remote functionality
- Small and quiet
- WiFi
- 250GB or bigger HDD
- Preferably $500-600
Or is that just wishful thinking? I can get a Dell Studio Hybrid in at $675 or so. (Who charges $70 for a wifi card!?)
I’d consider rolling my own, but would hate to do all the work and find out it coughs and sputters on Hulu, or somesuch.
@Underwhelmer: I’m right there with you. I’m trying to find reasons NOT to buy a Mini soon. I spent a while at Newegg trying to piece one out on my own, but I had a surprisingly difficult time getting anywhere near the form factor while keeping similar performance. I could go super small, but I’d be dipping into Ion boards and lose the great C2D and fast-ish Nvidia chip. That might not be a big deal to people who just need it to display video, though. I need to be able to do some mid-range 3D as well.
Shoot, I’d be happy to go up to a VCR form factor if it meant I could OSX86 it.
Not an Atom.
Will be sure to check Hulu, Boxee and the like on any future models.
“…If you’re OK with DVI and put in Blu, it would make a great home theater PC…”
Now I’m not 100% sure, but unless the Via Chrome9 HC3 is HDCP compliant you’ll have problems running the Blu over DVI.
(Not 100% sure that chipset is HDCP compliant, but very sure you will have problems with Blu if it’s not.)