ASUS EeeBox PC B208 with dual-core Atom and HD 4350 graphics un-announced
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Mar 17th 2009 9:02AM
posted Mar 17th 2009 9:02AM
[Thanks, Brad]
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To bad they didn't use Nvidia so it could do XBMC/Boxee and 1080p...
So why should that be impossible with the ATI ?
Whys that, the 4xxx series ATI have UVD acceleration which is just like Nvidias Purevideo HD.
I second that. What do you mean...
Sorry guys didn't know ATI was providing something like VDPAU as well.
Hey that's my philips remote.
How long before they take down any reference to the EeeTop PC ET1603 that is currently showing in place of the 1602 in the main EEEtop product page, in the specification section both the "ATI Mobility Radeon HD3450 Discrete Display Card" and the "Embedded Battery" are both featured, see for yourself: http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=EGYxiJ59WG7s6hsh
To all previous replies to this comment:
XBMC currently does not use any hardware accelerated video features. It is all done in software. VDPAU is nvidia's hardware accel layer for linux and is currently being added to XBMC's ffmeg implementation in a development branch. It may or may not make the next scheduled release of XBMC in April. On the Windows platform, there is no hardware accel for ffmpeg with any video card. So, the choice of AMD/ATI graphics over Nvidia graphics is only relevent to XBMC performance if you 1) Plan to run Linux, 2) Plan to use the development branch.
Just put Vista or Win 7 on it and use media center. It's good, I swear!
When you said unannounced, I thought you meant Asus actually said it wasn't going to happen!
It's been off of their site for at least a few days now, which is gutting as I'm holding out for this model and I want it now, dammit, now!
I'll be first in line for sure if this does come out. I've been waiting for something like this for awhile, and have even contemplated just buying the mobo and building one myself.
Looks like a certain Nintendo console to me...
I'm not sure I understand the purpose of this...it doesn't seem like it will be powerful enough to be an HTPC...
Why not? The HD4350 can do full hardware decode of H.264 and VC-1.
Hmm...this might make getting an HTPC easier than building one...although the price would need to be significantly cheaper I think, otherwise you may as well build
Some people would like their HTPC to be able to handle x264 at 1080p as well.
@Quassum so this won't do 1080p? Well then why bother...
I can easily do 1080p LOL
@Kai depends on how that ATI chip is supported by for example Boxee to decode x264 video, I just asked that question on the forum over there as well, only one way to know for sure of course.
this would easily be powerful enough to be a HTPC
Ooo nettops just got interesting......
Any ideas if you can buy the keyboard seperate, i love the style of keys.
I'm the last one to put over an Apple product, but, couldn't you just buy an Apple keyboard if you want keys like that right now?
Yeah i was looking at buying one but id rather have one that has all windows keys not mac keys.
I'm pretty sure Sony offers such keyboards.
1.6... Tooooooooo sloooooooow
Duuuuuaaaaal coore, oops, fastagain.
and hy p e r t h r e a d i n g
If it runs HD stuff, and you can put it discretely behind a TV, this would be ideal for accessing internet video feeds and ripped DVD's/Blu ray/NetFlix content.
CBC.ca, GlobalTV.ca, CTV.ca and such on a big screen (for us Canuckleheads) would be enough of a reason for me to cancel my TV package and just upgrade my internet connection.
That keyboard reminds me of something...aluminum.
They better re-announce it soon. I plan on building an HTPC in the next week or two, but depending on price this is right at the top of my list.
Don't expect it to be on sale in the next week or two, it's been floating around for a few weeks now with no concrete price/date :(
If this thing straps to the back of a monitor, does that mean that the included remote is RF and not IR or some other line of sight tech?
I'm pretty sure the black device next to the remote is the receiver.
You mean, it's not a Wiicintosh?
haha i thought the same thing
I know ill get chastised for this but when did the dual core atom come out!?
Atom 330 (dual core atom) has been out for around 4-6 months now
Some time ago. I got one for my custom build HTPC around the beginning of December.
a while, you can even get it and a mini-ITX mobo on Newegg for $90 right now.
It's not exactly clear to me how they would fit the dual core Atom 330 in the EEE Box. All prior iterations of the EEE Box have used the mobile processor variant (N270) of the Atom to achieve its low energy consumption and small packaging (that's right -- the desktop Atom (N230) and netbook versions are different, the desktop version has more power consumption at 4W TDP). By using the mobile version, it seems like Asus could have just hijacked its netbook motherboard design and stuck it in the EEE Box. However, with the dual core Atom, they may have to develop a new motherboard for it.
Do these take normal SATA hard drives? It would be nice to put 1 TB+ in it and rip all my dvd's to it. It would be nice to get rid of DVD shelves
$500? HDMI, 1080p capable, small form factor, 320GB HDD, gigabit, 802.11n, dual-core, quiet, low power comsumption... Did I mention that it has real HDMI?!...shit... This thing rocks!
OK, fine, I'll say it... If this were available today, it would be THE new mac-mini-killer! Period.
Come on ASUS...
mac minis use core 2 chips, not atom. the core 2 series are far more capable than atom (and yes, I have used an atom 330 and just built one into my NAS)
This probably has a better price-to-power ratio though, when you think about it.
The c2duo is actually overkill for HTPC purposes, which is the niche that this and the mac-mini are squarely aimed at filling -- and the result is a device (mac-mini) that prices itself out of said niche...
Did I mention that this box has real HDMI without the need for some ridiculous adaptor?
All we need in a mini system is the ability to deliver non-stuttering 1080p to our screens from a million different sources and formats and a form factor easy to place somewhere in our entertainment centers. These ASUS B208 stats would solve that problem easily...
Any guess as to whether a hackintosh build would run on one of these little jewels? If so, I would gladly go with one of these vs a mac mini.
Believe it when I see it.. the B204 and B206 were announced (or leaked) months ago.. and still not for sale anywhere (that I can find)
dude i'm writing this from a b206 hookted to a samsung le52a686... so, no ghosts here but a shiny new b206 which plays 1080p flawlessly. would like the b208 for upgraded specs though....
Mac Mini, meet your bigger (better) brother.
I wouldn't say bigger brother.
This is more like the Mac Mini's younger, much more accomplished brother. You know the type, excels in everything, gets more parental love because they've given up on the older one. Has much more friends. All the Mac Mini can do is sit on the internet and pretend that he has friends because people reply to his comments...
Wait, weren't we talking about computers or something?