Video: DFI hybrid motherboard runs two whole systems... simultaneously!

These days, the word "hybrid" gets tossed around like a rag doll. We've got hybrid cars, hybrid SLI and hybrid image stabilization -- and that's just for starters. But friends, this hybrid is one worth paying attention to. DFI has been working overtime in order to concoct the next great mainboard, and if this thing can really deliver as advertised, we'd say the gurus responsible for it will succeed greatly. The Hybrid P45-ION-T2A2 motherboard can actually house a complete Atom / Ion-based system on one side, while handling a traditional Socket 775 CPU system on the other. In other words, this single motherboard can power -- let's say -- a low-power server system and your next gaming setup. At the same time! We're still waiting on a firm release date and price, but 'til then, hop on past the break for a swell demonstration vid.

[Lowest Ranks Posted Sep 18th 2009 11:07PM]

Damn, I thought the atom cpu would add extra umph! to the graphics card



Still it's cool

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 18th 2009 11:16PM]

This is really a great concept IMO. However, it is too expensive for $400. Two systems are cheaper. The only advantage I could think of is less space/cables/only 1 psu. Oh, another thing is that they are already networked - again saves space, router cables/wifi dongles.

I would set this up in dual screen, with Synergy installed! I wouldn't use a KVM switch - it breaks the purpose of saving space. KVM Software is enough.

The atom ION would have OSX86. The other one is Windows 7.

How are they networked? Cross-over concept? Standalone chip?

Sweet.

[savagemike Posted Sep 19th 2009 1:37AM]

Good and interesting stuff.
But the price is way too high.

[oppizzippo Posted Sep 19th 2009 1:39AM]

NICE!

[kobayashimaru Posted Sep 19th 2009 2:18AM]

lol anyone else notice The.Dark.Knight.mkv on this dude's computer?

[ranu5 Posted Sep 19th 2009 3:54AM]

Is it just me or was there a "The.Dark.Knight.mkv"...torrenting?

[HookEmHorns Posted Sep 19th 2009 5:18AM]

Yeah, and it wasn't even a good copy. Look at the file size. The good one is like 11 gigs (1080p)

[Wwhat Posted Sep 19th 2009 10:46AM]

That was actually a free linux ISO, it's just pure coincidence that it's called the same as a movie, and has an mkv extension :x

[andrew632 Posted Sep 19th 2009 6:01AM]

If the cost is less than two separate systems then it's definitely a worthwhile investment. Otherwise it's just a neat novelty item for those who want it. Hopefully the former and I'll get one.

[Bones3D Posted Sep 19th 2009 7:01AM]

Hmm... this sounds like a breeding ground for all sorts of complications, especially the components on the board are shared between the two processor configurations.

Actually, it kind of reminds me of an old early generation PowerPC mac I had in the 90's that had one of those cheesy DOS compatibility card installed in it. I maxxed out the RAM on both the machine and the card, and custom modded the card to run a cyrix 5x86 chip from the stock 486 it shipped with.

Unfortunately, this was one of those pizza-box machines that positioned the DOS card processor directly on top of the PPC chip, causing the machine to eventually cook itself to death.

Long story short, the card was convenient when it worked, but in the end, I probably would have been far better off just buying a separate box for each platform, rather than trying to cram it all into the same casing just to save a few inches of desktop space.

[Wwhat Posted Sep 19th 2009 10:50AM]

Well the issues of the one you described are totally irrelevant to this setup obviously, but even so, I also think it's better to have 2 boxes, a micro ATOM mobo is tiny.
Still, you get the two mobo's in one, one PSU, inbuilt router/usb/keyboard sharing, andsoforth, it's perhaps a clean and quick way to do what can be done better when you do more effort.

[Professor Kaos Posted Sep 19th 2009 10:05AM]

Neat, but 2 SATA ports!?!? weak

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 19th 2009 2:14PM]

I like the part where the man says that I will get the more powerful machine and my wife will get the low end one, If i get this i just gotta make sure she doesnt know which is which!!

[AlaskanHandyman Posted Sep 19th 2009 2:21PM]

As a single user of multiple computers simultaneously I can see putting this Motherboard through its paces.

Use the Atom/ION for a low power HTPC, use the P45 for getting work done seems easy enough.

[Whimsy Collective Posted Sep 20th 2009 1:09AM]

About time someone took the initiative! :-D

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 20th 2009 8:26AM]

How about Microsoft licensing? One piece of hardware, could have less then 4 cores (Atom + Core2Duo), and single MS XP license? I doubt it. But anyway it looks very promising. However one could think on some PCI-x card that would have Atom powered PC, but how to solve independant switching on/off? And here we come to an end: one platform for processor intensive tasks (like gaming) and other for the HTPC needs (movies/browsing) - DFI just may give you some saving in case of case (one PC case for two pcs), but would it be worth doing so?

[John Stracke Posted Sep 22nd 2009 11:24AM]

Here's an approach that doesn't require a full virtualization:

* First, the hard part: use an OS with process migration. A quick Google says that neither Windows nor Linux has process migration, but it's been done in research OSes, and could probably be added to an existing OS.

* Second, come up with a way to combine the output signals from the two GPUs, under control of the Atom. Nothing fancy, just a mask, so that the faster CPU (a Core 2 Quad, let's say) can render the contents of a window while the Atom does the rest of the screen. Then you'd extend the X protocol to allow the C2Q to specify that it wants to render a window itself.

* Third, when the C2Q is turned off, use hibernation, not shutdown, so that it can come up quickly when needed.

* Now, if you're not running anything that needs to be fast, you can use the Atom; but, if one process starts taking up too much CPU, the Atom can tell the C2Q to wake up, then migrate the process over. Poof, the process is running faster.

The really cool part would be if it happened quickly and transparently; you'd be able to tell when your machine went into high gear by the fans revving up (and maybe by the migrated window suddenly looking better, with the better GPU).