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Arprotek e-Cube/gBox Barebones Review
Arnold writes: "I was doing some browsing on the net and came across an article that ViaHardware.com published. They are reviewing a cool
P4 mini-computer system that is perfect for the serious LAN gamer. The system has an AGP slot and will even fit a GeForce 4 Ti4600. It also has a built-in handle. Now if only we could get monitors to be this size and expand out to 19-21"."
How well do these things deal with heat? Seems like they'd overheat, no?>
First Post!
--
Get yourself a pair of those goggles that makes it feel like your looking at a 60" screen.
Granted they'll make your eyes melt, but here soon enough we'll have Chiba city anyway...
Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
Apple did this quite a while ago with the Cube...
Eh, built in handle? Pioneered by the Apple //c, IIRC.
Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
Most decent flat-panel monitors have a handle in the back (my 17" IBM does). Combined, it would make a very good LAN gaming machine. However, if you're using a CRT monitor, I recommend a GearGrip-CRT Monitor Carrier.
The speed of time is one second per second.
You wouldn't know a mini-computer if it fell on you (and squashed you flat). The thing in the article is a micro computer. A mini computer is much bigger, think filing-cabinet size and teletypes :-)
The youth of today. Just what do they tech you at school? In my day we did machine code. On a 6502 single-board computer. With an LED display. And a hex keypad. You don't know how good you have it with your dual Pentium 7 Athlon Linux Technology.
I'm out of my tree just now but please feel free to leave a banana.
i believe they have powerful portable gaming units...consoles
That must be a typo, there is no way they can be running a P4 on only 150W unless it is a mobile, didn't seem to say so. That GeForce4 sure would struggle with such meager power offerings though...
not until there's an athlon version, i've got a 4.2 ghz p4, who cares if it can't beat my 1.0 ghz athlon....but alas, tooo bad athlons are so endothermic
--fetch daddy's blue fright wig, i must be handsome when i release my rage
1) The Apple G4 cube is not expandable.
2) The Apple G4 cube is by no means a gaming system.
3) The Apple G4 cube cannot hold a GeForce 4.
4) You are a clueless dumbass.
HTH, HAND!
- A.P.
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
1. Post an interesting Slashdot article to an unsuspecting web server
2. Let sizzle for 6 minutes
3. Laugh at annoyed Slashdot readers when they can't view the article.
in an older story.
What is so special with GeForce 4 Ti4600? I thought that you can plug any AGP video card into ANY computer with AGP slot.
From their beleagered web server:
Specifications:
Chyang Fun CFI-S86 Motherboard
Pentium 4 Support
VIA P4M266 Chipset
DDR200/266 Support - up to 2GB
ATA/133 Support - 2 IDE Ports
Integrated Pro Savage DDR Graphics (ProSavage 8)
2 Serial Ports
4 USB 2.0 Ports (2 Rear, 2 Front)
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Ports
RCA and S-Video TV Out
VIA AC97 Audio
Front Headphone and Microphone Jacks
Front Speaker Out Jack
Onboard Realtek RT8100 LAN
Infra-Red Support
1 PCI Slot
1 AGP Slot
Aluminum Chassis/Plastic Handle/Plexiglas Side and Front Panels
1 5.25" Bay, 2 3.25" Bays (1 External)
(L) 306mm X (W) 212mm X (H) 242mm
150W Power Supply
2 40mm Rear Exhaust Fans
Granted there is only two add on slots, but it still looks to me like a heavily overworked power supply on there. The P4 alone will consume nearly 50W. Add in some drives and all the other goodies and you are in trouble!
That's why I was glad when I heard that Microsoft Corp. was coming out with the X box. This console is compact, portable, and connects to any TV with RCA inputs. A much easier way to do LAN gaming, and when Return to Castle Wolfenstein arrives on the 'Box, I see very little reason to go back to the Dark Ages of PC gaming...
(-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
With somthing that small, it shouldn't be to hard to find enough liquid nitrogen to dunk it in. And all the vapor would breing great atmosphere to the games.
thank God the internet isn't a human right.
Ummm so this is an AS/400 competitor then ?
Sorry to be a pedant but main, mini, micro is the naming convention, and micro is where this sits. A mini computer with a handle is a hernia in a box.
Wish PDA stood for Pico Device Architecture.
However an AS/400 or top end Unix server would kick-arse as a LAN gaming station, 32 processors, 4 TB disk, 20GB RAM. Ummmm.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
I managed to grab the picture, it is now available at:
www.greenapple.com/~rutledge/cfs868.jpg
See how my ISP likes that...
I read "mini-computer" and I tought about the AS/400 on wich we were having our COBOL and RPG courses at school.
Then I read "AGP", "GeForce", "Serious Gamer" and "Built-in Handle" in the following sentence.
Which made me think that portable Games made on Java 3D could finally be real.
I was seeing games which could run on my brother's box and play on my own Linux PC to.
I was able to run JEdit and the GUI response was sooo fast.
Open Office was taking less then 15 seconds to open my documents.
It was so real, I swear...
Then, I awaked in sweats and realized that it was only a dream...
By the way, OpenOffice IS NOT made in Java, for those who would step to conclusion based on my writing...
I'd rather be sailing...
'nuff said
CT: Apparently a bunch of retarded Slashdot readers couldn't discern that this was parody and mailed despair to complain. Little itchy on the flaming finger guys?
Pros:
Small - The CF-S868 is a small, powerful system. It is larger than the SS50, but it definitely isn't cumbersome at all.
Performance - Mainly this is talking game performance and is due to the AGP slot. There is no doubt you can build a very fast LAN system with this box.
Features - The CF-S868 is definitely packed with features, and comes with some good accessories. The sliced up IDE cables save space and make everything easier to work with inside. Though missing firewire, and not having the greatest sound or onboard video, it has Infra-Red and USB 2.0.
Style - The handle on the CF-S868 not only looks cool, but is very functional and practical as well. The clear front and sides look good as well. The design is similar to the Shuttle SS40 if you have seen any of the images form CeBit of that case style.
Noise - Thought it doesn't beat the SS50, the CF-S868 is a great system when it comes to noise. It isn't too loud, but it could use a bit more tweaking.
Cons:
Noise - The problem when it comes to noise is the included fan with the Arkua heatsink. It is quite loud, but can be replaced relatively easily.
Sound - The onboard AC97 sound is nothing short of a disappointment. CMI or even Creative has better solutions than the basic AC97 codec.
Video/Other Issues - This includes all the issues that I covered above about the video cards, as well as the problems I had with the front panel connector and the drive bay covers. Overall a well constructed barebones system, but there are definitely some oversights, especially with the missing standoff and screw which should be there to support the insertion of an AGP card.
So who should go out and buy the CF-S868? Well certainly this is currently one of the best mini-systems you can buy right now for a little LAN box that is powerful. But it's not exactly cheaper than a full-sized system. Arprotek told me that the MSRP in the US for this system is $369. Contrary to this is the fact that some who have already bought this system have paid $400 or more for it. I haven't seen this system in any US retailers so far, so the price will be higher since you will have to have the system shipped overseas. Currently there are no distributors in the US that I'm aware of that carry this system, but hopefully they will be showing up soon for those of you interested. If you are interested in purchasing one, please click here to send an email and you will be given details.
The CF-S868 may have issues, but they aren't a huge problem. You do need to consider everything before making a purchase, so look at the drawbacks and decide whether that interferes with your use of the system. It needs better sound and a good AGP video card. Both will have to be added to the cost of the system. If you want even more information or perhaps have other questions, feel free to discuss this article in the forums below.
Also, personally I would wait to see what the competition has to offer before making a final choice. We know that Shuttle will be having a product coming out this summer with an AGP slot. Keep watching for the review here and we will be comparing both products. If the CF-S868 looks good to you and you need something soon, I don't have any major objections if you plan on using it for a LAN box and will add a sound card and AGP video card.
Rapid Nirvana
Sorry man, but until console games offer a mouse for FPS games I'm not switching...
Hey man, I had a small computer with a handle 20 years ago. Osborne I yall.
I even had a Lisp that would run on it!
and Turbo Pascal 3!
so there!
Is this the Eden board inside?
You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
...if they got on the ball and made optional custom LCD screens that attach to the top of the case, flip and fold down. Just gotta put the handle on the back of the case instead of the top. Look to the GameCube for example, brilliant i think.
-WG
"America, I smoke marijuana every chance I get."
How is it possible to power a Pentium 4 system with a 150 Watt power supply? For desktop systems, Intel requires a *minimum* 300 Watt power supply. Granted, the Arprotek system doesn't have all the extra drive bays and expansion cards of a standard desktop system, but it does have an AGP slot and a PCI slot.
I wonder what would happen if you added a high-end video card and a Sound Blaster Audigy to this mini system. My guess: random reboots. Doesn't the processor consume 50 Watts by itself. That doesn't leave much juice for the rest of the sytem *and* the expansion cards.
--
For the book says, "We may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us."
Problem solved.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
since via seems to be /.ed, let's go straight to the press release:
http://www.shuttlegroup.com/ss50subpage.htm
Seems strange, but I can't seem to find this box for sale anywhere in the U.S....I don't have the patience to wade thru the /doted via site to find more info, and google turns up very little in english...
Does no one want my money?
*** Off-topic ***
Slighty off topic i know but here goes anyways..
I dunno if this box has em (/.'ed) but in the shuttle one of these boxes they use a pci riser card to put the pci cards parallel to the motherboard - i was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere that sold these separatly?? (im lookin for one to make a mp3 box in a shorter case)
Puggs
A few items bacck on /. is an article-thread on a DYI video projector. Now if you could combine this with that in one box.... :)
Find more information on this box from the manufacturer
News for Geeks in Austin, TX
Thank god PWP is back.. the recent stories have been maddeningly difficult to read!
I just got an email from a nice man telling me that lots of things can be expanded to 19-21" for only $19.95!
I had nothing but problems with generic motherboards. I originally blamed the problem on Windows but I noticed a big difference between Intel and Asus motherboards vs the rest of them. Shuttle chipsets like the one above have some known reliability problems. I guess this system is fine for a gamer and non 24/7 use but I would not want to run my main system on it.
http://saveie6.com/
Add a fire wire port or two, and you would have an even better system. I'd buy that.
I'll bet that "Feng Shui" motherboard is layed out to increase the energy and charisma of any character you play on the system....
Everyone has their pet peeve (reasonable and unreasonable) and mine is a stubborn absolute refusal to run Intel processors. Does anyone do an AMD version of the shoebox case or do I just have to sit here and get really pissed off?
To celebrate the occasion of my 1000th post, I will post no more forever on Slashdot. Goodbye.
Wasn't there a recent Slashdot article regarding a fold out lcd screen? you could have some sort of pocket on the side of this box to carry a folded LCD screen.
Bah I can't seem to find the link.
The Shuttle competitor for this unit will be released in June/July, called the SS51.
Journal
I read this on forum so take it as speculative... SiS651 chipset/962 southbridge Integrated USB2.0, 1394 2 DIMM DDR200/266/333 400/533MHz bus support 6 Channel CMedia hardware audio "Heat Pipe" fan duct for processor Choice of two or three case designs 1 AGP slot + 1 PCI slot Same case dimensions as the SS50 The price for the bare-bones will be about $360US Available starting in mid-June?
Journal
the Shuttle Spacewalker SV25, although somewhat of a noisy little beast, adequately serves and a nice desktop box... it has the same form facter as the SV24, and somewhat smaller form factor than the SS4X , SS5X, and box in the article...
.13 micron 866MHz) without a CPU fan... the P/S fan is noisy however, but this is related to resonance of the all aluminum chassis, especially when placed on a desk...
it includes P/S, PCI riser, mobo, CPU fin/fan, power cord, floppy, and IDE cables...
what's nice is that everything on the mobo works well with Linux, including sound, Ethernet, USB, IEEE 1394 sensors, etc.... you can use a Via C3 CPU (such as the
i use a combo DVD/CDRW drive, and a hard drive fits in the floppy slot underneath the CD-ROM (who uses a floppy anymore?)... i also stuck in an ATI TV VE Wondow mini-PC card and now watch TV in a separate desktop using xawtv...when i want to watch a DVD and burn a CD, i attach a VST Smartdisk FireWire external via the IEEE 1394 port, and the drive is bus-powered!
the unit can take up to 1GB of RAM, but i find 256MB entirely adequate... i also used a 933MHz PIII in the unit (w/a CPU fan)... the CPU/Sys temps rarely go above 99F...
the Savage video chipset works with the latest XFree86 release, but if you want to watch TV, download the latest savage_drv.o module from the maintainer's page - it will enable use of xawtv... don't know why the standard XFree86 release savage_drv.o module doesn't enable TV...
there is an active group of users and modders... i have no interest in going to a P4-based box, as i don't believe there's a low-power CPU for the socket (the VIA CPUs are cheap, btw - in the $50 - $60(US) range for 800-900MHz chips...
the SV25 is very nice and hits a sweet spot on price (about $220+S/H if you shop around)... if you have extra 370 socket CPUs, some RAM, an HD and CD-ROM, this is a cheap way to go...
I'll second the opinion that 150W power is just too feeble.
Also, what's up with the onboard sound/video/tv out? Ick. Why bother putting crud like that in a system (minimal cost but still...) when anyone who's going to buy it is going to replace it.
Finally - ONE 5" bay?
No wonder I build my own....I'd rate this one about a 4 on the 1-10 scale, and 2 of those points are on the nice-looking case.
-Styopa
Even if the Cobalt Cube were smaller, we'd have someone here bitching about how Apple was the first one to make a silver cube. If the Cobalt cube were both small and silver, we'd have an Apple zealot here claiming that the G4 Cube was the first popular cube-shaped computer. If the Cobalt Cube were popular, we'd have an Apple zealot here claiming that, well, Apple's still the first to do something useful in this field.
Bottom line: they're both cube-shaped and nobody gives a fuck about Apple.
- A.P.
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
Although not as small as this PC for just a little bigger you can get an ASUS Terminator and use an AMD Proc. Although, no DDR just yet... :(
JOhn
Campaign for Liberty
ABit: NV7M spec sheet
This is ABit's mATX version of the nForce motherboard. Compare and contrast Shuttle's spec sheet.Here's a link to someone who's used this to create a great little gaming machine...too bad this costs a premium...
PCFX.cc: "XBrat" gaming bitty box
The first company who makes a bitty box barebones with the nForce at a reasonable price comparable to the Shuttle "shoebox"en and the ASUS Terminator will 0wn the LAN Party market.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
I saw a buncha of ya bickerin' that there needs to be more AMD versions available... While I agree, it seems this company has realized that and after a few click's you'd see this AMD version of the case in this article.
"I think there's a world market for about five computers." - Thomas Watson
Its not super 1337 to use but I've found that newer laptops with either the ATI Radeon 7500 mobility or the NvidiaGo chipsets and 1+ghz procs run all the games played at the lan parties I go to with plenty of speed. Toss in an external mouse and keyboard and you are set.
"You can now flame me, I am full of love,"