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Gigabyte Brix Projector Combines Mini PC With DLP Projector In a 4.5-Inch Cube
MojoKid (1002251) writes "The PC market is changing rapidly as tablets supplant some laptops, new players such as the Chromebook disrupt the old WIntel model, and innovations in processors and graphics allow for ever-smaller PCs such as Intel's NUC (Next Unit of Computing) PC. Gigabyte recently introduced a rather unique product that combines the tiny 4.5-inch square form factor of Intel's NUC PC platform together with a mini DLP projector. The Gigabyte Brix Projector measures 4.24 x 4.5 x 1.93 inches (WxLxD) but manages to fit in an Intel Core i3-4010U (1.7GHz) processor with built-in Intel HD 4400 graphics and support for up to 16GB of 1600MHz RAM. Finally, an mSATA slot inside the chassis also supports up to a 256GB SSD. The system's DLP (LED backlight) projector itself offers a resolution of 864x480 with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a purported image size of 7 to 85 inches. It promises 75 ANSI lumen brightness, a contrast ratio of around 900:1, and 3LED (RGB) technology. It's not an HD setup but the potential use cases are interesting. A follow-on version capable of 1080p output would be even more useful for gaming and HD video."
Because then how would you show off your conspicuous hipness to your hipster friends?
What a terrible projector. 75 lumens? That has to be a joke. You can get 3000 lumens for $300 brand new nowadays. 900 contrast ratio? Yup, the $300 projector has it beat. 864x480? The $300 projector will beat that (not by much, but it will). FWIW, those cheap projectors are typically pretty darn small nowadays, about the size of a decent dictionary, and only weigh a couple of pounds.
75 lumens is so bad the projector is literally worthless. Remember those sharper image projectors you can get for $5 at a garage sale? Those were 50 lumens. They don't work worth a damn even in a photo lab dark room. 75 lumens just isn't enough to even deal with the reflected light.
Garbage product.
The ideal use for mini projectors is when you need to give a presentation and don't want to deal with the hassle of setting up a projector and then connecting a laptop to it. The ideal projector has a USB port for a thumb drive on the back and automatically starts whatever powerpoint is on there. Add another USB port for the presenters remote and you're golden.
Business people don't like having to worry about cables and configuring multiple monitors. Heck, I don't either when I'm crunched for time and there's an audience staring at me and waiting for me to get it all working.
So lets pretend that we've just completed writing this code, as opposed to having just completed sabotaging it -Altera
The one purpose i can see something like this being used for is as a HTPC. Thank god all of the movies i'd download or rip come in 864x480 pixel resolutions.
Really cool idea, but sheesh -- up the form factor just a wee bit to make it more useful?
The rapid increase in processor speed is running out of steam but fortunately processors are now fast enough and cheap enough to do most things reasonably well. Now we are seeing many more low cost small computers with more integration.
Cheap flat HD TVs killed the projector market (if there ever was one). Putting a low resolution projector in a PC will not help.
If I need to view content from my PC, I use Chromecast (and there are probably dozens of this type of devices within a year). Simple and easy, and no need for a white wall to project on and to dim the room lights.
Yes, I know this has a projector built in, but it would have increased the computer's usefulness for presentations in larger halls with their own beam projectors - and a majority of those (still) has VGA ports.
Unimpressive specs. 864x480 resolution. 75 lumens.
Yeah, I'm going to wait a few years before getting one of it's descendants.
Especially when you consider the price and specs for this:
http://www.amazon.com/ViewSoni...
Or something like it. Because the brix is just a toy right now.
I'd rather get a 100 dollar portable projector... there are dozens of them on amazon... and then hook that up to my laptop.
I've decided to stop wasting my time responding to AC trolls/sockpuppets... so if you want a response from me... login.
The PC side of this doesn't seem too bad, it is a shame that the low resolution underpowered projector lets this down. It seems poorly tacked on.
I do like the idea though.
If Gigabyte really wanted to revolutionise the market, it would mate a PC that has some 720p or 1080p gaming capability (like the Brix Pro, or Brix Gaming) with a higher output mini LED projector with the same 720p or 1080p output (like the ASUS B1M). Have the machine capable of natively gaming at those resolutions, and you will capture a market for those who want portable gaming, and want a box they can play HD movies and shows.
I decided 15 years ago when I bought my DLP projector that I wouldn't settle for less than 2000 Lumen. Back then this was an expensive "restriction". But 75????
Nice idea, but check for one thing... these little projectors can be supremely noisy. It would be great if this unit had some sort of quiet cooling mechanism. Even liquid cooling.
I bought a DLP pico projector recently for around $200 (at a Japanese supermarket in Osaka). It has the same resolution, HDMI-in, a tripod socket, a battery, and a built-in Wifi access point that lets PC and tablet clients project content wirelessly. But man, its noisy.
This Gigabyte unit seems to have HDMI-in and a tripod socket too, and the pico projector can power up separately from the NUC unit (the PC). Given Intel HD 4400 graphics that the NUC uses can drive a triple head setup, I think the entire unit can drive two LCD displays, plus the projector separately. It would make a sweet unit to drive an external display or two, with an FTIR-projected touchscreen as the user input interface.
Alright, neat. This looks like something that I could actually connect to steamos' streaming with some utility.
You do realize you are completely off-topic, right? No wonder so many people have flagged you as a foe, you can't even figure out what a subject like is for.
4.24 x 4.5 x 1.93 inches is how many Lordes exactly?
And... we've slashdotted the Gigabyte site in less than 20 comments
I assume the projector can't light up a screen as well as the big ones, but a small shift in thinking makes me wonder if this has some use: if you do business travel, would this make a good large-screen laptop? With the bonus of being able to project for small groups? Would you need to bring some kind of screen to project on for daily use? or would a cube wall work?
the only disadvantage I see for this use is no battery, but I usually plug in anyway if it's available (and it usually is). Still need a keyboard but with the size, not much added to the travel bad for a small one, and more ergonomic (lot of people do carry keyboards nowadays anyway with a laptop because of ergo concerns).
AB HOC POSSUM VIDERE DOMUM TUUM
Hans Brix! Oh No!
Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!
Vote for Bernie in 2016!
So this is a projector the size of a small cube with a general purpose computer inside? Now add a laser that can scan the projected area for a virtual keyboard and pointing device and you have a desktop. Compress the whole into a smart phone form factor and you have a mobile device that no longer has to deal with that small display and keyboard. You have a system that is a powerful as a low end desktop and you put Facebook and blogs out of business because you no longer have to restrict the size of a text area and how much a person could write, we get our Free Speech back.
Virtual keyboards and pointing device already exists. There is at least one device that I have seen which paints a 101 keyboard on a table top with a laser that you can type at. Getting rid of the small screen seems only a simple evolution. This is exactly what I had hoped would happen.
Why-o-why are we even looking at projectors that don't start with a MINIMUM resolution of 1600x900 or greater?
864x480? In 2014? Are you joking?
That's not even going to project a laptop, tablet or even smartphone screen on the projector screen or wall without clipping and overlapping, so forget trying to use this anywhere except to replace your personal vacation slide projector for family gatherings.
Movies? At 864x480? Just... no.
Moving on...