News Shuttle launch XPC Media Center

[The_Pope]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/10..._media_center/

I always giggle when I get to say that Shuttle have "launched" something

I'll post pricing as soon as I can find out the details - on spec alone, this system wants for nothing. Let's hope the price isn't TOO high...

[The_Pope]

Incidentally, I saw this at Computex back in June, and it's super sexy. The VFD is bright and clear - it's the same one as the SB83G5M - and the removeable 2.5" hard drive option is really slick. I like the fact that it has a proper 7200rpm SATA drive inside for decent performance, and MCE 2005 is just so damn cool.

As Koolvin used to say, NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

[Mace]

Mmm... Too bad it's probably super expensive..

[The_Pope]

I'm still waiting to hear from Germany, but given the hardware that comes bundled, it's certainly going to cost more than your average XPC, which comes barebones. However, stylish case aside, there isn't anything about this system that should make it HUGELY more expensive than the parts it is made from.

As a guide, take the cost of a regular Shuttle, and add up the separate prices for CPU, RAM, hard drive, graphics card and DVD drive... there's more to it than that, but it would give you a vague ballpark

[julianmartin]

I've got to say, that looks truely sweet...

[Bindibadgi]

What?? WHY have they not gona for an external PSU? That's seriously frustrating. It looks very clever otherwise, but i cant help thinking we've gone back to the 80s and it's like looking at a betamax player under your tv

[jezmck]

I think it looks great. Hope it's quiet, and not ultra expensive.

[Hustler]

I don't understand why their using Nvidia for Tv output, when in my experience the quality of their Tv output is noticeably inferior to ATI's.....

I've used both numerous times, with different models , and ATI uses higher quality Tv out components whereas Nvidia uses their own, cheaper on chip solution.

I would have thought the highest quality output in this area was fundamental......

[Firehed]

THAT is what home theatre PCs should be. Nothing more to be said. Thin, simple, stylish, quiet (I would certainly hope!!), and has all the connectors you'd need.

[Asphix]

they might be using Nvidia because the drivers are more advanced for HD output via a 15pin-HDMI converter or straight 15pin connector to your TV. From my expereince Nvidia has much better driver support, updates etc etc. But who knows.. I'm just speculating.

It looks really cool. I've been seriously looking into obtaining a MCPC. Target date is probably next summer sometime. I'm torn between doing something like this or getting a really beefy laptop with an external HD via firewire for my DVR necessities. I havnt done full research so I dont know if thats really viable.. but with the power of laptops these days (especially the XPS GEN2 series from dell) they seem like they would be great MCPC stand ins (minus all the cool connectors.)

Anyone know if there are good laptop compatable TV tuner cards? Is that the main reason laptops havnt been considered for a function such as this? I like the idea of being able to set my laptop down next to my TV to record my favorite show, but then later play a game of F.E.A.R on my big screen TV, or watch some tv and play on my laptop on my coffee table or take it to a lan.

Just seems if I can work out a usable solution to double up a laptop as a MCPC it would have a broader range of functions for the money and while not being capable of many of the things a full blown MCPC can do, it would do enough to satisfy your most basic needs for one.

[Stompy]

I love the back panel on this thing. What scares most people is the PC-like look, but they've really got rid of this with the reciever style look.

I just wish they would do a barebones, and perhaps a socket 939 version.

[Fatboy]

Originally Posted by The_Pope

As Koolvin used to say, NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED™

Fixed, newb :P

I think that shuttle have jsut owned everyone else on the market with this, it has everyhting and more, is small and sexy, and MCE on it.

[Boon]

Hustler recent nVidia cards offer top TV Out quality and arguably better than ATi's solution. In the past ATI won hands down for S-Video but now-a-days the difference is very much blurred.

Two things which are dissapointing, no external PSU which would have worked to make the unit a little smaller or simply given more space to exisitng components. using a Pentium-M I would be surprised if the total power output even with two tuners exceeded that which could comforably be provided by an external silent unit. The second dissapointment is no RGB Scart support, not everyone has a D-Sub, HDMI or DVI capable display and would like the opportunity to have the best image quality available to them like every other modern DVD, tuner out there.

[DreamTheEndless]

It's about time someone did this right. It's not surprising at all that it was shuttle that figured it out.

[Bindibadgi]

Originally Posted by Boon

Two things which are dissapointing, no external PSU which would have worked to make the unit a little smaller or simply given more space to exisitng components. using a Pentium-M I would be surprised if the total power output even with two tuners exceeded that which could comforably be provided by an external silent unit. The second dissapointment is no RGB Scart support, not everyone has a D-Sub, HDMI or DVI capable display and would like the opportunity to have the best image quality available to them like every other modern DVD, tuner out there.

Absoultely.

Although id like to know how they managed to get Component output though. SCART would be simply killer, and i do feel Pentium M and DDR is a very good choice, however if you want to transcode something AND watch HDvideo you might not get very far

[The_Pope]

For everyone grumpy about the lack of external PSU, I assume you're only complaining because you're assuming the internal PSU will be "noisy" or at least, more noise than using a laptop power brick, right? Y'all need to take a closer look at the design:

1) There doesn't appear to be any other vents or air holes. We'll have to wait until we get a sample to disassemble, but it looks like that PSU fan is essential to vent the warm air from inside the case; heat from CPU, RAM, Hard drive, (probably) passive 6200 and tuner cards. Even with an external power supply, you'd arguably need some sort of exhaust fan anyway...

2) Internal PSU is probably cheaper to manufacture

3) Take another look at the rear of the case:
http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/10..._media_center/

Remove the PSU (which is full height) and you still couldn't make the system any shorter without losing the 3-slot design. A system like this would be pointless without dual tuners, so you'd have to dump the 6200 and drop back to integrated graphics /shudders.

At the front, the height is also dictated by VFD + DVD tray, so really, by the time certain key components dictate a minimum volume for your box, you might as well plump for the cheaper PSU option, and solve some internal cooling issues while you're there, no?

[Boon]

Originally Posted by The_Pope

For everyone grumpy about the lack of external PSU, I assume you're only complaining because you're assuming the internal PSU will be "noisy" or at least, more noise than using a laptop power brick, right? Y'all need to take a closer look at the design:

1) There doesn't appear to be any other vents or air holes. We'll have to wait until we get a sample to disassemble, but it looks like that PSU fan is essential to vent the warm air from inside the case; heat from CPU, RAM, Hard drive, (probably) passive 6200 and tuner cards. Even with an external power supply, you'd arguably need some sort of exhaust fan anyway...

The problem is not that a fan is required, it's pretty clear that this was not intended as a fanless case, but rather but having an internal power supply you would need a faster fan to both cool the powersupply and the internal heat produced. Without an internal power supply you could get away with a slower, hence quieter fan. The reason I'm suspicious is that the XPC from Shuttle are far from quiet and even the Zen which I believe is their quietest barebone unit is still pretty loud (although admittedly a significant improvement on the rest (even + SilentX PSU)).

2) Internal PSU is probably cheaper to manufacture

Can't argue with that but it would certainly have shown have real innovation on the part of Shuttle to make it's unit stand out from the crowd.

3) Take another look at the rear of the case:
http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2005/10..._media_center/

Remove the PSU (which is full height) and you still couldn't make the system any shorter without losing the 3-slot design. A system like this would be pointless without dual tuners, so you'd have to dump the 6200 and drop back to integrated graphics /shudders.

At the front, the height is also dictated by VFD + DVD tray, so really, by the time certain key components dictate a minimum volume for your box, you might as well plump for the cheaper PSU option, and solve some internal cooling issues while you're there, no?

[/quote]

I don't mind the case size but by removing the PSU you would have more breathing room inside the case to manage air flow. Even an option for an external PSU would have been great. About onboard video I would think a nVidia integrated 6150, which I believe is effectlively the same as a 6200 PCI-Express, motherboard would provide the same performance and features as the add in card. I would prefer a PCI-Express slot for sure but I think Shuttle would be aiming the Media Center clearly at the mass consumer market and so the ability to upgrade the video card in the future when the unit is primarily a media center would be redundant. I understand Shuttle are old hands at heatpipe coolers so a custom design for the CPU would allow for one low speed fan cooling the entire unit perhaps. Maybe they have a similar set up internally at the moment anyway.

Having said all that I will certainly reserve final judgemnt until a Bit-Tech review comes along and we can see the internals in all their glory..

[Jaxx]

******UPDATE******

Base price with a $100 dollars off promo is $1,899.

Also comes with a free upgrade to the 265mb video card, rather than the 128mb version.

[The_Pope]

I don't know if it was my error, or if Shuttle have changed the spec slightly, but I *swear* it said NVIDIA 6200... not least because I copy&pasted the text, so that's why my story said 6200...

Anyway, I checked just now, and the spec says NVIDIA 6600 LE instead... I'd suggest the key phrase was:

"Specifications subject to change and regional variations" as it says on the Spec Page, since I now see in Europe it says 6600 SE. Don't ask me what the difference between an SE and an LE is, nor even the advantages of either over a 6200, because I don't honestly know at this point.

Once we get a sample, whatever graphics card it may contain, we'll be testing it to see if it can do anything other than play DVDs. Then I'm sure we'll probably slot a 7800 GTX in there just for fun

[Boon]

Originally Posted by The_Pope

I don't know if it was my error, or if Shuttle have changed the spec slightly, but I *swear* it said NVIDIA 6200... not least because I copy&pasted the text, so that's why my story said 6200...

Anyway, I checked just now, and the spec says NVIDIA 6600 LE instead... I'd suggest the key phrase was:

"Specifications subject to change and regional variations" as it says on the Spec Page, since I now see in Europe it says 6600 SE. Don't ask me what the difference between an SE and an LE is, nor even the advantages of either over a 6200, because I don't honestly know at this point.

Once we get a sample, whatever graphics card it may contain, we'll be testing it to see if it can do anything other than play DVDs. Then I'm sure we'll probably slot a 7800 GTX in there just for fun

Look forward to it, although it will probably be too expensive for my budget.