[geeks] Mini-ITX

[vance at neurotica.com]

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003, Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez wrote:

> > My whole thing is that I'm looking to build a set-top box.  I'd rather
> > not have a PC.
>
> Something like this?
>
> PPC: http://en.genesi-support.com/tiki-index.php?page=Pegasos
> ARM: http://www.simtec.co.uk/products/EB110ATX/
>      http://www.compulab.co.il/atxbase-arm.htm

Not really.  The kind of board I'm looking for would be much smaller.
Truly tiny.  If I could find a Mini-ITX (or NLX or something similar)
board to take a PMC, that would be optimal.  I can get ATX boards.

> I dunno if hte strongARMs have the oomph for set-top box (do they still
> lack FPUs?). And none of these are US based offerings, so far I have not
> been able to find US based non-x86 ATX stuff besides Alpha mobos (but
> those are rather large and hot for the proposed use).

The StrongARM is more than fast enough for my app.  It's basically going
to end up as a set-top Xterminal running apps off of my RS/6000 for my
mom.  The only local horsepower challenge would be playing MP3's.

> Check some of the embedded linux resources where they may have links to
> manufacturers of non x86 boards.

Could you suggest a good starting point?

Peace...  Sridhar