Refurb Acer atom+ion box $159 w/ free shipping

I'd like it better if it was a dual core Atom instead of the single core, but for the price, you can't beat it.
 
Great price, the best feature in my mind is ion, very capable hardware acceleration for h264 and flash hd (with 10.1 beta on windows).
 
Got the dual-core version of this for my mother's friend, it is a nice little machine. Love that you can hang it on the back of a monitor.
 
Got one (new) recently and threw XBMC on it. So far it has been stellar, playing everything I throw at it.
 
this thing capable of HD playback from hulu, youtube, and other file formats?
 
Plays everything smooth with XBMC. Although Windows 7 had stuttering issues with HD content. But on XBMC I could play 12GB 1080p MKVs flawlessly.
 
Definitely worth it as an HTPC. Have mine hooked up to a 1TB external HDD.
 
I have all movies stored on a network share, HD spaces is a non issue, and this thing has gigabit ethernet. The WDTV Live while a good idea I just could never get it to work properly. The fact I can load up an emulator and even do some light gaming on this thing too makes it a no brainer.

Now I gotta sell the WDTV Live.
 
Jared, its about as powerful as your Netbook. As we both know, that CPU is awful..

However, yes, it will be more capable then your WDTV Live. Add MPC-HC and Flash 10.1 and it should decode anything with the 9400M.
 
criccio said:
However, yes, it will be more capable then your WDTV Live. Add MPC-HC and Flash 10.1 and it should decode anything with the 9400M.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, the KEY information.

Actually some YouTube demo videos show it having very slight trouble with 1080p. However my TV along with my movie collection is 720p.
 
I got this same deal some time back. Keyboard and mouse were new, but the system was a pretty banged-up and scratched (I didn't care). Additionally, the standard XP installation was unworkable (wouldn't boot into windows - gave some error). I was going to put Windows 7 on it anyway, so it didn't matter. I would suggest upgrading the RAM for best results.

Even with Flash 10.1, I haven't been able to use hulu at fullscreen very effectively - still choppy. MKVs play fine, as long as I'm not playing one at the same time my WHS box decides to start backing up the system.
 
PurduEE said:
Even with Flash 10.1, I haven't been able to use hulu at fullscreen very effectively - still choppy. MKVs play fine, as long as I'm not playing one at the same time my WHS box decides to start backing up the system.
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At the moment I was using PlayOn Media Server to play hulu, netflix, and youtube to the WDTV live from my "server" machine. I use the "server" term lightly. In essence, the server was doing all the decoding and sending it to the WDTV Live. Whats to keep me from still doing that? NOTHING! Give that a shot once ;)
 
I have this one with the 230 (added a 2GB chip, for 3GB) and the 330 one. I use the Atom 230 one for torrents and remote access, use to be my HTPC out in the living room, but I wanted to get another one for remote stuff and long term stuff that's why I bout the second one and just put that one in the living room. Works great I stream media to it over a wireless bridge, I have all my media on my main computer in another room. I use the klite and klite 64bit packs and play most media over Media center (I intalled Win7 Home Pre 64bit on both). With Flash 10.1 RC4 and the latest NV drivers that support flash acceleration, so it can handle HD youtube, hulu and trailer addicts. And while I can't get it to stream HD mkv files (raw blu-ray rips), I can get them to play from the machine.
 
Got hit with $10 shipping to Ohio. For the price I thought I'd pick one up to mess around with. I have 2 Popboxes pre-ordered, but perhaps this might replace one of them. My intent is to stream 1080p MKV rips from the net. (not raw as the poster above) From what I've read online, many people claim to have done it successfully, so I'm hoping it'll work out ok. If not, I ought to be able to unload it on someone else for what I paid for it.
 
I bought mine with one of the 10% coupons from BB and they had deals with BCB for 12% off before, this one is 20% off not so bad.
 
Looks like I'll finally be replacing my p3 750 garage rig, although, I hate computer related refurbs.
 
jadams said:
At the moment I was using PlayOn Media Server to play hulu, netflix, and youtube to the WDTV live from my "server" machine. I use the "server" term lightly. In essence, the server was doing all the decoding and sending it to the WDTV Live. Whats to keep me from still doing that? NOTHING! Give that a shot once ;)
Click to expand...

My only concern is that my server is an ESXI box running SBS 2003 R2 and WHS. I'll see if playon will work under that environment.

Thanks for the tip.
 
I don't know the difference but take note that this isn't a "full" ion. I guess thats only on the dual core version (not available in US yet?)
 
This has the ION LE chipset and has played everything I have thrown at it via XBMC with no problems.
 
rally9x said:
I don't know the difference but take note that this isn't a "full" ion. I guess thats only on the dual core version (not available in US yet?)
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Might be a good point, the second one I bought with the Atom 330 I bought in Taiwan (full Ion with Linux OS, I put Win7 on), the one posted here I bought in BestBuy and is advertised with Ion LE. If you can get the 330, its dull core and 64bit (Win7 64bit runs flawless), the 230 is still 64bit, but doesn't really support 64bit OS fully.

XBMC is a great mode for these, just not for what I do.
 
Just got my tracking number. It'll be here tomorrow :)
Also what about the 230 doesn't support a 64-bit OS?
 
Darakian said:
Just got my tracking number. It'll be here tomorrow :)
Also what about the 230 doesn't support a 64-bit OS?
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It supports it, but there is something in the machine that doesn't, there is some kind of unknown device/device that doesn't work fully and for the life of me I can't find the driver.
 
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, still running it. Just one device, that doesn't seem to bother anything. Considering just putting 32 bit on, when I have some extra time to kill.
 
rally9x said:
I don't know the difference but take note that this isn't a "full" ion. I guess thats only on the dual core version (not available in US yet?)
Click to expand...

if it is the ION LE, AFAIK the only diff is no dx10 through software and can be hacked
 
Just got mine in. It does have a bent VGA out, but elsewise it's fine.

Edit:
So there was more packing material than computer in that box :p
 
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Any chance of getting some pictures with the chassis cover off? Like to see the motherboard, connectors, slots, etc.
 
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