Android-ready ARM mini-HTPC costs $130, uses just three Watts
Dec 13, 2011 — by Eric Brown — from the LinuxDevices Archive — 16 viewsSolid-Run is shipping an open source mini-PC platform for developing Android TV and media center apps. Measuring 2.17 x 2.17 x 1.65 inches and consuming less than three Watts, the CuBox runs Android 2.2 or Linux 2.6 on an 800MHz Marvell Armada 510 CPU, has 1GB of DDR3 memory and a microSD slot, and includes eSATA, USB, infrared, S/PDIF, HDMI, and gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
The CuBox is the debut product from Israeli embedded development firm Solid-Run, which started up in 2010. The device is designed as an open source development platform for Android TVs, HD media players, thin clients, digital signage platforms, and network attached storage (NAS) devices, says the company.
CuBox
(Click to enlarge)
The Armada 510 offers a Cortex-A8-equivalent core running ARMv7. It also includes a multi-format decoder that helps deliver 1080p HD video playback, while MTPS (million triangles per second) 3D graphics acceleration provides Open GL ES 2.0 support.
CuBox from both sides
(Click on either to enlarge)
A micro-USB port supports debug and discovery functions, says the company. The CuBox is further equipped with a gigabit Ethernet port, an optical audio S/PDIF transmitter, and an infrared receiver with LIRC (Linux Infrared Remote Control) support, says Solid-Run.
The included HDMI port is said to support a wide variety of HD formats at 1080p including, H.264, MPEG 2 and 4, WMV, DivX, Xvid, and VC-1 [email protected] An external five Volt power supply is also included.
CuBox block diagram
(Click to enlarge)
Designed as an open platform, the CuBox is offered with software development kits that include Gstreamer, as well as the Chrome browser with Flash 10.1 support. Also available are wikis and online community forums, as well as debug and recovery mechanisms. The user can re-flash all elements of the software using a micro-USB debug console, so there's no need for JTAG, says the company.
Features and specifications listed for the CuBox include:
- Processor — Marvell Armada 510 clocked at 800MHz
- Memory — 1GB of DDR3 RAM
- Memory/storage expansion — 2GB microSD card in slot upgradable to 64GB
- Storage — eSATA I/II port (3Gbps)
- Networking — gigabit Ethernet port
- Other I/O:
- 2 x USB 2.0 host ports
- micro-USB device port for debug/discovery
- HDMI output
- optical audio SPDIF transmitter
- infra-red receiver with LIRC support
- Power input — 5mm/2.1mm DC jack for included external 5V/2A supply
- Power consumption — less than 3 Watts with full HD streaming via Ethernet; less if no USB devices attached
- Dimensions — 2.17 x 2.17 x 1.65 inches (55 x 55 x 42mm)
Rabeeh Khoury, CTO of Solid-Run, "Solid-Run's CuBox is a full computer in a sub 3 Watt power envelope."
Stated Kossay Omary, CEO of Solid-Run, "This is probably the only Android TV box that is shipped in such a small form factor and the only development platform in the market that is packaged in an elegant plastic box and not provided as a barebones system or in a bulky enclosure."
Availability
The CuBox, including "all its supporting infrastructure and resources" is now available for 99 Euros ($130), says Solid-Run. The computers are built entirely in Israel in limited runs, so early supplies may not last long, says the company. More information may be found at Solid-Run's website.
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.