News Archive (1999-2012) | 2013-current at LinuxGizmos | Current Tech News Portal |    About   

Versatile set-top box runs Linux

May 2, 2006 — by LinuxDevices Staff — from the LinuxDevices Archive — 6 views

A high-tech product vendor in Sofia, Bulgaria will ship a triangle-shaped set-top box (STB) that runs Linux to service providers in Q4, 2006, it says. The Media Systems iSetBox-Home is powered by a Pixelworks processor, and lets users watch TV and DVD movies, listen to music, record CDs/DVDs, and access the… Internet.

Media Systems says the iSetBox-Home's unique design makes use of passive, convective cooling, eliminating fans for quiet operation. It is optionally available with a hard drive.

The iSetBox-Home supports a variety of tuner options, including NTSC (U.S.) and PAL (European) video standards, as well as digital video broadcast standards DVB-C, DVB-S, and DVB-T. It also supports IP (Internet protocol) TV, FM radio, digital radio, and teletext. Users can record content directly to CDs/DVDs, the company says, or to the optional hard drive.


iSetBox-Home ports, front and back
(Click to see labels)

The iSetBox-Home comes with a web browser and email client. Other features include picture-in-picture, a pause function for live TV, photo slideshow software, a “6-in-1” memory card reader, and parental control through restrictions on channel or time, according to the company. The device can also be accessed remotely via the Internet, using a web browser on a laptop, mobile phone, or PDA.

Networking is provided through a standard wired Ethernet port, and the device also includes a PCI slot, for additional hardware expansion modules. Two USB 2.0 slots support human interface devices (HIDs) such as keyboards and mice; a future version will also support Bluetooth HIDs, as well as DVI/HDMI ports, Media Systems says.

The iSetBox-Home has a front-panel LCD screen and control buttons, and comes with a standard remote control.

Availability

The iSetBox-Home will be available from Media Systems in Q4, 2006. It was designed by Media Data, a Media Systems subcontractor that previously created the eCos-based Personal Securer kidnap panic button device.


 
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.



Comments are closed.