Really attractive alternative to Mac coming

Rclark · « **on:** 19 Jan 2013, 07:23 am »

http://xi3.com/x7a-modular-computer.php

I've always been a PC guy regardless, but now here comes a next gen modular, upgradable PC with an extremely attractive and tiny (you can carry one in the palm of your hand) form factor. I wonder if the 3A basic version might make a good music server. These are fully capable PC's.

Not only cool that they're modular, built like tanks (they show someone driving their car over one in their video), and neat looking, but you can also mount them anywhere, even attach them to the back of your monitor or TV..

Part of the Steam Box initiative.

here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ox90oXq8c&feature=player_embedded

wushuliu · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 07:44 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 19 Jan 2013, 07:23 am

http://xi3.com/x7a-modular-computer.php

I've always been a PC guy regardless, but now here comes a next gen modular, upgradable PC with an extremely attractive and tiny (you can carry one in the palm of your hand) form factor. I wonder if the 3A basic version might make a good music server. These are fully capable PC's.

Not only cool that they're modular, built like tanks (they show someone driving their car over one in their video), and neat looking, but you can also mount them anywhere, even attach them to the back of your monitor or TV..

Part of the Steam Box initiative.

here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-ox90oXq8c&feature=player_embedded

Those look pretty slick. Maybe overkill for audio though, especially with the Intel NUC at half the price and half the power consumption.

Rclark · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 07:58 am »

Here's another vid describing the "Piston" (power user) version coming out, and you really get a sense of the size.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pxNraXjHCYY

They are astonishingly small (and just scream next-gen), and they chose a really cool design for these things.

Also apparently highly power efficient.

Rclark · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 08:04 am »

The company apparently will take the old modules you don't want any more and give you credit towards your purchase of the new, upgraded module, of whichever slot you are replacing.

Doublej · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 01:59 pm »

Seems awfully expensive for what you get. I wish them luck but will be amazed if they are around in five years.

MaxCast · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 05:55 pm »

Was not Michael Barnes messing with little computers like this years ago?

Rclark · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 06:47 pm »

Quote from: Doublej on 19 Jan 2013, 01:59 pm

Seems awfully expensive for what you get. I wish them luck but will be amazed if they are around in five years.

Valve seems to think this is the future. $999 is for the "7", and seems a great price.

Ironically, your statement is exactly how I feel about Macs. Really expensive for what you get. These are far cooler.

The 7 is pretty stout, hardware wise, the Piston will be cool for gamers, either way, the big desktop is officially dinosaur'ed.

srb · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 07:45 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 19 Jan 2013, 06:47 pm

Valve seems to think this is the future. $999 is for the "7", and seems a great price.

I know how much you like to jump on press releases and videos and declare something is a game changer, but for $1K the mid-level AMD A10 CPU has only 1/3 to 1/2 the power of the faster Intel i7 processors for about the same price.

For business use, I would be a bit apprehensive that a company that relied on Kickstarter funding to get going may or may not be around to provide replacement parts. They might be nice for general business use, but for any serious CAD, Photo Editing or Video Rendering, the CPU and GPU would be too limiting.

The hardware needs of a music-only server are much less, and even the X5A might work, but I would prefer to have 4GB of memory instead of 2GB for Windows 7, and USB 3.0 would be nicer than USB 2.0 for a USB hard drive (although one would want to use the eSATA anyway, if the external drive being used supported it). ("Hello? 2009 called - they want their hardware back"!)

With all that said, I'm not discounting the X7A for a music server. It does have an optical output that the X5A lacks (damn, wish it also had a coaxial S/PDIF like my computer) and has USB 3.0. As it's not yet released for sale, I'm a bit unclear on how it will be configured for $999. I think it's supposed to have 8GB of memory, but I'm not sure what the included SSD will be, and I would be more comfortable with 128GB. Also, the $499 X5A doesn't include Windows for the price, so you might have to figure in yet another ~$150 for Windows 7 Pro, for those who want to run J. River Media Center and don't want to run Linux.

I do like the small form factor, it appears to be fanless, so that makes it worth a bit more to me. I'm hoping that they will also offer the matching external drive in something larger than 500GB, which is all that they're listing in the store for now.

We'll see.

Steve

Rclark · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 08:16 pm »

No, I was suggesting the XA3 as a music server, not the top model, obviously.Go back and look at what I said. The 3 will be < $500.

And if you didn't notice, these are modular. They may have a certain processing power now, but you can pull boards and put more powerful gear in, at a less expensive cost than replacing a whole motherboard with all the parts that go with it, plus they take your old parts as credit. I think you are being short sighted to dismiss so quickly.

You don't have to replace everything like that big, one off uber PC you just compared it to, once that gets old.

I really think these will take off, they have way too many plusses in their favor. And the form factor just shatters the old paradigms about what a PC should be.

Rclark · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 08:31 pm »

I guess Valve has come out and said the Piston is not coming "Steam Box", apparently they have a machine in the works too, Linux based, but can run Windows.

I really want the "Piston" though, man that thing just looks cool, I can't stop staring at it. Target demographic nailed here.

JohnR · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 12:25 am »

Quote from: srb on 19 Jan 2013, 07:45 pm

it appears to be fanless

Doesn't look like it:

JohnR · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 12:50 am »

What about this one (as music server)?

http://www.xi3.com/z3ro-pro-computer.php

srb · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 05:39 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 20 Jan 2013, 12:50 am

What about this one (as music server)?
http://www.xi3.com/z3ro-pro-computer.php

That looks like it would do the job. 4GB, USB to a DAC and eSATA to an external drive.

Scheduled for 2nd Quarter availability, the price is supposed to be starting at $399 which might only include the 16GB SSD, which would probably work for Linux, but a larger OS drive and a copy of Windows should put it about even price-wise with the Mac Mini. Might be a good alternative for those that would rather go in that direction.

Steve

wushuliu · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 10:43 am »

Still see these as overkill for audio playback. However they do look like aesthetic alternatives to mac minis. Given the emphasis on tough enclosures and scalability, they would be a good choice for portable audio/video recording and editing, especially indie filmmaking.

maha0098 · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:38 am »

Quote from: JohnR on 20 Jan 2013, 12:25 am

Doesn't look like it:

Oof, with a basic fan like that I'm guessing silent operation isn't going to be an option. I'm surprised at how quiet my Mac Mini is even with their fan. Having a SSD will probably help with noise, but unless it's near silent, I feel like a music server in the same room as your gear is a no go.

Rclark · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:05 pm »

... But these things run at 20 watts. I doubt the fan will be blowing all that hard. They've made strides in efficiency here with this design. And if you look, this thing is tiny and can be mounted anywhere you want, furthering noise reduction.

srb · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:20 pm »

The 2ZRO Pro that JohnR linked to would be my choice. This one I'm pretty sure is fanless ("no moving parts") and the case is half the size of the other models, using the same enclosure as the companion external drive enclosure. It has a less powerful processor than the other models, but would be perfectly adequate for an audio server and consumes even less power at 15 watts.

Steve

roscoeiii · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:28 pm »

Yes, my understanding is that processor power is a negligible concern for audio playback, while you want as much RAM as you can cram in there.

IMO, the software available on Mac/PC/Linux platforms would be the deciding factor in any music server choice. And that at present is where Macs seem to have an advantage, with programs like Pure Music, Amarra, Fidelia and others.

srb · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Jan 2013, 08:43 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 24 Jan 2013, 08:28 pm

IMO, the software available on Mac/PC/Linux platforms would be the deciding factor in any music server choice.

Exactly, which is why I have chosen Windows 7/8 and J. River Media Center. I think the Mac is an equally fine platform, but I do personally prefer the music management database and customizability of J. River over iTunes.

Steve

J_P_425 · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Feb 2013, 02:15 am »

Nifty boxes, but not very good for an audio server unless you are willing to drop the coin on the X7. Both the X3 and X5 will only send digital audio out via HDMI and their only analogue out is 3.5mm jack. You would have to run HDMI to a TV and use the optical out on your TV to DAC. Travis at Xi3 says the X7 will have an S/PDIF out, but at $1000? Close but no cigar for me.