[LinuxBIOS] Open Gaming Console

[Richard Smith]

On 8/24/05, Nathaniel Dube <avatarofvirgo at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wednesday 24 August 2005 01:22 am, Richard Smith wrote:
> > What hardware do you have in mind?
> 
> I'd like it to be designed so any retail hardware off the shelf will do, but
> if we are to start a small business making these things I would try the best

Well LinuxBIOS only runs on a fairly small family of chipsets.  The
bulk of LinuxBIOS applications are in linux clusters or embedded
systems.  Neither of which would classify as "retail hardware" unless
you want to build game consoles out of dual Opteron boxes.  The higher
end VIA eden boards might qualify but support for them is still under
developement.

Actually a dual opteron and a recient PCI-Express video card would
probally make a pretty bad ass gameing machine. *grin*  Only cost you
about $2k

> the current XBOX cost, around $150 I think.  The XBOX360 I belive is going to
> be close to $300 when it comes out.  So it has to be hardware that would keep
> the over all price below the current consoles.

Going to be tough since those products are sold at a loss.

> you'll know that when you turn it on it loads to it's menu (with no game in
> it) pretty quick.  Which made me think to use LinuxBIOS.  Current BIOS

That would be an excellent use of LinuxBIOS and I'd love to see it
happen.  Boot time graphics however are currently _not_ one of LB's
strong points.  But I suppose that if you can get to a Linuxframe
buffer in say 1 or 2 seconds then you could load up a simple initrd
that would make that pretty easy.
 
> Now that I re-think it, building this system by hand, we would end up making a
> gaming system that would cost more than current systems but cost less than
> current desktop computers at Best Buy.  And since this new system will be a
> hybrid of both I see no reason why this thing wouldn't sell like crazy.

I'm sure thats what Indrema thought as well.  Making a commercial
product is a daunting task.  _Especially_ in the PC market.  I'm not
so sure it would be that much cheaper than a normal desktop.

This is kinda veering OT for linuxbios though.. So we should probally
take it off list.

-- 
Richard A. Smith