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Print E-mail del.icio.us 26 comment(s) - last by matriarch wolf.. on Feb 27 at 4:03 PM

The 42" E-TV will ask only a US$200 premium over competing LCD HDTVs.  (Source: Yen Ting Chen, Digitimes, January 2008)
E-DT, E-TV, and E-Monitor coming in 2008 - touchscreen Eee put on hold

ASUS's Eee PC sub-notebook, often nicknamed "The Little Laptop That Could", is set to become the parent to a massive family in 2008. Not only will the second-generation Eee sport a larger 8.9" screen, but the "Eee" branding is set to expand to desktops, all-in-one units, and even LCD HDTVs.

The desktop variant, the E-DT, is scheduled for launch in April or May 2008. The first generation will have a Celeron processor -- likely the majority of the internal components will be shared with the current Eee PC, while later generations will use the low-wattage Intel Diamondville processors. The target price for the E-DT is $199, but those who have followed the history of the Eee PC know that this was the initial target price for the Eee PC which still sells at $299 for the cheapest model.

The all-in-one E-Monitor will be an integrated unit similar to the Apple iMac or Dell XPS One, with a 19" to 21" monitor and built-in TV tuner. No specifications were given for the resolution of the LCD, but the components of the PC will be shared with the E-DT. The target price for the E-Monitor was stated at US$499 -- a good deal below the competing models listed previously -- and is set for a September 2008 launch.

Rounding out the quirky collection of offspring is the E-TV, a 42" LCD HDTV with what amounts to an integrated E-DT module. Pricing was set at "$200 more than competing LCD TVs" -- no baseline was given, but it is scheduled to launch alongside the E-Monitor in September 2008.

In addition to all the positive news about new members of the Eee PC lineup, there was a sad note. Asustek president Jerry Shen stated that "[Asustek's] market research has determined that touch screen is not a highly demanded feature for Eee PC customers" and has put plans for a touchscreen Eee on hold.

The hope of a super-cheap tablet no doubt held the attention of many enthusiastic fans, but those hopes have been dashed for the moment.

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I like this..
By Merry on 1/30/2008 12:25:30 PM , Rating: 2
I would pay this premium to have a fully functioning computer in my TV. Indeed it begs the question 'why has this not been done before, on such a scale'

It just seems like such a better solution than all of these media extenders and suchlike. Just plug an external HDD into your TV and you're away.

That and the fact you can watch TV over the internet, hell you could even catch up on some work whilst sat in your living room (wireless keyboard permitting)




RE: I like this..
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 1/30/08, Rating: -1
RE: I like this..
By Merry on 1/30/2008 12:38:14 PM , Rating: 2
when i say tv over the web i mean things like BBCs' iplayer (when they finally properly sort out Linux support) and suchlike, as opposed to traditional TV channels, though I suppose such a thing is worth another try, provided the technology is popular.


RE: I like this..
By eye smite on 1/30/2008 2:37:54 PM , Rating: 3
Naw it was done before webtv, it was called commodore64 and plugged into any TV you had. Too bad no one followed that standard til 20 something yrs later at Asus.


RE: I like this..
By TomZ on 1/30/2008 3:05:11 PM , Rating: 3
It is kind of funny how things are kind of coming around full circle. I, like many others, cut my teeth learning programming on a C64 plugged into an old TV set. Now I'm just getting ready to integrate a PC into my family's A/V setup in the living room - 20 years later.


RE: I like this..
By Wolfpup on 1/30/2008 3:07:59 PM , Rating: 2
Guys, neither web TV nor a Commodore 64 are an equivalent to what Asus is doing here.

And personally I don't see the point of having a low end PC in my TV. It drives up costs, makes it draw more power, means I have to maintain it if it's networked, and presumably the computer's useful life will be shorter than the TV's.

If you want another low end PC around-to me it makes more sense to just buy a laptop EEE, or another cheap $400 laptop, and a seperate LCD TV.


RE: I like this..
By JAB on 1/31/2008 1:20:06 AM , Rating: 2
Wolfpup from your statements I am guessing you have not tried Linux recently. You can use ancient equipment things work quickly even if it is so old you can barely use XP so the computer part will not be out of date any time soon. Maintenance is almost nill if you allow automatic updates.

Component prices are not going to be much more than using standard HDTV components. They won't exactly need high end parts. Either way it will be far less than two separate components and a lot less mess.


RE: I like this..
By Samus on 1/31/2008 1:28:27 AM , Rating: 2
Nintendo should talk to Asus about making a WiiTV. The hardware is so tiny that it'd integrate well into even a 19" TV chassis. Bluetooth integrated, IR transponder integrated, no need for audio cables, the hardware is quite inexpensive, and they could make a dope-ass Wiimote. Or maybe just make a Wii channel called WiiTV or something that goes to the TV interface. Obviously this would integrate a web browser with internet access, etc.


RE: I like this..
By matriarch wolf on 2/27/2008 4:03:26 PM , Rating: 2
too true


RE: I like this..
By Aikouka on 1/30/2008 12:43:37 PM , Rating: 2
The only problem I see with this is if it uses similar components as the EeePC, it cannot handle 720p (or obviously higher) video. I actually tested different videos on my (standard speed... i.e. not set to 900Mhz) EeePC 4G Surf and it played standard mpeg-4-based videos fine (although I did not try an mpeg-4-based video that was 720p or larger). I tried some h.264 encoded videos (which I had heard didn't work, but curiosity had me go further) and they did not play well at all.

This may not matter for some people as their main goal might not be to play hi-definition video on it. I have a PC hooked up to my DLP TV and the main use for that PC is playing videos which the majority happen to be h.264 720p, so it wouldn't work for me :(.


RE: I like this..
By Chris Peredun on 1/30/2008 1:20:54 PM , Rating: 2
Given the timeframe between the E-DT and E-TV releases, I'd wager they're hoping to use the "second generation" desktop with the Intel Diamondville (low-wattage Core 2 based) chips.

As a yardstick, the Intel D201GLY2 board uses a soldered-on Celeron 220 (1.2GHz, 512KB L2, Core 2 based) CPU, and it can handle 720p H.264 decoding - and even some 1080p H.264.
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article780-page3.htm...

So don't despair - it could be an embedded HTPC yet!


RE: I like this..
By Aikouka on 1/30/2008 1:56:34 PM , Rating: 2
A good point, Chris.... I forgot about the oncoming 2nd-generation of the EeePC! I know I was tempted to wait until the 2nd-gen EeePC came out to buy mine but I couldn't wait. But it might be worthwhile for me to either get one when it comes out or find a good method for re-encoding my 720p h.264 videos to a playable video.


RE: I like this..
By TomZ on 1/30/2008 1:23:03 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
I would pay this premium to have a fully functioning computer in my TV. Indeed it begs the question 'why has this not been done before, on such a scale'

It's not useful for me - I typically have a TV for 10+ years, but PC technology changes fast enough that in 2-3 years I'm ready to upgrade. An integrated computer in the TV would therefore be obsolete for the majority of its lifecycle.


RE: I like this..
By Merry on 1/30/2008 2:15:15 PM , Rating: 2
I'm not so sure. To be honest, if you look at the specs the computer is already obsolete before the TV is even sold. But this, however, is not the point of these things.

My computer is 5 years old, yet it still performs all I ask of it, as will such a built in computer. In 5 or more years time it will still be able to access the internet and play media ergo the upgrade cycle is a whole heap slower than that of a traditional desktop PC or laptop.

Of course I doubt highly that power users, specifically running, or wanting to run Vista will see it that way, but then again, is this who the product is really aimed at?


RE: I like this..
By ninjit on 1/30/2008 2:22:57 PM , Rating: 1
How much of a premium are you willing to pay??

You could try this:
The Qx-pc, http://lumenlab.com/, a multimedia powerhouse built into a custom aluminum enclosure with a 42" LCD 1080p-HDTV, and eve optional touch-screen overlay!!!

All this can be yours for the low, low price of...
... wait for it ...
$10,000


I shit you not, that's how much they are asking for this thing. I'm sure it'll be nice, but I can't imagine it's really worth that much money.

They were supposed to start shipping soon, but I haven't really kept up-to-date on their news (it's a little out of my budget range).
In the mean time though, I'm sure they'll be happy to take the weight of that $10k off your hands.


RE: I like this..
By Darnell021 on 1/30/2008 2:26:26 PM , Rating: 2
I agree with you. I bet Apple could throw their own apple tv product built into an iMac on the back of a 42" LCD tv and sell it for whatever outrageous price they wanted and people would buy it. I would definitely want one if this came to a reality.


RE: I like this..
By XPguy on 1/31/08, Rating: -1
RE: I like this..
By erwos on 1/30/2008 3:50:08 PM , Rating: 2
Unless they're planning on tossing in an X4100 IGP in there (which I guess is a possibility?), it's not going to be suitable for replacing your media extender. Diamondville is just not going to have the horsepower to decode decent HD video on its own.

That said, I don't think the TV PC is a bad concept. Just having a cheap PC nearby for rdesktop/VNC/ssh usage would be quite helpful. I could also see it being handy for playing internet video from YouTube and the like, or maybe Internet radio. There's definitely potential there.

So, yes, I, too, would be amenable to paying a bit extra for an integrated PC, especially if it was integrated well, had Bluetooth, and was mostly silent.


THe all in one
By TheDiceman on 1/30/2008 12:35:38 PM , Rating: 2
While I do not care for most all-in-one computers, I understand the nitch they have in the market and it will be interesting to see if ASUS can bring a comparable performance unit (to the current Mac and Dell offerings) to the stage while still undercutting their prices. It could potentially be a huge boost for the company.




EE Stuff
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 1/30/08, Rating: -1
RE: EE Stuff
By MooseMuffin on 1/30/2008 12:27:04 PM , Rating: 5
Why wouldn't you buy the cheapest thing possible that serves your needs?


RE: EE Stuff
By Polynikes on 1/30/2008 12:30:01 PM , Rating: 5
That's capitalism, baby.


RE: EE Stuff
By Aikouka on 1/30/2008 12:48:11 PM , Rating: 2
I don't think everyone bought one as a main machine. I purchased an EeePC because I enjoy technology, could use it as a more portable laptop and I was drawn to it like "the light." The EeePC isn't my only laptop either as each laptop that I own serves its own purpose. The E3 is the smallest one and much easier to tote around. It also has very good battery life compared to my other laptops (the worst being my oldest... an HP dv5205a... dang those Turions can suck the juice up quick).

In other words, the E3 makes my life easier because if I want to do simple things, I don't need to tote around my 6lb+ laptops when I can just carry around my "Super-sized Nintendo DS" (referencing that the size of it kind of reminds me of an overgrown NDS).


RE: EE Stuff
By jconan on 1/30/2008 8:28:04 PM , Rating: 2
the E3 is like jack of all trades at a reasonable price while not having to worry about being lost or scratched, or damaged etc... whereas your 1k+ sub notebook there's a concern about immediate obsolescence and damage. still can't use the e3 on engineering exams and tests otherwise a nifty thing.


RE: EE Stuff
By deeznuts on 1/30/2008 12:55:05 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
... but it does show you that people will be as cheap as possible as long as it serves their needs.


Very profound stuff ....

;)


RE: EE Stuff
By Master Kenobi (blog) on 1/30/2008 1:26:41 PM , Rating: 1
Sony obviously missed that memo. Zing!


"Intel is investing heavily (think gazillions of dollars and bazillions of engineering man hours) in resources to create an Intel host controllers spec in order to speed time to market of the USB 3.0 technology." -- Intel blogger Nick Knupffer

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