Internet on the TV box - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

Beaulieu · 10th April 2007, 09:57 PM

Does anyone know how these little machines work? I'm talking about the set-up boxs like MSN TV and SURF TV S1000 (ebay). My friend is planning on designing a new style and I wanted to help him out a bit, so I decided to get some knowledge on the machine first.

Does anyone know where to find some more information on the internals or maybe even some schematics?

3v0 · 11th April 2007, 01:15 AM

The first question is why bother ?

I do not know about SURF but the MSN is for the most part closed systems. At least it was a few years ago.

Just get a computer.

Oznog · 11th April 2007, 02:07 AM

It's just a cut-down PC. I'm pretty sure it's running Windows or Linux with a TV-out. They work hard to hide the operating system, booting straight into the browser/email apps.

Early on they tried to sell a scheme where the machines were sold dirt cheap and you were supposed to subscribe to their high profit internet service. However, people soon figured out how to hack the box, run Linux, and use it for whatever you wanted. When that happened, the company stood to see huge losses as peope bought their discounted boxes with no intention of buying their internet service. They tanked soon afterwards IIRC.

philba · 11th April 2007, 07:56 PM

get a mini-ITX motherboard and run linux on it. easy enough to do. the EPIA mobos are particularly cost effective as they include the processor.

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10th April 2007, 09:57 PM	#1
Beaulieu	Internet on the TV box Does anyone know how these little machines work? I'm talking about the set-up boxs like MSN TV and SURF TV S1000 (ebay). My friend is planning on designing a new style and I wanted to help him out a bit, so I decided to get some knowledge on the machine first. Does anyone know where to find some more information on the internals or maybe even some schematics?

11th April 2007, 01:15 AM	#2
3v0	The first question is why bother ? I do not know about SURF but the MSN is for the most part closed systems. At least it was a few years ago. Just get a computer. __________________ Please post questions to the forums. PM's are for personal communication. BCHS/3v0's Tutorials Junebug USB PIC programmer kit., USB Bit Whacker, The 15 Minute Printed Circuit Board! (+drill time)

11th April 2007, 02:07 AM	#3
Oznog	It's just a cut-down PC. I'm pretty sure it's running Windows or Linux with a TV-out. They work hard to hide the operating system, booting straight into the browser/email apps. Early on they tried to sell a scheme where the machines were sold dirt cheap and you were supposed to subscribe to their high profit internet service. However, people soon figured out how to hack the box, run Linux, and use it for whatever you wanted. When that happened, the company stood to see huge losses as peope bought their discounted boxes with no intention of buying their internet service. They tanked soon afterwards IIRC. __________________ I thought what I'd do was I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes.

11th April 2007, 07:56 PM	#4
philba	get a mini-ITX motherboard and run linux on it. easy enough to do. the EPIA mobos are particularly cost effective as they include the processor.