From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jun 18 21:18:22 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E26E1106566B for ; Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:18:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tajudd@gmail.com) Received: from mail-qy0-f173.google.com (mail-qy0-f173.google.com [209.85.221.173]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 97A758FC13 for ; Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:18:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tajudd@gmail.com) Received: by qyk3 with SMTP id 3so1795614qyk.3 for ; Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:18:21 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:received:in-reply-to:references :date:message-id:subject:from:to:cc:content-type :content-transfer-encoding; bh=5F56fVur0yhhfpFEPMR36kXpXQYwkbNe+i0fNaSx0n0=; b=ED3px43satSbSvNoQfGr+S3SGBJ+y5+vebVjNXU/R1YQZPQx5rqlFQMOQRzWdt1T+x lnSQ0Ld9BzxlyiW5eZk7ruGTAW/NI+jPPoSnsdT+xnkdWSjR5J5+9sjWUmf/x+dAhfun L4H05J3yf15+rStt3rQ/I2eztCr2gDsUSP8xo= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; b=wtIn/cUnzkU7qWDhNrWrvt5qq7nFMGBf5RQVIs8fDQ8CmY2QKpMsUzcRUHeLIKtUxJ vtIXjMjARtTOcgQSuQot3NKgridbATJwFNHRqK24Y5lIfw0Uj/8A58Rf7B3mY5hFn6pE gAOncabUVD/tftzY4+2g/sEieKMzwUzuQstU8= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.220.91.138 with SMTP id n10mr2160205vcm.76.1245359901799; Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:18:21 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: <94A1EEFE-A341-41C8-A63E-4F9EC1C75670@identry.com> Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:18:21 -0600 Message-ID: From: Tim Judd To: John Almberg Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-questions Subject: Re: Compact Freebsd 'appliance' X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:18:23 -0000 On 6/18/09, John Almberg wrote: > > On Jun 18, 2009, at 4:14 PM, Tim Judd wrote: > >> What kind of application? This is so we can gear a hardware that is >> powerful enough to power your application. >> >> Naming the application and/or website would be a good addition. > > It's main purpose is to fetch videos off a local server (i.e., on the > same lan it's plugged into), convert them into flash videos, and > upload them to a remote server. > > There will also be a small web application that will be used to > manage the application. > > Why do we need this little box, at all? I.e., why can't the whole > thing be done by a remote server? It probably could, but my client > feels that this little box makes his service 'concrete' and easier to > sell. It's something his customers can hold and marvel at. > > Marketing... go figure. > > I'm thinking something like the Intel BOXD945GCLF2D Intel Atom > processor 330 Intel 945GC Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo, might do > the trick. > > -- John > John, so I'd use a system board like you described in preference to all other boards that are referenced or called a "embedded" board. Video processing can be very CPU intensive, plus RAM intensive. I didn't actually look at that product you posted, but that would be the gear I would start looking at. I've read reports (and forgotten it's source since then) that some Intel Atom processors work well, some don't with FreeBSD. This was something I read within a couple months, so I would see if anyone here can provide input on pros and cons on weather that particular Atom model number is well received and well tested. Nothing like developing a product based on inadequate or crappy hardware OR support. Do lots of prototypes, that's the only sure way to test. --Tim