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First look at Atari's new console, "Ataribox"
- Thread starter Immaculate
- Start date
Iced_Eagle
Member
Here's a link to the newsletter: http://mailchi.mp/ataribox/first-look-ataribox-design-36241?e=316bc4d53e
That is one sexy design.
For $250, it's a tough sell to me though. Atari games? Cool. Loved them. Obviously for that price, you need more than retro games and a nostalgic design. That's why I'm interested in what their UI will be like, and what sort of partners they can get (they've talked about getting games for their platform previously). Sure, it's a Linux desktop and can access your Linux Steam games, but desktops are terrible interfaces for a TV, and if I wanted to play Steam games on my desktop, I'll just use my desktop PC.
I will definitely be paying attention though, because their campaign starts this fall!
That is one sexy design.
For $250, it's a tough sell to me though. Atari games? Cool. Loved them. Obviously for that price, you need more than retro games and a nostalgic design. That's why I'm interested in what their UI will be like, and what sort of partners they can get (they've talked about getting games for their platform previously). Sure, it's a Linux desktop and can access your Linux Steam games, but desktops are terrible interfaces for a TV, and if I wanted to play Steam games on my desktop, I'll just use my desktop PC.
I will definitely be paying attention though, because their campaign starts this fall!
ReplacementPelican
Member
Absolutely gorgeous design but a lot more expensive than I was expecting.
MadJackChurchill
Banned
It better not go the way of SMACH Z and turn out to be a bloody Lynx tablet.
Sevenfold
Member
Oh man it is difficult for me to hate that as an object. I have the perfect place for it :/ Plugged in just for the Atari glow. Hubba.
Other than the pics (and now the price yikes) I know nothing so er... Is Stun Runner on it..?
MrCunningham
Member
So it is going to be an x86-64bit Linux box?
It will also be open, and allow users to install Linux programs like Steam and other applications? Hmm... This is interesting, to say the least. Not sure what market it will really be going for, though...
If it is going to be using a flavor of Linux with a custom media center like UI, then I could only imagine that it will have something a little more powerful than a Jaguar (Do the Math) based CPU.
It will also be open, and allow users to install Linux programs like Steam and other applications? Hmm... This is interesting, to say the least. Not sure what market it will really be going for, though...
If it is going to be using a flavor of Linux with a custom media center like UI, then I could only imagine that it will have something a little more powerful than a Jaguar (Do the Math) based CPU.
MrCunningham
Member
It will most definitely will... But given that you can install Steam on this system, will they make T4K a Steam Linux (or SteamOS) release with custom Ataribox video settings, or will they release their own packages? It is Linux, so they could very well just their own Linux packages using their own proprietary package manager.
To be honest, I am kinda interested in this too now...
250 doesn't seem that pad depending on what kind of integrated graphics it has. I have a GPD Win and you'd be surprised at the amount of games it can run.
Ruud_Luiten
Member
Hope so!
Steam has a TV interface and it works great. This will probably have a custom one.
Rumblebones
Banned
Great design but at that price point it's a tough sell. I imagine.
Perhaps if they got a massive investor this line of console could take off in specific parts of Asia.
Perhaps if they got a massive investor this line of console could take off in specific parts of Asia.
Rellik
Member
Damn that is one sexy beast.
Heres a thought - What if it WAS a nvidia shield?
Nvidia seems to realise that they can sell more of their hardware if they partner with established console brands. Maybe it will end up being a skinned shield with a shit ton of atari games and built in gamestream/4k media features?
Baron_Calamity
Member
It runs a " AMD customized processor, with Radeon Graphics technology" Probably some version of their APU A10 cpu thats in laptops and 4gigs of memory for the low end line. That's my guess.
Shields have an Arm processor and share more in common with high end smart phones. This is going to be closer to a steam box. A headless laptop running linux.
So it's basically a Steam Machine with Atari branding for $250? Huh. Not as bad as I thought it would be, honestly, but I still don't really see the point of this.
But also, never, ever back hardware on crowdfunding sites. There's almost always delays, manufacturing problems, downgrades, etc. Just because there's working prototypes doesn't mean a product is ready for mass production. And if they use IndieGoGo's Flexible Funding, they'll get backer money regardless of whether or not they actually get enough money to produce the product.
But also, never, ever back hardware on crowdfunding sites. There's almost always delays, manufacturing problems, downgrades, etc. Just because there's working prototypes doesn't mean a product is ready for mass production. And if they use IndieGoGo's Flexible Funding, they'll get backer money regardless of whether or not they actually get enough money to produce the product.
$250?!
The only way I can justify paying that much is if I can connect my Steam account and use this as a literal Steambox. I doubt that's going to happen, though. Atari will probably have their own store that they're going to try to push.
I'm out (pending the availability of Steam). I'm already settled with my streaming/multimedia setup, and I'm not really interested in investing in another digital store. I was hoping this thing would be nothing more than the Atari version of the NES/SNES mini.
The only way I can justify paying that much is if I can connect my Steam account and use this as a literal Steambox. I doubt that's going to happen, though. Atari will probably have their own store that they're going to try to push.
I'm out (pending the availability of Steam). I'm already settled with my streaming/multimedia setup, and I'm not really interested in investing in another digital store. I was hoping this thing would be nothing more than the Atari version of the NES/SNES mini.
Soapbox Killer
Grand Nagus
As long is it is not Atari Jaguar
Props on this post!
Baron_Calamity
Member
I'm going to buy this but its only because of having it with the rest of my collection.
A little more info:
https://venturebeat.com/2017/09/25/ataribox-runs-linux-on-amd-chip-and-will-cost-at-least-249/
And this is old but I just saw it today:
A little more info:
https://venturebeat.com/2017/09/25/ataribox-runs-linux-on-amd-chip-and-will-cost-at-least-249/
And this is old but I just saw it today:
An interesting quote from that article:
So it seems like you will be able to install Steam on the Ataribox, if I'm reading that statement correctly. I would be a lot more interested in this, if so.
Soapbox Killer
Grand Nagus
It should come pre-loaded with Blade Runner/ 2049 in 4K.
"We call it Ataribox or in short PC".
So it is. Well that blows my theory.
Really interested to see how they make this in any way worth the money. Cant really expect people to pay 300 for old atari games, when nintendo have set that market firmly at the sub $100 mark. But what else could it do? Even if it can run steam games that can run on a mid spec laptop, surely anyone interested in that prospect would just get a regular PC?
Baffling product