But
What's it like with a proper OS installed, and software complied specifically for its hardware stack as opposed to someone else's idea of what hardware a generic box should or is likely to be packing?
Although the Shuttle All-in-One PC X5000TA looks like a TFT display with a chunky bezel for the speakers, it's actually a proper PC that is controlled through its 15.6in touchscreen. It's housed in a relatively sleek chassis that measures 391mm wide by 327mm high and is only 36mm thick. The fold-out stand at the rear swings up …
Poor choice of phrase there. If it were out of its depth it wouldn't play videos. Stuttering is just a lack of performance.
Anyway, it's way to expensive to get jammy finger prints all over so not good for a kitchen. If it took 12V at the back instead of 19V it might be good for cars and caravans.
Shame there isn't another touch screen unit like this on the market. I would love to have a simple touch screen front-end for Boxee so I could listen to music or watch shows while in the kitchen.
Anyone know of another unit like this with a better screen?
....with another £100/£150 to boost the spec, HDMI and a couple of optical/digital outs and it would be a really good living room audio/media box but as it stands....nope.
Like someone said earlier you have to wonder what on earth were they thinking when they designed this. It doesnt fulfil any role properly really.
I've set-up a PC in the Kitchen, for the wife & it's an HP 24" 'TouchSmart'. It, too, comes with Vista - but HP indicates that the touchscreen interface will NOT work, if you switch it to XP Pro (like the rest of my mini-network). I certainly don't know for a fact what the technical reasons could be for being forced to use Vista (Home Premium) on this system - but whatever those reasons may be; might also be the same reasons the Shuttle X5000 'All-in-One' is also saddled with Vista. And Yes, it _IS_ in the Kitchen, so she can stream TV, listen to music, google a recipe & check her email. Her PC in her 'Unicorn' room (Hey... she Loves Dragons & Unicorns - what can I say?) is too removed from the Kitchen to be useful for this type of use. Just an 'FYI'. -Tony T.