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VIA boards typically run either ARM processor or their own (VIA) x86 compatible processors: http://www.viatech.com/en/boards/ http://www.viatech.com/en/boards/

VIA boards typically run either ARM processor or their own (VIA) x86 compatible processors: http://www.viatech.com/en/boards/ http://www.viatech.com/en/boards/ I run a couple of servers using VIA processors, they consume very little electricity, I run storage, web and mail servers on them. When Intel came out with the Atom, it used a little bit more electricity but was significantly more performant than the VIA. VIA has had new processors since but I don't know how they compare to the Intel low-power line.

joezydeco 11y ago
Is VIA what is left of the Cyrix/NatSemi MediaGX cores?
- jacquesm 11y ago
  Yes, I think it is. The x86 version at least. They had a neat little board that I used to control a plasmacutter torch in 3 dimensions.
  - joezydeco 11y ago
    I had a neat little project on that setup as well. It was way too early for its audience, which is kind of a shame.
    - jacquesm 11y ago
      http://pics.camarades.com/v/jacques/trips/jansvisit/dscn4017.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 http://pics.camarades.com/v/jacques/trips/jansvisit/dscn4017... Extremely ugly first day prototype of that plasma cutter controller, the VIA board sits in the hard drive enclosure on the right hand side, you can just about make it out. What did you build?
      - joezydeco 11y ago
        This contraption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAyBz8XIMsU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAyBz8XIMsU http://www.silverball.net/images_martin/tech_pc_case.jpg http://www.silverball.net/images_martin/tech_pc_case.jpg It was a MediaGX 5520 (233Mhz) motherboard with a custom PCI board holding an array of 8mbit ROMs + flash memory and a DSP for sound playback. Douglas Comer's XINU was used as an operating system and ran from ROM. The "too early for it's time" was less about the pinball machine and more about the MediaGX. A small Geode board + Linux could have been a really nice platform. I think a lot of ATMs are actually using this formula.
        jacquesm 11y ago
        Super nice work. I've worked on some coin op stuff as well but more video game oriented. The original software ran on Windows, I did a linux port to show that 'it could be done' without windows. The hardest part was to switch from one game to another (multi game console) without a video mode reset. Another application for that board is on-board computer for cars. I've got a very similar board in a nice little case that just fits under the passenger seat and wires into the car by running cables to the side of the transmission tunnel. Boot times are short (runs off a flash disk) and media are stored on a small 2.5" hard drive. I like these little systems.

joezydeco 11y ago

Is VIA what is left of the Cyrix/NatSemi MediaGX cores?

jacquesm 11y ago
Yes, I think it is. The x86 version at least. They had a neat little board that I used to control a plasmacutter torch in 3 dimensions.
- joezydeco 11y ago
  I had a neat little project on that setup as well. It was way too early for its audience, which is kind of a shame.
  - jacquesm 11y ago
    http://pics.camarades.com/v/jacques/trips/jansvisit/dscn4017.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 http://pics.camarades.com/v/jacques/trips/jansvisit/dscn4017... Extremely ugly first day prototype of that plasma cutter controller, the VIA board sits in the hard drive enclosure on the right hand side, you can just about make it out. What did you build?
    - joezydeco 11y ago
      This contraption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAyBz8XIMsU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAyBz8XIMsU http://www.silverball.net/images_martin/tech_pc_case.jpg http://www.silverball.net/images_martin/tech_pc_case.jpg It was a MediaGX 5520 (233Mhz) motherboard with a custom PCI board holding an array of 8mbit ROMs + flash memory and a DSP for sound playback. Douglas Comer's XINU was used as an operating system and ran from ROM. The "too early for it's time" was less about the pinball machine and more about the MediaGX. A small Geode board + Linux could have been a really nice platform. I think a lot of ATMs are actually using this formula.
      - jacquesm 11y ago
        Super nice work. I've worked on some coin op stuff as well but more video game oriented. The original software ran on Windows, I did a linux port to show that 'it could be done' without windows. The hardest part was to switch from one game to another (multi game console) without a video mode reset. Another application for that board is on-board computer for cars. I've got a very similar board in a nice little case that just fits under the passenger seat and wires into the car by running cables to the side of the transmission tunnel. Boot times are short (runs off a flash disk) and media are stored on a small 2.5" hard drive. I like these little systems.