Neuros Link (Is it a good buy?)

[tbrminsanity]

I came across this on ThinkGeek.com and was wondering if it would be a good purchase:

http://www.neurostechnology.com/neuros-link

I think I would use it to play video games (Tremulous, Super Tux, and other Linux games) along with watch TV and movies. I may use it as a webserver as well (using no-ip.org service). Is there someone out there that has this unit and know weather it will work for this, or should I go to my original plan to make a living room computer from scratch?

[glotz]

I say roll your own. You'll be so much happier.

Never heard about that particular device but they all tend to be the same. Clumsy, slow and restricting your freedom in a 157 different ways until you go bonkers. On the other hand, when you buy a real, regular computer, you can do what ever you wish with it, it's hardware and software being modular, upgradeable, interchangeable.

It will also be an excellent learning opportunity and earn you some proper geek cred! ;)

[wmcbrine]

It doesn't restrict your freedom. Neuros is all about open development. It is less powerful than a regular computer, though.

I don't have the Link, but I do have an OSD (got it as a gift). It's interesting.

[dstaudt]

I got one of these recently. It _is_ basically a bare bones PC, with certain HTPC favoring aspects:

- Low power/noise
- Decent CPU (AMD 64bit I forget the GHz?, enough to drive HD video)
- Decent GPU (ATI HD 3200) with HDMI output
- 6 USB ports for drives, etcs.
- Wired/wireless
- Cute wireless keyboard/trackball combo for surfing from the couch

It actually comes with a barely modified Ubuntu 8.10 OS booting from a 4GB flash drive, and a firefox/web-based front-end to their internet video aggregation service. Not a lot of value-add software-wise, but I knew I was going to blow it away and roll my own on it anway.

All-in-all for $299 built/tested/supported it seemed worth a shot.

I'm about 95% happy with it...the last 5% being due to the ATI card, with its lingering underscan and vsync issues I can't seem to solve.

[JoeBorn]

it's a 2.8 GHz Athlon64 LE1660 (45W) and both the vsync and overscan should be fixed with the most recent software.