Valve preparing to launch Steam Box Console

[Barrichello]

Valve is preparing to launch a set top box to compete with consoles, allegedly dubbed the Steam Box, and the announcement could come as soon as next week

Interesting developments if true.....

Original Source.....

http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/2/284...gaming-console

Other links...

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/03/ru...d-with-custom/

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/03/0...am-box-console

[ERU]

Interesting!

[Pob255]

looks like a pc in a console box, would have to run some sort of custom os.

Not sure how well that would work.

[Bagnaj97]

looks like a pc in a console box, would have to run some sort of custom os.

Not sure how well that would work.

It wont be a custom OS as it's supposedly compatible with all PC games. I suspect it'll just be some sort of Steam-based overlay on a streamlined version of windows.

The thing I'm interested in is the price. The alienware that the system is apparently based around isn't cheap. If this is intended to go head to head with consoles then it'll have to compete with them price wise. Otherwise why not get a pc to play pc games?

[Phage]

looks like a pc in a console box, would have to run some sort of custom os.

Not sure how well that would work.

Isn't that an XBox ?

[szr01]

looks like a pc in a console box, would have to run some sort of custom os.

Not sure how well that would work.

I agree, if it plays all steam games which runs on windows must be a PC with the steam logo.

[KeyboardDemon]

Sounds like something on an ITX/Micro-ATX HTPC type sort of small form factor designed to fit in to a living room with a bluetooth k/b + mouse.

[Pob255]

It wont be a custom OS as it's supposedly compatible with all PC games. I suspect it'll just be some sort of Steam-based overlay on a streamlined version of windows.

That's what I meant by a custom OS

Isn't that an XBox ?

yep that's what I'm thinking, probably a larger hard drive if it's going to be using purely downloaded games.
Although xbox is actually custom hardware, the cpu is a modified Xenon and the gpu si a hybrid based on the Radeon X1850 but with some major changes that later was used to make the R600 (HD2900)
I don't think Valve has the development budget or clought that MS has for the development of greatly customised hardware, and if they want to run windows games on it then they cannot stry too far off standard hardware.
Some mini-ITX or flex ATX (like a shuttle) if they can cut down and stream line the OS, probably get streamlined custom drivers too, that's going to help. might go down the laptop hardware style route though (ie like apple and many all-in-one pc's)

Although here's something fun to think about, if they do use standard hardware then it'd be an upgradeable console

The down side is the cost would probably go up.

The one area I can see having really big potential is not steam but OnLive http://www.onlive.co.uk/
We might not have wide spread connection speeds and latencies to make it massively wide spread, but stream gaming requires very little hardware on the user end, onlive currently will run quite happily on a 1st generation Atom netbook or netbox . . . well they should be able to in theory, there's a couple of youtubes showing it.
Conversely an iPad 2 can handle OnLive, that's hardly powerful or massively expensive kit (once you strip out the ouch screen)

OnLive is too small to go dipping into the hardware console market I think but a similar online streaming game service could be done on a fairly cheap console style box, what's more game graphics are not greatly limited by the user end hardware.