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Home / I-Appliance BBS General / NEWS, Breaking NEWS NEW "Zilog Internet Appliance" set-top box NEW "Zilog Internet Appliance" set-top box

NEW "Zilog Internet Appliance" set-top box (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Looks like there's another possibly-hackable unit out there. It's "new" but already discontinued. (In other words, it was released a year or two ago to no fanfare and no reception whatsoever -- nobody paid the $250 -- so now they're selling for $25 plus shipping.) This puppy works with your own ISP and uses the PlanetWeb browser, whatever the hell that is. :) Here's the guy on eBay selling them for $24.95 each plus another $10.65 shipping: http://search.stores.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&sid=18838704&store=aatifiah+uniques&colorid=11&fp=0&query=zilog&srchdesc=y Here's a few pages from Google that are relevant to the unit: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22zilog+internet+appliance%22 I guess the vaunted "internet appliance" business still awaits glory days. Randy 04-06-2002 12:04:47

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Ok, more information. This puppy was actually "new" in 1998 to 2000. The last update is 2000 and it is downloadable to the unit. The PlanetWeb browser is the same one used on the Sega gaming systems which access the web. Randy 04-06-2002 12:09:54

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Here's the manual for the unit: http://www.planetweb.com/zilog/manual/index.html I went ahead and bought one. What the hell -- I'm in the mood for a $35 toy today. Randy 04-06-2002 12:48:25

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Here's a screen shot of the goofy cartoonish welcome page: http://www.planetweb.com/zilog/manual/homescreen.jpg Here's a screen shot of the goofy cartoonish email page: http://www.planetweb.com/zilog/manual/mailcenter.jpg :) Randy 04-06-2002 12:56:36

no keyboard (modified 0 times) bobm Profile It appears that the unit doesn't have the keyboard. Bummer. I'm still looking for something to put on the TV with a remote keyboard and decent video (and a network too), any suggestions? 04-06-2002 15:41:42

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Bob, this one takes any PS/2 standard keyboard, including wireless ones. Randy 04-06-2002 20:14:23

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) bmurphr1 Profile If I'm not mistaken, those units run AMD 486-100mhz's with 8MB memory and 4MB flash. Not sure about hackability...but I believe it's possible. 04-07-2002 19:48:27

RE:NEW (modified 1 times) RocketFuel Profile You're not alone...I just grabbed one too. It's amazing how much internet appliances suck at $250, but how cool they are at $25!! Another toy to go alongside my BookPCs, my Audrey, my MSN Companion, and my Netiers! 04-08-2002 17:34:16

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile LOL, Rocketfuel, I think it's a compulsive disorder. Your mention of the "Netier" spurred my curiosity -- that's one I missed somehow. A quick Google search clued me into the facts -- thin client, 250 mHz (for at least one of the models anyway), upgradeable to PC very easily, fast graphics, full complement of ports. I need to keep my eye open for a Netier, heh. :) Randy 04-08-2002 23:54:50

RE:NEW (modified 2 times) RocketFuel Profile Look on the "thin client" and "thin client 2" threads under breaking news and you can find a ton of info. A company called Computer Show was selling the XL1000 model for $49, and when everyone here started buying them, their price went up. I bought two of the SL1000 model (slower processor, but it's a socket 7 MB, so they have already been upgraded to a P 233MMX) in one auction for around $80 shipped. 168 pin DIMM RAM (Low profile), Via chipset, USB, Intel 10/100 NIC, AGP video, and ESS sound built in. Built in 44 pin (notebook) IDE header (floppy too). Pop in a NB hard drive, and load anything you want! I'm running Win 98 on both of mine. They come with a Disk on Chip (48 MB in my case), which I plan to sell on eBay and recoup the cost of the units! The wife LOVES that!! VERY small! Maybe 1.25 thick by 8.5" wide by 10" long. See my pics of the MB and the SL unit at http://www.dustinnewton.com/sl1000 . They are definitely worth the price. 04-10-2002 04:58:54

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) mooner Profile Got mine today... gonna try to get to it this weekend. Anyone order one of these? 04-15-2002 19:30:55

RE:NEW (modified 1 times) RocketFuel Profile I got mine in last Friday. Took about 5 minutes to hook it up, and about 10 to enter my ISP info. Not a bad little unit. Connects at 31,200Kbps and is adequate for basic graphical browsing. Forget about reading small text! Not a bad little unit, but I definitely wouldn't pay over $20 for one. My guess is that since it's a Zilog unit, it's running their Z80 CPU. I'll crack mine open soon and see for sure. A Z80 would be plenty powerful for this device. Purely a novelty item. I've had ADSL (1500down/256up) for a year and a half now, and I had forgotten how slow dial-up is! My sympathy to those who still suffer with it! 04-16-2002 22:36:44

RE:NEW (modified 1 times) RocketFuel Profile OK, I can't sleep and I'm really bored! I took apart my Zilog to see what was inside and took some pics! Check out http://www.dustinnewton.com/zilog for the pics. Found some interesting things out. It has two Atmel flash chips ( see http://batronix.com/pdf/29C040.pdf for more info), and 2 16M DRAM chips (Hyundai HY5118160B). It has an AMD 386sx40 surface mount CPU, and also a Zilog Z9060242FSC (CPU?). Hackability looks to be zero. Bummer. 04-17-2002 01:33:08

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Got my unit. Set it up on the guest bedroom tv. Works just ok, but some sites are really difficult -- the browser is clearly doing a version of HTML that's pre-3.2 -- no secure sites, other sites are difficult to render, and it's not zippy. Hey, for $25, neato toy. My goal is to have internet in every room. If I can figure out a way to browse the web on my microwave oven, I'll do that too. :) Randy 04-17-2002 21:00:46

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) bmurphr1 Profile RocketFuel: That's messed up...my Zilog has a 486-100mhz processor on it, and it's socketed. I'm not sure though if the processor is a proprietary one, because I tried the same CPU in 3 other 486's I use as doorstops and footrests, and none of them would even boot. There's also a place where an IDE header would normally go, but there several clipped pins, so that's out of the question (I don't soldier too well to fix that). Also, from what you mentioned, my Planetweb browser seems different from yours. I can get into secure sites fine, play some shockwave, etc. It isn't zippy or anything...but then again, what can you say for 30 bucks? 04-18-2002 04:57:30

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) RocketFuel Profile Murph-Does it look the same physically (see post above for my website pics)? I remembered your earlier post as I was taking it apart and was a bit surprised to find the soldered 386 CPU. My Zilog has a model number of ZTOAIB-STD01. I have to assume that yours is different. I also have a serial number in the high 2000 range (002XXX). Yours should be significanatly faster than mine. Another thing, What speed do you connect at? Mine obviously (from the modem chip number and the connection speed) has a 33.6 modem in it. Does yours have a 56k? VERY interesting! 04-18-2002 16:37:10

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) mooner Profile Mine is also a AMD386 chip. Couldnt get the cover all the way off, not sure what is keeping it on around the back side. Model: ztoaib-std01 serial? 089-0002700 FCC registration: h8ntai-32299-dt-e oh well, no mp3 player here. 04-18-2002 17:18:43

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Mine's a 386 also. If anybody gets tired of their 486 unit and wants to sell it to me at a profit (or want to trade it for, say, another $25 plus my 386 unit), please email me -- rand@newsguy.com Randy 04-18-2002 19:53:26

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) chaezewhiz Profile | Email mooner- You've got to remove the screws around the printer and audio/video ports. Mine's a 386 also :( -chaeze Miracle in a Can 04-18-2002 20:38:06

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) bmurphr1 Profile Well, it looks just like the other units, but mine doesn't have a serial number at all. Model number is ZTOAIB-STD97. Connection speeds at work are decent (28.8 range) but at home all I can connect at is 14.4. This model also has a 33.6 modem in it. The page rendering isn't too much faster than the 386-40mhz (I got the older one in the mail today). Something is leading me to believe that 100mhz isn't running at 100mhz, but maybe underclocked a good percent (possible heat problems?) Everything I've tried to search about this thing has led to nothing, and the more I think about it, the more it starts to look like a prototype or beta. When I get back from Atlanta Monday afternoon, I'll try to open the sucker back up and take a few digi-pics. I'll try to post Monday. 04-18-2002 20:45:03

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) Randy Profile Seriously if you're willing to sell the unit, let me know: rand@newsguy.com Thanks, Randy 04-19-2002 10:01:42

RE:NEW (modified 0 times) bmurphr1 Profile Well, I have figured out that this is in fact a prototype. At first it was running at 66mhz (33mhz x2) but I found the correct jumper settings and it's running at 100mhz now (33mhz x3) with a massive homemade heatsink. There is also a place for a riser card that I found when prying back some of the shielding. I haven't been able to find a riser card to fit the slot yet, but if I do, I have numerous ISA IDE cards I could try on it to boot to a hard drive. If I can get this to boot to a hard drive, I'm going to use this thing as a MP3 jukebox. Right now I'm using a Mintek DVD-1600 player I got from BB for like 60 bucks. My POS webcam is broke now, because someone decided that they were gonna play basketball with it and broke it, but whenever I get a new cam, I'll take pics. 04-26-2002 08:19:33

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