The Crusoe Processor

henke · Post by **henke** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 6:47 am

I just saw this over at Transmeta

8. What is the power consumption of a Crusoe processor?
The Crusoe processor typically operates between several hundred milliwatts and 1-2 watts. The Crusoe processor is efficient even while running heavy-duty multimedia applications like DVD movie playback.

1-2 Watts!!!

Has anyone tried this CPU?

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 8:14 am

I sadly don't have any experience with them

. They look very promising though!

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 8:18 am

Another thing:

Does anyone know whether the Crusoe can be used on a regular desktop pc? I've never seen a crusoe motherboard or anything like that ..

Post by **MikeC** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 10:31 am

Crusoe has a proprietary form factor, used mostly in laptops and biz desktops. Seems most widely marketed in Japan. Never even sniffed one for sale in US or Canada.

TheMuffinMan · Post by **TheMuffinMan** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 10:51 am

Sony used to use them in the PictureBooks.

Oh, they still do:
Sony PictureBooks

powergyoza · Post by **powergyoza** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 11:29 am

I purchase a Fujitsu Lifebook C-series a while back for a previous employer. IIRC, it has a Crusoe 800 processor. With 256MB RAM, the performance was acceptable for a laptop and office apps (WinXP Home). The thing was very compact!

MGP · Post by **MGP** » Sun Feb 09, 2003 1:00 pm

i don't know if the Transmeta chip can be put in desktops, but i know that its ultra-low voltage results from its unconventional design: it relies on both hardware and some "virtual" software processing design. while it runs very cool, i do know that the performance of this chip is weak compared to mobile chips like the ultra-low voltage P3-M series chips. i would agree, though, that the chip would be decent for biz apps like office and surfing the internet.

just so everyone knows, transmeta does have a VERY interesting employee: the creator of Linux works as a programmer for the silicon valley firm.

ckpurvis · Post by **ckpurvis** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 5:34 am

Ever since the Crusoe came out, I have been hunting for mainboards that would let me run one. I have not found anything.

The closest I have found is http://www.transmeta.com/developers/devkit.html which is a development kit, and a bit out of my price range for that kind of power. If anyone finds a Crusoe based system or mainboard/CPU kit, I would LOVE to hear about it.

The chip has also been deployed in what is a pricey but very quiet computing solution -- the Compaq tablet PC systems. A friend of mine got one of these tablets running on a Crusoe platform, and it's pretty swank. Certainly not a gaming rig, but definitely up to office apps, web surfing, et c. His setup includes a keyboard and stand, so he can set the tablet up like a thin-profile desktop PC at home, and just pull that "monitor" off the stand and take the system with him.

It's not quite a traditional PC, and is around $1600, but it is a Crusoe chip, and it is (usually) silent.

henke · Post by **henke** » Tue Feb 11, 2003 1:40 pm

I found a desktop system that uses a Crusoe processor: Power Mate eco

A fanless desk computer, the system components have been compacted to fit into the back of the monitor and pedestal. Amazingly the PowerMate eco produces just 20 decibels (dB) in all, about the loudness of a whisper (see chart).

20 dB *sigh* At $1600 it's out of my price range

ckpurvis · Post by **ckpurvis** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 10:45 am

Y'know, I totally forgot about the Eco. I was very excited when I heard about the system, but then I saw that stupid price tag. For the performance, and what you get, it is really ridiculous to put $1600 on it. I mean, $1600 is enough to get a good and quiet laptop; for my money, I could drop $1000 on a PC and the other $600 on an enclosure, long cables, et c. They're sweet, but toooooooooo pricey.

I found a desktop system that uses a Crusoe processor: Power Mate eco

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munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 3:00 pm

Siggh If only.

munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 3:11 pm

Hmm wait a sec...If someone were thinking of making htpc's, with the view to selling, would anyone recommend the crusoe as a potential option?? Bearing in mind space and noise are factors to consider. Its either that, or wait for the nehemiah, or consider Intel/Amd in a Micro-Atx form.

Tore · Post by **Tore** » Thu Feb 27, 2003 9:03 pm

munceyboyjoe wrote:Hmm wait a sec...If someone were thinking of making htpc's, with the view to selling, would anyone recommend the crusoe as a potential option?? Bearing in mind space and noise are factors to consider. Its either that, or wait for the nehemiah, or consider Intel/Amd in a Micro-Atx form.

I'm building a home-entertainment PC using a P4 2GHz in a microATX Lian-li PC9300. I tried recording video using my old P2 300MHz, and I could only store reduced size uncompressed video, so I thought it might be better to have more processing power than the Via C3. Don't know how the crusoe compares. The first power supply I bought had a nasty coil whine, so I had to order another one. I hope to get the new one (a Seasonic) this weekend, and then I'll know how successfull I'll be using air to cool the computer at near silent noicelevel.

I think the decition about what to use will depend a lot on the quantity to produce and sell. I'm very happy with the visual output to TV from the Sigmadesigns' RealMagic X-card, and it doesn't tax the main CPU much. They do also sell the DVD/DivX decoder chip for system integrators, and it is part of Intel's mediacenter design.

Just as important as the noise level, is the visual appearance of the case, and how easy it is to operate with the remote controll. All of them have to be acceptable, and preferably good. And of course it must have more functions than those Swiss pocket knifes

munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 4:18 pm

Haha, yeah, aesthetically pleasing is the order of the day!! As regards product turnover, likely to be a small amount, but built to a high-enough standard to warrant a reasonale price. Its amazing how many people I've talked to who have been put off computers (still), by the fact that they are computers, ie - big, impossible to use for a beginner, and confusing, noisy, and ugly. I hope to aim at people who would like a nice good looking box next to their pc, beginners or experienced computer users. The amount of scope for multi-media support is incredible!! DVD, vcd, mp3, audio cd's, digital radio/tv, digital tv recording, modern pc games, classic emulations of consoles...phwooarrr...all controlled by a remote, lovely!! Hmm, hardware choice is tricky though. Obviosuely to implement all these things, I may need another card or two (!), and to be playing latest games I can pretty much (unfortunately) rule out Via's, which is a shame because I really like them. Ho hum...

munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 4:19 pm

ahem, next to their telly*

Tore · Post by **Tore** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 10:15 pm

The case isn't a big problem anymore. There are several cases in different sizes that look good enough to be positioned next to the TV, and I think there will be several more within a year.

DIGN (large, ATX mobo and PSU, alu, gold and black colors, many negative comments regarding quality, but many are happy with it when they have fixed it)

CoolerMaster ATC630 (micro-ATX mobo and I think ATX PSU, black and alu color)

Lian-Li PC9300 (micro-ATX mobo and PSU, alu color)

DPI Clio (micro-ATX mobo and PSU (or maybe flex PSU, doesn't say), alu and black colors, low profile but full size CD and one full size PSI)

Just to mention some of the alternatives

Picking the hardware and making it quiet is a job, but I think making the stuff work really nice together with a smooth easy-to-use interface and still keep a high level of functionality and flexibility is a much larger job.

And then there is the sound. When the PC include everything including FM and internet radio, it is a bit annoying that most receivers include a radio. You need something to power up some nice speakers, but you don't need many radios.

munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 6:57 am

Hmm, these cases are ok, but I'm not sure I like the look/price of them, and as for radio's, well I'm not quite sure what you mean??

Tore · Post by **Tore** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 1:24 pm

munceyboyjoe wrote:Hmm, these cases are ok, but I'm not sure I like the look/price of them, and as for radio's, well I'm not quite sure what you mean??

Maybe I'm mixing the names or something. In conventional stereo/5.1 systems you connect the speakers to a unit like this:

It both make the neccessary watts for the speakers, and contain a radio receiver. My PC contain a Terratec Cinergy 600 with a RDS FM Radio, so I just want to connect it to the speakers without any extra buttons and displays. But I want high quality speakers (relatively speaking), not the cheap PC speaker systems. I've seen some systems that look nice though, so maybe I'll find something when I've got the money to buy

I want something that I can plug a S/PDIF into, and get nice 5.1 sound out.

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 4:51 pm

How about a PC discreatly hidden in a big emptied out speaker box. That way its cheap and no one even know it's a PC. They would think its a speaker hee hee.

Quite a bit of work though.

What a nice way to hide it.

powergyoza · Post by **powergyoza** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 5:01 pm

Yeah, cool. Even a subwoofer box would be cool....

munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Sun Mar 02, 2003 8:51 am

Hmm, well as for amplification I have my sound card going out to my marantz amp, then to a pair of wharfdales. I agree with you about pc speaker systems, I much prefer the 'proper' audio stuff. Setting it up with a proper receiver and using a full sub etc. would be a very nice Idea, a little pricey though!!

munceyboyjoe · Post by **munceyboyjoe** » Sun Mar 02, 2003 8:52 am

Hmm, well as for amplification I have my sound card going out to my marantz amp, then to a pair of wharfdales. I agree with you about pc speaker systems, I much prefer the 'proper' audio stuff. Setting it up with a proper receiver and using a full sub etc. would be a very nice Idea, a little pricey though!!