Bridge Device · 4:54pm Jun 8th, 2013
I'm not really productive right now - as writer - because I'm focusing my energy on a crowd-funded project named "Bridge".
Since an image is worth a thousand words:
The goal is to break the dependance between your computer and your screen. With this 10cm*10cm device, using internet and a screen, you can use your computer anywhere in the world. Or in your living room.
The primary objective is to give an alternative to those expensive media centers and video game consoles. Why need any of them if your computer is always virtually nearby? Since Bridge is not a computer, not a console and not a media center, it needs relatively low amount of power, CPU and memory. Therefor, it can be really cheap.
This week, I have a meeting with an accounting specialist. If our numbers are strong enough, we should be able to launch the funding campaign.
If you're interested, or just want to say "Hi", drop by Bridge Device Website.
jesus, I can already feel the latency.
1132340 Over a local network or over internet?
For internet, depend of your provider and the distance, really.
As for local, it is almost unnoticeable.
After all, ever heard of OnLive? Imagine that, but without the need of a remote server.
1132351 I am no sure if that would be comfortable unless the game(for example) was designed for this kind of usage, even small time margin would make the game unplayable. Simple multiplayer games suffer from latency, and if you add screen transfer to the equation...
1132357 There's a proof of concept that works for cellphone: http://www.kainy.com/
It's great, and the latency is very very small. We are talking here of under 10ms. And unless you're a pro-gamer, you will never notice that.
Can it remotely turn on the computer too, or will it need to be on already? (Since many office computers are on 24/7, this could be useful for bringing work home!)
1132394 Not turning it on, but bringing it out of sleep, yes.
Could also be use as a printing/scanner station or a conference room presentation unit.
1132384 under 10ms? That is impossible unless on LAN. I shall remain sceptical for now.
1132403 It works on LAN, since you can use it to play your computer in your living room. It can also work over WiFi and if you want, over the internet. Today's WiFi offer pretty much the same latency as standard LAN (add 2-3 ms). As for internet, it depends highly of your provider and the distance between the unit and your computer.
If you want to use it for gaming from Japan while your computer is in the US, that would be a bad idea. But if you want to use it at a LAN party in your friend's house across the street, it would work great.
"The primary objective is to give an alternative to those expensive media centers and video game consoles." And for that purpose, LAN or WiFi is plenty enough.
1132484 For such a small distances, I do not really get why you would need it - and how is this useful in lan party? The games are already multiplayer, and are already utilising LAN connection. I might be missing something here.
1132509 Well, how about no need to carry your desktop computer anywhere? Mine is a full tower, it's heavy and has water cooling. The last thing I want is to actually move it around.
It's also too far from my television for HDMI/USB cables to be in a reasonable price.
I got WiFi... Where is the device that let me connect my computer to any screen/television without the need of wiring my house?
I like gaming in front of my television, on my comfortable sofa. However, I don't want to pay the ridiculous amount the new console generation - Xbox One/PS4 - are going to cost or those limited media centers. Why can't I use my computer to game, listen to music, watch movie or browse the internet and so on without an expensive box on my television?
1132509
Maybe to allow your friends to play the games you own? I am unsure though, it seems a bit unspecified what LAN party is in this case.
As for the device... I like it! You only need two cables(three without Wi-Fi) and one "box" and pretty much anyone can use their PC with a TV set to... do whatever, I think. Provided nobody is watching TV at that time you can use it for playing games or maybe text editing or web designing. After all, you can hook up a keyboard and mouse to it. And since the PC is in different room, you don't have to bear with its fans interrupting sounds. I know I sometimes have enough of this constant buzzing in the background... as long as the device itself is relatively silent... it is, right? Or will be, as I understand it? It is pretty much a more advanced router after all. With built-in HDMI converter... oh well, it should be quiet enough.
Though it would be ill-advised to have any heavy file transfer on the network during playing. The amount of bandwidth needed...
this 10ms is on how fast an ethernet? Good, old 100 Mb/s or is 1Gb needed?Nevermind... it wouldn't even try to work over the internet with 100 Mb/s... much less 1Gb. I am so not thinking today...I will definitely observe this project. Seems like something for me. Especially since I have a computer delegated solely to recording and editing videos from TV. Sadly it lacks any kind of sensible TV-out, not to mention it has fans. Watching anything on it with that buzzing...
Though of course, the security issues alone will be... fun, for sure.
And the PC will have to accommodate to the difference in resolution and what-not.
Still, very interesting.
Edit:
Derp, should have refreshed before posting...
1132596 I never had console, and I cannot afford a TV, but I do understand where you are coming from. Although, in my opinion, buying two devices like that would be far more expensive than simple wiring.
Maybe some people would be interested, but you will not see me buying it. It simply has no place in my two-room apartment.
1132602 No sound at all. Totally quiet, similar to a router or in this case, a Raspberry Pi. As for the bandwidth, the 100Mbps of a standard (old) router is PLENTY enough. For example, Netflix while streaming full screen video and audio, don't use a third of that.
As for security, we plan a collection of protection, from password to registering the device serial to your computer so it can only accept connection from a specific unit.
As for resolution, the software you will install on your computer will handle all that, such as switching resolution when connected, or starting Steam Big Picture if you want to game right away.
1132604
It wouldn't if the TV is on another floor and on the other side of the corridor. No wiring could be used there. Not for HDTV and even if it would it would have an astronomical price in comparison.
Though it simply looks like you are not the intended target of the creators. It's definitely not designed for people living in small apartments. Those who have big, single family houses on the other hand...
Oh, and I hope I did not come out as condescending or something... it's not my intention though for some reason I feel as if I just did that...
1132604 Depends how far your TV is. We plan this device to cost 60$... Long HDMI/USB cable can be more expensive than that. On top, wiring a house is never fun.
And no... if you don't have a TV, or a two room apartment, not the right setup for this.
1132616
Yeah, I edited in and struck through that stupid question of mine about speed... I am in no condition to think at all...
I though it would be soundless, as it's nothing really requiring any sort of intense cooling.
The software takes care of that... universal question to all questions about innate system options that would have to be changed... I blame my non-thinking on the weather changes!
1132620
Don't even start telling me about wiring the house... I still remember drilling through the floors and ceilings all the way from the second floor to the basement... and add in that nothing is really straight... a nightmare... oh well, at least it works. We still have wireless though, even if it is of subdued distance. Not for me, though. I prefer cables. Once done it's much less hassle.
Checked the conversion rates from dollars and... that's the price of one AAA-class première game here. I think StarCraft 2 was about this much.
And seems roughly the price for decent quality 5m HDMI-HDMI cable(because I can hardly believe in 10m cable for roughly 15 bucks... including shipping... no really, I found such an auction... or maybe I am uneducated...), internet auction-wise. Yup, seems nice.
1132649 If you want to compare some price, an Apple TV, which is a media center, is 109$. Of a Playstation 3 is around 250$.
Right now, our plan is 60$ in hope of selling 10,000 units. If we manage to sell more, it will also make the price drop. The biggest expense is the initial cost of developing the product.
For example, a injection form to mold plastic cases is about $25,000 per piece and the case have two of them. The more units produced, the more that cost is spread over.
1132723
Hard to compare prices over different countries/continents and currencies.
I used the ones I did because it made sense to compare your device with games(as I'm a gamer) and cables(as it's the main use for me: as a connection between PC and TV), not thinking about TV's, consoles and what-not as it does not make any sense for me. I would use it strictly as means to play(and other computer related stuff, but mostly playing) using a TV in one room and computer in the other. Unless those "media centers" as you call them have such an option.
As an example of price difference, my version of this Apple TV is roughly 144$. I am unsure of the shipping prices over ocean but almost 35$/one piece? Isn't that a tad too much? I know, it's more complicated than that but I suppose it would be cheaper to just order it overseas... if they even gave you such an option...
And yeah, I suppose the production costs are high. Though I wonder when the 3-D printers will get to the point where you can simply print such a form at the cost of materials and power. Though that begs a question about the cost of those materials and the printer itself. And maybe some day the forms won't be needed as we will all simply have to get a cheap printer and make the cases ourselves... but that's a future's song. Hopefully we will live to see and utilise it.
Goodness, what are we talking about on an MLP-oriented site?
1132773 Media centers don't play video games... At least none of those I saw so far.
As for shipping, I truly cannot give you a proper estimate right now. It is also dependent of the number of unit shipped as company like FedEx reduce prices of bulk shipping.
As for 3D printing, it's great for fast prototyping. However, if you want to print 10,000 cases using a 3D Printer, the cost will be astronomical comparing to fast injection molding. Maybe one day, if everybody has one, you will only need to print it. But I doubt it's going to be any time soon.
As for MLP... It's my blog, so here's a pony:
1132816
I know they don't. Just wanted to know if they allow such a connection. Obviously not if you are making a device to do it. Not thinking, again...
Shipping is a strange thing, indeed. It's a moot point regardless as 1) Apple does not seem to give you that option, pointing to local sellers instead and 2) I don't do Apple stuff. That company should not exist regardless of their innovative ideas... for the patent wars alone...
Ahh yes, the cost of making 10000 cases will be high. But a cost of 2 single forms then used in injection molding? Of course, it's just academic talk still, seeing as those forms right now would only be enough for several hundred injections before deformations would occur. Not durable enough yet! But maybe someday...
Ooh, a pony! What a rarity!
This will be a hit!
...for people with good computers anyway...
It is intriguing for sure.