YBox2 Kit Create your own networked set-top box

YBox2 showing a live Twitter feed. Click to see high res version.
Why Box?

The YBox2 is a DIY networked set-top box. Connect it to your TV and you can design customized content to be delivered direct from the Internet.

This project is great for people who want a new platform to experiment with. The video and Internet cores are ready to go and easy to work with. We have some example widgets that demonstrate the YBox2's capability, and the whole project is open source so you can start hacking your own. If you've ever been curious about the Parallax Propeller chip, the YBox2 is a perky little platform with tons of accessories.

Widgets!


The default weather widget can display forecasts from any zip code


The twitter widget lets you keep up to date with your favorite person (or interplanetary rover)


The giant Alarm Clock widget keeps time using a Navy chrono-server!

YBox2's Memoir

The YBox was first invented by Uncommon Projects, as part of Yahoo Hack day. The project was a resounding success, and the following year 80 kits were commissioned by Yahoo for workshops at Maker Faire 2007. Robert Quattlebaum was one of the lucky few to attend that workshop and decided to see if he could design a second generation YBox. After much hacking, success! With a little of my help, we were able to design this kit to have more accessories than the original, and just as easy to build, yet less expensive.

We are proud to present the YBox2 kit!

Details
May 17, 2011 20:07