FIRST LOOK: Jetway Magic Twin MiniQ Computer

by Wesley Fink on 4/16/2004 12:05 AM EST
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  • paranone - Tuesday, November 23, 2004 - link

    @fchiu:
    (I assume you're from Anandtech, right? Sorry, I'm new here...)
    I read Windows XP can't really have concurrent sessions, it was planned for SP2 to allow one local and one remote session simultaneously but hasn't been left in the final version, TomsHardware also says it's theoretically possible but in practice it doesn't work (that's what they call "fast user switching" you are both referring to, no?).

    Well, since I read the Jetway 915P-TWIN mobo on TH, I'm looking everywhere on the web to find a software solution but although I don't see any hardware trouble in having 2 users sharing a computer and I read Magic Twin is just a "software add-on" or "software layer", you say it needs some special components but which are those?? I can't figure that out and as I see it, you couldn't either (or didn't want to).
    But indeed you can't install the program on whichever computer, it says it's "hardware protected".

    So does anybody know if it's possible by software, know of a software to do it (enjoying our dual head graphic cards and usb plugs) or if it's not possible without hardware add-on (but why!) is there any widely distributed product out there?
    (I saw this : http://www.adfast.com.tw/easys.htm , probably distributed in 2 1/2 taiwanese stores and the Virtual PC Buddy named above is some really old hardware)
  • timbeech - Wednesday, August 4, 2004 - link

    Howard Computers has a TwinPC available using the Jetway Motherboard. This unit will play UT2004 with a high-end graphics card allow two users to play each other on the same machine AWA play on the network. It has been tested with a variety of applications that require the cd to be in the drive and it works great.
  • RobertJTownley - Sunday, April 25, 2004 - link

    Multiple IP addresses can be assigned to the same Network Interface Card. No special software needed, look at the static windows ip configuration.
  • fchiu - Sunday, April 18, 2004 - link

    #3- I tried it and each station can join ut2003 and play ok.

    #5- software is installed once and running on one computer. it is still ith in the EULA

    #7- hyperthread will help the system. 2 user will give the system to do more process at the same time. More memory also helps.

    #8- Jetway also make Mainboard with this feature. if you want to stick with SSF just use USB External CD Rom.

    #9- the process is time slice is true. If the first station have a command sending to the drive play a DVD movie, it will not let the second user have access to the drive.

    #10- windows xp allow multiple user login at the same time (switch between user)

    #15- There is only 1 network card and 1 IP. IP is just an address for the network to find the system. software will decodes all the information that is recieve from network card.

    #16- how many percent of the world population uses microsoft windows?

    #18- it is still one computer running one operating system. all this will tell you is the score of the system running 2 benchmark software at the same time.

  • fchiu - Sunday, April 18, 2004 - link

  • asianafro - Saturday, April 17, 2004 - link

    would a kvm switch work in this situation? If it ever were to get support from the open source community, it would be a great way to manage 2 operating systems...
  • yumarc - Saturday, April 17, 2004 - link

    To Panther: 2 users can use the computer at the same time.

    I'd also like to see some game benchmarks tests with a high end video card.
  • Panther - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    alright, I'm clearly missing something here. How is this any cooler than have 2 user accounts logged into any old machine?
  • TauCeti - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    Great! After billions of dollars spend someone invented a system with the ability for _two_ users to work simultanously with windows XP. A miracle!
    If you have 20 children at home i suggest to get some cheap terminals/X-Servers and use a decent UNIX-box. This is surreal.


  • thraxes - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    I suppose both users share the same IP when connected to a LAN, is that correct? 2 Useres each with their own IP means two NICs, right?
  • tyski - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    #8

    I was curious about that too. The easiest solution I would imagine is to have an extra external CD drive, since most SFF don't have room for two internal drives. Wesley, your answer was a little off the mark.
  • TheDigitalDiamond - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    Oh hell no... someone did not just make a dream come true.. Omg *Starts slapping people* Am I awake? Am I awake? *Pisses himself* Mama bear, lookie, lookie! Lookie god damn it! XD

    I am overexcited obviously :P I'm gonna look hard at JetWay's other products and see what I can do about a massive one case rig. No doubt anything I was gonna build in the first place could power two users... But now two users can actually use it :D I don't spy SATA support though, diskcontroller time :) If anyone has any specific info on this kind of technology, PLEASE, find a way to contact me! Thanks! :D
  • araczynski - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    nice little unit, and a (finally) nicely realized concept. definately a great solution for the typical office user and 'lower/mid' level home user. also curious as to how it behaves/performs when one end is used for gaming and the other for say surfing...i would assume cutting half of the cpu's power from a game would be a significant performance hit, unless perhaps you can allocate a smaller percentage of the cpu's time to the 'lower' level surfing?... lot of nice possibilities.
  • Booty - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    I agree - it'd be nice if they tested this system with additional applications and games. Are there any networking glitches? I know a small accounting firm with about 10 employees that would be happy to swap out their 10 old machines with 5 small, quiet new ones...
  • bloinkXP - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    I wonder if we can get more information on the technology that allows two simulantenous users? Where is it setup? Is it similar to MS terminal server/Citrix technology? All that good stuff.
  • Wesley Fink - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    #8 -

    The single CD is not really any different than an instance of Office. The end-user appears to have exclusive use, but they actually switch with another user in time-slicing. Each user only has exlusive use for a time-slice. There is never a real case where 2 users access the same program or CD, it just appears that way.
  • webrussell - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    How does the SFF case deal with two people playing different games, each of which requires the CD in the drive?

    My thought is concerning my wife's Kindergarten classroom. This would be a great way to conserve space with once CPU but two workstations. However, many of the educational games require the CD in the drive.

    What's the current work-around for this?
  • RobertJTownley - Thursday, December 15, 2005 - link

    There are a few companies making free virtual cd drives. This software is essentially a special driver that fools the computer into thinking it has more DVD drives than actually exist. You tell the driver to mount an ISO image file and this becomes the virtual drive.

    http://www.daemon-tools.cc/">http://www.daemon-tools.cc/

  • Pumpkinierre - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    Great idea. You mentioned multiplexing but does Hyperthreading fit into this anywhere?
  • danishgold - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    There also was a thing called "The Virtual PC BUDDY B-210" it made sharing a PC, between up to 5 people, possible, but without sound.

  • Wesleyrpg - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    hmm, i wonder what the legal implications are for two users using the same piece of software at the same time (ie MS WORD). I bet if Micro$oft got wind of this they would demand two product licences be used. (which means two office installs and twice as much money)

    Anyone else agree?

    WES
  • Zepper - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    Clever, but nothing really new. I haven't seen it for a while, but there was a video card that had outputs for four screens, kbds and mice. And you could put up to four of those in one computer. Worked with some tweaked version of Win.
    .bh.
  • TallCoolOne - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    The first page of this article mentions that this system can be used for 2 player gaming. I know this is only a "First Look" article, but did AnandTech test this? It would be nice to know just how far this system can be pushed. ;) Also interesting would be to see if it can connect to a LAN game and be 'seen' as two separate computers in that environment.

    TC1
  • JKing76 - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    Two words: Gimme key.
  • reever - Friday, April 16, 2004 - link

    I don't think this would have many implications for the home user, but for public place like libraries or schools I think this this would help a lot of people out

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