Virgin Webplayer
Encyclopedia
The Virgin Webplayer is a discontinued Internet appliance
from Virgin Group
. The device was intended as a standalone Internet access device, running a specialized operating system which limited it to the Virgin Connect ISP
. It was discontinued on November 15, 2000. The remaining Webplayer hardware was liquidated and embraced by the hardware hacker
community. Hacked Webplayers remain in use today.
The Virgin Connect service was innovative — for $50, a user would get the Webplayer and unlimited dial-up Internet access (provided through Prodigy
) for three years. However, the Webplayer displayed advertisements while the user was online.
and was manufactured by Acer
under contract by Boundless Technologies and is also known as the Boundless iBrow. Input came through an infrared
keyboard with an integrated trackball
, and the webplayer came with a modem
for connecting to the Internet.
The Webplayer is powered by a 200 MHz Geode GXLV-200
CPU
, 64 MB
of SO-DIMM
RAM
, and a 48 MB M-Systems Disk-On-Chip
2000 for storage. It included two USB
ports and contained a Mini PCI Type IIIB slot and 44-pin IDE header inside. CompactFlash
, VGA, and PS/2
keyboard and mouse headers are present on the motherboard, but the physical connector is not included.
The Virgin operating system was locked to dial into Virgin Online, but a password-protected setup screen was available. A user discovered the scheme and created a utility to guess the rotating password frequently enough to allow an owner to reprogram the device to call into any ISP. However, the experience of using the Virgin OS was not what users wanted, so more serious hacking attempts quickly began.
Since the Webplayer is architecturally similar to a typical x86 PC and included an IDE header, initial attention was focused on accessing the password-protected system BIOS. An insider leaked the password ("schwasck") and the device was quickly converted into a full-fledged PC. Users could simply purchase a 44-pin IDE cable and hard disk drive and run any PC-compatible operating system.
The next efforts included creating a version of Microsoft Windows
that would fit in the 48 MB Disk-On-Chip device. This was quickly accomplished, with a version of 98lite
widely distributed. Attempts to create a specialized Linux
distribution were less successful, since the Webplayer included specialized graphics hardware which was not well-supported at the time.
Users eventually turned to the Mini-PCI slot, adding Ethernet
and 802.11 adapters designed for notebooks. These proved far more reliable than the originally-used USB Ethernet adapters, as the Webplayer's USB hardware was not entirely stable.
Other popular modifications included increasing the system RAM (it used a standard 144-pin PC100 SO-DIMM
) and overclocking the CPU. Some users modified the Webplayer case to accept a built-in CD-ROM
drive, Ethernet ports, and Wi-Fi antennas.
Internet appliance
An Internet appliance is a consumer device whose main function is easy access to Internet services such as WWW or e-mail. The term was popularized in the 1990s, when it somewhat overlapped in meaning with an information appliance, Internet computer, network computer, or even thin client, but now it...
from Virgin Group
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
. The device was intended as a standalone Internet access device, running a specialized operating system which limited it to the Virgin Connect ISP
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
. It was discontinued on November 15, 2000. The remaining Webplayer hardware was liquidated and embraced by the hardware hacker
Hardware hacker
In home computing, a hacker is a person who heavily modifies the software or hardware of their own computer system. It includes building, rebuilding, modifying, and creating software or electronic hardware , either to make it better, faster, to give it added features or to make it do something it...
community. Hacked Webplayers remain in use today.
The Virgin Connect service was innovative — for $50, a user would get the Webplayer and unlimited dial-up Internet access (provided through Prodigy
Prodigy (ISP)
Prodigy Communications Corporation was an online service that offered its subscribers access to a broad range of networked services, including news, weather, shopping, bulletin boards, games, polls, expert columns, banking, stocks, travel, and a variety of other features.Initially subscribers...
) for three years. However, the Webplayer displayed advertisements while the user was online.
Hardware
The Webplayer is essentially a compact x86 PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
and was manufactured by Acer
Acer (company)
Acer Incorporated is a multinational information technology and electronics corporation headquartered in Xizhi, New Taipei City, Taiwan. Acer's products include desktop and laptop PCs, tablet computers, servers, storage devices, displays, smartphones and peripherals...
under contract by Boundless Technologies and is also known as the Boundless iBrow. Input came through an infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
keyboard with an integrated trackball
Trackball
A trackball is a pointing device consisting of a ball held by a socket containing sensors to detect a rotation of the ball about two axes—like an upside-down mouse with an exposed protruding ball. The user rolls the ball with the thumb, fingers, or the palm of the hand to move a cursor...
, and the webplayer came with a modem
Modem
A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...
for connecting to the Internet.
The Webplayer is powered by a 200 MHz Geode GXLV-200
Geode (processor)
Geode is a series of x86-compatible system-on-a-chip microprocessors and I/O companions produced by AMD, targeted at the embedded computing market....
CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
, 64 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
of SO-DIMM
SO-DIMM
A SO-DIMM, or small outline dual in-line memory module, is a type of computer memory built using integrated circuits.SO-DIMMs are a smaller alternative to a DIMM, being roughly half the size of regular DIMMs...
RAM
Ram
-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
, and a 48 MB M-Systems Disk-On-Chip
Flash memory
Flash memory is a non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It was developed from EEPROM and must be erased in fairly large blocks before these can be rewritten with new data...
2000 for storage. It included two USB
Universal Serial Bus
USB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices....
ports and contained a Mini PCI Type IIIB slot and 44-pin IDE header inside. CompactFlash
CompactFlash
CompactFlash is a mass storage device format used in portable electronic devices. Most CompactFlash devices contain flash memory in a standardized enclosure. The format was first specified and produced by SanDisk in 1994...
, VGA, and PS/2
PS/2 connector
The PS/2 connector is a 6-pin Mini-DIN connector used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers, with which it was introduced in 1987...
keyboard and mouse headers are present on the motherboard, but the physical connector is not included.
Hacking
After the demise of official support, the Webplayer drew the attention of computer enthusiasts. A grassroots Co-Op effort was created to purchase a lot of Webplayers from a liquidator, with over 50 members signing up. Eventually, the units were shipped out at $100 each and the hacking began.The Virgin operating system was locked to dial into Virgin Online, but a password-protected setup screen was available. A user discovered the scheme and created a utility to guess the rotating password frequently enough to allow an owner to reprogram the device to call into any ISP. However, the experience of using the Virgin OS was not what users wanted, so more serious hacking attempts quickly began.
Since the Webplayer is architecturally similar to a typical x86 PC and included an IDE header, initial attention was focused on accessing the password-protected system BIOS. An insider leaked the password ("schwasck") and the device was quickly converted into a full-fledged PC. Users could simply purchase a 44-pin IDE cable and hard disk drive and run any PC-compatible operating system.
The next efforts included creating a version of Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
that would fit in the 48 MB Disk-On-Chip device. This was quickly accomplished, with a version of 98lite
98lite
98lite is a utility for Windows 98 and Windows Me written by Shane Brooks without Internet Explorer. Components from Windows along with several operating system components that require IE to be present. 98lite was one of the first programs to provide a method for removing Internet Explorer...
widely distributed. Attempts to create a specialized Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
distribution were less successful, since the Webplayer included specialized graphics hardware which was not well-supported at the time.
Users eventually turned to the Mini-PCI slot, adding Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
and 802.11 adapters designed for notebooks. These proved far more reliable than the originally-used USB Ethernet adapters, as the Webplayer's USB hardware was not entirely stable.
Other popular modifications included increasing the system RAM (it used a standard 144-pin PC100 SO-DIMM
SO-DIMM
A SO-DIMM, or small outline dual in-line memory module, is a type of computer memory built using integrated circuits.SO-DIMMs are a smaller alternative to a DIMM, being roughly half the size of regular DIMMs...
) and overclocking the CPU. Some users modified the Webplayer case to accept a built-in CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
drive, Ethernet ports, and Wi-Fi antennas.
Issues
The Webplayer hardware proved to have a few stability issues:- The USB ports are somewhat unreliable with Ethernet adapters, though they seem to work well with storage and input devices
- The audio system will distort unless the Line-In is muted
- The display adapter is not well-supported and its VGA modes are incomplete
- The ACPIAdvanced Configuration and Power InterfaceIn computing, the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface specification provides an open standard for device configuration and power management by the operating system....
/APMAdvanced Power ManagementAdvanced power management is an API developed by Intel and Microsoft and released in 1992 which enables an operating system running an IBM-compatible personal computer to work with the BIOS to achieve power management.Revision 1.2 was the last version of the APM specification, released in 1996....
BIOS does not work well, with suspend and resume problems common