TWNMM: Websurfer FAQ

Websurfer FAQ
Created: Sometime in 2000

Q: What is the WebSurfer Pro?
A:The WebSurfer Pro is a box manufactured by a company calling themselves "Innovator". They have a website at www.websurfer.com.
Like many machines of it's ilk (ie. the I-Opener), it is nothing more than a low-end PC with a custom OS on board. The WebSurfer Pro differs from the I-Opener in that it is designed to be used with a TV set instead of having it's own display.
The hardware is a Cyrix MediaGX board, with a Cyrix 180MHz processor. This would make it comparable (if a little slower) in performance to the I-Opener. Unlike the I-Opener, it has one usable ISA/PCI combo slot, making expansion much easier.
Size wise, it is a bit smaller than a standard consumer audio component. It is comparable in size to the newer WebTV units, which it was designed to compete with.
Here is a pretty good picture of what it looks like inside. Note that in this shot, I've installed a PCI IDE multifunction board (with an ISA bridge) in the one slot. (this picture shows the internals as they ship)
Q: Do I have to use a special ISP?
A: Unlike other devices, you are not bound specifically to using their ISP. In fact, the instruction manual provides methods to hook it up to your own existing ISP using the modem. Note that I believe they still charge you a monthly fee if you "Bring your Own Access", not unlike AOL.
Q: Okay, what about Linux/FreeBSD/etc.?
A: The hardware in the WSPRO is pretty much all standard. The modem even appears to be a real, honest-to-goodness modem, with Linux support. I have gotten Linux running on the machine without much effort.
The keyboard appears to be a standard PC keyboard, just infrared. Sound appears to be exactly what you'd expect on a MediaGX motherboard.
Q: How do you mount a hard drive inside?
A: The biggest issue with mounting a hard drive inside is space. There isn't a lot of real estate inside for a hard disk to be mounted. The other issue is that the power supply is not a standard-issue PC one. All the voltages are there, but the connector is different than what you'd have on a standard hard drive. I have successfully gotten the machine to boot with an external power supply powering the drive. Here is a picture of the machine hooked up that way, booting a flavor of BSD.
I never did sucessfully get a hard drive mounted inside the machine. I theorise that perhaps you might be able to mount a 2.5" drive to the top of the machine, but then opening and closing the case might be a challenge.

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