VoodooPC Aria media PC reviewed

VoodooPC's Aria media center PC might be expensive at close to $4,000, but you get a lot for your money, according to PC Magazine. Among the features highlighted by the magazine are the Aria's built-in touchscreen LCD display, two 250GB drives, AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 processor and nVidia GeForce 7800GTX graphics card. However, the most interesting feature — and one of our faves as well — is the Aria's built-in DVD-ripping function, which lets you archive your DVDs to its hard drive. Sure, as PC Mag says, this may be a DMCA violation. But are you gonna let that — or a $4K price tag — stand in the way of a pure entertainment experience?

[chip @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

4k price tag.

[Martin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I read that too chip. Nice comment.

I'd get this thing in a heartbeat if I had the money. Those are some nice specs, and the built in touchscreen (which I doubt would ever really get touched) is a nice feature. I think to be able to browse your collection on this screen while watching something on your TV or LCD would be nice as well.

[hal9000 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

review (if you clikc on the picture) says 'unique'
Well i know of at least 2 other manufactures making an almost identicle case!
Silverstone
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-lc18.htm
DIGN
http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/product.php?productid=967&cat=162&page=1
and i think Coolermaster make one as well?

[Pal @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Wouldn't it be funny...if Voodoo got shut down for this?

[I.E @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

the voodoo case is an OrigenAE X15e. http://www.origenae.com/product_x15e.htm
Makes more sense to build one instead of paying an outrageous price just for putting it together. Don't forget to put MythTV on it :)

[SR @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

what a *******ing waste of money. 7800gtx for a home theater media center pc? WTF?

[SR @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

oh martin. go check out this. yes, you can hook it up to your 50" hdtv plasma, but guess what, it comes with a remote, "media center like" software and a 17" or 20" LCD built in! wow! http://www.apple.com/imac

[iBill @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

sounds fun, too bad it's 4k. I'll stick with the imac's media center functions for now.

[nizzy1115 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

ummmm SR? Yes a 7800gtx for a mcpc. Wouldn't you like to play the best games at high resolution on your plasma tv in your family room? and btw, good luck playing them on your f'in imac because it can't. I really like the whole idea of this and the voodoo puts it all together very nicely. Sure you could put it all together your self for a bit cheaper, but hey, if you have the money for this you wont be dissapointed becuase it is nicely put together already. And btw, you can hook up just about any hdtv to any computer...that imac is nothing special. What the difference between the voodoo and others is that the voodoo is a crazy high performance mcpc for the rich to have fun with...Stop bashing a great product when you obviously dont know much about computers...

[nizzy1115 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

ummmm SR? Yes a 7800gtx for a mcpc. Wouldn't you like to play the best games at high resolution on your plasma tv in your family room? and btw, good luck playing them on your f'in imac because it can't. I really like the whole idea of this and the voodoo puts it all together very nicely. Sure you could put it all together your self for a bit cheaper, but hey, if you have the money for this you wont be dissapointed becuase it is nicely put together already. And btw, you can hook up just about any hdtv to any computer...that imac is nothing special. What the difference between the voodoo and others is that the voodoo is a crazy high performance mcpc for the rich to have fun with...Stop bashing a great product when you obviously dont know much about computers...

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

#6,
Playing games on your TV is an option with a media center PC, so I don't see how the GTX is a waste. Although at 4k, I could probably build an identical system for much cheaper. I wonder how much those touchscreens go for.

[cesar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I have to agree with some of the other posts 4k is just too much $$ sure its slick looking but you can build a dedicated hdtv myth box for under a grand,ya you wont be able to get your game on but still

[Anawrahta @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

No DMCA violation..........Voodoo is a Canadian company and there is no DMCA in Canada. Luckily there are still some rights up there.

[Pacey @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

You can pick up 6 or 7 inch touch screens for car use for a couple of hundred bucks, and since they are used for car pc's, they would be easy to adapt to use in a PC case.

[nizzy1115 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

looking at newegg they have:

15" touch screen for $499 and 17" for $730.

7800gtx is about $430

2x250 gb hard drives is about $200

XP MCE = $140

AMD FX-57 = $1000

DFI LANPARTY nF4 SLI-DR Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI ATX AMD Motherboard = $200

GOOD Ram $200

Case = $100

good PSU = $150

this total is going cheap and probably missing some things out of the voodoo's system and i get around $3000 bucks...add shipping and everything little like fans and good heatsinks and several hours of work putting it together and your looking at $3500-$3600 if you do it yourself.

I think voodoo hit it right.

[slepT @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I built my Windows Media Center machine from scratch for a total of $385.00. That includes everything (all hardware and a copy of MCE 2004 w/remote control) except the monitor/tv.

[Arman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

Here are specs on a comparable system if you built yourself, All that is missing is the graphics card. The only difference is a downgrade on processing power and an upgrade on HDD storage (1 Terabyte) and Memory (2GB) and a HDTV tuner and Regular Tuner card combo.

This could be had for probably around $800 cheaper (~$3200)


Uneed X15e HTPC Case with LCD Touchscreen, Silver
- Card Reader Aluminum (Silver) Internal 17-in-1 USB 2.0
- I/R Module USB I/R Module
- PSU Seasonic S12-430, 430W Silent PSU
$751.85
DVICO FusionHDTV5 Lite, HDTV Tuner Card, ATSC, QAM
$99.00
MCE 2005 / PVR-150MCE / MCE Remote / NVDVD Decoder Bundle
$219.95
Microsoft Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center (OEM)
$69.95
SuperTalent PC3200 2G (1GB x 2) DDR400 Dual-Kit CL3
$208.00
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3500641AS 500GB 7200RPM 16MB SATAII
$778.00
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3800+ (2.0GHz), Socket 939 - Retail
$379.00
Gigabyte GA-K8N Ultra-SLI, AMD 64, Socket 939, nForce4, 4GB, ATX
$144.00
Zalman CNPS9500 LED Cu CPU Fan Intel 478/775, AMD 754/939/940
$64.95
Sony DWQ30A 16X Double Layer (8.5GB) DVD+-RW Dual Drive, Black
$49.95
Noise Isolator Kit for ATX Power Supply, Silicon Rubber
$2.95
Anodized Aluminum Thumb Screws, Black, 4PK***
$3.90
Noise Isolator Kit for 80mm Fan, Silicon Rubber
$3.90


Sub-Total: $2,775.40










Shipping Methods: Rates:
United Parcel Service (2 x 29.04lbs) (Ground) $33.90 [select]

Total Cost Etimate:

Sub-Total: $2,775.40
United Parcel Service (2 x 29.04lbs) (Ground): $33.90
Total: $2,809.30

[cs @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

These guys have a similar sort of idea for a bit cheaper depending on your configuration.

http://www.2partsfusion.com/dms-702.htm

[Johny Wayne @ Dec 19th 2005 1:37AM]

I do love this pc - paint job itself is worth at least couple of hundreds... Simply work of art!!