MEdiaCOre sofaside Digital Lifestyle PC now on sale

When you think coffee table PCs, you probably think Savant. You probably also think: "I can't afford that." At least with the MEdiaCOre Digital Lifestyle PC, you can possibly pretend it's within reach, as creator Pearing Core Systems has it starting well below five figures. After digging a bit, we found that this HTPC / AV rack conglomerate starts at around $6,100, and obviously, you can take that figure about as far north as you please depending on configuration. A fairly novel concept, sure, but one we figure only a select few will realistically consider.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

[j3lunt @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:55AM]

how do you change the channels independently between the 2 cable boxes? I would think they would change to the same channel unless you were directly on top of the sensor.

bad setup or am i missing something?

[Wiserun @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:12AM]

You're missing those white bands over the IR sensor. The PC captures the IR signal and distributes it to the correct box.

[computer.dude.28 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:13AM]

those are both dual-tuners but as far as I can tell can only output one channel at a time. I have one and the best you can do is watch one channel and record another or record both. Not sure how you could get both channels to a computer at once. Although, if you could manage to do it, you're looking at a nice quad tuning rig there.

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:03AM]

passes me by.

[patrick @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:09AM]

Oh god, just get it away from those awful Comcast DVRs. Awful awful.

[computer.dude.28 @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:17AM]

those aren't necessarily comcast. Here in Canada we have Shaw and they use these too. They're Motorolas. Unfortunately, Shaw also sucks.

[Muhammad-Oli @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:22AM]

MEdiaCOre Mediocre.

[Jason Litka @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:58AM]

That's the exact same thing I saw when I read the title. They need to rethink the company name...

[eric f. @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:26AM]

This would be a great solution for all my game consoles!

[Tom @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:28AM]

Mediacore? Do they really want a product name so close to mediocre?

[Brian B @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:30AM]

That's the first thing I saw too. Nice naming job.

[frankXchange @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:21AM]

I can't imagine what their marketing department was thinking. If you read it quickly it looks like "Mediocre." I presume they were also considering calling it the ProSayik or Nsipid. TD-Us?

[konshuss @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:00AM]

a good idea, but one i'd rather make happen on my own for thousands less... and encase it in a larger coffee table.

[Garrett @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:31AM]

Ummm..... I'll be waiting for a computer interface with tru2way and eliminate the 2 cable tuner boxes. I'd even be happy with a current cable cards. Who is holding up these open platform and streamlined cases? My guess is the media companies that are making gobs of cash with mandatory rentals.

Just let me use my hardware so I can make it as pretty or ugly as I want! Barely anyone still remembers a time when you had to get your telephone from the telephone company. That would seem pretty stupid in current days.

[kevin @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:50AM]

I have a similar, home made setup, with a couple Motorola HDTV boxes. You can get the HDTV through firewire, and SD through Coax, channel changing is done by either IR Blasters, or over Firewire. The biggest problem with the above picture, is that both the HTPC and the cable boxes produce a LOT of heat, and they are definitely not happy in a small confined space with little to no ventilation. I had to install some silent, high output fans into the back of the cabinet I am using, not to mention the wires coming out of it, making it a little less likely to be used as a coffee/cocktail table, but more as a disguise right beside your TV/AV rack.

[bonedog @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:57PM]

I like the idea, but the table they're using is fugly... I think I'll give this a shot except mine will be prettier and under 2k.

[GaryZ @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:57PM]

just imagine the swarm of cables that this thing will drag to your sofaside...also, it's possible to put this set together yourself for half the price tag or less

[Steve @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:29PM]

This looks like my parent's "hi-fi"(TM) cabinet from 1985