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ASUS' new ViVoPC mini PC can take up to 16GB of RAM, your choice of Intel CPU
It's only been a few days since we first laid eyes on that newly introduced ASUS ViVoPC, but the Taiwanese company kept details short back at Computex, leaving us with the desire to learn a little more about the device. The good news is ASUS has just posted a spec sheet on its website, which lets us (and you) know that its mini PC will have a number of customizable options. Aside from being 802.11ac- and Windows 8-ready, the diminutive ViVoPC can be loaded with an Intel processor (presumably a shiny new Haswell), a maximum of 16GB RAM and your preference of either a HDD or SSD. There are also two USB 3.0 and four USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet and integrated speakers, which ASUS is dubbing SonicMaster. Mum's the word on pricing and availability, but we'll let you know as soon as we come across those specifics.%Gallery-191271%
ASUS announces VivoPC home theater PC packing Windows 8, 802.11ac WiFi
During a chock-a-block event at Computex 2013, ASUS just announced the VivoPC, a compact Windows 8-based home theater PC that can also double as your primary desktop. It'll let you stream HD video via a newfangled 802.11ac WiFi connection, and has a similar spun metal design to the freshly announced VivoMouse. The mini-PC will also feature ASUS's SonicMaster audio, but that's all we know so far in terms of specs -- of course, as soon as we find out such minor details as, say, processor, RAM and storage, we'll update you right here.
MediaPortal 1.3 exits beta with official Windows 8 support, revamped skins
MediaPortal 1.3 is throwing its hat in the air today after graduating from beta to full release status. The Titan skin intended for 1080p widescreen displays has made the final version with plug-in support, but don't worry if it doesn't fit your style or screen, as the default skins have also been refined. UI themes and settings can be easily modified for deeper personalization, and you can now highlight shows in the TV guide to better plan your evening's entertainment. Unencrypted Blu-Rays will work in the native player (with the right decoder) and several improvements have been made to video playback and the bundled codec library. MediaPortal settings can be configured more easily in 1.3 and the "My Videos" section has picked up some new features. Finally, 1.3 adds official Windows 8 support, although the team admits there may be some bugs that remain undiscovered. If MediaPortal is your HTPC software of choice, you might want to check out the complete changelog at the source link, where you'll also find installation instructions if you wanna cut straight to the hands-on.
Mahogany art deco 'heater' houses Intel Ivy Bridge fanless home theater PC
If you have certain interior design tastes, some types of PC case mods may not quite suit your decor. That's where Jeffrey Stephenson comes in, this time with a fanless home theater PC featuring an art-deco style Mahogany shell that slides right over the aluminum chassis. Inside, there's an Intel Core i3-3225 processor running Windows 8 with 8GB RAM, an Intel Cherryville SSD, 150W Pico PSU and Silverstone HE02 passive heatsink. While able to handily perform most media chores (and generate a little heat!), it stays in keeping with his other tasteful, retro designs for those of you who eschew Thermaltake Level 10-type PC cases. Or, almost all of you, anyway.
MediaPortal posts new beta with new look and CableCARD, teases bigger sequel (video)
MediaPortal is a rare veteran spinoff of XBMC -- a testament to its fan base, but also a sign that it needs a fresh coat of paint. A new 1.3 beta might offer just what home theater PC users have been looking for to keep the front end relevant, at least in the short term. It carries a much more contemporary (and less Windows Media Center-like) skin with minor tweaks to the layout and overall interface. CableCARD support also makes its overdue appearance, although the lack of official CableLabs approval keeps the software from recognizing any copy-protected shows. Don't fret if those additions aren't enough, however -- we've been given a hint as to what the long-in-development MediaPortal 2 will offer through a pair of videos. The clips are largely top-level overviews, but they allude to mobile tie-ins, events, extensions, more skin support, video backgrounds and news. With an Autumn Build of MP2 available "right around the corner" for viewers, it might not be long before we learn what those new additions are like through first-hand experience.
OpenELEC-2.0 Linux distro released, turns your PC into an 'appliance-like' home theater device
If you're itching to park that AMD or Intel PC beside your TV as a dedicated home theater device, OpenELEC would like to offer up the first stable release of its Linux distro, version 2.0, for your consideration. The new build is now available for free (with the option to donate, of course), and the group behind it says that the installation takes less than five minutes and requires "zero Linux experience." Once you've done that, it'll be ready to serve your media needs in less than 10 seconds from a cold start, according to OpenELEC, with only a remote control needed to start surfing. The system updates automatically, including the XBMC V11 media core, and now includes PVR support, improved AMD functionality, CEC adapter compatibility, NFS, AFP, CIFS and SSH shares and Airplay / Airtunes support. If you're already Mac- or Windows-centric, an OpenELEC system will play well with all your existing media, so if you're ready to see how the Linux media crowd rolls, hit the source.
Plex launches new Web Client and PlexPass subscription, updates Media Server
Plex fans among us just got treated to a smorgasbord -- albeit one that isn't completely free. The media front-end developer hopes to boost its bottom line through PlexPass, a subscription service that amounts to a paid beta program. Shell out $4 per month and you'll get early access to in-development features, including a slate of premium-only extras during their incubation phase. One of the more ordinary (if important) features is going live today: a revamped Web Client not only rivals the native OS X app for speed but offers full media playback on top of the usual queue management. Whether you subscribe or not, you'll want to get an updated Media Server app that supports both PlexPass and the new client along with improving the server's behavior in several areas, such as lowering its memory use and supporting RTMP transcoding. We hope Plex keeps enough components on the free side of the fence as time goes on. For now, at least, we'll see the paid model as a way for loyalists to reward a company that has been powering their home theater PCs for years.
Biostar Hi-Fi Z77X gives audiophiles 7.1-channel analog sound, overpriced cables thankfully optional
There haven't been many choices in PC motherboards for audiophiles -- the 'real' kind that might see even a good dedicated sound card as slumming it. Biostar wants to fill that untapped niche with the Hi-Fi Z77X. Along with run-of-the-mill expansion for an Ivy Bridge- or Sandy Bridge-based desktop, the board's built-in 7.1-channel audio flaunts six 3.5mm analog jacks, an amp and the kind of exotic-sounding language that leads audio addicts to buy $2,000 cables they don't need. We're talking "metal-oxide film resistors" and "non-polarized electrolysis electric audio capacitors," here. Whether or not the changes have an appreciable impact on sound quality, listeners are ironically left out of S/PDIF audio, which exists only as a header on the board unless buyers spend a little more on parts. That said, if we assume the as yet unknown price isn't stereotypically high -- and that audiophiles don't mind a big, potentially noisy desktop as a home theater PC -- the Hi-Fi Z77x could be a treat for those who want to wring every nuance out of music and movie soundtracks.
Ask Engadget: Best sub-$310 power-efficient HTPC for a caravan?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Is from Martin, who is looking for a hyper-efficient media streamer for his retro caravan. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "My partner and I are renovating a small '70s caravan and would like a power-efficient media center/PC purely to watch our library of movies and TV shows. We're in Australia, so getting hold of kit like the Raspberry Pi would be difficult, we're looking for something that's equally power efficient, even up to $300 AUD (around $310 USD). Cheers!"" That's this week's challenge, Engadgeteers -- do you feel up for it? Can you help our southern hemisphere friends find a power-efficient HTPC for under $310 that won't drain a retro-caravan's batteries? Can we help these people turn the temporary home into a rockin' media-streamin' paradise? Hit us up in the comments if you've got some expertise to share.
How-to: Build a multi-talented HTPC for (roughly) $1,000
More Info Our $1,000 HTPC build from 2009 The one from 2006 Something completely different This is an auspicious year for building an HTPC or indeed any type of sub-$1,000 rig. Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors are about to exert a nice downward pressure on last year's finest, despite the fact that Sandy Bridge still holds up well for many people's needs -- and much the same can be said of AMD's Llano APUs following the arrival of Trinity. In fact, thanks to the market's regular churn, the HTPC parts we look at after the break could easily fall below their $1,019 total bill before you even pick up your screwdriver. (Okay, so we went slightly over $1,000. It's a free country.) On the other hand, you'd have to be mildly loopy to drop serious cash on a PC that's solely for media consumption. Times have changed since our last build in 2009, and they're unrecognizable compared to the time before that. These days, even ARM-powered smartphones can handle 1080p in and out, nettops with Blu-ray drives can be had for $500 and even totally silent fanless HTPCs are available for around $1,000 (albeit with very modest specs). From that perspective, this might actually be a terrible time to persuade people that spending a grand on a plain old home-built HTPC makes sense -- and that's why, after the break, we're not even going to try.
Eyes-on Brytewerks Model One high-def projector and HTPC combo
Back in January, we got our first glimpse of BryteWerks' Model One projector, albeit in render form only. Well, today at DEMO, we finally saw the thing in person and uncovered a bit more info about its innards. It still pumps out 11,000 lumens and throws images on the wall in 1920 x 1200 resolution, but it turns out to have a range of Intel silicon at its disposal: everything from a humble 1.6GHz Atom up to a 3.6GHZ Core i7. There are also multiple storage options, as the Model One comes with an Intel 320 SSD (60 or 120GB) -- where the OS resides to ensure super fast boot times -- and up to a 2TB HDD, so you have plenty of room for all your media. Speaking of the OS, it turns out the projector/HTPC has two: a customized version of XBMC and Windows 7, plus a custom GUI (currently in development) to make calibrating the projector dead simple. Because the projector's 1200-watt metal halide bulb generates so much heat, the internal chassis is built of aluminum and houses the components into four individually cooled chambers. That way, all the PC parts can stay cool on the bottom even while the projector's running full bore. We got to see a hand-built prototype in person, and the Model One strikes an imposing, if elegant figure. It's roughly a foot and a half square cube, with a black brushed metal exterior devoid of any branding or other ornamentation, save for the silver ring around the lens. The power, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 and four RCA connections are situated in the black plastic feet to keep cord clutter to a minimum, and the lens up front is magnetically attached to make swapping it out a simple affair. We got to speak with its creator, Justin Evans, about the genesis of the device, and he informed us that he's but a humble filmmaker who's trying to help out independent theaters, film festivals, filmmakers, and consumers. His goal was to create a projector that's both easy to use and cheap as chips (comparatively speaking) to enable film editing on the big screen and make high quality movie projection available to the masses. Given that the Model One is set to start shipping in six to eight weeks at an asking price of $2999, we'd say he's hit the mark -- assuming the image quality is as good as he says it is, and the build quality of the production model's up to snuff, of course. Here's hoping we get to see the thing in action sometime soon.
MythTV turns 0.25, is actually ten in human years
Perhaps it's to help it keep that start-up vibe but, for whatever reason, on the eve of its tenth birthday MythTV is about to release version 0.25. That's right, it's the two bit anniversary of one of our favorite open source HTPC programs. So, what's new in this edition? A lot. In fact, for full details you'll have to hit up the changelog at the source. But, we can guarantee that the new MythTV Services API will open up a whole new frontier to devs. If you're looking for more, well, don't worry -- the creators have also added support for IPv6, AirPlay, HTTP Live Streaming, and DirectX acceleration. For more details and to download the beta for yourself, hit up the source link.Update: One more major feature added to 0.25 is the support for CableCARD tuners. That capability was added to 0.24 through patches, but this next version supports it out of the proverbial box.
BryteWerks Model One combines HTPC and 16:10 HD projector for $2,449
With countless digital projectors ranging in quality from the bottom-shelf drug store stocking stuffer to the six-figure top-of-the-line behemoth, getting your foot in the door as a manufacturer is a near-impossible endeavor. Unless you've designed something like this -- the Model One, from BryteWerks. We've only had a peek at the ultra-sleek glossy black renders at this point, but we're holding out hope that this cube looks as fantastic in person as it does in the gallery below. Inside, you'll find a 16:10 widescreen 1920 x 1200 projector with a brightness of 6,000-11,000 lumens, depending on configuration. There's also a built-in home theater PC, complete with an Intel Core i3 to i7 CPU, Blu-ray drive and storage options that include a 2TB HDD or 500GB SSD. The system can be controlled using the embedded 720p 8.9-inch touchscreen, or remotely using a keyboard and mouse or an Android or iOS app. There's no word on release date just yet, but Model One pricing ranges from $2,449 to $5,999. Hit up the source link to place your order after the site goes live on January 9th.
Lenovo's diminutive Q180 HTPC dishes out multimedia for $349
Ultrabooks have been getting a lot of love from PC makers these days, and Lenovo's no exception. But laptops aren't the only machines getting slim and trim, and the Chinese firm has outed its svelte IdeaCentre Q180 home theater PC to fulfill your entertainment needs. Stuffed inside a 22mm-thin frame that makes other skinny HTPCs look downright portly, is a 2.13GHz Intel Atom dual-core CPU plus Radeon HD 6450A graphics and up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM to keep video playback buttery smooth. You can also get up to a 750GB HDD or a 128GB SSD to store all of your myriad media, and a Blu-ray drive's available for those digging disc-based content. Hooking up displays and peripherals are easy with USB 3.0, VGA and HDMI out, and wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and 802.11b/g/n WiFi. The Q180 starts at $349 for the base model, with prices escalating accordingly if you start adding options like a hand-held keyboard. Full PR's after the break.
Edge HD2 Mini PC is an HTPC that hides behind your TV
When it comes to home theater PCs, size matters -- and it doesn't get too much smaller than Sapphire's original Edge HD mini PC, pictured above. In fact, Sapphire saw no reason to fiddle with the Edge's diminutive form factor when designing the HD2, and instead poured itself into improving the HTPC's specs. Not only is the updated mini-rig small enough to mount behind your HDTV, but it also packs a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. All this (and 1080p VGA / HDMI out, of course) at 30W, "20 times less power than a typical desktop PC," according to Sapphire. No word on price (or pics, for that matter), but feel free to jump past the break for an official press release with full specifications.
iGUGU InterneTV works as promised in its strange little niche (hands-on)
The first time we laid eyes on iGUGU's InterneTV marketing materials, we sensed something was strange in the neighborhood. After seeing the unique product in action though, we've decided to give it a bit more credit. Unlike most internet TV solutions that rely on set-top boxes to stream content, iGUGU's product attempts to make connecting an existing computer to a TV easier using software, a wireless or wired TV connector, and a special QWERTY keyboard remote. The software then provides a not-so-pretty TV interface for browsing through any type of content a computer could normally access online. True to its word, we watched the system play videos on ABC.com and other blocked sites devices like a Roku box or AppleTV can't access. The application also allows users to play local content stored on the computer and aggregates content in pre-populated "channels" like local news, movies, and TV shows. That's all gravy, but we're not sure its worth $99 considering it still requires a computer to work. For more shots of the UI and included components browse through the gallery below. %Gallery-113946%
NVIDIA launches sub-$80 GeForce GT 430 for single-slot cooler enthusiasts
The graphics card that doesn't require a fridge-sized cooler is turning into something of a rarity nowadays, but we doubt the market for quiet, efficient, and halfway-decent GPUs is ever going to disappear completely. NVIDIA is fleshing out its Fermi family today with a creature that aspires to such epithets, the 96 CUDA core-equipped GT 430. It's a patently humble GPU, as indicated by its $79.99 typical price, 49W TDP, 5.7-inch board length, and single-slot cooler design. Mind you, while those are typically considered positives, they do limit gaming performance quite significantly, with the GT 430 getting roundly beaten by ATI's (sob!) AMD's similarly priced Radeon HD 5670. So what niche is left for this card? Well, it's an upgrade over integrated graphics and it gets you on the 3D bandwagon, but on the whole we're left scratching our voluminous craniums as to why anyone would dodge AMD's more accomplished hardware for NVIDIA's latest. Hit up the reviews below and form your own opinion, if our one doesn't suit your outfit today. Read - HardOCP Read - AnandTech Read - PC Perspective Read - Hot Hardware Read - Legit Reviews Read - Hexus%Gallery-104721%
Dell whips out 23-inch Inspiron One all-in-one and Zino HD
It's been awhile since we've heard from Dell on the home entertainment front, but don't you worry, the guys in Round Rock have been right on top of it. First up is the brand new Zino HD home theater PC, which like we'd heard is being updated with an AMD quad-core Phenom II processor that's more than capable of pumping out full HD to your HDTV. In typical Dell spirit there's tons of configuration options, including one for 1GB of ATI discrete graphics, a Blu-ray drive, and up to a terabyte of storage. For $299, we're a bit giddy about this little one considering it packs more power than any of those Ion nettops and it comes with a wireless keyboard and IR remote control. If a large touchscreen all-in-one is more your thing, the Inspiron One can be configured with similar parts -- an AMD Athlon II X4 processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5450, Blu-ray, and up to 1TB are all on the list. To us, the real appeal of this one is its 1920x1080 resolution, 23-inch display, which produced some pretty stunning HD playback when we saw it in action last month. Dell's put a lot of energy into its new Stage touch interface, which consists of different tiled applications. It's actually more than eye candy as we're betting those Netflix and CinemaNow tiles will see plenty of tapping. The One starts at $799 and will be available this coming weekend -- but before you yank out the wallet, we'd suggest flipping through the galleries below and hitting the break for a read of the press release. %Gallery-103008% %Gallery-103009%
Shuttle's excessively thin XS35 nettop now shipping, 1080p Ion 2 graphics and all
It's been a long wait (nearly half a year, in fact), but Shuttle has finally transitioned the XS35 from a luscious HTPC promise into a retail reality. The 1.5-inch thick nettop is today rolling out to online retailers in the US and Canada, offering three preconfigured options to suit a variety of budgets. All come with built-in 802.11n WiFi, a dual-core 1.66GHz Atom D510 CPU, 5 USB ports, and a 4-in-1 media card reader, while the pricier two also include DVD-RW drives for good measure. The top XS35 spec gives you 500GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, a HDMI output, and the crowning glory of NVIDIA's scrumptious Ion 2 powering 1080p video playback. Newegg doesn't seem to yet have that SKU available, but it's priced the other two at $240 and $290, suggesting a price somewhere north of $300 for the complete package. Full press release after the break. Update: And sure enough, the Ion 2-equipped SX35 has also made its Newegg debut, yours for $380. Thanks, RatioTitle!
WD TV Live Plus gets reviewed, lauded for value
After being announced in early June, Anandtech recently put the Western Digital WD TV Live Plus through its paces and discovered the Netflix enhancement works as advertised. Like many Netflix-enabled devices though, the TV Live comes up short compared to the full PC experience since access is limited to only the Instant Queue. Its presence also sacrifices firmware hackability -- a quality which previously made up for the WD TV Live's lack of versatility as an HTPC. The ability to move, copy, and manage locally stored media files via the interface, on the other hand, was praised as a unique advantage over competing models -- exciting, we know. Sadly, video quality was docked as being "significantly less than the HTPC counterparts they've seen so far." However, it's possible this could be improved in the future via firmware updates, since its Sigma Designs processor features noise reduction and deinterlacing algorithms that strangely aren't currently enabled. File format-wise, DVD ISOs worked flawlessly, while Blu-ray ISO and some WMV video formats experienced issues that users may want to read up on before buying. Gripes aside though, Anandtech was still willing to place it "around the top of the list" for media player devices, thanks to its wide file compatibility and robust features. For more details, hit the review source link.
