media center pc
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HP Pavilion Elite m9150f PC handles HD DVD, OTA TV
Not pleased with any of HP's other offerings? Fret not, as we've got yet another one coming your way. The Pavilion Elite m9150f PC comes ready to handle those HD DVD / PVR duties, and it may even withstand a e-mail or two. Here's the dirt: 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor Intel's G33 Express chipset 3GB of DDR2 RAM Dual 360GB (720GB total) 7,200 SATA hard drives HP's Personal / Pocket Media Drive Bays HD DVD (read-only) drive LightScribe-enabled SuperMulti DVD burner Gigabit Ethernet / 802.11b/g WiFi NTSC / ATSC / FM tuners HP Media Center remote control with IR receiver Front-mounted 15-in-1 multicard reader If you couldn't already guess, this one also packs six USB 2.0 ports, twin FireWire sockets, audio in / out, a wireless keyboard / mouse combo and HDMI / DVI outputs. As with HP's other newly announced media PCs, the m9100 series is set to ship this month and start at $1,159.
HP's Phenom 9500-powered Pavilion Media Center m8330f PC
Remember those tasty Phenom chips AMD loosed back on November? We sure hope so, because that's the CPU HP's relying on in its forthcoming Pavilion Media Center m8330f PC. Here's the specifics: 2.2GHz AMD Phenom 9500 quad-core CPU NVIDIA's nForce 430 chipset 3GB of DDR2 RAM Twin 320GB 7,200 RPM SATA hard drives HP's Personal Media Drive Bay LightScribe-enabled SuperMulti DVD burner NTSC / ATSC / FM tuners HP Media Center remote control with IR receiver Front-mounted 15-in-1 multicard reader Beyond that, you can expect six USB 2.0 ports, a pair of FireWire connectors, audio in / out, HDMI and DVI sockets and an HP mouse / keyboard combo. Like the s3330f PC already mentioned, this too will be landing real soon with a price tag starting at $959.
HP's Pavilion Slimline s3330f PC does Blu-ray and HD DVD
A slim PC destined to handle both of the major high-definition movie formats? Say it ain't so! Turns out, HP is indeed doling out such a machine, and it's so eloquently dubbed the Pavilion Slimline s3330f PC. Here's a look at what this mighty mini-tower will be packin': 2.8GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor 2GB of DDR2 RAM 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA drive HP Pocket Media Drive Bay Single LightScribe-enabled optical drive that reads Blu-ray / HD DVD and writes to dual-layer DVDs NVIDIA's 256MB GeForce 8500 GT 802.11b/g WiFi Built-in NTSC / ATSC TV tuners Front-mounted 15-in-1 multicard reader Furthermore, you'll find 6 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, audio in / out, DVI / HDMI ports and a wireless keyboard / mouse bundled in along with a whole suite of software. Intrigued? Be on the lookout for this one to land later this month starting at $949.
Niveus intros "Pro Audio" card for audiophiles
Niveus Media has announced its high-end media server updates for the 2008 model year. Like you'd expect from computer-based hardware, there are the requisite refreshes of components (processor, hard drive, video card, etc.). But a major new feature is the inclusion of a "Pro Audio" soundcard in their Pro Series (n7 and n9) and Summit Series (Denali and Denali Limited Edition) rigs. The new soundcard handles 7.1 channels with its Burr-Brown DACs and boasts a whopping 118dB SNR. For the bitheads out there, that's way more than the theoretical 96dB provided by CD audio, and a full 20-bits of resolution. Pro Audio is available now; pricing of these high-end systems starts at $5k for the Pro Series and $8k for the Summit boxes. Pricey, but we'll go on dreaming.
Moneual's 972 Home Media Server hearts Blu-ray
The last time we heard from Moneual, it was showing off a funky fresh tubular HTPC at CEDIA, but now it seems the firm is putting its poker face back on for the thoroughly traditional 972 Home Media Server. This rig rocks a tried and true flat black chassis, built-in display (at least it sure looks like one), a minimalist feel and a built-in Blu-ray writer to boot. 'Course, you'll find all the usual media PC amenities here including PVR functionality, but mum's the word on actual hardware configurations. Keep it locked for more just as soon as we find out.
Niveus prepping Sierra Edition Media Center PC
Those keeping tabs on Niveus' outdoorsy naming system shouldn't be shocked to hear that it has chosen the Sierra Edition to follow the Rainier and Denali Edition Media Center PCs. Unfortunately, we've absolutely no information on what kind of hardware we can expect to find within this stylish box, but the firm has promised that it'll deliver "impressive Media Center functionality, digital content management, and superior convenience for the whole family." Keep an eye on this space for more, and feel free to join us in hoping for an HD disc drive of some sort to make an appearance when this thing gets official.
Pcalchemy intros Alchemy Series media PCs
Pcalchemey's (yeah, that's how they spell it) busted out a new line of configurable Media Center PCs, with four different models in its Alchemy Series available to tweak to your liking (and budget). Regardless of the model you choose, you'll get a Core 2 Duo processor (from a T5600 on the low end all the way up to an E6700), along with Intel Viiv technology, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, and a Gyration Media Center Remote, which, as you may know, uses motion sensing gyroscopic technology to control cursor/mouse movement in addition to the usual up/down, left/right action (no sensor bar necessary). Prices start at $1,499 for the low-end Alchemy RE, which also happens to be the smallest unit (pictured after the break), all the way up to $2899 for the default config on the Alchemy XE (seen above), although you can bump that price up even further if you opt for some of the pricier upgrades, like a Blu-ray burner, or an extra half terrabyte of storage if the standard 1TB isn't enough for ya.
Silicon Image readies two new PC-ready HDMI transmitters
Ok, so it's certainly not as flashy as Radiospire's wireless HDMI chipset, but Silicon Image has unveiled its latest pair of VastLane HDMI transmitters that reportedly provide "a single-chip solution for enabling PC manufacturers to drive digital output to PC monitors and HDTVs." Doubling up on the performance realized in the first generation of the product, the SiI1392-3 and SiI1932-3 can supposedly drive "any of the biggest, highest-resolution PC monitors" on the market, specifically mentioning Apple's own 30-inch behemoth. In a presumed attempt to get these sets onto motherboards of the future, the firm is releasing them at the same price point as their predecessors, which would hopefully lead to more "standard PCs" offering HD DVD / Blu-ray playback through HDMI. While specific pricing info wasn't available, Silicon Image has its new duo "available for testing," so it shouldn't be too long before these hit retail boards.
Samsung unveils NX-10 ultra slim PC
Samsung's taken advantage of this week's Korea Electronics Show (otherwise known as KES) to show off its NX-10 ultra slim PC, which should fit nicely into just about any living room -- just not ours, since the chances of this reaching our shores anytime soon are about as slim as its form factor. (Yes, we know you want to say it a little too much like a Wii -- no comment.) Measuring a scant 2.2-inches across the front, the Windows XP MCE-based box comes equipped either an AMD Sempron or Turion64 X2 processor in its white incarnation, along with a 200 to 400GB hard drive, nVidia C51MV integrated graphics, a "super multi" combo optical drive, and a 6-in1 memory card reader. Judging from AVING's pics, it looks like the black version gives you some Core 2 Duo action in place of the AMD processors (we knew those stickers were good for something), though you can probably expect the rest of the specs to remain roughly in line.
Sony's iMac-like Vaio VGC-LS1 announced, reviewed
Back in our former lives as sales drones for the big box retailers, we used to cram all our computing gear onto the coffee table, because, well, we couldn't afford a proper desk. We sure wish Sony had been around back then with its all-in-one Vaio VGC-LS1 Media Center desktop, which like the latest generation of iMacs, packs all of the PC components neatly in and around a flat-panel LCD. First appearing in Japan several months ago, the LS1 will finally make it stateside come September, and PC Mag finds the Core Duo-equipped multimedia powerhouse to be a worthy adversary for similar machines from Apple (a wireless keyboard and mouse come standard here) and especially Gateway (its horribly-designed Profile 6 isn't even fit for public display). The LS1 improves upon Sony's previous all-in-one offering, the VA11G, by getting rid of the hardware at the base of the display as well adding ExpressCard and SD slots -- though you still have to deal with an unsightly appendage in the form of a tethered USB IR receiver dongle. The built in TV tuner, dual-layer DVD burner, and 250GB hard drive make this model sound perfect for college students or as a bedroom PC, but the main drawback lies in its lack of HD support: not only is it missing a Blu-ray drive, you're not getting a single HDMI, DVI, or component input for filling that 19-inch, 1,680 x 1,050 screen with high definition goodness. Overall, though, the $2,100 machine comes across as a pretty capable performer with an eye-catching design and only a few, mostly minor drawbacks -- meaning that we would have been proud to give it a home in our dingy little studio apartment.Read- LS1 announcementRead- PCMag review
EVO: Phase One promises to touch down in October
Having been burned oh so many times by the notorious Phantom from Infinium Labs -- perhaps the most infamous piece of vaporware this side of Duke Nukem Forever -- we're more than a little skeptical of any company that comes out of nowhere to offer a "media entertainment console" targeted at gamers. And we're even more skeptical when that company -- in this case, Alabama-based Envizions Inc. -- claims to have been showing off their console at a major trade show that we attended -- in this case, E3 -- but somehow managed to keep it under our radar. We're still going to give the so-called EVO: Phase One the benefit of the doubt, though, as Envizions has just announced October 20th as a solid North American release date for what seems to be little more than a souped-up media center PC out of the box -- although the unit comes with one wireless controller, it will only "have console-like features upon future upgrade applications and hardware assistance." Not a good sign. For $680 you're supposedly getting a machine with an unspecified processor and RAM configuration (also a bad sign) along with a 500MHz Sapphire Radeon X1600 Pro graphics card sporting 128MB of 800MHz DDR3 RAM, a liquid cooling system, and oddly enough, a built-in fingerprint scanner (to protect all of your valuable saved game-states, perhaps?). Again, we'll wait until October to pass final judgment here, but lets just say that we're not going to be the ones throwing down $25 to place a pre-order. Keep reading to check out some of the company's over-the-top marketing, direct from CEO Derrick Samuels' MySpace page...[Via IGN]
The Clicker: A sitdown with Microsoft's Joe Belfiore (Part I)
Every Thursday Stephen Speicher contributes The Clicker, a weekly opinion column on entertainment and technology: You might not know the name Joe Belfiore, but chances are you know his work. As the VP in charge of Microsoft’s eHome division, Joe has been instrumental in helping to grow Microsoft’s dream of a media-rich computing experience into a SKU, Media Center Edition, that at last tally has sold over 6.5 million copies. This week I sat down with Joe. What did I learn? Quite a bit. I learned that even though Joe is one of the key industry-leaders in the DVR space, his wife wears the remote in their family. I learned that, perhaps, producing a “Digital Cable Ready” computer might not be as difficult as you think. But, most importantly, I learned that if you spend an hour with a fast-talker who is incredibly passionate about his work, be prepared to do some editing. Below are some highlights from the discussion:
