It’s not often that I sing the praises of a single product. Most times, I use several different devices to do what I want. Whether that means listening to music, computing, or watching television, it doesn’t matter. If I want to do it, chances are, several devices will be needed to get the job done.
But as I continue to use my launch-day iPad, it’s becoming clear that all my hopes for an all-in-one device have finally been realized. Apple’s lightweight tablet is quickly becoming my go-to entertainment device for those times when I want to surf the Web, check my e-mail, watch a quick movie, or catch up on a favorite show. It simply provides everything I need in my house in one small package that makes just about everything else unnecessary.
I know you might wonder why I would want to give up a 50-inch plasma for a tablet sporting a 9.7-inch display. It’s an understandable question and one that I can’t so easily answer. I certainly see the value of a big screen, and with all the gadgets I have connected to it, I’m fully capable of doing everything I can on my iPad, on my television, as well. But that doesn’t matter. With the ease of use that the iPad provides me, I’m much happier sitting on the couch and using my tablet.
Let me take you through an average day with my iPad to show you why.
When I wake up, I check the iPad next to the bed to see any e-mails that I might have received that night. After examining them, I take a seat at the table and have my breakfast with the iPad in hand, checking out the breaking tech news. From there, I put it next to my couch and head in to my home office to get going on the day.
Once my work is done each day, I take a seat on the couch, pick up the iPad, and check to see if there are any updates to the online video or television shows I watch. I’ll either watch them through iTunes or, if it’s an older show, on the free Netflix app that works beautifully with the iPad.
If I’m up for a movie, I can either turn “The Godfather II” on, which I purchased from iTunes, or simply pick another film that’s available. iTunes has a great selection, but as mentioned, Netflix is pretty worthwhile too.
It gets better. If my wife asks me a question or I hear something on the news that I want to look up, I can pick up the iPad again and do it. And let’s not forget that I can also play games, thanks to the App Store’s multitude of available apps.
So, let’s recap. For me, the iPad allows me to surf the Web, check e-mail, watch movies, watch television shows, view online video, and play games. It provides me with the same experience as my entire home-entertainment set up.
But there are two major differences between that set-up and the iPad.
For one, the iPad is a self-contained unit that allows me to bring all that entertainment with me wherever I go. And although the screen is smaller, I don’t miss the 50-inch display in most cases.
Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, it could save me a lot of money. Right now, I have an HDTV, three game consoles, two HTPCs, and a few set-top boxes connected in my home-entertainment system. That adds up to thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Compare that to the iPad, which retails for as little as $499, and it quickly becomes clear why folks on a budget would be well-suited to get an iPad to enjoy themselves away from the office, rather than load up on all kinds of gadgets.
I will freely admit that the iPad can’t totally replace all those products — live television will always make televisions relevant — but for the vast majority of my home-entertainment needs, Apple’s tablet gets the job done well every time.
While ultra-compact nettops have been around for some time now, they’re still yet to revolutionize the HTPC market as we were initially promised. Hoping to change all that is Lenovo with their new IdeaCentre Q150, packing NVIDIA’s Ion 2 GPU paired with a low-power Intel Atom CPU. Lenovo say it’s good for 1080p HD; does the real-world experience live up to the spec sheet? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
The IdeaCentre Q150-40816AU bears the mark of Lenovo’s latest updates, throwing out the old single-core Atom chip of its predecessor and replacing it with an Intel D510 with twin 1.66GHz cores. That’s paired with 2GB of DDR2 memory, a 500GB hard-drive, NVIDIA Ion 2 DX10 graphics chipset (with 512MB of dedicated VRAM) and WiFi b/g/n. Ports, meanwhile, include HDMI, VGA, two USB 2.0, ethernet and audio in/out on the back, while there are another two USB 2.0 ports and an S/PDIF digital audio output on the front under a plastic flap. Lenovo supply a stand for propping the Q150 upright, or alternatively there’s a VESA mount on one side so you can hide it behind your HDTV or monitor.
In the box, Lenovo supply a power brick and a wired USB keyboard and mouse set; however, the company also sent us their N5901 wireless keyboard. A distinctive, chubby T-shape, the N5901 has a full QWERTY thumbboard across the top and a trackball underneath, and is primarily intended for those wishing to use the IdeaCentre Q150 as an HTPC.
Setup of the Q150 is straightforward, since it’s a regular Windows 7 Home Premium PC. Obviously there’s no optical drive, and Lenovo save around 30GB of the HDD as a service partition (for re-imaging the PC should you want a fresh install), but generally it’s a case of hooking up a monitor or other display and then getting to work. For HTPC use the front-mounted S/PDIF port seems ill-placed, seeing as it’s unlikely to be the sort of thing you’re regularly plugging in and unplugging, but most will likely use HDMI anyway, which carries both audio and video. We had no trouble connecting to a WiFi network to stream content both from the Q150 and from a standalone NAS.
Intel’s Atom D510 processor may be a step up from earlier iterations, but we still weren’t expecting dramatic performance from the low-power chip. We benchmarked the nettop using Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the IdeaCentre Q150 scored 1242. That’s only a few points higher than we were seeing from Atom 330 machines, and is unsurprisingly akin to what you’d see from a netbook.
In terms of real-world use, the Lenovo lived up to its multimedia billing. Previous machines using the Ion GPU were criticised for patchy performance, since things like Flash didn’t support hardware acceleration and, as such, relied solely on underpowered CPUs. With Flash 10.1, however, the Ion 2 in the Q150 is responsible for HD decoding, and it manages it with minimal fuss. Full-screen Hulu looked great, as did local content. Regular Windows apps, however, were less impressive; with the GPU out of the equation, the Atom CPU struggled with anything more than a little multitasking. Try to do more than surf with a couple of windows open while playing music in the background and the Q150 starts to get a little sluggish.
As for the Lenovo N5901 wireless keyboard, that uses a proprietary USB wireless dongle (which stows in a niche underneath) and is plug-and-play with Windows 7. As well as the QWERTY ‘board there are dedicated multimedia keys, and the whole thing sits nicely in the hand; we wish Lenovo had used the same soft-touch plastic on the front as they have on the back, though, since the glossy finish is a real fingerprint-magnet. The keys themselves are slightly convex, making for easier typing, and while you wouldn’t want to input anything of length, it’s certainly sufficient for searches, Twitter messages, brief emails and URLs. The trackball, meanwhile, is usable, though we wish Lenovo had opted for a gyroscopic navigation system instead. Still, that would add to the price, which at $59.99 is reasonable.
Overall, there’s a lot to like about the IdeaCentre Q150. Notable omissions are Bluetooth and any sort of memory card reader, though of course you could add either via USB. An integrated card reader would arguably be less than useful if your Q150 was mounted behind the TV, too. It’s a quiet-running system, and thanks to GPU acceleration is capable of stutter-free 1080p HD local and streaming video; 500GB is plenty of space for a nettop, too. Currently priced at $399 – $50 more than the single-core model with mere Intel GMA 3150 graphics and a 160GB HDD – it makes for a capable HTPC; throw in a cheap USB TV tuner and you could record TV too, since Windows 7 Home Premium natively supports media center functionality. This isn’t the machine for gaming or video editing, but then we doubt many would confuse it for such: instead it’s a great little media PC that serves up high definition content with minimal fuss.
It’s a tough world for a consumer desktop PC. Laptops have stolen all the glamour; you need to offer something special if you’re going to stand out among the rank and file of stationary computing. Acer’s Aspire X3400-U2012 may not be a true portable PC but, with a small-form-factor (SFF) chassis paired with desktop components does the grunt-for-the-footprint balance make it a sensible buy? Check out the SlashGear review after the cut.
There’s a little of the Lenovo in the Aspire X3400’s design, a solid black mini-tower (standing 10.5-inches high) with a minor splash of blue the only attempt to brighten things. Up front there’s a DVD burner, five USB 2.0 ports, a multi-format memory card reader and audio in/out; at the back there are a further four USB 2.0 ports, both HDMI and VGA, gigabit ethernet, audio in/out (with 5.1-channel support), an eSATA port, PS/2 ports for legacy keyboard and mouse (Acer’s supplied peripherals are both USB, and of reasonable quality if not anything outstanding) and of course power. Build quality is decent, with a pleasant mixture of gloss and matte black plastics.
Inside there’s a 2.9GHz AMD Athlon II X3 435 processor paired with 4GB of DDR3 memory and integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9200 graphics with a 500GB hard-drive, though no integrated Bluetooth and WiFi. Acer offer a 2.9GHz X4 635 processor and up to 1TB of storage as options, while the Aspire X3400 can handle up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. Of course, because of the small size there are no free drive bays inside: the optical drive takes up the 5.25-inch bay and the HDD occupies the 3.5-inch bay.
Software is Windows 7 Home Premium, complete with a basic array of Acer’s own applications. Probably of most interest to the HTPC aficionados likely to be eyeing the Aspire X3400 is the eRecovery Management app, which automatically makes backups of your multimedia store. There’s also the usual trial of Office Home & Student 2007 (together with a full copy of Works 8.5), a trial of McAfee, Google’s Toolbar and Nero 9 Essentials.
We benchmark tested the Acer Aspire X3400-U2012 using Geekbench, a synthetic test of processor and memory performance. It scored a reasonable 5,108, primarily thanks to a strong showing by the processor. In comparison, Gateway’s ZX6900 – which uses a 2.93GHz Intel Core i3-530 with 4GB of RAM – scored slightly higher, at 5,313. Acer’s own all-in-one, the Aspire Z5600, scored 5,475 with Intel’s 2.33GHz Core 2 Quad Q8200 and 4GB of RAM.
The Aspire X3400’s integrated GeForce 9200 graphics are certainly showing their age, and this isn’t the GPU for you if you’re hoping to do any serious gaming. While it may run titles like Crysis it’s at their very minimum settings, and you’ll still see dropped frames. Instead, think of the Aspire X3400 as a home multimedia PC, perfectly sized to slot under your TV, hook up via HDMI (with HDCP support) and act as a media player. On those terms its capabilities are far more adequate; Windows 7 Home Premium includes native media PC features, though you’ll need to add a USB TV tuner if you want to record/pause broadcast TV. It’s a shame Acer didn’t throw a remote control in the box (or at least wireless keyboard/mouse peripherals).
In use, the Acer runs reasonably quietly – there’s some fan noise which may be noticeable during quiet media playback, but nothing extreme – and shows little in the way of lag. We happily browsed several internet tabs with media playing in the background and the Aspire X3400 had no problem keeping up with us. Paired with a sizeable NAS it would certainly work well as an HTPC.
We’d like to see a bigger hard-drive as standard, and obviously the GPU falls short of anything a semi-serious gamer might be looking for, but considering the $459.99 MRSP there’s plenty to like about the Acer Aspire X3400-U2012. Solid – if not outstanding – performance together with an admirably small footprint and lashings of connectivity add up to a strong contender for your living room or home office.
When Apple announced earlier this month that it was releasing a new Mac mini that featured an improved design and far better specs than what was previously available, I was excited. As a long-time Apple customer, I have everything from an iMac to an iPhone to an Apple TV running in my house. But as Apple continues to call the Apple TV a “hobby,” I’m left wondering if it’s really true.
I’ll be the first to admit that I use my Apple TV more than any other device connected to my television. It’s my entertainment hub for when I want to watch some of my favorite video casts, listen to music, or watch some movies that are made available for rent. But in those moments when I want to check IMDb for an actor’s name or Google something related to a show I’m watching, the set-top box isn’t the device I use. I’m forced to put my Apple remote down, pick up my iPad, and check the information out on that instead. It’s a major issue that Apple, for the past few years since the Apple TV has been available, refuses to address. And it’s about time that it did.
But rather than wait on the company, I’ve decided that it’s time to replace my Apple TV. Although I understand that the Apple TV is designed specifically for my entertainment needs, Google’s promise of Google TV, its platform that’s expected to run on several devices later this year, makes me wonder why I’m even considering running the Apple TV anymore. After all, if there are so many other options available to me that will perform all the tasks I expect, rather than just a few, why should I keep using the hobbled alternative?
And that’s where the Mac mini comes in. Although I can pick up home-theater PCs from Dell or Acer, the Mac mini is far more viable. Not only does it run Mac OS X, which would preclude me from needing to worry if my virus definitions are up-to-date, it will work seamlessly with my expanding iTunes library. And thanks to its new HDMI-out port, it’s effectively Apple’s answer to Google TV and all the set-top boxes, like the Logitech Revue, that will be making their way to store shelves over the coming months.
But there is more than just entertainment to like in the Mac mini. The device provides a full-fledged Mac OS X experience. Rather than be forced to only use the applications Apple allows me to on the Apple TV, the Mac mini affords me nothing but opportunity. I can run Microsoft Office on it, and have easy access over the Web to any site. Plus, thanks to its browser, I can view any Web content that I want right on the device.
That could be a key reason why the Mac mini is so appealing to me right now. I can access all the content available to me on the Apple TV through iTunes, plus I can view Web content. I can even go to Hulu and watch some television shows I might have missed for free, rather pay per download on iTunes. It’s a major step forward for those of us who spend so much time in front of our televisions.
It goes beyond the Apple TV. A Mac mini is a far better device than anything Google can muster with the Google TV. It can search the Web just like Google TV and access content like the search giant’s software. But it adds full computing functionality that Google TV devices won’t be able to muster. Simply put, the Mac mini is the best of all worlds. And its functionality is second to none in the HTPC market.
So, I’ll be buying a Mac mini soon. It’s not that the Apple TV isn’t a great device — it is — but it doesn’t provide all the functionality that I need. And I’m unwilling to wait for Apple to finally improve it.
Enough is enough, it’s time to move on. And I’m moving on with the Mac mini.
eMachines has announced a new home theater PC that is small and looks surprisingly attractive for an eMachines system. The new PC is called the Mini-e ER1402 SFF desktop and is about the size and weight of a small book.
The 1402 is 7.1-inches in diameter and weighs 9 pounds. It features integrated 802.11b/g/n WiFi, HDMI connectivity, and SPDIF outputs. The OS for the machine is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.
Inside the small HTPC is an AMD Athlon II NEO CPU, GeForce 9200 graphics, and 2GB of RAM. In addition to HTPC duties, eMachines says that the PC can be used for basic computing as well. Storage is to a 160GB HDD and the small computer has four USB ports. The machine will retail for $299.99.
Boxee has admitted their its plans to launch the Boxee Box by D-Link – the standalone Tegra 2 based media player demonstrated back at CES 2010 – were “overly ambitious”, and that they will indeed miss their Q2 2010 launch window. Instead, the Boxee Box will make its retail debut in November across the US and Canada.
The angular set-top box is the latest second-gen Tegra based device to have seen a delay. However, Boxee’s Avner Ronen has declined to confirm that the 1080-capable SoC is the cause of the hold-up; on the Boxee blog, he states that “the delay is due to all parties involved. everything is interwind [sic], so hard (and not productive) to lay the blame on just one party.”
He goes on to suggest that it’s a combination of hardware and software not being ready in time. The Boxee Box will play GPU-accelerated local and streaming video content at up to 1080p, using USB external storage rather than an internal hard-drive, and supporting Flash 10.1. No word on pricing at this stage.
You can generally rely on VIA for a skinny mainboard with HD credentials, and their new VIA EITX-3001 doesn’t disappoint. Based around the Em-ITX standard, a compact 12 x 17 cm form-factor, the fanless EITX-3001 packs an integrated 1.3GHz VIA Nano E-Series processor, VIA VX855 media system processor and HDMI connector, and is suitable for outputting 1080p High Definition video with hardware decoding of MPEG-2, H.264, VC-1 and WMV9 content.
There’s also a VGA port, gigabit ethernet, dual COM ports, four USB ports, a USB device port and audio jacks, and then there are plenty of headers for hooking up other devices and display options. VIA also offer a range of wireless modules and I/O cables, and the EITX-3001 also has a USB touchscreen driver onboard.
VIA reckon the EITX-3001 will be of most interest to kiosks, embedded and other relatively dull applications, but we can see home users drawn to its low-power requirements, fanless build and HD output; it would make for an interesting HTPC unit, certainly. No word on pricing, though it’s apparently available to customers now.
Press Release:
VIA EITX-3001 Shows that ‘Thin is In’ for Embedded Devices
VIA announce VIA EITX-3001, a slim-line Em-ITX form factor board featuring VIA Nano E-Series and HD video over HDMI
Taipei, Taiwan, 9 June 2010 – VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA EITX-3001, its latest Em-ITX form factor board and the ideal solution for a range of durable and fanless next generation devices in kiosk, HMI, POI and POS embedded applications.
Combining the latest VIA Nano E-Series processor and the VIA VX855 media system processor, the VIA EITX-3001 offers a full featured I/O specification on a specially developed slim-line board. Fanless devices based on the VIA EITX-3001 can enjoy absolute stability within a wide temperature range in a low profile system of less than 35mm high.
“With the VIA EITX-3001 we’re offering a full-featured board that is the ideal starting point for much slimmer, fanless and rugged devices,” said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. “The VIA EITX-3001 combines versatility with ruthless stability at extreme temperatures in a form factor that is ideal for space constrained industrial and commercial environments.”
The VIA EITX-3001: Slim, Stable and Fanless
The VIA EITX-3001 is powered by a 1.3GHz VIA Nano E-Series processor, bringing a performance optimized, 64-bit architecture to today’s modern embedded applications. The VIA EITX-3001 also takes advantage of the VIA VX855 media system processor, a feature packed all-in-one digital media chipset that brings excellent hardware acceleration for the latest HD video formats including MPEG-2, H.264, VC-1 and WMV9.
The VIA EITX-3001 is based on the unique Em-ITX form factor, placing both the VIA Nano E-Series processor and VIA VX855 MSP on the reverse side of the board, optimizing available board real estate and facilitating simple fanless chassis designs. The VIA EITX-3001 is guaranteed to be stable in passive cooling configurations at temperatures ranging from -10oC to 60oC.
The VIA EITX-3001 includes an onboard DC-to-DC converter that has both AT and ATX power modes, supporting a wide range of power input voltage from DC 7V to DC 36V, configurable through an onboard switch. An on board built-in 5-wire/4-wire USB Touch interface makes the EITX-3001 ideally suited for high-end interactive touch screen multimedia applications.
Dual I/O coastlines allow for a wealth of I/O ports including a HMDI port, VGA port, Gigabit Ethernet, dual COM ports, four USB ports, a USB device port, audio jacks and power and HDD activity LEDs. LVDS is supported through on board pin headers allowing for a range of multi-display options including CRT/LVDS, CRT/HDMI and LVDS/HDMI configurations.
The VIA EITX-3001 supports all 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating systems including the latest Windows Embedded Standard 7.
The VIA EMITX-30001 is available to customers now. To learn more about the VIA EITX-3001 please visit:
I spend an inordinate amount of time in my living room. Part of that time is spent watching television. When I’m not watching some of my favorite shows, I’m probably reviewing video games. But there’s something else that I have in my living room that I wouldn’t go without: a PC.
The idea of having a computer connected to an HDTV certainly isn’t new. For years, companies have been marketing PCs as fine solutions for those who want to relax on the couch. Dell, Acer, and others have all gotten in on the fun.
But the value of owing a Home Theater PC starts with price. Whether it’s Apple’s Mac Mini you’re looking for, or something on the PC side, like Acer’s AspireRevo or Dell’s Zino HD, Home Theater PCs are now easier than ever to get your hands on. In fact, Dell’s device starts at $250, and can be customized with all the bells and whistles for less than $600. The same can be said for most of the Home Theater PCs on the market, aside from the Mac Mini, which will set you back a bit more.
Once you pick up the device of your choosing, you’ll be shocked to see how much value you really get out of it. No, it won’t replace the powerful desktop you have running in the home office. It won’t even be as easy to use as Apple’s iPad for those times when you want to quickly check your e-mail. But it extends the functionality of your living room beyond anything currently available on the market. And that’s a boon for any tech lover.
Work or play?
Admittedly, I wasn’t so keen on getting an HTPC at first. I figured that I would be allowing my work to encroach upon my personal time. Rather than enjoy the computer, I’d be checking e-mails or writing stories from the couch. No matter where I went, I’d be within arm’s reach of a product that would increase the amount of time I work each week.
But then I bought an HTPC and that preconceived notion went away. Now, I sit in my chair in the living room, pick up my Bluetooth-connected keyboard and mouse, and flip the channel to the proper input. I boot up the PC and watch as my Windows desktop fills up all my 50 inches of my Panasonic plasma HDTV. It’s a beautiful thing. And although I might check my e-mail at first, I’ve found that I’m using the HTPC more as an entertainment product than a replacement for my notebook.
For instance, just last night, I couldn’t find anything worth watching on television. Rather than flip to the OnDemand channels or get up to pop a Blu-ray disc into my PlayStation 3, I flipped over to my HTPC. Within seconds, I was accessing YouTube and Hulu content. And since it’s a real computer, I was also able to run a quick Google Search for something my wife wanted to look up.
Now, some might say that an HTPC is obsolete. Currently, devices like Roku’s HD XR, or even the Apple TV can deliver content that’s already available on the Web. Roku’s box offers Netflix access, the Apple TV lets users view content from iTunes, and even the TiVo has access to Amazon’s Video On Demand service. And since Google TV is right around the corner, much of the functionality built into the HTPC is well on its way to being replaced.
But I view it a different way. Google TV is obsolete. So is every set-top box. They only perform a small portion of the functionality that I can enjoy on my HTPC. Plus, in order to get all the services I can access on my HTPC, I would need to pay for each set-top box because of the odd licensing deals vendors and service providers set up.
That doesn’t work for me. And it shouldn’t work for you. The future of home entertainment is firmly planted in the living room. And although new services are coming every day, the standard old computer still works best when attempting to achieve that goal.
There’s no doubt that getting hardware shown off, in any capacity, is something we look forward to. Especially if it’s an early sneak peek of something we’re still a ways out of getting any official look at. For example, the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC, which is sitting over in Taipei right now just waiting to get unveiled at this year’s Computex. And, oddly enough, it’s actually pretty good.
Thanks to the folks over at TweakTown, we’ve got a video that does a pretty good job of showing what this HTPC has in store for those who can wait a little while. It’s got an aluminum casing that’s probably way too glossy for its own good (not in a bad way at all), and inside there’s an Intel Core mobile processor, and a NVIDIA GeForce GPU for 3D Vision graphics.
On the outside of the HTPC –not that there’s not enough stuff on the inside to keep us enthralled–, you’ll be happy to find that there’s 4 USB 3.0 ports, dual-link DVI, 7.1 audio, a Blu-ray drive, and an HDMI 1.4 port. ASRock is aiming to have this HTPC out on the street by some time in July, but if you really want to experience the 3D goodness it proffers, you’ll have to pick up NIVIDIA’s 3D Vision kit, which has its own software along with the glasses. No pricing yet, either, unfortunately, but that will probably be taken care of here very soon.
MvixUSA have unveiled their latest home media systems, and the HDHome raises the game from basic streamers of the past and delivers a full Windows 7 HTPC experience. The Mvix HDHome Media Center is available in two sizes – S2, with two hot-swappable HDD bays, and S4 with four bays – each offering a slot-loading Blu-ray player, embedded TV tuner, RAID, WiFi a/b/g/n and HDMI.
Each supports RAID for redundant storage of whatever media files you load, back-up or record, and there are various memory card slots for transferring footage off of your digital camera or camcorder. Each unit has gigabit ethernet, optical audio outputs, Bluetooth 2.0 and HD 3D audio processing; the S2 is based on an Intel Atom 330 dual-core CPU with 2GB of RAM and NVIDIA Ion graphics, while the S4 uses an AMD Athlon 4200+ 2.2GHz dual-core CPU, 4GB of RAM and ATI Radeon 3200HD graphics.
Both come with a remote control, six USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA port. The Mvix HDHome S2 is priced at $999 and the Mvix HDHome S4 is $1,599; both will arrive from June 1st 2010.
Press Release:
Mvix HDHome Converges Home Theater, Gaming and Home Computing Into a Single Device
Chantilly, VA. May 25, 2010: Mvix(USA), Inc., a market leader in high-definition entertainment, business signage solutions and networked-accessible storage (NAS) devices, announces the launch of their flagship product HDHome. The device delivers a convergence across high definition home entertainment, gaming and home computing into a single, compact unit along with massive storage space for hi def media files. “This high-end, comprehensive system fills a void in the market where users demand versatility and system flexibility. Our customers have been asking us for a device where they can store terabytes of their movie collection and have access to it from anyplace, anywhere. HDHome is a response to such a market feedback.” Said VP of Business Development, Mike Mallon.
Built along the traditional HTPC architecture, Mvix HDHome is targeted toward movie aficionadas and multi-taskers, who value superior quality, style and multi-source entertainment. It leverages the latest, Windows 7 Media Center® platform to deliver a near-perfect user interface along with a host of networked sharing options. One can browse thousands of internet TV stations, watch Netflix® , Hulu® and easily share media across the home network. HDHome also works as the universal platform for PC-based gaming and multi-player online games.
The HDHome media center features an embedded slot-load, Bluray player with PowerDVD for a complete HD entertainment experience. Eliminating the need for an additional set-top BD box in the living room, HDHome aims to be the center for all things HD, and Digital Media. With an embedded TV tuner, users will be able to watch, pause, and record a live TV program. HDHome uses latest video and audio decoding technology, making it most versatile media (video and audio) playback system in the market. Apart from true 1080p HD movies and images, HDHome also allows rich, HD 3D digital music over HDMI and optical digital audio out.
Inspite of its small size, HDHome provides expandable storage capacity. It features RAID-enabled, hot-swappable HDD bays for reliable, secure storage for all digital media and documents. HDHome is being launched in two flavors: HDHome S2 (2-bay version, priced at $999)and HDHome S4 (4-bay version, priced at $1599). Both models will feature 10/100/1000 network, Embedded Wireless-N, BD Drive, Media Card Slots, HDMI out, Optical Audio Out, TV Tuner and a full, licensed version of Windows-7 Home Premium disk.
Announcing the launch, Mike commeneted: “HDHome is the ultimate dream box for today’s high definition homes. It is the result of our decade long experience in delivering superior home entertainment devices, home theater PCs and media storage technology. HDHome is for people who enjoy and share movies, listen music, tweet, and web-surf – all at the same time, sitting in their living rooms or home theaters.”
