Pondering whether to give your living room a digital makeover? Look no further than our list of the 15 most sought-after digital home products in May; media PCs, HDTVs, extenders, recorders and more.
 |
|
|
Sony Esprit TAV-L1
When: May 2006 Worth: 6500
Concealing a Bravia 32-inch LCD TV behind its motorized slide-down front panel, the Esprit TAV-L1 from Sony plays CDs, DVDs and tunes into FM radio broadcasts - all in virtual surround sound. |
|
|
|
Sling Media SlingBox
When: June 2006 Worth: 275
Read the full article » Available in versions both for the US and EU market, the SlingBox from Sling Media accepts PAL, DVB-T and NTSC transmissions through either Composite, S-Video and Coaxial connections for then to rebroadcast these on-the-fly as streaming video in WMV format across its wired Gigabit Ethernet connection to compatible Windows based PCs and Windows Mobile devices. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Linksys KiSS DP-600
When: March 2006 Worth: 350
Read the full article » Offering a barrage of features, Linksys' KiSS DP-600 media extender supports the playback of Windows Media 9 HD, DivX HD, Nero Digital, XviD and MPEG1/2/4 video as well as Windows Media Audio, WMA Pro, MP3 and Ogg Vorbis for audio. Streaming over both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections, the player outputs up to 1080p video in several formats including HDMI. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Apple Mac mini
When: February 2006 Worth: 675 - 900
Read the full article » Despite its minute measurements, Apple's Intel-powered Mac mini offers up a combination of DVI out, up to 80 GB of storage, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Gigabit Ethernet and Front Row media center software to enable media playback to HDTVs. Complete with an Infrared remote control for couch control, the mini also offers Bluetooth 2.0, up to 2 GB of RAM and a Dual Layer DVD drive. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Acer AT3705W-MGW
When: June 2006 Worth: 2300
Read the full article » An 800:1 contrast ratio, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution and 550 nits of brightness lay the groundwork for the advanced feature set of the AT3705W-MGW LCD TV from Acer. Sporting an integrated media extender with Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, the unit plays back formats such as MP3, WMA, WMV, MPEG1/2/4, DivX and XviD over among other SPDIF, DVI and HDMI outputs. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Sony VAIO VGX-XL100
When: February 2006 Worth: 1475
Read the full article » Among the first Viiv-compliant media PCs, Sony's VAIO VGN-XL100 boasts a powerful set of specifications including an Intel Pentium D 920 processor running at 2.8 GHz in tandem with up to 2 GB of RAM. Also present is a Nvidia GeForce 6600 graphics with 128 MB of dedicated video memory, a 250 GB hard drive, a Dual Layer DVD drive, Wi-Fi connectivity and HDMI out. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
NEC PlasmaSync 61XR4
When: February 2006 Worth: 11500
Read the full article » At 61 inches, NEC's PlasmaSync 61XR4 provides a grandiose viewing experience with a 160-degree viewing angle, 870:1 contrast ratio, native 720p support and an array of inputs. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Apple iPod Hi-Fi
When: February 2006 Worth: 350
Read the full article » Compatible with all iPod products launched at its unveiling, Apple's new iPod Hi-Fi boombox accessory is designed to be powered from a wall socket or by six D-cell batteries. The unit is controlled by the Apple remote and also accepts audio input through a 3.5 mm line in jack. While docked, iPods will be recharged, and certain models can also display album art. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Dell W3706C
When: October 2005 Worth: 2550
Read the full article » A 37-inch model with dual tuners, one of which is analog and the other of which is an analog/DVB-T hybrid, Dell's W3706C LCD TV offers up native 720p and support for up to 1080p video. A 1000:1 contrast ratio joins 500 cd/m2 brightness, while connectors include among others DVI and HDMI connectors. Also: dual, detachable 30-watt speakers with SRS TruSurround. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Neuros MPEG-4 Recorder 2
When: November 2005 Worth: 200
Read the full article » Squarely targeting Sony's PlayStation Portable, the second version of Neuros' MPEG-4 Recorder tapes various media to Memory Stick Duo and CompactFlash cards in one of three resolutions: 640 x 480 pixels; 320 x 240 pixels; and 368 x 208 pixels, the latter of which matches the WQVGA resolution of said gaming console. Also: in-device playback of recorded content. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Bang & Olufsen BeoMedia 1
When: November 2005
Read the full article » Offering its own, proprietary interface as opposed to Windows Media Center Edition, the BeoMedia 1 media PC offers audio and video playback from its 160 GB drive or across Bang & Olufsen's BeoLink streaming solution. Audio and video outputs include RCA, SPDIF, VGA, S-Video and Composite, with the unit also compatible with the company's Beo4 universal remote control. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Panasonic VIERA TH-65PV500
When: November 2005 Worth: 10000
Read the full article » Equipped with analog and digital tuners, Panasonic's HDMI-enabled VIERA TH-65PV500 offers 65 inches of screen estate with support for 720p and 1080i video. A contrast ratio of 3000:1 joins Panasonic's Real Black Drive image processing system, while PCMCIA and SD card slots enable recording and playback of video in MPEG4 format or JPEG pictures. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Shuttle XPC M 1000
When: November 2005 Worth: 1775
Read the full article » Clad in piano black, Shuttle's XPC M 1000 media PC merges a Pentium M 740 processor running at 1.73 GHz with up to 2 GB of RAM and up to 250 GB of SATA storage. Graphics are driven by a Nvidia 6600LE chipset with 256 MB of dedicated video memory, while dual analog tuner cards enable live TV watching and recording; ATSC or DVB-T tuner cards are optional. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Sony RDR-HX1010
When: October 2005 Worth: 1250
Read the full article » 400 GB of storage combines with a Dual Layer DVD drive in Sony's RDR-HX1010, recording video for a maximum of 685 hours at lowest quality via DVI, S-Video and Composite inputs. A similar range of outputs plus SCART, Component and HDMI as well as optical and coaxial SPDIF enable playback, with the unit also supporting live TV pausing and plain old DVD playback. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
Acer Aspire L250
When: November 2005 Worth: 1125
Read the full article » A plethora of features combine in Acer's Aspire L250 media PC, including an AMD Athlon 64 3400+ processor, up to 4 GB of memory, up to 250 GB of storage and an ATI Radeon Xpress200 graphics card with 128 MB of memory. Equipped with a hybrid analog/DVB-T tuner, the L250 also comes equipped with a Dual Layer DVD drive, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 802.11g and DVI out. Read the full article » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Archive