Most of the barebones PCs I have seen are a generic chassis; usually a cube format. While these can be used for a HTPC, and often do a fine job, they are not specifically designed for the task. MSI has filled this gap and put a dedicated barebones HTPC on the market.
The MSI MediaLive is designed for HTPC duty and nothing else. It comes fitted with AM2 socket motherboard that is, as far as I can ascertain, a custom version not available for separate purchase. Clearly designed with the home theatre in mind, this board features an on-board nVidia 6150LE graphics chipset with HDMI, SCART, Component Video, S-Video, Composite Video and VGA outputs. Enough video out options to suit just about everybody. Audio outputs options are also plentiful, including 8 x RCA sockets for 7.1 sound into an external amp, Stereo RCA out, plus optical and coaxial SPDIF. A copy of the Microsoft remote control is included, and while not identical, is very close in it’s layout. Read the rest of this review…
Perfection in the living room is a wall-mounted monitor flanked by a pair of loud speakers, and nothing else. The only wires visible should be those feeding the speakers, preferably fed through the wall or floor. So-called “hi-fi cabinets”, perhaps with the monitor on top, usually look naff. Clutter such as a media centre PC, game console and audio amplifiers should be neatly stored out of the way in a rack, or better still hidden in a cupboard. Stashing the equipment out of site not only benefits the aesthetics; media centre PCs and game consoles – particularly the Playstation 3 – can be noisy critters.
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Logitech’s diNovo Mini just might do something rare in the media centre space; re-writing the rules for keyboards. Place the diNovo Mini on your coffee table next to a normal wireless keyboard and you’ll see what the hype over Logitech’s keyboard is about. Compared with the svelte diNovo Mini, a normal keyboard looks like a relic from the 1970’s.
The diNovo Mini comes ingeniously packaged in a puzzlingly big box. The trickiest part of the set-up is indeed getting the keyboard out of the box. Installing the battery and firing-up the keyboard takes just a few seconds. Don’t bother reading the instruction booklet for set-up; you won’t need it.
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Lian Li is not the first name that springs to my mind when cases for HTPCs are mentioned. In fact, before the Lian Li PC-V350 arrived for review, I don’t think I’d ever heard of them. After spending some time looking over this model from their range, however, I believe they are worth a close look if you are choosing a new case for your HTPC. Constructed from aluminium throughout, the PC-V350 is a sturdy, yet light, mATX cube case that has a number of clever and useful design features.
I was impressed immediately by it’s quality look and feel. The brushed aluminium finish and minimalist design – there is only a power and reset button on the front panel – give it an understated and, while not expensive, certainly an upmarket appearance and the design features included added to its appeal.
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It’s been a few weeks since I’ve had the chance to post a review, but the Christmas / New Year break has given me the opportunity to live with the latest toy auspcmarket sent for review – the Logitech Harmony 525 remote control. I looked forward to reviewing this as Logitech’s Harmony range has a good reputation amongst Media Centre enthusiasts, yet until now I never had the opportunity to try one. So, when the review model arrived, I was keen to put it through its paces.
The 525 sits at the lower end of the Harmony range of remote controls, but that doesn’t mean it is cheap and nasty. Even though it only sports a monochrome LCD display and no touch-screen, it is still attractive and has a quality look and feel.
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