TiVo may be in the news at the moment, but what a lot of people don't know is that the technology to record and rewind live TV is available now -- from most new PCs.
Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate give the owner a wealth of digital entertainment at his or her fingertips. While media centre PCs have yet to take off -- they're seen as too noisy and technical for most users -- we have collected here a broad cross-section of the different PCs available on the market. We set each manufacturer the task of providing us with a PC under AU$2,000 which could be used as a PVR, but which was also versatile enough to become a general workhorse.
All of these units ship with remote controls, and are configurable to your needs. They range from the petite Pioneer Dreamvision VIIV, which is a plug-and-play media solution, to the uber-games machine, the Enspire Vitesse XPS. In between you have the elegant Altech Maestro Fusion which most resembles a home theatre component, and the Acer Aspire E700 MMX1 which cheekily exceeds our $2,000 stipulation.
So, what is the best way to spend your two grand? It really does depend on what you need. If you want performance, then the Enspire is a killer, and excellent value with its inclusion of a 19-inch Samsung screen. But if lounge-friendly is your game, then the Altech system is well worth a look.
Enspire Vitesse XPS
The Enspire Vitesse XPS is a good, all-round performer that should please the whole family, but we'd put it in the study instead of the lounge.
Altech Maestro Fusion
The Altech Maestro Fusion is a beautiful system, but you'll need a TV and sound system to complete the picture (literally).
Pioneer Dreamvision VIIV Media Centre Mini PC
The Pioneer Dreamvision VIIV Media Centre is a flexible machine which can reasonably serve in a multitude of roles, but the word "compromise" springs to mind.
Acer Aspire E700 MMX1
The Acer Aspire E700 MMX1 is a respectable but not groundbreaking machine. While we've seen other machines that have managed better results for the price, we've not seen one in such a well designed package.
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