PC that acts like a TV

An anonymous reader writes "CNN is reporting on the newest HP Media Center PC, a PC that "acts like a TV". Seems to me it is a TIVO with some additional features, like storing and displaying pictures and music files. Runs on some sort of Windows XP." The real killer with this whole genre of device is cost and confusion. Users don't know what they do, so its not worth the cost. Anyone who has used a tivo for a week knows what it means. Business just needs to get the costs down. I think including functionality like pictures and music is a good step towards increasing value, as long as it doesn't add to the confusion.

Comments

Re:P4 1.8GHz?

[chewedtoothpick]

There are good reasons for this!
First off, this is no amazing feat. The 'mom&pop' store I run sells easily 3 or 4 systems a month that are made for the same reason. They are Athlon 1800+'s with 512 of DDR333 and all sorts of good stuff like a Leadtek Winfast TV2000 XP w/ remote and a 22" CRT. They sell like mad because I am able to sell these for only around $1300 as a PC that does TV AND gaming.

The fact that /. posted this shows that someone is way far behind on technology. TV Tuners with TiVO capability etc... have been out for a while. And they are good stuff to. But I am writing this post to address the parent coment claiming that the PC is too powerful.

TO SOME EXTENT IT IS RIGHT!

Now, the use of a TI series GF4 is way overkill. I throw Radeon 8500's or GF3 TI (because they are better then the 4mx and cheaper) in my TV/PC's and they do what they are supposed to flawlessly. One big problem that I used to always notice though it the TiVO app is a HUGE bandwidth hog. I used to be using PC-800 RDRAM and crappy INTEL's until Athlons starting using DDR. DDR Has a slight advantage that I have noticed because the quality of the data (and therefore picture) was greatly affected by the warmth of the RAM (I don't know why, so don't ask) and DDR is easier to keep cooler as well as being fast enough. The Ram is a little lack in this HP system because XP uses a good chunk of the ram, almost around 128M, and the TiVO as well as tuner need as much as possible.

As far as your keen intellect noticing that they should use AMD's or something else, you have to not forget. These PC's will sell like shit. There are way too many bone-heads out there that still think INTEL is the only thing there is. I could easily triple my sales overall if I sold anything INTEL, but I don't because I know.
being that the general public is just too ignorant, and Intel is in bed with all the big companies, especially Dellsux and Microshaft, You are going to keep seeing BS like thins until AMD releases the Hammer and intel is sitting, thumbing their neither-reigions waiting until they feel the market is ready for 64-bit.