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Lindows Media Computer: Power to Strike Microsoft?

Posted by timothy on from the maybe-next-go-round dept.

Augustus writes "LinuxHardware.org has just published the first review of the Lindows Media Computer from iDOTpc.com. The review covers the hardware behind the machine but also goes through all of the machine's claimed functionality: "After looking over all the media hype, I went searching for one of these little machines. Could the Lindows Media Computer really pull off meeting the new Windows machine in a pitched battle? It did boast "Instant on" DVD, CD, MP3, and VCD playback as one of the prime features. And, it was only a fraction of the price for a Windows Media Center system. At the time, only one vendor had them available, iDOTpc.com. After some communication, the folks at iDOTpc.com were kind enough to loan me one of the units to take for a spin." You can find the full review over at LinuxHardware.org."

3 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. Wake me when it does HDTV by YetAnotherName · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Call me spoiled. I watch Alias, The Practice, and even Fraser in HDTV every week. HDNet's sports are outstanding. And the recent Olympic games awe-inspiring. Guests to my home are blown away when I fire up PBS's continually-playing demo loop.

    Despite the many many nay-sayers, HDTV is here, now.

    Yet I keep seeing product announcements (Lindows Media, Mystro, Dish's 721 etc.) boasting competition to the Tivo, yet not a one is capable of handling HTDV. Tivo can't yet either.

    I'm having to build my own digital recorder on an PC running (shudder) Windows XP with a MyHD card. The data rate of HDTV is high, but not unmanageable. MyHD records and displays a live program using less than 10% of the processor (1.8GHz P4, I'll grant).

    I'm frankly tired of viewing programs with non-square pixels, incomplete color gamuts, and a mere 480 lines of (interlaced) resolution. Wake me when one of these companies does HDTV.

  2. Quite possible by ramzak2k · · Score: 3, Interesting

    If Lindows Media computer is able to create an interface where the user finds absolutely
    nothing lacking in comparison to Windows media Computer & is cheaper - why not ?

    The only reason linux is losing out on the desktop is because of the inability to execute applications (without struggling with wine).
    With all-in-a-box system like a media computer that wouldnt require specific applications to perform tasks there is a good chance that windows will lose out.

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    Siggy Say, Siggy Do
  3. Usage... by rf0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    As far as I understand from the review. It doesn't do what its meant to do (DVD etc) very well and it can't display on a TV. No pardon me if I wrong but I would want something like this to show stuff on my TV. So basically I can spend £250 on this or £99 on a DVD player than can do the same thing? I know where I'm putting my money

    Rus

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