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MSI's Home Theatre PC Reviewed

Posted by Hemos on from the look-pretty-sound-good dept.

VL writes "MSI, long time motherboard and video card manufacturer, has upped the ante somewhat with their MSI Entertainment and Gaming (MEGA 651) PC. Like other popular SFFs, the MEGA 651 is still "cube" in appearance, and offers support for fast CPUs and an AGP slot, but it has some unique ideas that target those specifically looking into building a Home Theater PC (HTPC). "

10 of 134 comments (clear)

  1. What OS does it run? by groove10 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I couldn't find that listed in the article. From the picture it appears that this box does not have a traditional monitor interface, so my hunch is that it's a linux box with a proprietary interface for the custom LCD they have.

    Looks interesting.

    --
    MMORPG fan-boy? Prove your worth
  2. What's the fuzz about? by jabbadabbadoo · · Score: 3, Insightful
    My PC already has all those things. Rebranding, anyone?

    Cheeze.

    1. Re:What's the fuzz about? by RMH101 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      did it cost you 200UKP for the barebones, and is it tiny and neat? if this was a post about a new linux distro, would you be saying "but mine does that already"? it's just a cool gadget, ok - a nice SFF box that you can buy to out-geek the guy with the shuttle cube

    2. Re:What's the fuzz about? by benjiboo · · Score: 2, Insightful
      On the contrary, I think there's a real niche for something like this if executed correctly. The current generation have grown up around file sharing and electronic media, and for some being able to set up a system out of the box with no fiddling is an attractive and more natural proposition against a CD player seperate (which is it's likeley competitor, rather than a PC.)

      I guess the important thing is the price point. These devices can mainly add value in their convenience, something which we're only likely to pay a certain amount for....

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  3. I wonder... by i8urtaco · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When and if these things will replace the more traditional "home theater in a box" sets, and if so, does that mean that companies like RCA or Panasonic will move away from making propietary components in favor of making "small pc's in a box that can be used for a home theater"? Will this force these companies to make a switch to small pc manufacturers?

  4. The noise... by Basje · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What I'm interested is not so much how it looks, but how much noise it makes. Do how does it hold up??

    It's really spoiling the fun when you're watching a DVD and are distracted by the fans trying to cool an overheating proc in a cool looking but hot running too small enclosure.

    The fact that a fan deaf overclocker tells me it's quiet isn't really informative.

    --
    the pun is mightier than the sword
  5. What about component video? by ShadeARG · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It amazes me how every time a HTPC is mentioned, it always lacks compenent video output. This is the year of HD after all, let's make use of it.

    1. Re:What about component video? by Cyno · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It amazes me how every time a HTPC is mentioned, it always lacks compenent video output.

      Now would be a good time to thank the MPAA and RIAA for all they have done for us.

  6. Re:Propreitary CD-Rx/DVD-Rx only? No thanks. by RMH101 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I'd presume this is because the opto drive has to be able to spin up and be controlled without the PC being on - this probably either uses some new features on the drive, or more likely depends on some ones in the standard that other manufacturer's have since dropped.
    It'll only affect the cool "play CDs with the PC off" bit, nothing else. It's not imposing DRM on your MP3's*

    ric

    obSlashdotAntiMS: "We'll leave the OS to do that"

  7. Re:Cube? by gid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    No where on Shuttle's site do they refer to any of their XPCs as "cubes". That's the slashdot story submiter's label.

    I do wonder why they make HTPC's cubiod in shape. I'd much rather have one the size of an amplifier or dvd player and black that's designed to fit in my stereo rack, not grey and stick out like a sore thumb, screaming "HEY, I'M AN UGLY, NOISY, GREY COMPUTER, LOOK AT ME".