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Intel to Market PCs as Home Entertainment Hubs
wantobe writes "Yahoo! News is reporting that Intel is developing their own "new technology" to convert home computers into entertainment hubs. Does anyone even really want this?" From the article: "Analysts say the chip bundle and software will transform the PC into an all-purpose multimedia device designed to function as a CD and DVD player, digital video recorder, game console, as well as a machine for traditional data processing and Internet."
I dunno where Intel is going with this, but I don't think that specialized technology is needed for it. MythTV or other offerings (for all sorts of platforms) are all that's really required.
You can mod your friends, you can mod your nose, but you can't mod your friend's nose.
XBMC (Xbox Media Centre) already does this. Tom's Hardware reviewed it a while ago. The CVS version has a lot more functionality now. I use it. Whatever Intel will come up with, I guarantee you that it will be in the hundreds of dollars. XBMC is here now, and the XBOX is cheap. Also, if it does not have the functionality that you want, you can contribute. If the XBOX does not have the hardware that you want, you can add it.
My computer can already do all of this, without some fancy package from Intel.
Is your computer as easy to operate as a TV or VCR/DVD? What is the bootup time of your media center? Keep in mind the average user gets confused setting up a VCR.
Gateway circa 1997 or so released their own media center Destination series in the $5000 price bracket. It included a huge VGA TV 27 to 35 inch and Harmon Karmon sound system. The TV wasn't worth writing home about as its dotpitch was too low for 640*480, even models sold later didn't include and the system was too slow to record video in real time. But the major complaint was the fact that people had to wait for windows to bootup to watch TV (no one could figure out you could jack the cable directly into the TV). Channel surfing was slowed down made the whole experence of watching TV more complex requring a huge keyboard sized remote.
There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.