Basically the Mvix MV-5000U is a USB 2.0 3.5" hard drive enclosure, which means you can plug a standard computer hard drive (of any capacity) in a small enclosure and connect it to a computer with a USB cable to make it a portable hard drive. But the MV-5000U is a hard drive enclosure with a twist. On the back of its case there are all kinds of media output possibilities to connect it to your television or audio system so you'll be able to play all the audio and video files you put on the (...) read more
Recently we reported on transforming your wall into a projector screen with a special paint. The reason was to find a way to have a projector screen without having a big ugly screen prominent in your living room. An Italian designer found an other smart and good looking way to hide a projector screen: in a bookshelf. You can also get bookshelves in the same design without a screen in it to make a more natural look. On the Italian website you can find the Livit Fly in different colors under (...) read more
An important feature on a media center PC or home theater PC (HTPC) should be that it's quiet. Hard drive and fan noise is a totally different experience when your PC is in your living room or bedroom. NEC just introduced an all-in-one media center that is water cooled, to exclude the need for noisy fans. Going for a liquid cooled solution doesn't necessarily mean it's totally quiet; you still need a little engine to move the liquid around. But generally speaking it's as good as (...) read more
On this years IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin, Loewe introduces the Connect Series televisions. There will be three models of the HDTV in sizes between 32 en 42 inches. But that's not what makes the Connect Series cool and new. Loewe wants to change the TV into an intelligent, networked media center. Each display includes a built-in network media player, integrated HD tuner, a USB port for digital cameras or mp3 players, Ethernet / WiFi modules and optionally an HDD recorder to record (...) read more
Today Sony announced playTV, a combination of a TV tuner and a personal video recorder (PVR) for the PlayStation 3. Apart from the fact that it's a great marketing strategy from Sony, it really bundles the separate strengths of the Sony products for multimedia entertainment. The playTV box features two TV tuners (HD ready) and connects to the PS3 which will act as a standard PVR with an electronic program guide and time shifting. It uses the harddrive of the PS3 to record television. So far, (...) read more
