Home cinema - MS Media Centre Feedback

news.cisco.com wrote:
Is anyone using the HP Media Centre yet to view TV on their main TV
set? My son has just got one installed in his room and it is very
good in terms of PVR functions, SW interface etc. I mean very good,
it seems to have all the functions so much demanded on this forum but
not often supplied on STB's. The downsides I see so far in order a

Loudish fan noise - not good for audio environment
Minor channel change jumps, clicks, delays - not too big a deal
Current standard definition Plasma screens are a bit low res for web
surfing

Main issues I have are the noise and resolution for web surfing. So
the noise you cant do much about but will the HD plasmas just coming
out be OK to web surf (1024 x 720) or will they still look chunky

Thanks

For most applications and web browsing 1024 pixels wide is now considered by
many as a minimum. If you are viewing a larger plasma or LCD close up e.g.
for PC use then it may still look chunky until you get a HD with say from
1366 to 1920 pixel width.

Noise is obviously just dependent on how the platform is designed.
Unfortunately a lot of manufacturers including the bigger brands are
installing Media Centre s/w on their regular PC platforms which have not
been designed to be quiet. You can get virtually silent operation from
either purpose built Media Centre platforms or by building one oneself from
selected components. For example, I have a Media Centre based on the Antec
Aria case which is very quiet.

One can reduce the noise somewhat on regular PC platforms by swapping out
the noisier components for quieter alternatives, but if this is a new
machine then you may be reluctant to do that from a warranty standpoint. CPU
fans tend to be a major culprit with standard low cost units spinning at
high rates with small and noisy fans. Units with more efficient heat sinks
and larger slower fans can make quite a bit of difference (e.g. Zalman)

www.quietpc.com has some interesting advice and products.