ASUS Eee Box EB1501-B0167 Nettop PC - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Now that I've had the EB1501 integrated into my home theater for a few weeks, I thought I would update my review of it.
I have this connected via HDMI to receiver, surround sound and a 52" HDTV. Due to the limitations of my setup (not the EB1501), I do not use HDMI for sound, so I will not say anything about the box's ability to carry both signals properly. If you use S/PDIF for audio, you are going to appreciate the included adapter (works great). I was going to use Boxee or XBMC, but I don't like the hassle of setting up and integrating Tv tuners into those, so I am using Windows 7's Media Center.
The EB1501 is EVERYTHING I have been looking for in a HTPC. It runs (very) cool and (very) quiet. It's barely noticeable yet attractive enough to not have to hide - which makes it easier to get to the DVD drive, power, ports, etc... The computer is stable and a workhorse for this task.
With the Atom processor, I wouldn't recommend trying to do too much gaming or heavy multitasking. As a component in a home theater, this thing runs circles around the almost useless Media Center Extender I was using before.

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASUS Eee Box EB1501-B0167 Nettop PC - Black

Full HD Entertainment in a Box - ASUS EeeBox EB1501 Watch movies and videos in full high-definition clarity and experience home cinema like never before with the EeeBox PC EB1501 by ASUS. With the EeeBox EB1501, you can easily stream, playback, and/or download your favorite multimedia entertainment right in the comfort of your living room. Complete with HDMI (Full HD video and audio output via just one port) connectivity, the versatile ASUS EeeBox EB1501 delivers big HD entertainment in a small size with theIntel Atom N330 dual core processor and NVIDIA ION graphics. Its tilt-up "ballerina-inspired" design has a slot-in DVD drive to easily load and play the latest blockbuster movies and music CDs. Plus, the EeeBox EB1501 is mountable to any VESA-compatible monitor or TV for a clutter-free setup, perfect for the living room or tight spaces like a dorm room. Discover the power in connections with a multitude of ports that sync up to displays and other components to deliver premium multimedia and fast data transfers. High-speed wireless N technology (@2.4 GHz) gives you the latest and fastest in wireless technology for surfing the web or sharing media files. Featuring Windows 7 Home Premium, experience immersive multimedia and up to 70-percent power savings compared to the average desktop PC. Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music to and from all of the PCs in your network with the EeeBox EB1501. By combining the included multimedia remote control with Windows 7 Home Premium's Media Center, you can quickly access and manage your library of digital content wirelessly. The EeeBox EB1501 also features 2GB of system RAM (upgradeable to 4GB), Gigabit LAN, 250GB hard drive, S/PDIF audio out port, six USB ports, 5-in-1 card reader, eSATA port, wireless keyboard and mouse and more. Sit back and enjoy HD and the Internet the way it was meant to be, in the convenience and comfort of your living room with the EeeBox PC EB1501.


Key Features

Ultra compact Home Entertainment PC that is smaller than a magazine (Learn more)
VESA-display mountable for a minimized footprint(Learn more)
NVIDIA ION graphics for full 1080p HD cinematic playback in stunning clarity (Learn more)
HDMI connectivity for Full HD video and audio on HDTVs and HDMI monitors (Learn more)
Ultra-compact "ballerina-inspired" design that fits into your home decor (Learn more)
Slot-loading Super Multi DVD drive lets you enjoy your favorite movies and music (Learn more)
Intel AtomN330 dual core processor for a seamless multimedia and Home Theater PC experience (Learn more)
High-speed Wi-Fi networking (802.11 b/g/n @2.4GHz) for wireless streaming of your digital entertainment library (Learn more)
Intelligent green design consumes up to 70-percent less powercompared to generic desktop PCs (Learn more)
Convenient 250GB hard drive to store your treasured documents and media files
S/PDIF and HDMI delivers crystal clear digital surround sound for lossless audio enjoyment (Learn more)
Gigabit LAN, eSATA port, and six USB 2.0 ports enable a full range of high-speed data connections (Learn more)
5-in-1 Card Reader (SD/SDHC/MS/MS Pro/MMC) for quick access to your digital camera's memory cards (Learn more)
Wireless keyboard, mouse, and remote control included for the most convenient and user-friendly HTPC experience (Learn more)

Learn More
The Complete Home Theatre Power Package
Mountable Compact Design
Cost-Saving Green Efficiency
Unrestricted Wireless Control
Power in Connections
EeeBox with Windows 7 –Life Made Easier
The Ever-Evolving EeeBox
Warranty One of the industry\'s most complete customer care packages offers a level of coverage that adds to the price of competing products:
1 Year Global Warranty
Two way free shipping
24/7 tech support

What's in the Box
EeeBox PC EB1501
Quick Start Guide
AC Adaptor
Power Cord
Stylish Stand
VESA-Mount Kit
S/PDIF Adapter
Wireless Keyboard
Wireless Mouse
Remote Control
Warranty Information Card
Specifications
Operating System: Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
CPU: Intel Atom N330 dual core processor (1.6GHz)
Graphics: NVIDIA ION graphics
Wireless Data Network: 802.11 b/g/n (@2.4 GHz)
Network: Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mbps
Optical Drive: Super Multi DVD+/-RW
Memory: 2GB DDRII RAM, 2 x 1GB (up to 4GB)
Storage: 250GB 5400RPM hard drive
Card Reader: 5-in-1 Card Reader (SD/SDHC/MS/MS Pro/MMC)
Front I/O Port: USB 2.0 x 2, Headphone Jack x 1, Microphone x 1
Rear I/O Port: Wi-Fi built-in antenna x 1, USB 2.0 x 4, D-Sub x 1, HDMI out x 1, eSATA x 1, S/PDIF x 1, Gigabit LAN x 1
Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.6 x 1.54 –inches
Weight: 2.6 lbs
Color: Black All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models.Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in images.

Click here for more information about ASUS Eee Box EB1501-B0167 Nettop PC - Black

HP Digital Entertainment Center z545 - DT - 1 x P4 530 / 3 GHz - RAM 512 MB - HDD 1 x 200 GB , Personal Media Drive 1 x 160 GB - DVD?RW (+R DL) - Radeon X300 SE - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11b/g - Win XP MCE 2005 - Monitor : none Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I write this review with a heavy heart, because I have to admit, when it was working, I was in love with the z545. It was, hands down, the coolest piece of technology I had ever purchased. The dual DVR was phenomenal, easy to use, and produced a MUCH better picture through DVI video outputs than my Tivo Series 2 (which still can support only the awful composite video standard). Adding and viewing photos and videos was simple, DVD picture was fantastic, HP Tunes worked great.
All in all, I waas ecstatic over the z545 ... until the problems began. The first was that, when using the z545 in "computer mode" (e.g., surfing the internet, etc. through XP), the screen image was cropped off on all four sides so that the start bar, task bar, icons, etc. were all offscreen. I read all the FAQs, guides, and spent hours with HP technical support (who, to their credit, genuinely tried hard to fix the problem). Nothing worked, and ultimately the only solution HP could come up with was either to use an S-video cable in place of DVI (which would ruin the picture quality for TV and all the other non-PC options) or to turn down the resolution on my TV (a similar non-solution). I have a widescreen, 16X9 big screen rear projection HDTV, and I cannot believe that HP did not provide for its "media center" that is supposed to replace all your home theatre pieces to work with such a TV -- who do they think is buying the z545 if not a technophile home theatre buff?? -- but, alas, they could not find a solution.
Nonetheless, I might have been able to live with less with less than optimal PC performance from the z545 because all of the media center features were, in a word, phenomenal. However, even in Media Center mode, I started encountering too many glitches, e.g., the machine would freeze coming out of sleep mode, it would lock up when changing channels, and it would sometimes "change" the channel only to replace it with a blank screen while channel surfing.
These glitches were just too many and too frequent to let me keep a toy that cost me $1800. Such a shame, because when working the z545 was a dream. Five stars when it worked, but in the end just too glitchy to keep. I returned it after a week and a half and almost daily troubleshooting. In a few generations it will be a must-have product, but right now, in my experience, the reliability and stability just is not there.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Digital Entertainment Center z545 - DT - 1 x P4 530 / 3 GHz - RAM 512 MB - HDD 1 x 200 GB , Personal Media Drive 1 x 160 GB - DVDRW (+R DL) - Radeon X300 SE - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11b/g - Win XP MCE 2005 - Monitor : none

Bring home the home entertainment with HP's new Digital Entertainment Center! This sleek, black, brushed-aluminum device houses control of your TV, music, movies, and photos under one "roof", with a design that blends with your home theater equipment. You get loads of storage space plus dual TV tuners!

Click here for more information about HP Digital Entertainment Center z545 - DT - 1 x P4 530 / 3 GHz - RAM 512 MB - HDD 1 x 200 GB , Personal Media Drive 1 x 160 GB - DVDRW (+R DL) - Radeon X300 SE - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11b/g - Win XP MCE 2005 - Monitor : none

eMachines Ultra-Slim ER1401-57 Desktop PC Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This specific series comes in three types the ER1402-05, the ER1402-55 and the ER1401-57. This one the ER1401-57 is the best in the series because it comes with a larger hard drive and dual core CPU instead of the single core of the others. This uses the AMD Athlon II Neo Dual-Core K325 1.3 "Ultrathin" line of processors. I bought it for an incredible holiday promotion price of $300 bucks new.
This line of emachines I highly recommend for Home Theater PC and is probably the best value on the market. As for the ER1401-57 you get a fast dual core CPU, DDR3 memory (not DDR2 as with most brands in this price range) and FULL Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit all for less than $331.00 retail. The addition of Win 7 64 is an added bonus value of $180 that Zotac, and Lenovo can't match in this price range. The only competition would be the Acer AspireRevo but it is still a full 50 bucks more. I steered away from the Dell Zino HD's as most of the reviews were bad and complained of slow performance. The performance with the ER1401-57 is fast as far as internet browsing and simple non graphic intensive word processing. As a PC for gaming and high graphic editing it is NOT your best bet as it will not be able to handle most of the latest games and other software that require powerful graphics cards. It will run online flash games and older games like those found on GOG (Good Old Games) with ease, though. In my opinion the real use for a PC like this is as a Home Theater PC to replace cable & satellite or as a compliment to them. It plays everything streaming from the web up to 1080p smoothly. There is a good video review of the of the ER1402-05 on Youtube that shows it playing 1080p video -('gadget' 139 - emachines ER1402-05). 1080p performance on the ER1401-57 is better but not by much. I recommend using PC booster software like "IObit Advanced System Care Pro" which all but eliminates any lag on online streaming videos even at 1080p. I don't recommend using any other applications while streaming video on the ER1401-57 as you will surely get lag. On the downside after using my anti-spyware software I noticed a heck of a lot of spyware hidden in the OS right out of the box which also seemed to bog down performance so its imperative you get your cleaning software and clean all that stuff out. As with the Zotac and Lenovo it has no DVD tray so you'll need to attach a USB external DVD if you want that. Finally, the system is very compact (smaller than an average book), extremely quiet, cool and energy efficient and pretty. All in all I'm very happy with it as a HTPC and with a good USB remote together with the Kylo browser, Boxee and Hulu Desktop software I can finally cancel my huge cable bill forever.

Click Here to see more reviews about: eMachines Ultra-Slim ER1401-57 Desktop PC

The uniquely designed eMachines Ultra-Slim ER1401-57 PT.NBZ02.003 Desktop PC is a revolutionary slim and compact PC that provides full HD multimedia entertainment as well as everyday productivity. This sleek and stylish eMachines Ultra-Slim ER1401-57 PT.NBZ02.003 Desktop PC looks great in your family room, streamlining your personal space while giving you the home infotainment center that lets you play games, surf the web, view and edit photos, watch HD movies and more!

Click here for more information about eMachines Ultra-Slim ER1401-57 Desktop PC