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topview recorder or media center pc

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nudone:
i'm trying to decide on whether to get a 'topfield topview' for about £250 http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo-1.cfm/Product_ID/2379 or go for a Windows Media Center pc system which will cost about £1000.

i've never seen a media center pc in the flesh (i've seen laptops with it installed but i don't think they offer a good example of what the system should be capable of) so it's difficult to know exactly how 'good' these machines are.

to me, the 'topview' box is the more practical but it's also less powerful than a top of the range media center pc. i'm wondering how smoothly a media center pc will work.

there are plenty of questions to ask about this sort of thing and i know this isn't the right place for them really - i'm just hoping someone out there is already familiar with these kind of devices and has concluded which is the right path to take. if you are out there, please let me know your opinions.

f0dder:
humm. I think Windows Media Center could easily be "the future" - but I wouldn't go out and get one right now, even if I had an abundance of cash. It still seems a bit flakey from what I've read, although the features are of course pretty nice. But sometimes you still get windows error messages and whatever popping up, ruining the whole "integrated" feel.

If you do go for a WMC machine, be sure to get one that's entirely passively cooled. There was some danish company that offered a pretty sweet one: http://www.zitech.dk/Product/Details.aspx?ID=159766 . It's a bit sad that you can't get a not-so-beefy box, since WMC machines are mostly software based they do need some grunt to be able to handle DVD playback and HDTV smoothly... not to mention harddisk recording. And you do want that, if you go for a media box.

nudone:
thanks f0dder. i'm of a sceptical nature so i thought that there would be problems with a media center pc. certainly wouldn't be much fun having to keep getting up and walk over to the machine and reboot it or whatever the error message requires.

i'm probably leaning towards the topview - i just keep holding out as i was hoping they would release a version with a built in dvd recorder. i've recently seen that Sony now do a machine that does everything, i.e. records 2 channels from DVB to hard drive (like the topview) but also has a DVD recorder on board. how Sony can charge £500 for this machine, simply for adding a dvd writer i really can't understand - and i mean, i really can't understand.

but then i suppose paying £1000 for a glorified video recorder isn't that sensible either.

as for windows media center being the future - if this viiv thing gets of the ground i'm sure some future version of wmc will be ubiquitous.

f0dder:
Hrm, sony based stuff?

I'd stay clear of it, keeping in mind how sony has an affair with anything DRM.

nudone:
ah yes, i never even thought about what Sony might be doing on their machines. good point f0dder.

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