News

Do You Really Want a PC in Your Living Room? (11/11/2004)

With the recent launch of Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition 2005 many people are asking whether they really want a PC in the living room.

"Peoples' normal understanding of a home PC is a large tower sitting in a bedroom, study or home office. It is used for internet browsing, email, games, the kid's homework and the occasional piece of work that couldn't be completed at the office", Stuart McMillan, at GiGTEK Media Computers, commented. "With the launch of Windows MCE2005, Microsoft is hoping to change all of that and put a PC at the heart of home entertainment. A single unit that does not look out of place in the living room and can be used to play DVDs, CDs, listen to the radio, watch and record TV. You can also look at those digital photos you never print out, as well as the usual PC activities."

Mainstream PC manufacturers have yet to produce living room format media centres. A living room puts many challenges on manufacturers producing such a system. They must connect to traditional displays such as TVs and video projectors; they need to look like a piece of hi-fi not a PC; they need to be very quiet in operation, a feature not normally associated with PCs. So for those keen to see an end to the multitude of boxes required to access the plethora of media they have in their living room there are two choices. They can either build a Media Center themselves or buy one from the small specialist manufacturers that have sprung up around this new format.

GiGTEK Media Computers can now satisfy both of these requirements. "We looked at what was available and decided we could bring together a business that offered both a build to order service for Media Centers and supply the best media specific components in the PC market for those who prefer to build rather than by their Media PCs.", McMillan continued. "Windows MCE 2005 is more complex than a standard operating system and home builders will need access to much better information to be able to build a PC that delivers on their expectations."

So the answer to the question "Do you want a PC in the living room?" is "No, I want a Media Center!"

www.mediacomputers.co.uk