MEDIA CENTER PCS

Niveus Media Center Denali Edition

Sooner or later, everyone will have a PC as part of their home theater system. What you want from a home theater PC is something that looks like a traditional audio/video component, something that sounds like a traditional audio/video component (i.e., no fan noise), and something that offers enough storage capacity and features to function as a combination DVD/CD player, digital video recorder, and digital audio jukebox. In other words, you want something like the Denali Edition Media Center PC from Niveus Media.

This is one honkin' big black box. The Denali Edition looks and feels like a high-end power amplifier, with its austere black metal faceplate; the unit stands an impressive 8.25'' high, while its 17.5'' width matches all your other system components. Operation is absolutely silent, due to the total absence of cooling fans. Instead, the entire case acts as a giant heat sink to disperse the normal heat build up. The only noise comes when the CD/DVD drive rotates, and that's not much at all.

In terms of performance, the Denali Edition delivers everything you'd expect from a high-end PC. It runs a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor with Hyper-Threading Technology, and comes with 1GB memory standard. The base unit comes with two 250GB hard drives; you can upgrade the configuration to include two 400GB drives, for a total of 800GB of hard disk storage. Video is courtesy an NVIDIA GF6600GT card; audio is Intel's High Definition 7.1-channel surround sound audio chip.

Speaking of video, the Denali Edition comes with three (!) separate television tuners. You get two NTSC (standard definition) tuners, and one ATSC (high-definition) tuner. Yes, that means you can record up to three programs simultaneously or watch one and record two. Video output is via component video or DVI, while audio output is via analog, optical digital, or coaxial digital.

Naturally, the Denali Edition comes loaded with Windows XP Media Center Edition, and it works pretty good. You operate things via the included Media Center remote control, or with the Gyration wireless mouse and keyboard. I like the wireless keyboard; I've never gotten the hang of the "air mouse," but that's probably just me.

Bottom line, the Denali Edition is the biggest, most capable Media Center PC available today, and it's totally silent if you have five grand to spare (yikes!). If your budget tends slightly less stratospheric, consider the Denali's Rainier Edition sibling, which offers similar silent operation in a smaller case, with fewer tuners, and with only a single hard disk. It'll only set you back three grand.

Model: Denali Edition HDTV Manufacturer: Niveus Media (www.niveusmedia.com) Processor: 3.2GHz Pentium 4 with Hyper-Threading Technology Memory: 1GB Hard disk: 500GB (250GB x 2) TV tuners: 2 NTSC, 1 ATSC (HDTV) Dimensions: 17.25'' (w) x 8.25'' (h) x 15'' (w) Weight: 60 lbs. Price: $4,799

HP z552 Digital Entertainment Center

If spending five grand for the Niveus Media Center PC isn't quite your cup of tea, consider HP's z552 instead. At just fifteen hundred bucks, I think this could become the hit Media Center PC of the season; you get a lot of bang for what comes close to being mass market bucks. I'm talking a 200GB hard disk, dual NTSC TV tuners, Intel High Definition surround sound audio, DVD/CD burner, media card reader, and built-in WiFi and Ethernet networking. This puppy looks like a standard audio/video component, and it can replace your CD player, DVD player, and DVR device, no problem.

Model: z552 Manufacturer: HP (www.hp.com) Processor: Pentium 4 540J with Hyper-Threading Technology Memory: 512MB Hard disk: 200GB TV tuners: 2 NTSC Dimensions: 17'' (w) x 4.4'' (h) x 16.6'' (d) Price: $1,499.99

Alienware DHS 5

Alienware is another strong contender in the Media Center PC market. The DHS 5 is unique in that it's based on the AMD Athlon64 chip instead of an Intel P4 processor, but that shouldn't affect performance one iota. The default 80GB hard drive is a little wimpy, but you can configure the DHS 5 with up to 800GB hard disk storage, 4GB memory, and a second NTSC TV tuner. (It comes with one tuner standard.) Unique to the Alienware machine is Discover Console technology, which enables you to automatically play CD/DVD-based PC games as you would on a video game console, no preloading necessary.

Model: DHS 5 Manufacturer: Alienware (www.alienware.com) Processor: AMD Athlon64 3000+ Memory: 512MB Hard Disk: 80GB TV tuners: 1 NTSC Dimensions: 17'' (w) x 5.9'' (h) x 18'' (d) Price: $1,739

Shuttle Media Center XPC P8100m

Another approach to the living room PC is in a small form-factor box, like this one by Shuttle. While it doesn't have the traditional audio/video component form factor, it is small enough to tuck out of the way in a corner of your equipment rack, or on the bottom shelf of your TV stand. Otherwise, this small package delivers big-box performance, with a single NTSC TV tuner and 200GB hard drive. You can customize it with a dual NTSC TV tuner card, up to 960GB hard disk storage, and up to 2GB memory.

Model: P8100m Manufacturer: Shuttle (www.shuttle.com) Processor: 3.4GHz Pentium 4 550 with Hyper-Threading Technology Memory: 512MB Hard Disk: 200GB TV tuner: 1 NTSC Dimensions: 8'' (w) x 7.4'' (h) x 11.9'' (d) Weight: 13.3 lbs. Price: $1,549

Sony VAIO RA834G

This Sony Media Center PC would be a perfect choice for a living room PC, if only it wasn't in the traditional desktop mini-tower configuration. What I like about it is its silent operation, thanks to water-cooling technology, and its upgradability to 2 terrabytes of hard disk space. (It comes with a 400GB standard.) In other words, its quiet and powerful even if it looks a little out of place with your other equipment.

Model: RA834G Manufacturer: Sony (www.sonystyle.com) Microprocessor: 3.6GHz Pentium 4 560J with Hyper-Threading Technology Memory: 1GB Hard disk: 400GB TV tuner: 1 NTSC Dimensions: 7.4'' (w) x 15.6'' (h) x 15.3'' (d) Weight: 34.2 lbs. Price: $2,099.99