What makes a great media center /HTPC & what to really look for? (Part 1)

Hello everyone,

In this quick, 2-part series, I’ll be discussing what to really look for in a media center/HTPC. However, according to most reviews available out there, most of them seem to be just “average” or “good” (including ours, according to CNet).

So, Instead of defining an ideal media center since it apparently doesn’t exist, let’s go over what doesn’t make a great media center system?

First, let’s start off with that fact that most media centers available out there don’t work out of the box. Pick any system from one of the big boys – HP, Dell, or even Gateway. Can you actually hook it up to a TV? How long will it take to configure? Does it even have a TV tuner, and if so, why aren’t there two tuners.

As I mentioned, we recently had our system reviewed by CNet, and while it wasn’t rated as high as we’d like, we can certainly understand why and accept their review as honest and truthful. Let’s take a quick look at their report here:

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http://reviews.cnet.com/VidaBox_Slim/4505-3118_7-32025352-2.html

The good:
Slim design for home-theater setups; cheaper than many other premium Media Centers; component video outputs.

The bad:
Older CPU means this isn’t a system that can pull double duty as Media Center and regular, everyday PC; only 1GB RAM; password-protected BIOS and sealed case make upgrading a challenge.

The bottom line: The VidaBox Slim makes no bones about being a dedicated living room system and not a standard desktop PC. While it is overpriced based just on its specs, it boasts an impressive host of media-friendly features–we just wish the hardware and the BIOS weren’t locked away.

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It’s interesting to note that they comment on how the hardware being old, only having 1GB of RAM, and BIOS being locked away & an older processor as “bad,” when in reality, media centers are NOT meant to be used as regular everyday PCs. Playing DVDs, videos, pictures, and music are not processor intensive – but stability and reliability then becomes THE most important factor in the equation. How many of you here have known someone who have had:

1. a computer that “froze”
2. accidentally loaded spyware, viruses, or other malware
3. try to install new programs or change software, which then broke something, or worse
4. opened up their computer to “fix” something, only to make it stop the PC from working completely

These are the exact reasons why the VidaBox is essentially “locked down” and uses older generation components. All the bugs have been worked out, and there are no stability concerns. There are no user-serviceable parts. If it does break, there’s a “bumper-to-bumper” warranty on the VidaBox. It also has VidaSafe™, which protects against hard drive failure, one of the most disasterous forms of system failure.

Furthermore, was any of the following tested?

1. Did it connect to a receiver properly and pass through the SPDIF audio without problems?
2. Did the analog surround outputs function properly?
3. Was it able to show high definition content without streaking or stuttering?
4. How was the uptime? Did it crash at all?
5. How was the DVD playback quality? Were the decoders set up properly?
6. Can it record shows properly, without skipping or stuttering?
7. Was it able to stream music and video?

Instead, (disappointingly) it went through tests of:

1. Multitasking test (Even though it’s not meant to be used as a PC)
2. Adobe Photoshop CS2 image-processing test (Why no high-definition test?)
3. Apple iTunes encoding test (A more proper test would have been to use the ripper within MCE, not iTunes)
4. Microsoft Office productivity test (Again, why run it for a media center?)

Yes, those are excellent, real-world tests – for a computer. However, none of the tests perform quantify how the system performs as a media center in a home theater environment.

In the end, we were rated a 6.4 – Good, which translates into:

6.0 to 6.9 (Good):
This range represents a product that is above average. Its strengths slightly outweigh its weaknesses, making it good for most uses but not a standout.

The tests are scientifically valid, and the rating is VERY accurate if the SLIM were to be rated as a computer. CNet does an excellent job of reviewing desktop computers – but media centers and their breathern deserve a category of their own – not to be categorized along with Dell XPS’s and other gaming PC/desktops.

So, short of the fact that it did not have a bleeding edge processor, only 1 GB of RAM, and a sealed case (with no user servicable parts, by the way), and despite the fact that we state it is NOT to be tested as a PC – according to the review, “we didn’t run into any performance issues with basic Media Center tasks.” Interesting enough, here’s what a 9 is defined as:

9.0 to 9.9 (Spectacular):
A product that receives a rating in this range scores high on all of its rating criteria. It succeeds at meeting all of its intended users’ needs and has no meaningful drawbacks.

Now, I’m not saying that the CNet rating is wrong – because a 6.4 is what the SLIM deserves if it was a PC – but it’s not.

Notably, none of our competitors ever got above a 7 – except for the Niveus Denali Edition, which costs a whooping $6,298, as tested. Personally, even as a competitor, I felt that the Niveus should have gotten a 8 or even a 9. It really is a good design, even if is a bit expensive. Why? Because it meets its intended purpose and performs well.

Folks – please, if you are looking to buy a VidaBox to use as a computer – consider the LUX, MAX, or our new SLIM Limited Edition instead. These models have dedicated graphics and the latest hardware. We are all about customer satisfaction – and we’ll tell you right now you won’t be happy with the SLIM Standard model for heavy video processing or encoding. It is not meant to be used as a desktop PC. It was designed to be a small, feature-packed media center for a home theater.

Putting a the SLIM media center through a desktop test is like running a Ferrari or a Mustang through a fuel efficiency test – it makes no sense when the test does not relate to its design purpose & does not quantify intended performance characteristics.

To properly review a media center, one would practically have to invent a new category and a new set of testing standards. I have some suggestions and thoughts as to what those standards should be, which will be covered in another post.

(To be Continued…)

VidaBox LLC Launches New Media Center Product Line

This is a new gadget and was featured on audioholics.com , so I thought it’s be appropriate to showcase it here:

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Give the site a visit, folks! – http://www.vidabox.com

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Garden City, NY – July 19 – VidaBox LLC, a premium media center HTPC systems integrator in Garden City, NY, is announcing the launch of a new line of four Media Centers, named ROOMMATE, SLIM, LUX, and MAX.

== What is a Media Center? ==
Media Centers are entertainment convergence devices, which allow a user to do a multitude of tasks, such as watch DVDs, listen to and store music, watch television, record shows, view & store digital pictures or slideshows, all using Media Centers easy-to-use interface.

== What’s wrong with current media centers? ==
As a home theater enthusiast, I was disappointed with the Media Centers currently available on the market today, says Steven Cheung, one of the founders of VidaBox LLC. I found the systems to be large and not well suited for my living room, as well as lacking many important features.

== Why VidaBox? ==
Steven continues, I wanted to have something that was intuitive, reliable, and maintenance-free, so I ended up building my own media center system. Many of my friends and peers were impressed with my results, and soon, people were asking if I could build them a similar system for their homes. Thats how VidaBox was born. VidaBox is now introducing its line of premium Media Center HTPC systems including two extremely compact models, with the ROOMMATE model being about the size of a small shoebox, and the SLIM model being about the size of a standard DVD player. The slightly larger LUX and MAX model are about the size of a standard A/V receiver and feature extremely large storage capacities with up to 3,750GB and 3,000GB of storage, respectively. The MAX models also feature an impressive LCD touch screen.

== Unique Features ==
Some standard features unique to the VidaBox include: virtually silent operation, builtin karaoke function, and a unique storage protection system called VidaSafe. VidaSafe technology allows the system to keep on running, even if one of the hard drives have failed, which is a potentially devastating problem plaguing other Media Centers on the market.

I was personally surprised that most of these features were missing from other Media Centers, adds Steven. I store all of my music and family pictures on my VidaBox. What would happen if the hard drive crashed? The memories lost are irreplaceable, which is why we offer VidaSafe technology. You can buy VidaBox systems through their dealer network or directly from the manufacturer’s website at http://www.vidabox.com, or call 1-516-203-7401 for more details.

“Yes, the media center PC is dead.”

Yes, the media center (MC) PC is dead.

I had come across an interesting article on the Inquirer. While it’s only a commentary, it does raise a few interesting points.

“Sadly, on the marketing front three years after launching, it’s not so much that consumers are frightened by them but that they don’t even know that they exist. Far from leaping over the IT/living fence, Media Center PCs have instead managed to land on their nuts on the top,” posted Martin Lynch, author of the article.

Of our personal observations, we did not even hear about MC’s in the last 3 years, until our team wanted to make one ourselves. Essentially, whatever marketing that Microsoft, Dell, HP, etc. has done, in our opinion, has been a failure. In the UK, only 4% of all desktop PC sales were media center systems. It’s heard to be about as dismal in the US. Even worse, these MC’s are usually bought and used as desktops – but it’s never used as a MC. I know two friends that bought media center PC’s, never ever caring that it can be used as a MC.

At any rate, as “perfect” as some may deem these media centers, there are still many severe problems with them.

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1. People do not want to be attached to a PC. Most people watch TV, DVDs, etc. on a TV screen, not a PC flat panel/monitor. Many MC’s come with TV-outputs, but are sometimes limited to composite or S-video, which are not suitable for high definition viewing.

2. Most media center systems have inadequate storage. Some of the MC’s being offered only come with as little as 80GB of storage standard. Adding in the operating system, main programs, and other support utilities, you may have as little as less than 30 hours for television shows recorded at high fidelity. That’s less than the standard 40 hours offered by most DVR/PVR/Tivo® systems. Add in music, pictures, videos, and other media, you can quickly see how conventional media center systems are very lacking. In additional, related to storage is point…

3. Lack of protected storage. Like most PC’s, people have encountered crashes, hard drives (HD’s) malfunctioning, etc. Can the public really trust their irreplaceable pictures, videos, and other memories to the risk of a HD crash? Can they replace their entire music collection? Backup systems are available which protect the data, but the system will still fail and stop working if a HD malfunctions.

4. Typical MC’s are noisy. Because they come with stock equipment – standard fans & casing – noise is often a problem. How would a user like to hear a humming noise while s/he is watching his/her favorite movie? A small amount of noise maybe acceptable in a work environment, but not in a home theater environment.

5. Unsightly, large, and/or ugly looking cases. This is one of the biggest common complaints. Standard MC PC’s – even the “small form factor” ones – are still too odd-shaped and/or large to be fitted into a standard entertainment center or TV stand.

6. Lastly, many companies have concentrated too much on price, and not functionality. Conventional MC PC’s are marketed as that – PC’s. The major manufacturers, so far, have tried to keep a low price on it (understandably), but at the price of limiting/removing many of the features mentioned above.

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Even with these problems above, the premise of a media center system (not necessarily a PC) is not dead. How? By improving the basic design, which is what out VidaBox™ media center line of products has achieved.

1. The SLIM™, LUX™, and MAX™ media centers offer VGA, DVI/HDMI*, component, s-video, and composite outputs – 5 of the most popular video transmission formats available today. Connect the VidaBox™ to any TV you have – it’s guaranteed to connect.

2. VidaBox™ systems come with 250GB to 750GB of storage – standard. They are also upgradeable up to 2.2TB (that’s terabytes – 2,200GB) on the Max™ and Lux™ systems, enough for hundreds of hours of recorded TV, 100,000′s+ songs, 500,000+ pictures, and more. The ideal system should not limit your saved data and force you to delete precious items.

3. VidaSafe™ – our protected storage system – comes standard on the SLIM™, LUX™, and MAX™. If a HD stops working – don’t worry! You’ll get a simple notification stating that an HD has stopped working – but your data is still safe, and the VidaBox™ will still operate.

4. Our advanced case designs are engineered to minimize noise. The ROOMMATE™ is as quiet as 27dBA – other models are 30dBA or quieter – which is softer than a whisper. Don’t worry about noise disturbing your viewing or listening experience ever again.

5. Not only are VidaBox™ cases quiet, but they are also asthetically pleasing. With sleek and stylish designs, the ROOMMATE™ and SLIM™, at about 4″ tall, can fit easily into any home theater setup. The LUX™ and MAX™, with their full size, can easily be rack mounted into any standard 19″ A/V rack stand. See some pictures for yourself here!

6. Realizing that creating a cheap product that doesn’t sell is pointless, VidaBox™ systems are designed to be Premium home theater systems. Complete in every respect, VidaBox™ units aren’t just another everyday purchase – but an investment in your home entertinament experience.

* – DVI/HDMI output on the SLIM™ requires a video card upgrade.

Sincerely,
The VidaBox Media Center & Home Theater PC / HTPC Team

Why are there very little technical specifications on the main site?

Hello fellow media center / HTPC enthusiasts!

This is a question often asked by our site visitors – “Why are there only general specifications for the VidaBox media center systems on your site?”

The answer is quite simple – it’s because we keep constantly changing them all the time.

Unlikely standard media center and home theater PC / HTPC systems from major manufacturers, we didn’t design these machines to be primarily computers, but designed them as home theater appliances. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily compare the specifications of an XBox 360 directly with a computer – while they both can function as computers, the design of these two appliances are quite different, when one is designed to be primarily for gaming, and the other for productivity.

It may be good to publish specs so that consumers can have a 1:1, apples-to-apples comparison between our products vs the competitors. However, it may not be a fair assessment, because the design goals of our systems vs theirs are quite different. The majority of what people call “media center PCs” are simply PCs with media center installed. We designed our systems to be home theater systems first, and PC’s second, for an optimal audio-visual experience. In most cases, very little or no tweaking, optimization, or reliability testing was done on these conventional media center PCs. It doesn’t mean that these PCs are bad – it’s just that they’re designed primarily other tasks, and not really optimized to be an A/V server connected to a TV.

Furthermore, we keep constantly upgrading and updating our CPU’s, RAM, and chipsets selections. The most basic specs are usually given, but as prices drop for certain components, we strive to upgrade those components for better performance, while maintaining the same price point.

Thus, it doesn’t make sense for us to post one set of specs, have it change in 2 months, and then going back and updating all of the specifications. Much like an XBox 360, the important thing is that the machine works, not that it necessarily has the fastest processor or the most RAM.

At the end of the day, VidaBox™ media center systems, regardless of when they were manufactured or their technical specifications, have more than adequate hardware power to deliver an excellent audio-visual experience for any home theater. Theoretically speaking, we don’t even need to keep updating the hardware, so that it’s faster or better – but we do so because we believe in delivering the best possible value to you – the customer.

Sincerely,
The VidaBox Media Center & Home Theater PC / HTPC Team

Permissible Peak CPU Temperatures

Hello everyone,

I came across this interesting article today regarding permissible peak/maximum CPU temperatures:

http://www.technibble.com/…cpu-temperature/

In the quest for the ultimate media center or home theater PC (HTPC) system, one criteria – overall system quietness – remain elusive to low end systems. Fan noise has traditionally been a problem, because standard stock fans are usually installed, making it sound like a jet engine.

Well, what does this have to do with CPU temperature?

If your motherboard has it, you can tweak your fan speed via the BIOS, or even with a program/application. Ideally, you'd want to set the peak limit as equal to the maximum allowable CPU temperature, so that your fan will only turn on or engage once it's starting to get "too hot," as to minimize fan noise.

However, note that this always isn't a good idea. Setting CPU temperature too high may cause inadvertent effects. For example, your entire motherboard may depend on the CPU fan action to cool other surrounding components (e.g. RAM, onboard video). Especially if you have a "larger but lower RPM" fan, the CPU fan may actually be cooling your TV card, add-on video, etc. Having a higher overall temperature may cause inadvertent effects, which can be unpredictable with the variety and myriad of hardware options out there.

Thus, for media center / HTPC DIY-ers, experimenting and tweaking for the best compromise temperature for good heat dissipation vs. low noise may be a many week endeavor. Be sure to start low, to limit any possible damage to components.

For those who are interested in a "ready-to-go" or "out-of-the-box" solution, we've engineered VidaBox™ systems to emit minimal noise / near silent operation. During normal use, VidaBox media centers emit less than 30 dBA at a 1m range. After installing it in any home entertainment center, the background noise of any home will usually drown out any noise that the VidaBox™ emits.

Have fun with your media centers!

The VidaBox Team
Media Center & Home Theater PC / HTPC System

Mitsubishi to Release HD DVD-R, BluRay-R Next Month in July

From gizmodo.com:

"When in Japan, buy all the cool stuff that takes forever to reach these shores. Mitsubishi just announced that they’ll be selling HD DVD-R discs in Japan starting on July 5. Two versions will be released, a 15GB version (model number VR15T1) and a 30GB version (VR150T1). HD DVD-RW discs aren’t part of this disc announcement jubilee. Not taking sides in the next generation DVD war, Mitsubishi will also be releasing Blu-ray writable and rewritable discs, also on July 5. These are single-sided, single-layer BD-R and BD-RE discs and can hold up 25GB of data. Mitsubishi expects to start selling dual-layer discs this fall."

The next generation of VidaBox Media Centers will feature either a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray writer. Since the format wars are still on going, we will wait and see which one take popular hold and decide from there.

VidaBox Media Center Team

Net Neutrality Faces Uncertain Future

http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/50993.html

from technewsworld:

"Pro-neutrality advocates are overstating things by claiming the death of the Internet is imminent. Still, the need for broadband companies to stay profitable even in the face of more direct competition from Internet services companies may prompt them to seek to charge Web companies for guaranteeing them high-speed access to customers."

Both sides have valid points, to an extent. While I am pro-net neutral, its proponents may be approaching this in the wrong way. For example, the phone/voiceline systems went through a very similar debate at the beginning. However, the phone system was so vital to our safety and infrastructure, that in the end, it not only should it be 'neutral,' but also critical that it be guaranteed 100% availability. The same may happen in the future, as the borderlines between voice and data lines thin by the day.

VidaBox Media Center Team

Hello world!

Welcome to the unofficial VidaBox development blog.  Here, our team will share some development news, releases, but mostly, interesting articles that have come across our path.

Enjoy!

VidaBox Media Center Team