Smart Home Blog

Here is a new conception of home media center - Sofaside PC. The idea is to keep all A/V sources inside a custom furniture end-table enclosure. Maybe I miss something but that conception doesn’t look useful for me. I prefer a simple client-server solution. Server should be placed in the basement or storage space and client - near TV or audio receiver (in case of audio client). Currently I have client and server in one and I put in the standard TV stand. The case - Silverstone LC20M, looks very nice. All wires are hided beside the stand. So, it’s not needed to buy some special enclosure for that.

In any case, this is just my personal opinion. So, somebody may have opposite one. Especially, if you check MEdiaCOre project - commercial realization of Sofaside PC. Hope this project will get its own fans.

[via eHomeUpgrade]

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YankoDesign presented its own original vision of home theater PC. It has modular architecture and sports (at least as I can see) projector, built-in speakers and CD/DVD drive. The design of that HTPC looks similar to Apple - the same stylish view. But this is definitely not bad! The label on the front panel tells us that concept uses Windows as OS. No more info. BTW, nice work!

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Omaura presented it concept of HTPC - TT. It looks like a stand for wide-screen plasma of LCD TV. And it’s supposed to be at the bottom of your TV to do not break view of entertainment area in your home.

There is no more information regarding TT. So, let’s wait till Omaura will release it. in the meanwhile visit Omaura web site to see its cases for HTPC. They are really cool - thick and stylish. The price is also not so hight as you can expect.

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Recently Addonics Technologies announced its new Zebra Blu-ray / HD DVD player which enables your computer to play movies in both formats. It’s also reads DVDs and CDs in various file formats and burns DVD±R/RW and CDRW media. So, you don’t lose your media library.

The Zebra Blu-ray / HD DVD player is available with a high speed eSATA connection or a combination eSATA and USB 2.0 interfaces for retail price at $409 and $429 respectively. It can be a good add-ons to your HTPC. Especially if it takes into account that device is supported by Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, XP, Vista, Linux (Kernel 2.6 and above), Solaris 10, Mac OS X 10.4.

[via Ubergizmo]

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Recently I found that Silverstone case - Milo ML02MXR Multimedia MoDT Slim HTPC / Desktop Case. It’s shipped with fanless 120W Power Supply, multilanguage LCD, IR, remote control and iMON media center software. It’s situated for Micro ATX, Mini-ITX and DTX motherboards. It’s slim (just 82mm tall) and stylish but not cheap - $249.99. Anyway, I hope that you’ll get exactly what you pay when you decide to buy it.

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