Hauppauge 1120CN WinTV-HVR-950 Hybrid Video Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased one of these new USB tuners earlier this week and have been playing with it for about 2 days now.

For reference, I have an AMD 4000+ single-core system with 1 GB RAM and an nVidia 7800 GT video card.

Install was a breeze.Included documentation was minimal but sufficient to get you "up and running".

GREAT video quality, but taxes your CPU if you can not use video hardware acceleration. Must use a dedicated USB2 port for best results.Do NOT use a hub if you can avoid it, especially if you have a USB WLAN adapter already connected to it! Using video card hardware acceleration causes image corruption and I have not been able to resolve this issue with drivers, etc.Still working on it.However, the CPU is able to handle the load (barely) with excellent image quality.PVR function is awesome.The ability to use TitanTV scheduling is very helpful.Recorded image quality exceeds that of what is displayed "live" on my machine, at least in full screen.Works for both analog cable & ATSC (OTA HD).

The included antenna for ATSC is not very good - invest in a better, amplified antenna for best results.It would probably be great for sitting in a big city airport terminal, though.

Overall - very pleased with the purchase.

12/22/06 Update regarding hardware acceleration: I still have not been able to successfully make hardware acceleration work with the combination of an AMD 4000+ processer and nVidia 7800 GT or nvidia 7950 GX2 video cards.This does not impact standard def programming at all, but HD programming can get a little choppy using only the CPU.However, hardware acceleration works PERFECTLY on my older Dell XPS2 laptop with a 2 GHz Pentium M and an nVidia 6800 Ultra video card.

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Product Description:
The Hauppauge 1139 WinTV-HVR-950 Hybrid TV Stick External TV Tuner/Video Recorder will bring high-definition television directly to your PC. This handy device lets you watch your favorite TV shows through your computer, and record them digitally for future playback using high quality MPEG-2. More economical and versatile than a DVR, or digital video recorder, this PC Video Recorder, or PVR, gives you virtually unlimited options for saving and playing back your favorite TV broadcasts and clips.
The Hauppauge 1139 WinTV-HVR-950 Hybrid TV Stick External TV Tuner/Video Recorder offers:

Ability to watch television on your PC in a window or full screen.
Portable, small size for on-the-go television viewing on your laptop.
Compatibility with digital and analog signals.
Acceptance of video feeds from a camera or satellite box.

The small, pocketable size lets you easily take it everywhere. View larger. Play and Record Television Digitally
The WinTV-HVR-950 is a simple-to-use device that brings over-the-air high definition ATSC digital TV as well as analog cable TV directly to your PC desktop or laptop. With the additional included antenna, it can also receive analog TV broadcasts, and it can also accept video feeds directly from a camera or satellite box.
More versatile than a DVR, the WinTV-HVR-950 is a pocket-sized device that simply plugs into your PC's USB port. It features a built-in digital ATSC over-the-air TV receiver. If you live in one of the more than 200 cities in the United States that receives ATSC digital TV, you'll have immediate access to as many as 1500 digital TV stations. ATSC digital TV is the over-the-air HDTV standard for North America. ATSC broadcasts range in resolution from standard definition up to the high definition 1080i format. (To check the ATSC digital transmissions in your area, input your zip code at titantv.com.)
A portable digital TV antenna, which can be used to receive digital TV up to 10 miles from an ATSC transmitter, is included with the PVR . (To check the ATSC digital transmissions in your area, input your zip code at titantv.com) If you live in an area where you can't currently receive ATSC digital TV, the WinTV-HVR-950 can still be used to watch and record analog TV from cable TV or a TV antenna. (The WinTV-HVR-950 cannot receive digital cable TV or digital satellite TV.)
Once the WinTV-HVR-950 is connected, you can begin to record your favorite shows in high-quality MPEG-2 directly to your hard disk using the Hauppauge SoftPVR MPEG-2 encoder. Television recordings will typically consume 5 GB of disk space per hour for ATSC high definition, while analog recordings will typically consume 1.5 GB of disk space per hour. You can also use the included WinTV-Scheduler to program your compute to record your favorite analog or digital TV shows for play back at any time.


The WinTV application offers an elegant interface to watch TV in a window or full screen. View larger. Compatibility with Microsoft's Windows Media Center means that you can watch TV as well as your recordings with Windows Media Center. The included WinTV application also lets you watch your shows in a window or on full screen.
More about PVR Technology
PVR stands for PC Video Recorder. The WinTV-HVR-950 is a PVR that allows you to play television through your computer and record the broadcasts digitally. PVR doesn't use standard videocassettes; instead, it uses your computer's hard disk to store the broadcasts.
Once you record a television show to your PC's hard drive, you can burn a CD or DVD that will allow you to play the show back on another computer or on your television. With video editing software (not included with the WinTV-HVR-950), you can even edit the shows. This is a great feature if you want to save clips from movies or sitcoms, or keep your favorite player's grand slam or TD kick-off return for posterity.
And just like a typical VCR, the WinTV-HVR-950 offers you several recording options, depending on your play back needs. If you want the highest quality recording for playback through your HDTV, all you need is enough hard drive space to support high-quality recording. By using the lowest recording option, you can use your WinTV-HVR-950, along with an inexpensive video camera, as a low-cost on-site video surveillance system. In fact, the possibilities of how you can take advantage of the WinTV-HVR-950 are endless.
What's in the Box
WinTV-HVR-950 USB 2.0 TV stick with cable TV or ATSC antenna connection; USB extension cable; portable antenna; software on CD-ROM; and quick installation guide.

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TiVo TCD658000 HD XL Digital Video Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're too lazy to do more research aside from looking at this page, then you may be a bit surprised when you open the box. Here's what you need to know:

1) This TiVo requires a CableCard. It does NOT work with your cable box. It in fact replaces your cable box, so things like On Demand won't work anymore. Cable TV companies are required by the FCC to give you a CableCard on request, but they will likely charge fees for installation and for using the CableCard. It also (at least for me) can be a giant pain to get to a representative who can actually help you. I wasted hours trying to deal with my cable company. Also, try to get them to let you install it yourself, as it's really, really easy and shouldn't cost you twenty bucks to have someone else slide a card into a slot. Seriously, your blind, senile great-grandmother could do this.
2) The TiVo DOES have an Ethernet jack on the back along with the telephone jack. If you can use a wired network connection, then you don't need to shell out extra for the wireless adapter. I'm now returning mine to Amazon for a refund.
3) Lifetime service (totally worth it in my opinion) now costs $399 up from $299, but you can get it for only $299 with a multi-service discount if you already have another TiVo. Even better, you can resell your TiVo in the future with the lifetime service and transfer the service to the new owner. You can't do that with a monthly or yearly plan!
4) The remote is awful compared to the old remotes. Plus, they switched around the buttons! It also now uses 4 AAAs rather than 2 AAs. However, old remotes should work with this TiVo, too. (I haven't bothered trying.)

Nonetheless, don't let this scare you off. The TiVo HD XL is a really solid product, and TiVo is definitely still the king of DVRs. The XL is a bit pricey, but if you do the math, you'll realize this is actually the best way to go. You really won't save money or time by rolling your own or by buying the cheaper one and attaching an external hard drive.

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Product Description:
TiVo HD XL - You're ultimate HD cable experience.Discover a whole new universe of entertainment - in crystal-clear THX sound and picture-optimized for digital cable.It's all the digital entertainment you want, whenever you want it!With the Emmy Award-Winning TiVo service, plus movies, music, and videos from the internet, TiVo HD XL makes the most of broadcast and broadband.

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Antec MX-1 USB/e-SATA 3.5-Inch Hard Drive Enclosure Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The video speaks for itself.Basically, I prefer this over my Thermaltake for one reason: The ease of swapping drives in and out of it when I need to.Right now it's sitting in my entertainment unit with my media PC, and it contains my entire life collection of stuff.It may not be the most attractive or the most durable.But if you need flexibility there really are no better out there.If you want something that's built like a tank and looks like a rock concert then get the Thermaltake N0012USU Max 4 Active Cooling 3.5-Inch USB 2.0 eSATA Hard Drive Enclosure instead.

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Product Description:
Keep your data safe and cool in Antec's MX-1 portable Hard Drive enclosure. Features a blower fan to keep your drive running cool, and allowing you to operate the enclosure continuously. Simply install your drive, connect it to your computer and start transferring your data at blazing speeds over USB2.0 or eSATA. There's not even any need to install drivers. The MX-1 is made with a special dual-layer design that reduces noise and is lightweight for easy transporting.

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SilverStone Grandia GD02B Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX Media Center/HTPC Case - Retail (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First of all let me say that overall this case is well built with quite cooling fans and an acceptable depth (about 14 3/16 without rear cables - right angle cables best choice for tight fit) for many home theater cabinets.

One issue of some concern is the position of the hard drives and power supply. With two hard drives installed, one WD Raptor 10,000 RPM 36GB for the operating system and another Seagate 7200 RPM 1TB for music and movies, the hard drive cage and drives appear to get hotter to the touch than I would like. There is no room for hard drive cooling with both drives installed. My solution will be to remove the 36GB Raptor and install a quite hard drive cooler which will take up the space of the second hard drive.

A second issue is the CPU cooler. I purchased a quite low profile Zalman but it was too high with the CD/DVD drive holder installed. I then purchased the fanless CPU cooler from SilverStone thinking they would have one that fits properly. By the way I have a BioStar TA790GX XE and an AMD 5050e 45 watt processor so heat is less of a factor. If you contact SilverStone they will tell you the cooling capabilities with regard to acceptable processors. Anyway, the SilverStone CPU cooler works fine but partially blocks the Slot for a video card. If I decide to utilize the Hybrid CrossFire in the future some of the cooler fins will need to be removed. Because this cooler can handle a 65 watt or greater processors this may not be an issue. Some investigation will be necessary.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SilverStone Grandia GD02B Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX Media Center/HTPC Case - Retail (Black)

Product Description:
Grandia represents brilliance, and SilverStone's Grandia GD02 is certainly a brilliant chassis that seamlessly integrates innovation and aesthetics. An HTPC enclosure has never been so powerful yet so compact like the GD02. With a depth of only 360mm, it will comfortably fit inside home theater cabinets but still accommodate a regular sized power supply, Micro-ATX motherboard, and even high end graphics cards up to 11.5 inches. With exquisitely finished hair-brushed aluminum front panel and organic spherical appearance, GD02 is not only designed brilliantly but also looks brilliant.

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CLOSEOUT: WD Caviar GP 1TB Internal Serial ATA-300 7,200 RPM 16MB Hard Drive - WD10EACS - Recertified Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This drive came today wrapped in bubble wrap and looking like an OEM resale item. I checked the warranty online with WD and it's good, thank goodness, or I'd have really raised heck.

Anyone looking for a REAL, FULL RETAIL BOXED version should shy away from Electronics Direct. Learn from my mistake.
Heck, for an unboxed version I could have saved another 40.00 and gone elsewhere.

Click Here to see more reviews about: CLOSEOUT: WD Caviar GP 1TB Internal Serial ATA-300 7,200 RPM 16MB Hard Drive - WD10EACS - Recertified

Product Description:
MASSIVE CAPACITY! Green Power!The Western Digital WD10EACS hard drive represents a milestone in hard drive technology. It features 1 terabyte of storage capacity (1,000 GB) and is part of WD's GreenPower initiative for hard drives designed to conserve energy while running cool and quietly. The spindle speeds adjust to your needs, from 5400 to 7200 RPM, and the cache size of 16 MB provides seamless operation under heavy load. The Serial ATA interface provides super-fast 3 Gb/sdata transfers and Western Digital technologies like IntelliPower, IntelliSeek, and IntelliPark all reduce energy consumption and provide better performance at lower cost of ownership than other large-capacity hard drives. Order now!

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Seagate DB35 Series ST3750840SCE - Hard drive - 750 GB - internal - 3.5" - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm - buffer: 8 MB Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this drive, formulated for a ReplayTv DVR, for 6 months.I can't hear it and it accesses menus quickly.It has never needed a reboot, unlike the Hitachi CinemaStar in my Tivo HD, which is slightly newer and needs a reboot about once a week.I'm about to buy another DB35.3 for a second ReplayTv.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Seagate DB35 Series ST3750840SCE - Hard drive - 750 GB - internal - 3.5 - SATA-300 - 7200 rpm - buffer: 8 MB

Product Description:

Seagate ST3750840SCE HDRIVE 750GB Seagate 7200 RPM SATA Internal
Product Details:

Manufacturer: Seagate
Part Number: ST3750840SCE
Category: HARD DRIVE
Interface: SATA
Capacity: 750 GB
Rotation Speed: 7200
Form Factor: Internal
Item Condition:
HDExchanges SKU#: SKUB27872

Product Highlights:

90 Days Unlimited Warranty
Extended Warranty Available
Quantity Discount Applicable
One Year Product Support with HDExchanges Included
100% Satisfaction or Your Money Back
In Stock

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ATSC NTSC Hybrid HDTV PCI TV Tuner /Digital Video Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Hi, this package is great.I've used TV tuner cards for several years and seen them develop.This card is by far more mature than anything I've used.It's very easy to use, the interface is like a TIVO and the functions are fairly intuitive.Overall, I give it high marks and am satisfied with my purchase.

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Product Description:
X8000A uses the latest TV decoding chip from Silicon Valley. It supports both free-to-air HDTV and traditional NTSC TV signal decoding with the built-in dual tuners. You will enjoy crystal clear HDTV with resolution up to 1920

Western Digital My Book Home Edition 750 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDH1CS7500N Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This product was purchased for exclusive use as an external HDD for Dish Network's ViP 722.The "Home Edition" of the WD My Book has 3 ports: USB 2.0, Firewire, and SATA.This makes this HDD extremely flixable should it be decided to use the HDD for PC or even Tivo.

This HDD works flawlessy with the Dish ViP 722. It was connected to the 722 right out of the box and quickly formatted for immediate use.Transfers and playbacks to and from this HDD have been flawless.It is quiet and very good-looking.This HDD actually blends in very well, and is small enough to place additional My Book's for very neat and aesthetic appearance on shelves or TV Stands. It is the best looking and compact of all my external HDD's. I leave mine on at all times, so the blue indicator light is always illuminated.It makes a great night light.

One thing: the blue lights feature that indicates how much capacity of remains on the HDD works when using it connected to a PC.That feature will not work connected to the ViP 722.But I don't mind that, as it is very easy to check remaining capacity using the 722 menus.

I highly recommend this external HDD for use by Dish Network customers for their ViP series of satellite boxes, and I plan to buy this item again should I need more room.the 750GB is the current "official" maximum that Dish Network supports.HOWEVER, in the very near future Dish will officially support HDD's greater than 750GB.

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Product Description:
Western Digital My Book Home Edition 750 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDH1CS7500N

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Western Digital My DVR Expander 500 GB eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1S5000VN Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)What can you say - for a device like this, "scoring" is it easy. It either works as advertised, or it doesn't - this thing works as advertised. It's easy to hook-up/install, or it is not - the directions couldn't be clearer, and it was a snap to hook-up.

I have a Comcast DVR Scientific Atlanta 8300HD. I was constantly running into low space issues. No matter how hard I tried to keep up with "house keeping" it always seemed to run at or near capacity. And with the 2008 Summer Olympics coming up, I was finally motivated to find a solution.

I did few Google searches, and yielded some promising results. Other users of the SA-8300HD had the same problem and came up with varying solutions - build you own eSATA external drive, or buy an out-of-the-box device. I'm pretty tech savvy, having built a number of PCs and external USB drives. The cost of DIY-ing a similar device was about $100-110, delivered. For $40 more, I could get a pre-built and certified device. I didn't want any hassles, so I went with this.

It looks like and is the same size as any of the WD MyBook external drives. It's a little smaller than a hard covered book. It comes with an external power supply and an eSATA cable, and a Quick Install guide.

Total time to install - 15 minutes, tops. I could have done it in less than ten, if I read the install guide fully. I jumped the gun and instead of pulling the plug on the DVR, I just turned it off. YOU HAVE TO UNPLUG THE DVR BEFORE CONNECTING THE EXPANDER. Which is what the directions says, but I skipped.

So, to install, you:

1)Check Capacity of your recorder (mine was at 62%)
2)Unplug the DVR
3)Plug in the Expander
4)Connect the Expander to the DVR with the eSATA cable
5)Plug the DVR back in.

The DVR will go through its boot process. When the clock reappears, turn on your TV and then your DVR. A message will appear:

"Detected an external DVR Expander - do you want to format it for use with this DVR?"

Hit Yes and the message disappears. There is nothing to tell you it is performing the install/format. A few minutes later, a new message appears:

"The DVR Expander is ready to use"

Go to the recording section and check capacity. Mine dropped to 16%!

My recommendation - do not hesitate, buy this. Even if you are tech-savvy, is your time/effort worth $40? This is certified and guaranteed to work. WD drives are typically sturdy, and their MyBooks are highly rated.

Hurry - the Olympics start August 8!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Western Digital My DVR Expander 500 GB eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1S5000VN

Product Description:
Western Digital My DVR expander, 500GB, eSATA, Compatible with Scientific Atlanta 8300 Series, TiVoSeries3 and TiVo HD DVRs. Quiet and Cool - A unique no-fan passive cooling system and special hard drive design makes it quiet for the living room or bedroom

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Western Digital My DVR Expander 1 TB eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1S10000VN (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you're a Tivo owner with a HD Tivo, then chances are you've come to the right place. This drive is the right choice for upgrading your capacity. It is the ONLY brand that is supported by Tivo, your warranty will remain in effect, and it is a painless install.

This package is the right enclosure, the right eSATA cable, and most importantly the right drive. This drive is NOT a standard PC drive. It is specially designed for 24/7 spinning, low noise, PVR use.

Note that 1TB should give you over 165 hours of HD, not the "60 hours" in this listing. Also note that most Tivos don't recognize drives over 1TB, so spending more won't help you.

If you really want to get into the details of upgrading your Tivo storage, look here: [...]

All my info is current as of Spring 2009. Things change.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Western Digital My DVR Expander 1 TB eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDG1S10000VN (Black)

Product Description:
Record more -- delete less. Add My DVR Expander from WD to your eSATA-ready DVR and you'll instantly have space for up to 120hours of high-definition or 600 hours of standard-definition TV. Just plug itin to record even more TV shows, sporting events and movies. It features cool,quiet operation and a soft amber LED to help avoid annoyance at night, even inthe bedroom. Save your programs longer and never miss your favorite shows.Active eSATA port required.Firmware updates from Tivo that need to be downloadedto Tivo boxes before they will work with our new DVR Expander.

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Western Digital My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDBABT0010HBK-NESN Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I received my 1TB WD My Book AV Expander today.Here's how it went down:

Unpack, plug into back of DVR with included eSATA cable, plug WD HDD into wall outlet, turn on DVR and TV.See prompt on TV about new attached storage. Look for and find remote that kids misplaced.Then Press A on remote to format. Wait 30 seconds. Now when I press List it shows 5% Full (used to be 40%). It didn't even interrupt the current recording. No more taping over my World Cup matches. How easy is that?

So far no heat from new hard drive and it's whisper quiet.Drive also comes with a USB cable (not needed for this project as the Scientifc Atlanta 8300HD supports eSATA only for adding storage.)From WD's website this drive is on the list of supported drives for Time Warner SA8300HD but it was still a relief to see it immediately recognized.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Western Digital My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA Desktop External Hard Drive WDBABT0010HBK-NESN

Product Description:
Record more. Delete less. WD's My Book AV DVR Expander instantly adds more recording hours to your DVR. With both USB 2.0 and eSATA interfaces, the drive is compatible with many DVRs and other AV devices. Or use this drive with your compatible camcorder to off-load video without a computer.

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Antec Fusion Remote Black Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The case is great.It has a lot of nice details such as rubber pads to absorb vibration and a mounting system for hard drives that isolates them on soft bushings to minimize drive noise.Ventalation

The power supplu is mounted upside down in a separate compartment from the motherboard.There is an extension for the 24 pin power cable, but the P4 cable might be a problem.I would buy a p4 cable extension or Molex to p4 cable with this case, unless you are sure that your cables will reach.

The VFD loks kind of cheap and the remote looks and feels cheap.The Soundgraph iMon software that drives it is limited.I would consider buying the non-VFD version and a different VFD.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Antec Fusion Remote Black Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Product Description:
Combining silence, convenience, and style, the Fusion Remote Black is an excellent enclosure for a home theater PC. With its triple chamber design and dual 120mm fans, this case runs quietly and coolly. The Fusion Remote Black boasts an included remote control and media management software for maximum ease of use.

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SilverStone Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX HTPC Computer Case GD05B (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Silverstone did an excellent job with this case. It has great airflow, it's roomy for its design, and it looks absolutely gorgeous albeit simplistic. The case comes complete with small rubber feet for your PSU, some ties for cable management and plenty of extra screws.

If you look inside the case, you'll find that they not only provided places to tie down your cables, but they even provided preinstalled grommets for your 3.5 drives in order to dampen sound. Lot's of bang for your buck to be had in this little beauty.

As with any design, there are a few flaws and this case's flaws are in a few oversights in its design. First off, when you are looking at the front of the case with the top open, you'll notice that the PSU attaches on the left hand side directly underneath where the hard drives attach which works well for attaching the SATA connectors to them. The issue is that that puts it quite a distance from the P4 PSU connector on the motherboard which is on the front right on most motherboards. The motherboards are designed like that because in a tower, the right side (looking from front to backplane) is oriented towards the top of the PC where the power supply is. In order to get around this, you have to either have a 19.2' (roughly) P4 cable from your power supply or an extension in order to route it around the board instead of having to stretch it across the board.

The second flaw I found was the fact that there are 2 LED's (power and hard drive) and only one LED hole in order for the light to shine through. I guess that wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that they are the same color (blue) and it's hard to tell when your drive is being accessed.

Another thing to note about this case is that it is steel and plastic with a thin aluminum skin over the plastic. The thing is HEAVY if you are used to aluminum cases.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SilverStone Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX HTPC Computer Case GD05B (Black)

Product Description:
GD05B has the same beautifully proportioned exterior and powerful thermal capability that rivals the best tower chassis. However, the front panel of the GD05 was designed to be more flexible so that its 325mm depth can be utilized in more places than just home theaters. Even though GD05's diminutive size allows it to easily integrate into any home theater cabinet, it can still accommodate an impressive list of standard components such as 5.25" device, two 3.5" hard drives, a 2.5" SSD, a standard ATX power supply, and two high-end graphics cards up to 11 inches. Cooling duty in the GD05 is handled by three filtered 120mm fans designed with the same positive air pressure to enable class-leading cooling efficiency, reduced dust buildup, and silent operation.

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eMachines ER1402-05 Desktop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Update: After reading other reviews below and trying all the steps mentioned, I am still unable to achieve watchable frame rates in Hulu under Chrome, IE or Hulu Desktop. I have Flash 10.1, July 2010 Nvidia drivers, Aero off, all unneeded programs uninstalled, and haven't installed any software on this box but xbmc. Full screen Hulu video (I've been using Burn Notice to test) is unwatchable. Some other reviewers claim it's fine, though, so maybe your experience will be better than mine. That said, I am still very happy with this box as I never intended to watch flash on it anyway.

Update Sept 1: I've bumped this up to five stars. I broke down and picked up the AverTv Volar USB tuner, and this box is capable of recording and playing back 1080i content via clearQAM in WMC.

First of all, the item definitely does not weigh anywhere near 9lbs. I think that was a mistake in the original press release.

I've had this for two days and so far it's been what I expected for my first nettop. The bloatware wasn't too bad and setup was fast and easy. Keep in mind the wireless mouse needs a USB receiver (included) so you're losing one of those USB ports right off the bat. The hdmi port is also in a pretty bad spot.

I am using this to stream up to 720p (so far) over wireless g/n and xbmc is working great under the original windows install. Boxee, however, dropped frames occasionally in 720p / matroska. 720p was also fine in Windows Media Center, so part of the blame does lie in boxee's internal codec.

If you're looking to stream Hulu on this box, I wouldn't recommend it. I tried with both older versions of Flash and the latest version, and made various tweaks (increased frame buffer in BIOS, aero on/off, etc), and it was not really watchable in any browser I tried. I don't really use Hulu or flash, though, it was just a test; others more knowledgeable may get it to work.

I am using the box with a 42" samsung and a surround sound setup via the optical audio. So far it's fulfilling the needs I had for it, and it runs quiet and fairly cool. Seems like a decent box for the price, and it replaced a hulking old HTPC that was heating up my living room for no good reason. I've given up on tuner cards, but I bet you could get a USB tuner working on this without much trouble.

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Product Description:

eMachines ER1402: The Mini Home Entertainment Center

The redesigned eMachines ER1402-05 "mini-e" Desktop is an amazing slim and compact PC that provides full HD multimedia entertainment as well as everyday productivity. This uniquely configured mini PC looks great in your family room or can snap to the back of your monitor, streamlining your personal space while giving you a home infotainment center that lets you play games, surf the Web, view and edit photos, watch HD movies, and more.

This space-saving PC is the ideal entertainment solution for streaming movies, TV shows, music and other online media.

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