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| HTPCs in 2009 |
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| Computers & Technology > Technology |
| Written by Kieran O'Reilly |
| Tuesday, 17 February 2009 15:50 |
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Home theatre PC's are about to change the world in 2009. This combination of a PC and a home entertainment system is an innovative way to combine all of your entertainment needs into one. Many companies have sought out and created their so called "Ultimate entertainment combinations" but in the past all have failed. Huge companies are trying to make home theatre PC's a common everyday item in every household home.
So far this attempt has been fruitless. Which makes 2009 the battle ground to see which company dominates all of the HTPC sales in the future. Home theatre Pc's are relatively new. But the concept has been around since ancient times. A main advantage is the ability to copy CD's and DVD's to a hard drive and uses your PC to play them. The HTPC combines all the advantages of computers, televisions, and high quality stereos. However, setting one up can be very difficult. Some companies are selling all you need in one box, basically an entire home theatre all in one. This simple convenience has made HTPC's sell more in 2008 than any time else in history despite the huge economic recession. The sound factor is key with HTPC's. Better sound means better quality. Other cheap stereo systems may ruin and blur out the high quality sounds, while HTPC's have clear sounds. They "juke box factor" of HTPC's allows you to play all your music on the HTPC. This will save you money, you won't have to go and buy an expensive mp3 player with unneeded gigabytes, and all of your music will be on your HTPC ready to be played at any time. This is one of the most popular features for i-pod lovers and all music lovers alike. Panasonic's all in one home theatre system is very popular in the US and throughout Europe. There sound is one of the best in the industry. The clear sound from their speakers makes the listener actually feel like it is their first time at the movies all over again! However, Panasonic does not make computers so you will have to go to a third party computer store for the Internet features. Another bad thing is the prices are high even for a home theatre system. But if you plan on buying one it is recommended you budget wisely. Also, they only sell hardware, but their hard ware is one of the best in the industry, giving them a top rank in the HTPC industry! Other elements of HTPC's include the outstanding gaming experience. Games have always been a fun way to pass time. In 2007 Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony started the game war with HTPCs at the center. This entertainment fight brought a new wave of HTPCs. Now the HTPC was more gaming friendly and graphically better off. Playing games on a big screen is always fun. You can see all of the action much better on the big screen and you will think of the HTPC as another game console! A favorite feature of the HTPC is the DVD storage. You can store your DVD's with these huge HTPC's. You can also easily get a backup storage center for your DVD's. In 2009 big companies such as windows vista media center will allow you to record and watch your DVD's even easier. Having a DVD backup is very convenient and great at parties. The big screen and the instant DVD playing will impress anyone even if they are not very technological crazy. The DVDs will look 10 times better on a HTPC and you will never have to worry about scratching a CD, or rewinding ever again! Windows vista media center enables the user to not only record their DVD's, but record their favorite shows 2! Having TV literally on demand is always a great feature. You can share with friends, or record TV you missed. You can also share pictures too, then take them everywhere with windows mobile. The Internet capabilities on this Microsoft soft ware literally make your home entertainment all in one, so you never have to worry about losing files or forgetting a picture you wanted to show your boss. The backup servers provided by Microsoft make sure that you will never lose another picture again. The downside is the cost. A new PC, phone, and TV can be expensive, but for first time buyers this will be much cheaper than buying everything separate. It is especially unique because you can watch TV on your PC or use your TV as a laptop screen, which has not been so successful with other companies, but windows being so innovative made this possible. Other downsides are that companies like TiVo and ReplayTV are often better at recording TV and videos then an HTPC. But you may be able to integrate them into your home entertainment system in the future, which is something we can look forward to in 2009 and the years to come. Internet capability is a big benefit of the HTPC. Your HTPC will become the center of your life, so why not add Internet to it? The Internet capability is used by mostly all of the big HTPC companies, and it is hard to find one not having Internet capabilities today. Whether you want high speed Internet or broadband, it is always enjoying having Internet on your HTPC. You can surf the net while watching TV and sharing your photos all at the same time. The HTPC can help you do all of these things in half the time. XMBC Media center is proud of its signature Internet performance. Some features include a built in web server allowing the user to create their own plug-ins and scripts. XMBC is the developer's choice as a Home Theatre PC and they have won many awards over the years. They are very fast and very reliable. The only problem is, they do not supply allot of information on their website. It is not recommended for new HTPC buyers to invest in XMBC, they should go to a more reliable company and if they enjoy their home theatre experience, upgrade to XMBC. You do not want to waste time with something you know little about. It is always good to read up on the products and services and choose the best one for your budget and the best Home theatre PC for your needs. A good feature is they are the best in the industry, and are free. They can be run on Linux, Mac, and windows. And they have a new Xbox Version out. The scripts are great and free, which is always good. The downside is they have more hardware requirements then most other HTPCs out there. They are unique because of their constant updates, and will be one of the key players in the HTPC industry of 2009. In 2009 a new feature for the HTPC is better scalar or unconverter technologies. This basically means better graphics. Graphics has to be the entertainment enthusiast's best friend. The new scalar technologies will allow pixels to appear bigger, but not blurry at the same time. In 2009 all TV's will have to be switched to HD by law, making it a great time to open up the new graphics age. With so many people switching, it is clear why HTPC's with good graphic cards are prospering. HD stands for High definition, which means high quality. To save bandwidth for police officers the law is requiring all TV's to switch to HD. This being said, it is the perfect time to invest in an HTPC. Many companies are featuring their new ideas in 2009 to kick off the new HD movement. Sales are up, and prices are low. But with the world wide recession, it is harder to save up for the HTPC of your dreams. A small investment now can result in great fun later. Ease of access is going to be another factor in the HTPC industry. Easier things mean more people will buy it. However, sometimes more complicated HTPCs will be cheaper. If you can hire a good installer it will save you a lot of time and money. You shouldn't look for the easy way to do things, in 2009, because that short cut will make prices more expensive. The technicians and graphic designers required to make these improvements as well as the advertisers and sales representatives have to be paid too, and that will all come out of your pocket. Given this fact, 2009 may not be the best time to buy an HTPC because of prices. But, it will be a great year to buy easy to use HTPCs. Buying pre-owned HTPCs may become very popular in 2009 as they will be cheaper, cost efficient, and still amazingly good! Other aspects of the HTPC include digital photo slide shows. You can now connect your digital camera to your HTPC and upload and share photos. Whether you have a Nikon, JVC, or Cannon camera, you can connect it to your HTPC. These photos can be saved, uploaded, or downloaded onto your computer. By using Microsoft's new servers, you can create a database for your photos and save them forever and for free too. With the Internet abilities you can send them to all of your friends instantly. Finding the HTPC for your needs may be the hardest task. For developers, XMBC is recommended, for families Windows Vista Media center is a great family friendly HTPC, and for gamers all you need is a big screen! Research is a big factor on finding an HTPC in 2009. Looking up online and reading about other people's experiences is sure to find you a cheap reliable HTPC. People who have had great experiences with HTPC's won't wait a minute to go online (with their new HTPC of course) and blog about it. Asking friends and developing opinions on their experiences is also good. If you already have the hardware, a free software alternative is GeeXboX. The bad part about free alternatives is, if it breaks, who do you complain 2? There is a ton of free software out there, but companies who make the hardware and the software, like Microsoft, are ones you can turn too. GeeXboX is great for Asian users because of their many Asian friendly features. They also have all of the great features of other HTPC's and allow you to configure your LCD TV. Nice software for your nice TV. With Microsoft windows now in phone technologies, other companies will soon join them. Having your phone, PC, and computer linked is great because you always have your phone with you, which means you always have everything with you. That means your phone contains all the data you need for school and your business. And phones being so light and easy to carry, you never have to worry about forgetting anything every again! The trouble is 1 simple hacker or virus can destroy all of your information. Backups and good virus protection are highly recommended. But it is hard to get virus protection on a phone, so you must always be on the lookout. In 2009 many companies plan to improve the control of HTPCs. This promise is basically guaranteeing that your HTPC will work faster, better, and with higher quality, which is what everyone wants. You will be in total control of your life as some companies advertise, but will linking all of your information really make your life better? Does buying an expensive server that you will probably never use and will just gather dust in your closet make your life better? For many it is a no, but for people dependent on technology or those who are creative, intelligent, or sophisticated, it definitely will. This easier life will save you space, time, and most importantly, money. You won't be loaded with unnecessary gadgets any more, and you won't have to buy them 2. And never again will you spend hours to download a file, or hours on the phone fixing your computer. But these are only promises companies like Microsoft made to encourage you to buy their product. No one really knows the new technologies that will be released in 2009, or the new ideas that will start. Anyone can own a HTPC, but not everyone will use it. If you don't use your HTPC that is just wasting time and money, even if it is free software, you are wasting the money spent for the hardware, and the time spent installing. In this recession we cannot waste our money. However, if you have all the components and software, you can sell your used HTPC for money. You may even get close to full value if you have been properly maintaining it! Upgrading HTPCs is a new concept that will be introduced in 2009. HTPCs have been on the market for some time now and the only thing left for people who already have one is to upgrade theirs to make it better. Faster software, quicker downloads, and easier to use software are some upgrades that will be available. But since there is so many HTPC software and hardware, it will be hard to upgrade ever software. XMBC encourages users to submit their ideas on how to make their product better. Microsoft does the same, as does most HTPC companies. Your ideas do matter in the Home theater PC industry. Only you know what you need or want, and you have to tell the companies how to improve. Do not waste your time and money with companies who do not care about your opinions, and do not be too lazy to submit complaints or bugs. Once again a big question is do you really need it? Do you really need all this extra technology? Or do you have so much extra technology that you need to link it to one? These are just some questions you have to ask yourself before making a commitment in the HTPC industry. Checking your sources is also a big thing with HTPCs. You can't believe everything you read. Be sure you know what you are getting into before buying an HTPC. In 2009 with all the competition out there in hardware and software, many HTPC companies will make promises they cannot keep. This being true you should find a reliable HTPC company that is reasonable and does not make outrageous promises. For hardware, Dell and Mac are the leading manufacturers. With HP close behind, and for software, there is so many it depends on what you need. Wireless connections will be big in 2009, and wires may not be used as much, it would be smart to not invest in a company that uses old fashion plugs and cables when wireless technologies are available. You do not want to waste electricity either, because then you are paying hundreds to thousands extra a year for unused electricity and ultimately hurting the environment. New eco friendly HTPCs will become big in 2009. Companies who do not create E-waste (technological trash) will be sanctioned by the US government and supported by NGOs alike. These HTPC companies will be around for a while and it is smart to trust them. The innovative technologies of HTPCs will revolutionize 2009 and change the lives of many. If you have the time, the money, and the commitment to invest in a home theatre PC you should do so. Linking all aspects of your life into one can be a life changing event. In 2009 companies will have faster speed for their HTPC and easy to use technologies for even the technological handicap. Discovering the power of the HTPC industry may, no will change your life and the lives of those you love. Nothing is better than watching all your favorite shows and movies whenever you want, and having all your pictures with you. Secure files and a DVD/music jukebox are some additional benefits. Surround sound and High definition TV are some upgrades. And rewinding and capturing every moment of your life are special features. HTPCs are a movie waiting to be created and you can be the director. It is so easy to get started even a cavem... |
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