Is it a computer or an entertainment system?<\/p>\n
Internationally recognized IT columnist John C. Dvorak told a
\ncrowd in Jakarta recently that he did not think it was a good
\nidea to use the computer as an entertainment system.<\/p>\n
"My wife would not like it, either," he said, adding that
\nputting a computer next to the TV set would not make much sense
\nto either of them.<\/p>\n
John is right. As PCs have become so capable in doing so many
\ndifferent things -- producing 3-D sound, rendering 3-D images in
\nreal time and displaying video image -- an increasing number of
\nPC vendors have come up with products that serve as entertainment
\ncenters, as well as powerful work computers for number crunching.<\/p>\n
As I said, I share John's opinion that these two functions
\nshould not be combined in a single system.<\/p>\n
It does not mean that I do not like to have some entertainment
\nfunctions added to my work PC. Honestly, it is nice to be able to
\nwatch Cheers or Bill Cosby's Kids Say occasionally with only a
\nfew clicks when it is time to take a break. And I do enjoy
\nlistening to Bizet's The Pearl Fishers' Duet with a headphone
\nattached to my computer while writing articles.<\/p>\n
However, a TV tuner and a decent sound card are all that I
\nhave chosen to add to my work PC.<\/p>\n
If you have the money to buy one powerful PC for work and
\nanother to record TV programs onto your hard disk, then it should
\nnot be a sin to use the PC as an entertainment center for the
\nentire family.<\/p>\n
In fact, the trend of using PCs as a serious entertainment
\nsystem was started more than seven years ago by Gateway, and soon
\npicked up by others.<\/p>\n
This PC-maker built and marketed a PC specially designed for
\nwatching TV and listening to music, called Destination. It came
\nwith a large TV monitor and a powerful speaker system. Compaq
\neven came up with the name PC Theater for its PC-TV combination.
\nLike the early version of Destination, the PC Theater's display
\nmonitor was also a 36-inch TV. A number of other PC vendors have
\ncome up with their own versions since.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, new terms keep emerging to represent this breed of
\nPCs. Some people call them "PC-centric Entertainment Systems",
\nothers simply call them "PC Home Entertainment System".<\/p>\n
In countries where broadband has largely left narrowband
\n(dial-up) access in the dust, these PCs make even more sense for
\nthe family. Children can play networked games with opponents on
\nthe other side of the planet, while relatives living on another
\ncontinent can share their latest family outing videos -- the list
\ngoes on.<\/p>\n
A book by Brian Underdahl titled Build Your Own Home
\nEntertainment System even appeared.<\/p>\n
Actually, it is not difficult to build such a system. A little
\nsearch on the Internet will equip you with enough knowledge of
\nthe best multimedia components that you can add to a fast and
\npowerful PC, such as http:\/\/ruel.net\/pc\/tv.tuner.htm.<\/p>\n
However, if you want to have a ready-to-use PC entertainment
\nsystem, there are plenty available today that can play DVDs and
\nother high-definition stuff. Gateway, which has announced its
\ndecision to expand into consumer electronics in bigger ways, may
\nstill be the leader in this sector.<\/p>\n
If you happen to be in Tokyo and have a chance to go to
\nShinjuku, you will see a lot of beautifully carved CPUs and LCD
\nmonitors from NEC, Sony and others that will keep your month
\nwatering for a long time. They definitely represent the right
\nstyle for PC-based entertainment systems.<\/p>\n
Just remember, though, that if you use your PC for serious
\nwork, it is not a good idea to combine it with serious
\nentertainment. Solitaire is already a powerful productivity
\nkiller, and you do not want to couple it with all those on-demand
\nmovies. -- Zatni Arbi<\/p>",
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