Is it a computer or an entertainment system?

Is it a computer or an entertainment system?

Internationally recognized IT columnist John C. Dvorak told a
crowd in Jakarta recently that he did not think it was a good
idea to use the computer as an entertainment system.

"My wife would not like it, either," he said, adding that
putting a computer next to the TV set would not make much sense
to either of them.

John is right. As PCs have become so capable in doing so many
different things -- producing 3-D sound, rendering 3-D images in
real time and displaying video image -- an increasing number of
PC vendors have come up with products that serve as entertainment
centers, as well as powerful work computers for number crunching.

As I said, I share John's opinion that these two functions
should not be combined in a single system.

It does not mean that I do not like to have some entertainment
functions added to my work PC. Honestly, it is nice to be able to
watch Cheers or Bill Cosby's Kids Say occasionally with only a
few clicks when it is time to take a break. And I do enjoy
listening to Bizet's The Pearl Fishers' Duet with a headphone
attached to my computer while writing articles.

However, a TV tuner and a decent sound card are all that I
have chosen to add to my work PC.

If you have the money to buy one powerful PC for work and
another to record TV programs onto your hard disk, then it should
not be a sin to use the PC as an entertainment center for the
entire family.

In fact, the trend of using PCs as a serious entertainment
system was started more than seven years ago by Gateway, and soon
picked up by others.

This PC-maker built and marketed a PC specially designed for
watching TV and listening to music, called Destination. It came
with a large TV monitor and a powerful speaker system. Compaq
even came up with the name PC Theater for its PC-TV combination.
Like the early version of Destination, the PC Theater's display
monitor was also a 36-inch TV. A number of other PC vendors have
come up with their own versions since.

Meanwhile, new terms keep emerging to represent this breed of
PCs. Some people call them "PC-centric Entertainment Systems",
others simply call them "PC Home Entertainment System".

In countries where broadband has largely left narrowband
(dial-up) access in the dust, these PCs make even more sense for
the family. Children can play networked games with opponents on
the other side of the planet, while relatives living on another
continent can share their latest family outing videos -- the list
goes on.

A book by Brian Underdahl titled Build Your Own Home
Entertainment System even appeared.

Actually, it is not difficult to build such a system. A little
search on the Internet will equip you with enough knowledge of
the best multimedia components that you can add to a fast and
powerful PC, such as http://ruel.net/pc/tv.tuner.htm.

However, if you want to have a ready-to-use PC entertainment
system, there are plenty available today that can play DVDs and
other high-definition stuff. Gateway, which has announced its
decision to expand into consumer electronics in bigger ways, may
still be the leader in this sector.

If you happen to be in Tokyo and have a chance to go to
Shinjuku, you will see a lot of beautifully carved CPUs and LCD
monitors from NEC, Sony and others that will keep your month
watering for a long time. They definitely represent the right
style for PC-based entertainment systems.

Just remember, though, that if you use your PC for serious
work, it is not a good idea to combine it with serious
entertainment. Solitaire is already a powerful productivity
killer, and you do not want to couple it with all those on-demand
movies. -- Zatni Arbi