The MICROSPACE Entertainment Center is a small and absolutely noiseless Windows Media Center based PC with a 3.6/1.8 Pentium M processor and 512 megs of RAM. It also features Dolby Digital 5.1 AC3 sound and has DirectX9 capable video with a nifty DVI interface that can render a 2048x1536 image at 75hz. Even though it appears to have been on the market for about a year, it's new to me and really shows how quiet and compact a small form factor PC can get. The hard disk has even been rubber-mounted to dampen the mechanical noises.
Though it has a diminutive size, don't let that fool you because it does about anything -Built in TV tuner, digital video recorder (with time-shiftting capability), radio, MP3 player, DVD player, DVD recorder, electronic program guide, Internet, mailbox, computer and home server. So you are not going to see a lot of cords hanging out of this unit, the only cables to connect are the ones for the monitor, the TV antenna cable, the Internet, and the speakers. The keyboard, mouse, network and remote control work wirelessly. The printer is connected via USB. An optional reader can be connected for all flashcards (memory stick, CompactFlash, etc.) via the USB.
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Digital-Logic is based in Luterbach, Switzerland, but does have sales outlets in other countries, such as the United States. Good thing, because the only way you can get hold of one of these puppies is straight from them. Even though it has apparently been on the market for some time, I was unable to determine a price for this device.
The MEC is sold exclusively via selected specialized dealers and the product comes complete with on-site setup and service. This includes free initial installation and on-site training so that the customer can immediately master the MEC's functions. Not to mention a 5-year guarantee that includes an on the spot service tech at your disposal during the warranty period! All you need to provide is an Internet connection and an electrical outlet, they take care of the rest. So we can figure it isn't going to be cheap. The molded aluminum case dimensions are 159 x 245 x 66 mm or 6.25 x 9.64 x 2.6 inches and weighs 3 kilograms or 6.6 pounds.
If you are still curious, you may visit the Digital-Logic site here for more information on the MEC, or even other products they offer. You can also view a PDF press release for a more in depth look at this product. Special thanks to the folks over at I4U for bringing this hardware to our attention!
Source: Digital-Logic
