Tiny Media Center PC

HMTKSteve

I'm looking for a small form factor machine I can use as a media center PC hooked up to my HDTV.

Requirements:

Windows (need IE to use NetFlix on demand video service)
DVD player (blu-ray player preferred but can be upgraded later)
HDMI output
DVI output if HDMI not possible (I want fewer cables)
IR Remote
Dolby 5.1 output (optical is best)

I just want something small I can put in my TV cabinet.

Apreche

Dell is shipping lots of laptops with Blu-Ray. Since you won't be moving it, getting one of the physically larger, low battery life, cheap ones might be the way to go.

ninjarabbi

HP makes a small media center PC which has most of the things, but I'm not sure about HDMI. They go for around $500 and are pretty small. It doesn't have a blu-ray drive as far as I know, and has a small case. If price is a big factor then your best bet is to buy a PC from the dell outlet and upgrading it with a cheap video card and a Blu-ray drive. You could probably do that for around $500-$600, if you are willing to have a normal-sized case under your TV.

HMTKSteve

If the web browser in the PS3 could run the NetFlix plugin I'd just buy one of those.

*Thought* is there a Linux distro you can run on a PS3 that will allow me to run IE and the NetFlix plugin?

Gunfire

Apparently, Wine does not work on the Cell processors. So, no.

Edit: I was looking more, and someone was able to boot into XP using an emulator, but it's super duper slow.

...

What the hell?! How is this possible? *explains* My lil' brother suggested to my mom to get a PS3 for internet banking, browsing the Internet, checking e-mail, listening to CDs and watching movies, instead of a laptop. Which in my opinion is stupid as hell for it will most likely result in the brat wasting his time in the living room instead of his own room. Any opinions on that?

George Patches

What the hell?! How is this possible? *explains* My lil' brother suggested to my mom to get a PS3 for internet banking, browsing the Internet, checking e-mail, listening to CDs and watching movies, instead of a laptop. Which in my opinion is stupid as hell for it will most likely result in the brat wasting his time in the living room instead of his own room. Any opinions on that?

Sounds like you've reached a sound opinion. While consoles are getting fancier and they can do things like browse the web and such these days, a real computer is still far superior and offers greater value. It's very similiar to say an iPhone, sure it can surf the web, but a computer is better. The only real valid claim in your brothers statement is getting one for movies, provided it's Blu-ray movies which requires an HDTV or you might as well not bother.

...

getting one for movies, provided it's Blu-ray movies which requires an HDTV or you might as well not bother.

Aye, that's what I thought about too... but the small flat TV we have is far from HD. Let alone will we bother buying/renting Blu-ray anyways. Sure, you can plug a keyboard and mouse in the PS3, but I feel like it's horribly vulnerable for internet banking. And it seems that javascript is not 100% supported. Navigation also might be a hassle, checking e-mail... not through 'Outlook' at least. Video, sure, no HD so kind of pointless to get a monstrosity when we have a fine DVD-player. As for listening to music, that's the point what caused my mother to think about replacing her stereo (which now only plays music through one speaker/ear) with a PS3, or laptop, which I think is just a waste of time and space and can be easier solved by just getting a new stereo. She likes to play music loud, really fo**ing loud through her headphones, so loud you can barely hear yourself speak, in the room next door... I doubt a PS3 can get that loud.

But yeah, I agree with you davids that there isn't much use for a PS3 if you do not use it for playing games or watching Blu-ray on a HD TV.