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When it comes to home entertainment, I live in a fragmented world. Although I have several entertainment choices, they're scattered across the house — and they don't work together. Want to watch the game? The TV's connected to the cable outlet in the family room. Want to go online? The computer's connected to the Internet outlet in the kitchen. Want to listen to radio? Sorry, the receiver's in the same room as the TV — you'll have to wait until the game's over. What I needed was something that could pull all these disparate entertainment sources together.
A PC in disguise
One answer to such problems is the Media Center PC — a computer that's designed to connect to your home A/V system, with a streamlined "Media Center" interface that helps you manage your entertainment options. They include perks like a DVD burner, built-in TV tuner, and digital video recording software.
However, not everyone likes the idea of sticking a PC tower, with its constantly whirring fan, in their living room. HP's new top-of-the-line Media Center PC, the z545 Digital Entertainment Center, is something else entirely — a solution I could really live with.
The Digital Entertainment Center looks more like a high-end A/V component than a computer, with a sleek, brushed black aluminum finish and a whisper-quiet fan. Although it's significantly deeper than some components (almost 17 inches), it can fit comfortably into just about any A/V rack. The front-panel "Media Info" display has bright blue letters that are easy to read from a distance — important in an A/V unit you'll be controlling from your couch across the room!
But don't let its good looks fool you — at its core, the z545 is one powerful PC. Along with the latest version of Microsoft's "Media Center" operating system (Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005), it boasts a 3.0GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, a built-in 200GB hard drive, plus another removable 160GB hard drive for extra storage. The back panel of the unit has almost every kind of A/V terminal there is. No matter how new or old your components are, you'll be able to connect them to the z545!
Easy setup
HP provides a simple, graphics-heavy startup brochure, so I could quickly get rolling. As with most computers, all I really had to do was just follow the prompts in the setup wizards for suggested settings, and the z545 did the rest. The longest single step turned out to be the initializing of the computer's hard drive, which took about ten minutes.
When I opened the Windows Media Center program for the first time, a very user-friendly menu guided me through the setup process. The program not only asked me what kind of connections I wanted to make, but also showed me what the corresponding cable connection looked like. In a short amount of time, I had all of my A/V components hooked up.
Taking control
The z545 comes with two different kinds of controllers, reflecting its dual nature as an entertainment center and a PC. It has a handheld lR remote, with a hot button that instantly opens the Windows Media Center interface. The simple navigation controls on this remote are adequate for most of the day-to-day workings of the system, and once I had completely installed all my components and set my preferences, I could do pretty much anything I needed to with just this remote.
The system also comes with a wireless PC keyboard, complete with trackball. The keyboard is very light, and compact enough to fit comfortably on my lap. I used it primarily for the setup, and also when I was doing any computer-related work (writing e-mails, labeling music tracks, etc.). As with the handheld remote, there's a hot key that takes you immediately to the Media Center interface for quick access to all your entertainment options.
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A PC in disguise
One answer to such problems is the Media Center PC — a computer that's designed to connect to your home A/V system, with a streamlined "Media Center" interface that helps you manage your entertainment options. They include perks like a DVD burner, built-in TV tuner, and digital video recording software.
However, not everyone likes the idea of sticking a PC tower, with its constantly whirring fan, in their living room. HP's new top-of-the-line Media Center PC, the z545 Digital Entertainment Center, is something else entirely — a solution I could really live with.
The Digital Entertainment Center looks more like a high-end A/V component than a computer, with a sleek, brushed black aluminum finish and a whisper-quiet fan. Although it's significantly deeper than some components (almost 17 inches), it can fit comfortably into just about any A/V rack. The front-panel "Media Info" display has bright blue letters that are easy to read from a distance — important in an A/V unit you'll be controlling from your couch across the room!
But don't let its good looks fool you — at its core, the z545 is one powerful PC. Along with the latest version of Microsoft's "Media Center" operating system (Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005), it boasts a 3.0GHz Intel® Pentium® 4 processor, a built-in 200GB hard drive, plus another removable 160GB hard drive for extra storage. The back panel of the unit has almost every kind of A/V terminal there is. No matter how new or old your components are, you'll be able to connect them to the z545!
Easy setup
HP provides a simple, graphics-heavy startup brochure, so I could quickly get rolling. As with most computers, all I really had to do was just follow the prompts in the setup wizards for suggested settings, and the z545 did the rest. The longest single step turned out to be the initializing of the computer's hard drive, which took about ten minutes.
 The Windows Media Center interface uses simple menus and icons for navigation. |
When I opened the Windows Media Center program for the first time, a very user-friendly menu guided me through the setup process. The program not only asked me what kind of connections I wanted to make, but also showed me what the corresponding cable connection looked like. In a short amount of time, I had all of my A/V components hooked up.
Taking control
The z545 comes with two different kinds of controllers, reflecting its dual nature as an entertainment center and a PC. It has a handheld lR remote, with a hot button that instantly opens the Windows Media Center interface. The simple navigation controls on this remote are adequate for most of the day-to-day workings of the system, and once I had completely installed all my components and set my preferences, I could do pretty much anything I needed to with just this remote.
The system also comes with a wireless PC keyboard, complete with trackball. The keyboard is very light, and compact enough to fit comfortably on my lap. I used it primarily for the setup, and also when I was doing any computer-related work (writing e-mails, labeling music tracks, etc.). As with the handheld remote, there's a hot key that takes you immediately to the Media Center interface for quick access to all your entertainment options.
TV time
The z545 has diverse connections for video. You can feed it your satellite, cable, or over-the-air antenna TV signals. You can connect and use two video displays simultaneously — typically, a television and a PC monitor. The back panel has composite, S-video and component analog outputs, for easy connection of most newer TVs. If you have a plasma or LCD TV, you can use the DVI digital video output to get a strikingly clean digital image. And, of course, there's a VGA output for a traditional computer monitor.
Since I would be using the z545 equally as a PC and entertainment center, I went ahead and connected our CRT TV (using a component video connection), and also a PC monitor. By opening and arranging different windows across the two screens, I could now cruise the web using the PC monitor while CSI: Miami played on the TV.
Once connected, one of the first things the Digital Entertainment Center did was seek out the channels available from each source (satellite, cable and over-the-air). It also connected to a free program guide via the Internet, so as I changed channels I could see immediately what program I was watching, who was on it, and so on.
The program guide requires regular updates, so an "always-on" Internet connection is best. The system stores information for programming up to two weeks in advance, so even when my Internet connection was down for a day or so, the guide retained most of its functionality.
TV recording made simple
The guide made it easy to schedule recordings from my TV. Using the IR remote, I went to Media Center, and selected "My TV." From there, I chose the record option, and then selected what I wanted to record. I could select a program from the grid, or could search for programs a number of different ways, such as by category, show title, or a particular time slot.
The z545 dutifully recorded the programs I selected. I could later review them, play them, and, when I chose, discard them from the hard drive. The z545 has two TV tuners, so I could also record one video source while watching something else.
If I didn't want to watch TV, I could enjoy a DVD or one of my previously recorded shows while the z545 recorded two different programs simultaneously. Now that's multi-tasking!
The z545 automatically buffers 30 minutes of live TV broadcasts, so I could "pause" the program I was watching, or even rewind it in case I missed something. And since the Digital Entertainment Center is continually recording, once I was done I could either skip back to what was coming through at the moment, or fast-forward through the saved material.
The z545 has diverse connections for video. You can feed it your satellite, cable, or over-the-air antenna TV signals. You can connect and use two video displays simultaneously — typically, a television and a PC monitor. The back panel has composite, S-video and component analog outputs, for easy connection of most newer TVs. If you have a plasma or LCD TV, you can use the DVI digital video output to get a strikingly clean digital image. And, of course, there's a VGA output for a traditional computer monitor.
Since I would be using the z545 equally as a PC and entertainment center, I went ahead and connected our CRT TV (using a component video connection), and also a PC monitor. By opening and arranging different windows across the two screens, I could now cruise the web using the PC monitor while CSI: Miami played on the TV.
Once connected, one of the first things the Digital Entertainment Center did was seek out the channels available from each source (satellite, cable and over-the-air). It also connected to a free program guide via the Internet, so as I changed channels I could see immediately what program I was watching, who was on it, and so on.
 The program guide can even provide information on programs you're viewing. |
The program guide requires regular updates, so an "always-on" Internet connection is best. The system stores information for programming up to two weeks in advance, so even when my Internet connection was down for a day or so, the guide retained most of its functionality.
TV recording made simple
The guide made it easy to schedule recordings from my TV. Using the IR remote, I went to Media Center, and selected "My TV." From there, I chose the record option, and then selected what I wanted to record. I could select a program from the grid, or could search for programs a number of different ways, such as by category, show title, or a particular time slot.
 Even manually, programming the recorder can be accomplished in just a few steps. |
The z545 dutifully recorded the programs I selected. I could later review them, play them, and, when I chose, discard them from the hard drive. The z545 has two TV tuners, so I could also record one video source while watching something else.
If I didn't want to watch TV, I could enjoy a DVD or one of my previously recorded shows while the z545 recorded two different programs simultaneously. Now that's multi-tasking!
The z545 automatically buffers 30 minutes of live TV broadcasts, so I could "pause" the program I was watching, or even rewind it in case I missed something. And since the Digital Entertainment Center is continually recording, once I was done I could either skip back to what was coming through at the moment, or fast-forward through the saved material.
Spinning the discs
The z545's disc drive is both a DVD/CD player and burner. You can not only burn music CDs, but also make your own DVDs of home movies and recorded TV shows. Of course, the z545 observes DRM (digital rights management), so even with a separate DVD player feeding content to the Digital Entertainment Center, you can't burn copies of commercially released DVDs. The DVD burner is also handy for backing up PC data files or moving them to another computer.
The DVD menu in the Media Center interface was simple enough to navigate using just the handheld remote. Watching a DVD movie through the z545 was as easy as using my decrepit old DVD/VCR combo — although with much better sound and video options!
iTunes® and the Media Center
The Windows Media Center interface is designed to manage every aspect of media playback, including MP3 and other digital music files. If you don't have a preferred player, the bundled Windows Media Player is a great feature — and for those who have MP3 players that use WMA files, it's the right choice. For me, though, I have an iPod, so I preferred to use iTunes. HP provides an interface called "HP Tunes" that lets me move smoothly from the Windows Media Center to iTunes and back again. The z545 has a host of front-panel connections, so I could connect my iPod directly, and not only play my music library, but also manage it through iTunes.
Radio my way
The z545 has a built-in FM tuner that's controlled by the Media Center interface. The FM tuner shares a terminal with one of the TV tuners, so if I was running the radio, I could only record one TV program. The cool thing, though, was that it recorded up to 30 minutes of real-time radio broadcasts the same way it did TV, allowing me to "time-shift" through radio programs.
The Windows Media Center interface automatically set up the FM tuner for me, pulling ID3 information from the broadcasts so I didn't have to enter all the station call letters and other info. As with my car radio, the tuner finds the local stations by scanning the frequencies, and sometimes stations with weaker signals don't register. That's OK — you can also manually enter frequencies, so I was able to set all my favorite stations with minimal effort.
Slideshows
Through the z545's generous assortment of connections, I could easily load images and video from just about any digital camera or camcorder. The front panel contains a memory card reader, with slots for the various flavors of flash memory cards (Secure Digital® Cards, MultiMediaCards™, Memory Sticks®, CompactFlash® and others), as well as IEEE 1394 and USB connections.
Transferring pictures was simply a matter of dragging and clicking on a few icons. Once my pictures were loaded onto the z545, I could organize them into folders, as well as work with the images — cropping, rotating, color-enhancing and so on. Through the Windows Media Center interface, I could arrange my source material into slide shows that played on the TV.
Video clips from my camcorder were as easy to load and organize as the still photos, and the system came with the software necessary to edit my footage. Although it's not likely that I'll win a Project Greenlight Contest any time soon, at least I can make some home movies that family members won't mind watching — and I can burn copies to DVD to share with others.
The z545's disc drive is both a DVD/CD player and burner. You can not only burn music CDs, but also make your own DVDs of home movies and recorded TV shows. Of course, the z545 observes DRM (digital rights management), so even with a separate DVD player feeding content to the Digital Entertainment Center, you can't burn copies of commercially released DVDs. The DVD burner is also handy for backing up PC data files or moving them to another computer.
The DVD menu in the Media Center interface was simple enough to navigate using just the handheld remote. Watching a DVD movie through the z545 was as easy as using my decrepit old DVD/VCR combo — although with much better sound and video options!
 HP Tunes provides a smooth transition from the Windows Media Center to iTunes. |
iTunes® and the Media Center
The Windows Media Center interface is designed to manage every aspect of media playback, including MP3 and other digital music files. If you don't have a preferred player, the bundled Windows Media Player is a great feature — and for those who have MP3 players that use WMA files, it's the right choice. For me, though, I have an iPod, so I preferred to use iTunes. HP provides an interface called "HP Tunes" that lets me move smoothly from the Windows Media Center to iTunes and back again. The z545 has a host of front-panel connections, so I could connect my iPod directly, and not only play my music library, but also manage it through iTunes.
Radio my way
The z545 has a built-in FM tuner that's controlled by the Media Center interface. The FM tuner shares a terminal with one of the TV tuners, so if I was running the radio, I could only record one TV program. The cool thing, though, was that it recorded up to 30 minutes of real-time radio broadcasts the same way it did TV, allowing me to "time-shift" through radio programs.
The Windows Media Center interface automatically set up the FM tuner for me, pulling ID3 information from the broadcasts so I didn't have to enter all the station call letters and other info. As with my car radio, the tuner finds the local stations by scanning the frequencies, and sometimes stations with weaker signals don't register. That's OK — you can also manually enter frequencies, so I was able to set all my favorite stations with minimal effort.
 The "My Pictures" section works like most other image management programs. |
Slideshows
Through the z545's generous assortment of connections, I could easily load images and video from just about any digital camera or camcorder. The front panel contains a memory card reader, with slots for the various flavors of flash memory cards (Secure Digital® Cards, MultiMediaCards™, Memory Sticks®, CompactFlash® and others), as well as IEEE 1394 and USB connections.
Transferring pictures was simply a matter of dragging and clicking on a few icons. Once my pictures were loaded onto the z545, I could organize them into folders, as well as work with the images — cropping, rotating, color-enhancing and so on. Through the Windows Media Center interface, I could arrange my source material into slide shows that played on the TV.
Video clips from my camcorder were as easy to load and organize as the still photos, and the system came with the software necessary to edit my footage. Although it's not likely that I'll win a Project Greenlight Contest any time soon, at least I can make some home movies that family members won't mind watching — and I can burn copies to DVD to share with others.
Hard drives for the hard core
As I set up the system, one of the features that had my colleagues oohing and ahhing was HP's 160GB removable Personal Media Drive. If you're at all serious about music or video, removable hard drives can be a big plus, as they can give you virtually unlimited storage space.
How handy can it be? Well, if I loaded my massive CD collection onto the z545, there would be almost no room left for anything else. With my music saved on the removable hard drive, however, the PC's 200GB internal hard drive remains free to store other things. And I still have complete access to my entire music library — I just slide the removable drive into its slot in the z545's front. I don't even have to reboot!
You can even purchase additional drives and devote them to specific media: one for TV shows, one for pictures, and so on. I could also use the removable hard drive to back up data from the PC. The drive comes with its own power supply, so you can use it with another computer as an external hard drive. That makes it handy for transporting files, especially if you work both from home and in an office.
Wi-Fi® connectivity
If you're thinking about getting into Wi-Fi, the z545 is wireless network-compatible, and can help you make the jump. If you already have a Wi-Fi network set up in your home, the z545 can serve as a client, communicating with your existing wireless access point. Or, the Digital Entertainment Center itself can function as your access point, sending streams to several clients at once.
This gives you some multi-room entertainment options. Imagine watching a recorded TV program or DVD movie in the living room, while a housemate surfs the Internet and listens to online radio on a laptop in the basement, and a third family member plays music files in the den through a Wi-Fi-enabled audio streamer. The z545's processor is more than adequate to handle the data load, so it can carry out all these tasks simultaneously without a hitch.
Centralized entertainment
The z545 quickly became the brains of my A/V system, serving as an electronic Grand Central Station with entertainment and information zipping back and forth, making connections heretofore impossible with my gear.
The Digital Entertainment Center also served as our primary gateway to the Internet, and readily stepped into the role of family PC. Because so many functions are tied up in this one component, I decided one accessory was not optional, but mandatory: a good-quality power protector, one that would not only stop major power spikes, but also even out smaller power fluctuations. I didn't want to lose the z545 (serving as my PC, DVD/CD player, FM tuner, wireless router, etc.), and basically my entire A/V system to one good lightning strike!
When I took a step back and looked at everything the z545 allowed me to do, I was astounded at all the media options I now had available. It was especially surprising, as I hadn't really spent much time hooking anything up, or loading a bunch of software. HP's Digital Entertainment Center managed to pull together all the pieces of my fragmented A/V world into a seamless whole. Very convenient — and very cool.
As I set up the system, one of the features that had my colleagues oohing and ahhing was HP's 160GB removable Personal Media Drive. If you're at all serious about music or video, removable hard drives can be a big plus, as they can give you virtually unlimited storage space.
How handy can it be? Well, if I loaded my massive CD collection onto the z545, there would be almost no room left for anything else. With my music saved on the removable hard drive, however, the PC's 200GB internal hard drive remains free to store other things. And I still have complete access to my entire music library — I just slide the removable drive into its slot in the z545's front. I don't even have to reboot!
You can even purchase additional drives and devote them to specific media: one for TV shows, one for pictures, and so on. I could also use the removable hard drive to back up data from the PC. The drive comes with its own power supply, so you can use it with another computer as an external hard drive. That makes it handy for transporting files, especially if you work both from home and in an office.
Wi-Fi® connectivity
If you're thinking about getting into Wi-Fi, the z545 is wireless network-compatible, and can help you make the jump. If you already have a Wi-Fi network set up in your home, the z545 can serve as a client, communicating with your existing wireless access point. Or, the Digital Entertainment Center itself can function as your access point, sending streams to several clients at once.
This gives you some multi-room entertainment options. Imagine watching a recorded TV program or DVD movie in the living room, while a housemate surfs the Internet and listens to online radio on a laptop in the basement, and a third family member plays music files in the den through a Wi-Fi-enabled audio streamer. The z545's processor is more than adequate to handle the data load, so it can carry out all these tasks simultaneously without a hitch.
Centralized entertainment
The z545 quickly became the brains of my A/V system, serving as an electronic Grand Central Station with entertainment and information zipping back and forth, making connections heretofore impossible with my gear.
The Digital Entertainment Center also served as our primary gateway to the Internet, and readily stepped into the role of family PC. Because so many functions are tied up in this one component, I decided one accessory was not optional, but mandatory: a good-quality power protector, one that would not only stop major power spikes, but also even out smaller power fluctuations. I didn't want to lose the z545 (serving as my PC, DVD/CD player, FM tuner, wireless router, etc.), and basically my entire A/V system to one good lightning strike!
When I took a step back and looked at everything the z545 allowed me to do, I was astounded at all the media options I now had available. It was especially surprising, as I hadn't really spent much time hooking anything up, or loading a bunch of software. HP's Digital Entertainment Center managed to pull together all the pieces of my fragmented A/V world into a seamless whole. Very convenient — and very cool.