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First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:11 am
by Apoptosis
First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Cutting-edge technology is coming home with the Alienware High Definition Media Server. With wireless high definition media streaming, full digital home automation readiness, 4 terabytes of hot swappable hard disk drive content storage, and Blu-ray high definition movies, your house just got a whole lot smarter. Read on to see what a $7,000 HD media server looks like!
Legit Reviews was able to snag one of Alienware’s first High Definition Media Servers off the assembly line to take a closer look what could be the future of home computing and entertainment. These high-end media servers are designed for users looking to create a connected and fully-integrated home theater. The price of the media server is between $5000 and $7000 depending on the configuration that you desire. In the next few weeks Legit Reviews will partner with two custom home theater installers in Los Angeles to get their views on the functionality and operability of the Alienware HD Media Server (HDMS). Because this flagship media server is not intended for normal consumers to install, Alienware is only making these servers available to profession installers. Until our installers have a go at it and report back to us, we wanted to at least give you a sneak peak as to what you will see after our installers get through...
Article Title: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Article URL: http://legitreviews.com/article/673/1/
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:20 am
by DMB2000uk
I can't believe you managed to snag one of these. Very jealous Ken, very jealous.
Dan
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:30 am
by KnightRid
WOW - 4TB!!! That would be nice to start off ;) Is it expandable? I have 614 dvds/sets that equal an actual 998 physical discs and at 4.5gb each (thinking low end here) that would be 4,491,000,000,000
wow, never figured that out before ;)
So anyway, when I think of a home media server, I think of one I can transfer EVERYTHING to and have it play it all.
Does this rip and convert? Just play?
Well I guess it is just WAY to expensive for me anyway, but for that kind of money, you would think it should do everything you want it to.
Mike
Heck BR discs are what, 50gb double sided? wouldnt take much at full quality to smash the 4tb barrier, hence the upgradable question
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:02 am
by kenc51
I wanna see what's inside!
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:28 am
by Digital Puppy
KnightRid wrote:So anyway, when I think of a home media server, I think of one I can transfer EVERYTHING to and have it play it all.
Does this rip and convert? Just play?
The HDMS can transfer everything, but since it's got it's own processor and Windows OS, you can add any program you'd like to do your ripping, converting, and burning, etc. It does have a copy of Nero 7 Essentials on it already...
Oh, and yeah, it's defiantly upgradeable through not only the hot swappables, but through all of the USBs and two eSATA connections.
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:34 am
by Digital Puppy
kenc51 wrote:I wanna see what's inside!
Now Ken, you
know we are going to check out what's under the hood!
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:59 am
by martini161
this is freakin sweet, but i have a few questions. 1. WTF NO HDMI? 2. why does it come with an amd live cd? 3. what kind of video card does it use? can you upgrade it to crossfire?
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:07 am
by bubba
Looks like it has DVI HDMI port, you would just need a DVI/HDMI cable.
Ken you get board with this I'll be more than happy to give it a good home.
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:09 am
by DMB2000uk
martini161 wrote:this is freakin sweet, but i have a few questions. 1. WTF NO HDMI? 2. why does it come with an amd live cd? 3. what kind of video card does it use? can you upgrade it to crossfire?
HDMI is done through the DVI ports via an adaptor (included I think).
I meant to ask about the live CD! Guess I got distracted when all I could see was green
The standard card is an ATI® 2400 HD, though I don't know if its what Ken has in that one.
Dan
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:10 am
by martini161
could you get another one and put it in corssfire with the x38 mobo?
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:18 am
by DMB2000uk
Why would you want crossfire on a media server?
This thing only has to play back video's, not game
Dan
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:21 am
by Digital Puppy
The unit we have is supposed to have a Sapphire HD2400XT GPU and there is an included DVI-HDMI adapter in the box.
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 4:22 pm
by martini161
can it pass through the audio throught that dvi port?
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:09 pm
by Digital Puppy
martini161 wrote:can it pass through the audio throught that dvi port?
Yup. It will pass digital audio via the DVI/HDMI connection.
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:51 am
by dicecca112
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:53 am
by martini161
Digital Puppy wrote:martini161 wrote:can it pass through the audio throught that dvi port?
Yup. It will pass digital audio via the DVI/HDMI connection.
ok i thought it was just a video port. so why didnt they just make it stirght through hdmi?
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 10:43 am
by kenc51
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:39 am
by Digital Puppy
martini161 wrote:ok i thought it was just a video port. so why didnt they just make it stirght through hdmi?
Probably because they can kill two birds with one stone....or rather, two connections with one port. If they went exclusive HDMI, you alienate (pun intended) a bunch of people who might not have HDMI panels. There are still a whole bunch of folks with "old" direct-view, rear projection, LCD and even Plasma sets out there that don't have HDMI. IMO, by making this dual port, you get the best of both worlds and make it versatile for installers...
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:49 am
by dicecca112
Digital Puppy wrote:martini161 wrote:ok i thought it was just a video port. so why didnt they just make it stirght through hdmi?
Probably because they can kill two birds with one stone....or rather, two connections with one port. If they went exclusive HDMI, you alienate (pun intended) a bunch of people who might not have HDMI panels. There are still a whole bunch of folks with "old" direct-view, rear projection, LCD and even Plasma sets out there that don't have HDMI. IMO, by making this dual port, you get the best of both worlds and make it versatile for installers...
Some of us only have the old CATV, RCA and Svideo
Re: First Look: Alienware High Definition Media Server
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:38 pm
by dgood
I think you could recreated this for about 1500 as long as you don't mind adapters to get different video outs.