A Sound Solution

Sound quality is also a big argument in favor of the DEC. The Intel HD audio output is more than adequate, especially up to 7.1 in analog. It will let you create a very decent home theater setup at a lower cost. Obviously purists and those who already have a system will prefer to connect to a home theater. But I'd strongly advise all others to connect a Creative Labs GigaWorks S750 7.1 speaker kit and use the PC to decode. The result is impressive, especially considering the modest cost. You can see our article on the subject.

Conclusion: A Winner

After taking a good overall look, it seems to me that the DEC is really a very good first attempt by HP at a living room PC. Naturally it has a few faults and limitations, particularly with respect to connectivity. The inability for most users to receive digital TV under the best possible conditions is a major handicap. But still we have to admit that the transition from desktop to living room PC has been successful. HP has taken the task seriously and avoided compromise, especially given the quite reasonable price of $1,500 for the basic version.