ZapStation Audio/Video Jukebox

If you're a collector of digital music and video, ZapMedia thinks it has a new solution that will let you store and play the files without putting a computer next to your TV. The ZapStation is an audio/video jukebox that digitally stores and plays music and video files transferred from CDs and the Internet, plays DVDs, allows for Internet surfing and provides daily news. It connects directly to televisions and stereo receivers and allows for multimedia playback using a remote control. With a 30 GB hard drive, ZapMedia says its ZapStation let you store up to 10,000 songs or 20 hours of video (your mileage may vary. The company figures that you'll put your entire CD collection on the ZapStation with artist, title, and song information included automatically. The ZapStation also lets you create play lists and mixes from your audio library. For video, you can watch pre-loaded movie trailers from major studios and movies and shorts from independents. Along with Internet access you can receive news provided by USAToday, formatted for TV screens. The ZapStation is driven by an 800 MHz Intel Celeron Processor with video out composite, S-Video, and SVGA options as well as audio out options to link with stereo systems, including digital S/P DIF audio out. A wireless keyboard interface is also included to let you compose email and interact with web sites. The ZapStation is available for $1,499 on ZapMedia's web site . Sounds a little pricey for a Celeron-based machine...