Description:
There's a brave new world in home entertainment that doesn't include the traditional stand-alone audio-video separates. Slowly but surely, VCRs, compact disc players, DVD players and all the other gadgets and wires that have made their way into living and entertainment rooms across America are being replaced. In their stead is a single unit -- a specialized computer that handles all of the above in addition to Internet surfing, CD burning, and much more. Gateway's new FMC-901 Family Media Center PC is one such device. Designed in a horizontal rather than vertical format much like many of the units it replaces, the FMC-901 is built to reside comfortably in a standard entertainment center, conveniently receiving its user input via a wireless keyboard or wireless, handheld remote control and cordless mouse. The latter two are of particular interest in that they respond to mid-air gestures -- you can program the remote to increase system volume whenever you raise you arm, for example. Compared to mainstream business and high-end gaming PCs, the FMC-901 isn't a true powerhouse. Driven by a 2.6 GHz Intel Celeron processor running at 2.6 GHz and 256 MB of 333 MHz DDR SDRAM memory, the system's "nerve center" is somewhat less than state-of-the-art. However, its graphics card is an nVidia FX5200 with 128 MB memory for solid 3D gaming performance. Furthermore, the unit features a variety of high-end outputs designed to maximize the quality of your sound and video. With S-Video, VGA and DVI outs, you're assured of having the best connection for whatever monitor or television you're watching. And with four high-speed USB 2.0 ports, three IEEE1394 FireWire connections, a digital SPDIF optical audio out and S-Video and composite A/V ins, you'll have the ideal interfaces for virtually anything. The FMC-901 features a fast 7200 RPM 80 GB hard drive for smooth television broadcast recording, a DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can burn and listen to audio CDs and watch the latest DVD movies, and an integrated TV tuner. Communication options include a built-in 56K dial-up modem and 10/100 Ethernet for high-speed networking and Internet access. DVD writing is not supported. Pre-installed software includes Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center 2004 operating system, which offers such perks as integrated widescreen monitor support, an FM tuner, and one-month free access to the Napster music download site. More About Microsoft Windows XP Media Center  What sets this PC apart is that it is powered by Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, which offers the features, reliability, and power of Windows XP Professional, plus advanced digital entertainment capabilities. The Media Center interface offers you more types of entertainment to enjoy: TV, Personal Video Recording (PVR), Movies, Music, Photos, Videos, Radio, and DVD. Use the remote control to enjoy from anywhere in your room. TV & Movies  |  | | Watch TV when and how you want, and never miss a moment of your favorite programs. Pause and rewind live TV. Record a TV episode, series, or category. Automatically record a personalized selection of TV programs using Keyword Record. Media Center downloads the latest program listings for you and even wakes up from power-saving standby mode to record programs, so you can watch shows on your schedule. | | | |  |  Photos & Video | | Easily edit your digital pictures and digital videos, and then launch a dynamic slideshow complete with animated transitions and your favorite soundtrack. While viewing a picture, zoom in to see more detail. You can rotate, correct red-eye, and print your pictures using the remote. Play slide-shows straight from digital storage devices. | | | | | Music & Radio |  | | All your music is stored in one digital jukebox and using the remote, shuffle your entire music collection according to artist or genre or listen to your tunes through playlists that learn what you like. Tune in FM stations and pause live radio. Full-screen visualizations pulse to the beat of the music. Cool on-screen effects show music information, such as track title, track time, and artist. |
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