| The growing antagonism between Google/You Tube | | | | stored on it. I asked my 20-something stepson to |
| and the creators who "involuntarily supply" their video | | | | give me a sample of video downloads to try out. |
| content has shown that the PC is becoming the place | | | | One came with German subtitles, one was a version |
| to go to watch videos. So wouldn't it be nice if you | | | | of Babel without any subtitles (which is tough |
| could stash all of your huge video and music files | | | | because a lot of dialogs isn't in English), and one came |
| someplace other than your own computer's hard | | | | more or less like the theatrical version. None of these |
| drive? And if such a place could be easily connected | | | | files could immediately play on an ordinary Windows |
| to your living room TV and stereo system, so you | | | | PC without installing further audio or video encoders, |
| could view the videos and listen to music without | | | | such as Divx. They all ran as is just fine on the |
| having to integrate a PC into your living room stack | | | | MediaGate. |
| of gear? And wouldn't it be nice if could you use a | | | | The bad news is that the wireless and networking |
| wireless connection to move these files from your | | | | support will take some effort to get working. To use |
| PCs too, since you can't or won't wire your living | | | | the MediaGate as a network storage device, you |
| room with Ethernet? | | | | need to install a special driver on your Windows PC. |
| These aren't empty questions, but the idea behind | | | | It was easier to plug in the USB cable and move the |
| the $275 MediaGate MG-350HD. It is the size of a | | | | files over to its hard drive, which somewhat defeats |
| hardback book with lots of cables and connectors to | | | | the idea behind a network storage box. I have WEP |
| hook up to your TV and hifi. It sorta works. | | | | configured on my home network, and I couldn't get |
| The box has your choice of component, composite, | | | | the appropriate key to work with the MediaGate, |
| S-Video or DVI video connectors and coax, optical or | | | | despite its supposed support for this encryption level. |
| twin RCA audio connectors. Among that selection | | | | The unit comes with a small remote control that is |
| should be some combination that can hook it up to | | | | used mainly for setup tasks, and for scrolling through |
| what you have in your living room. Unlike having a | | | | the various files to play them. And scroll you will do - |
| Media Center PC, it is quiet and doesn't generate | | | | the interface is similar to Windows Media Center, |
| much heat. | | | | showing you folders and file names on screen in large |
| You can connect it to your PC via either a regular | | | | fonts that mean just a few listings per screen. If you |
| USB connector, or use either the wired Ethernet or | | | | have hundreds of files, it will take some effort to |
| wireless networking ports. It doesn't come with any | | | | find them. Another cool feature is that you can store |
| hard disk - you'll need to buy an older model 3.5 inch | | | | video and audio files on ordinary USB key drives and |
| IDE drive. (It would have been nicer if they included a | | | | then plug them into the unit and play them. |
| SATA interface, especially since those drives are | | | | Both audio and video quality seemed acceptable. You |
| pretty cheap now.) After taking off four cover | | | | have your choice of 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios of the |
| screws, you can quickly connect the IDE drive inside | | | | video. Overall, the device does a decent job. If you |
| the box and then close it back up, power up and | | | | aren't a fan of Windows Media Center, this might be |
| format the drive. There are instructions that are | | | | a good alternative. Apple's iTV is comparably priced |
| written in badly translated English for various versions | | | | when you factor into the fact that it includes the |
| of Windows on how to do this. | | | | hard drive but not the cables. But iTV doesn't do 4:3 |
| The good news is that the box has just enough | | | | and you need to use iTunes to manage how the |
| intelligence to handle all sorts of video files that I | | | | content gets moved over to the box. |