I think you need to cut tech guys (the people who run these tech blogs) some slack as well. All one can hope for is that they know their tech, and overlook any awkward writing that may happen. You're here for tech stuff, not English 101.

Yeah, that sentence was awkward, but if you read the follow-up sentence, it made sense. The reason you need a big hard drive is so that the slow Atom doesn't have to transcode the captured content and thereby reduce the storage space. That's the main reason to transcode.

That brings up another performance issue with this unit: the 2.5″ HDD. For a self-contained HTPC, you need not only huge storage capacity, but also the fast transfer speed of a 3.5″ unit. A 2.5″ drive fails in both area. Again, this unit and all nettops like it are only suitable for a limited range of HTPC uses, viz. viewing stored and online content. It's not for capping live material, nor for ripping/transcoding content from optical media.

I think you need to cut tech guys (the people who run these tech blogs) some slack as well. All one can hope for is that they know their tech, and overlook any awkward writing that may happen. You're here for tech stuff, not English 101.

Yeah, that sentence was awkward, but if you read the follow-up sentence, it made sense. The reason you need a big hard drive is so that the slow Atom doesn't have to transcode the captured content and thereby reduce the storage space. That's the main reason to transcode.

That brings up another performance issue with this unit: the 2.5″ HDD. For a self-contained HTPC, you need not only huge storage capacity, but also the fast transfer speed of a 3.5″ unit. A 2.5″ drive fails in both area. Again, this unit and all nettops like it are only suitable for a limited range of HTPC uses, viz. viewing stored and online content. It's not for capping live material, nor for ripping/transcoding content from optical media.

Why would you use the word “so” in the second sentence? It implies a linkage between the two ideas, which really shouldn't even be in the same paragraph.

Was your TV input 720p/1080i/1080p?

Did you use Win Media center or USB tuner bundled software for the recording?

Thanks!

God, your writing is shit sometimes. I think you'd be better served if you just reported the data and left your commentary and observations out.

A low-powered device like this obviously can't do full-range HTPC functions, but–per the netbook mantra–is “good enough” for content display, and is relatively cheap, and is w/o the traditional HTPC issues of size/heat/noise.

That said, the Atom platform never made much sense for nettops as it does for netbooks. Its main claim to fame is power saving, which is not critical or even important when the unit is connected to an AC outlet. Certainly, the low-powered use translates to less heat (ergo fan noise) and is desirable, but not to the extent of having to suffer with an anemic processor.

One would hope that Intel would make available its CULV platform to nettop use, but the market has more choices here. There is a fair number of low-power desktop CPUs from both Intel and AMD to fit the bill, and for fans of SFF as I am, there are mini-ITX boards and cases available as well. The caveat here is that putting a system together, along with the software, is still in DIY territory and doesn't have mainstream appeal.

What is mainstream right now is dedicated-function boxes such as the Popcorn Hour et al which considerably simplifies the set-up, but at the expense of limiting your playback choice to what the manufacturer decides. An general-purpose PC serving as HTPC is still the most versatile set-up, given that there is a resident tech in the house.