5. Connectivity Is Everything

Now we come to an aspect that's even more important than the components, where a living room PC is concerned: connectivity.

This also calls for a few comments.

Video Outputs

For Europe, the best low-definition output is S-Video, which is not great. And the lack of a Peritel (SCART) RGB connection is just impossible to understand. The YUV output can be used to connect many types of low- and high-resolution video output devices. This is an excellent point for the US models, but in Europe, for some reason, this output has been deactivated.

The VGA output is hardly worth mentioning, but it could be used to connect a second, smaller monitor for use with office applications. The DVI output is obviously the most important, since it will provide the digital link with all modern output devices. There's no HDMI output, but that's not a problem since DVI-to-HDMI adapters exist.

Audio Outputs

The digital outputs let you connect the unit to any stereo or home theater system. But it's also possible to connect amplified speaker kits, up to 7.1. Dolby decoding is handled by the PC.

Video Input

On input you'll also have to settle for S-Video. It's true that the capability of connecting a cable, satellite, or DTV decoder has been provided. HP even supplies two little extension cables with a sensor to be attached to the decoder, so it can be controlled directly by the DEC's remote control. But obviously there's no way to connect an HD decoder, and the quality with a low-definition demodulator won't be great. This is surely the DEC's biggest limitation - who wants to invest this much in a living room PC to watch analog TV?