PCPhoto
Get It TogetherDisplaying, sharing and carrying your photos and media by getting digital products to play nicely with each other |
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Page 3 of 5 A New Vista  Now that Windows XP has been upgraded to Vista, the Media Center has been integrated as a standard Vista component. The user interface has been given a facelift, with optimization for widescreen and HD displays, and there’s now built-in support for media archival on DVD. Windows Vista is included with many PCs, but it’s also available for purchase in bundles or as an upgrade. Media Center lets you stream photos and other media from your computer to your connected TV or other network devices, like the Xbox 360. You’ll need a Vista PC, like HP’s Pavilion Media Center m8010y, which features Intel’s dual-core technology, ideal for the high-processing hunger of high-definition video and photos. The series also includes a PCI-TV tuner card for dubbing TV programs straight to your computer, and an optional dual tuner can record two shows at the same time. The built-in 15-in-1 media card reader downloads your photos and files without having to hook up a camera. Price will depend on your custom needs.  Not only for games, the Xbox 360 Elite ($479) can function as a media extender from your PC to your TV. The 120 GB internal hard drive holds a comfortable amount of your favorite files, and the USB ports read and play from any USB source, including media card readers, digital cameras or music players. The 360 Elite also functions as a standard or HD DVD player. An HDMI port, A/V connector and Ethernet jack are added for input and output.  HDMI cables are single-cable multi-pin connectors for passing digital video and audio signals. The Phoenix Gold Platinum 900 Series will plug HDMI-ready components, like the Xbox, into your HDTV, and features silver-treated, 24-gauge conductors, quad shielding to block interference and a custom-tooled metal barrel connector for secure plug-in. Prices vary by length.Slideshows Ulead’s CD & DVD PictureShow 4, available at only $29, adds music, transitions, captions, narration and effects. If you’re more interested in getting your slideshow up and out, then there are also templates for quick plug-in and play. The slideshows will burn to CDs or DVDs and play from most standard DVD players.  The slideshow function of the 10.2-megapixel Nikon D80 D-SLR circumvents the need for a computer altogether. The D80 will deliver a picture presentation straight to your TV, complete with music, style templates and Pictmotion transitions. It also takes pictures. Suggested retail price is $999 for the body and $1,299 packaged with the 18-135mm DX Zoom-Nikkor lens. The built-in media card reader of the Panasonic TC-32LX700 LCD HDTV plays a slideshow of your photos directly from an SD card. A displayable selection of art from galleryplayer.com is included with the purchase of the HDTV, which retails for $1,199. Stream slideshows, photos, music, video and online radio wirelessly to your home entertainment center with the D-Link DSM-320 Wireless Media Player ($189). The DSM-320 features a variety of inputs and outputs, compatible with most networks and TVs, and if you want to step it up a notch to the DSM-320RD ($284), you also get a DVD player and built-in 5-in-1 memory card reader.   |
