Device Profile: HP z545 Digital Entertainment Center with x5400 Media Center Extender

By Doug
2004-11-04

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The HP z545 Digital Entertainment Center is one of the first devices to use Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) 2005. Looking more like a DVD player than a PC, the z545 is meant to fit into the decor of a living room or home theater, and to serve as a central repository for all of a household's digital media -- including music, movies, TV, and photos.

z545 Digital Entertainment Center

The z545 is powered by a 3 GHz Pentium 4 processor and boasts a 200 GB internal hard drive supplemented by a 160 GB removable "Personal Media Drive." A writable DVD drive lets users create their own video collection. An optional Media Center Extender, also available from HP (and described below), extends the reach of the z545 throughout the home.

HP's z545 Digital Entertainment Center looks like a DVD player

From a computer-like digital connectivity and expansion perspective, HP seems to have gone wild, including one or more of just about everything imaginable. The z545 includes: a gigabit Ethernet LAN port capable of 10/100/1000 Mbps transfer rates; six USB 2.0 ports; an IEEE-1394 (Firewire) port; 802.11 b/g wireless; a "9-in-1 Flash media card reader." Plus, there's a seemingly endless list of audio and video connections (see specs listing, below).

z545 rear panel, showing plethora of interface connectors
(click for larger image)

Dual RF TV tuners allow recording one program while viewing another, or recording two shows simultaneously. The included Electronic Program Guide enables automatic recording of single episodes or entire series. The usual assortment of PVR (personal video recorder) functionality -- pause, replay, and record live TV -- is also supported.

All features of the z545 are accessible from the remote shown at left. The package also includes a lap-sized wireless keyboard with integrated optical trackball.

z545 specs

Key features and specifications of the z545 Digital Entertainment Center include:

Processor -- 3 GHz Pentium 4 530 with Hyper-Threading Technology
Memory -- 512 MB DDR SDRAM, expandable to 2GB
Video Processor -- ATI Radeon X300 SE graphics Card with 128 MB DDR memory, 16X PCI-Express
Audio -- Intel High Definition Audio with 7.1 surround sound (pre-amp); Supports Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound
Storage:
- 200 GB internal hard drive, 7200 RPM serial ATA
- HP Personal Media Drive bay supports removable 160 GB Personal Media Drive
- 16x double-layer DVD±R/RW Drive; Progressive Scan DVD movie playback
Interface connections:
- Video
  - Two NTSC TV tuners, each with RF coax in;
  - S-video in and out
  - Composite video in and out
  - DVI-D (Digital Video Interface) out
  - VGA for connection to plasma, LCD and DLP displays and projectors
- Audio
  - FM tuner; nine user-defined FM preset stations; range 87.5 - 108.0 MHz; 75ohm RF coax antenna included
  - Stereo RCA in
  - Microphone in
  - .25-inch headphone out
  - Eight RCA audio jacks for 7.1 surround sound analog output
  - Toslink optical for 5.1 digital output (S/PDIF)
  - Coax for 5.1 digital output (S/PDIF)
- Ethernet -- 10/100/1000 Base-T, RJ45
- USB 2.0 -- 2 ports on front panel, 4 ports on rear
- IEEE 1394 Firewire -- 4-pin on front panel, 6-pin on rear
Media Card Reader -- Front-accessible 9-in-1 Flash Media Card Reader; Supports Secure Digital, xD, Smart Media, MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash Types I/II, Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro
Wireless -- 802.11 b/g receiver (removable antenna included)
Operating System -- Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005

x5400 Media Center Extender

The x5400 Media Center Extender, based on Microsoft's previously announced Windows CE based Media Center Extender extender, uses wired or wireless Ethernet to stream audio and video from the z545 to additional TV and audio devices throughout the home. Up to five x5400 Media Center Extenders -- one wireless, the other four wired -- can run at the same time from one z545 Digital Entertainment Center.

HP's x5400 Media Center Extender
(click for larger image)
Pricing and availability

The z545 Digital Entertainment Center and x5400 Media Center Extender are available now from HP's website. The z545 is currently priced at just under $2000, while the x5400 is goes for just under $300.

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