Acer Aspire iDea 510

Acer's Aspire iDea 510 is the first Media Center PC we've seen from the company in a while. We were impressed by its slim, attractive case, which isn't much bigger than a DVD player. It's quiet, too, even during intensive tasks such as video encoding, so it won't be distracting when you're trying to watch TV or a movie.

Acer Aspire iDea 510
Acer's Aspire iDea 510 is the first Media Center PC we've seen from the company in a while. We were impressed by its slim, attractive case, which isn't much bigger than a DVD player. It's quiet, too, even during intensive tasks such as video encoding, so it won't be distracting when you're trying to watch TV or a movie.

You can record one channel while watching another thanks to the two hybrid TV tuners, which can receive either analogue or digital TV broadcasts. Oddly, Windows XP Media Center Edition is included rather than Vista Home Premium, so you'll have to buy the latest version of Windows separately if you want it. XP is still more than capable of managing your media collection, though. A remote and cordless keyboard with built-in touch pad are included, although the keys are too rickety for anything more than casual typing.

A basic set of recording control buttons are mounted on the front of the iDea in case you lose your remote, but this seems like a gimmick since Media Center can also be controlled using the keyboard. The front-mounted display next to the buttons shows useful information such as the currently playing music track.

The iDea comes with a generous selection of ports. You can connect the iDea to your TV using HDMI, SCART, S-video, composite or component cables. You can also record video from sources such as a VCR using SCART, S-video or composite. You can connect a set of 7.1 surround-sound speakers or hook up a surround sound amplifier to the coaxial or optical S/PDIF sockets.

The iDea is fast enough to be used as your main PC thanks to its Core 2 Duo T5500 processor and 1GB of RAM, but if you regularly run demanding applications you'll get better performance from RL Supplies' Modula 5001MC (see 'Also Consider. . .', below). The iDea had no trouble playing back our high-definition Windows Media videos though. The iDea's GeForce 7600 graphics card is capable of playing the latest games, as our 3D test scores show, but you'll have to reduce the resolution or graphical detail for smoother frame rates.

You may soon outgrow the 250GB hard disk if you're a dedicated telly addict. You'll have to rely on USB or FireWire hard disks, though, as opening the iDea's case will invalidate the one-year warranty. There isn't any space for adding extra hard disks anyway, though, and if you want to replace the DVD writer with a HD DVD or Blu-ray drive, you'll have to use a notebook-sized slot loading model, which are expensive and difficult to find. At least wireless networking is already built-in.

A memory card reader is hidden under the front flap. It supports all the common memory card types, including CompactFlash and xD.

We like the iDea's unobtrusive design. It's a capable Media Center PC thanks to its wide selection of ports and pair of hybrid TV tuners, but its relatively small hard disk and restrictive warranty hold it back.

System Specifications
1.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5500, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard disk, 256MB Nvidia GeForce 7600 graphics, DVD+/-RW DL, 2x hybrid TV tuners
Author: Alan Lu
Computer Shopper Online



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