Maybe I'm alone here, but personally I don't like the look of Lian Li HTPC cases. They're so well built, I just can't understand why they choose such bland faceplates. Interesting thing about this review also, is that they comment how spacious the case is, but they use an mATX motherboard, when the case can support a Full ATX, which is a much more common form factor.

The PC-C30A is an excellent case for media centers and enthusiasts who wish to design their own systems with off the shelf parts. The styling and functionality show Lian Li has gone the extra mile to design an excellent enclosure. The HDD drive retention system, the flawless fit and finish make this case stand out over other brands. The PC-C30A has some minor quirks and these may never be an issue with most consumers like the IR monitor, and USB media card reader. These can be overcome with other brand or external devices though. All in all the PC-C30A is fine product that would be a great addition to any entertainment system.

Read the full review here. 

If you can pronounce the company's name, you're already a step ahead of most. But naming aside, Scythe has made a name for themselves quite quickly for having some of the most silent components for your PC. The Ninja heatsink has so many fins that it can be run completely passive (assuming your case isn't an oven to begin with).

The recently released Scythe SCNJ-1100P, also known as the Ninja Plus Rev. B, is the third version of the Ninja. This version is very similar to the previous version except for the mounting system. Now included are a Scythe branded fan, a redesigned mounting bracket for the LGA775 socket, and a new bracket for the AM2 socket. The cooling provided by the Ninja has not changed; it is still one of the best heatsinks on the market. The basic design of the Ninja remains: Twelve heatpipes running through a stack of large, thin, widely spaced aluminum fins.

Read the rest here. 

This weeks podcast features some tasty news bits and a couple of reviews including the Mvix HD Media Center and Sony's New Blue-ray player.

Listen Here:

Podcast Summary Here:

We went to our local BestBuy to check out the player. The people there were very nice and helpful. They walked us over to the SONY player. It was connected to a 46 inch SONY 1080p BRAVIA LCD TV. We immediately asked permission to take the TV off its default settings and do some very quick adjustments. Those standing nearby made a comment on how the TV looked better. We almost started a clinic on setting up TVs but we were guests in a store and we didn't want to become unwelcome guests, so we dove in. We powered the player off and started from a dead stop. It took the unit about 20 seconds to come up. A bit slow but nothing that would cause you to say I can't live with this player. Blu Ray and regular DVDs took about three to five seconds to display their menus on screen. Navigation is quick and snappy. On this particular unit it seemed faster than a regular DVD player. When you hit play the movie would start immediately for both Blu Ray Disc and DVD.

Anyone with a blog named "HDTV Expert" must have a valid opinion or two on the next generation HD DVD player from Toshiba? Right? Actually. its a fairly good view of what you can expect if you purchase the HD-A2. Things look fairly good for this unti with much quicker loading times, a slimmer profile and a nicer remote.

From the article:

The HD-A2, like other blue laser players, missed its ship dates more than once. It was pure luck that I stumbled across one at a Best Buy store in Montgomeryville, PA earlier this week. The player had literally just come in the door — it didn’t even have a price sticker yet.

It appears that Toshiba has scored a major coup by getting its next-gen player to retail before Pioneer, Panasonic, and Sony even have their first-gen Blu-ray players shipped in any quantity to big box stores. Is it worth the price ($499?)

The world of 1080p just got a lot cheaper with Vizio's announcemnt of a 47" 1080p for under 2000 dollars. Thats a pretty amazing price, it almost sounds to good to be true. The company emphasizes customer support as well which is a nice touch. You can expect these budget bad boys before the Super Bowl. Hopefully we can track down some specs before then as well.

From the article 

The new set is the latest salvo in the TV price war from this small company making a name for itself in the TV world. The Southern California company started selling TV sets under its own name in 2003. Now, it is the seventh-largest digital-TV company in the U.S., according to statistics from market researcher DisplaySearch. Vizio is expected to pull in about $800 million in revenue this year.

On Thanksgiving weekend, it offered a 42-inch plasma TV for $999--below a similar set from Panasonic that went for $1,299.

Vizio's basic strategy is to undercut the major manufacturers in price, but also to emphasize customer support. The company has around 55 employees, and a good proportion of them work on the support desk.

Rather then pick some very pricey components from every catagory, Audioholics rounded up the products that are the best bang for your buck. I think they could have rounded it out a bit better with price categories. 

My favorite of the bunch was the Yamaha receiver and the  Axiom in wall speaker set.

From the article:

Yamaha RX-V659 A/V Receiver
It’s no secret, I thoroughly enjoyed this receiver.  This is one of the few times I’ve found a product that I didn’t expect more from.  Instead I couldn’t help but to be in awe of the intelligent blend of bleeding edge features mixed with excellent performance typically found in the more expensive models.  Over the past few years, we’ve seen the amplifier sections in Yamaha receivers continually improving via more robust power reserves, lower amplifier output impedance, better linearity, and lower noise floors.  The RX-V659 is truly an overachiever delivering much MORE than rated power and not hiccupping on 4 ohm loads as one would expect of any receiver in this price class. 

If you have been riding the sea of receiver options for the last couple of months or so, your ship has come in.  Although it lacks HDMI facilities compared to other products in this price class, it more than makes up for it in the sonic department.  I can’t think of a finer receiver in this price class.  Kudos to Yamaha on such a well engineered and well executed product.