SE2 Labs' new ITC One weighhs 120 pounds and stands 2 feet tall.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET News.com)True audio and videophiles beware. The ITC One home theater system--which lets you pack multiple gadgets into one sleek little 2-foot box--started shipping last week. And it's gonna cost you. Twenty-five thousand to be exact.
CNET News.com attended a demonstration of the product in San Francisco this week. And from what we saw, the ITC One delivered in appearance and ease.
How did SE2 Labs accomplish that feat? Strip down every product to its circuit board, integrate those boards into one unit, and then have one remote to control them all. Or use the nifty touch screen, whichever you prefer.
Each system is built to order and can include multiple products inside. An Xbox serves as the main gaming system and DVD player, and consumers can also add a Nintendo Wii, DVR, and Apple TV.
When the product previewed in March, some consumers expressed disappointment that it lacked a Blu-ray player. The company has since added the Blu-ray Disc drive, although it will cost $1,000 more. Other upgrades, like Wii or outside speakers, will tack more onto the price.
Home theater fans can only order the product online, where they can build their own ITC One by choosing systems to add to the theater. The console automatically has a Vidikron Video Processor and Bryston Digital Surround Processor.
The ITC One has a 4.3-inch touch screen that can control audio and lighting.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET News.com)Using the touch screen or remote, customers can not only control the gaming systems, audio, and video, but also maneuver projector screens, drapery, and room lighting.
SE2 Labs CEO Michael Pyle was working as a home theater installer when he realized that most systems were complicated and inefficient. He created the ITC One with the notion that home theater systems should be easy to use and attractive.
SE2 said it has already begun filling orders for the ITC, and that while it's built for home theaters, the 120-pound system can also be in smaller rooms or even boats and RVs. If you have the money to buy the system, it's a good bet you have somewhere to put it.
(Credit:
SE2 Labs)
When SE2 Labs debuted its "ITC One" media system late last year, one of the complaints was that it lacked a Blu-ray player. That might seem picky at first blush, until one surveys the laundry list of functions this uber-box already provides: an Xbox 360, HD personal video recorder, digital amplifiers, surround-sound processor, touch screen, and iPod dock, to name a few.
If they're going to jam all that into a home entertainment system that's "roughly the size of two PC consoles," the thinking goes, then it doesn't seem altogether unreasonable to expect a Blu-ray drive as well--especially with a price tag of $25,000. So the company has answered that challenge by adding the victorious video format as it begins shipping the steroidal device this week. And if you think 25 grand is a lot, consider this: You could be paying $17,000 for a Blu-ray player alone.
(Credit:
Chip Chick)
In an ideal world, there should be a wonder box that does everything under the sun. Perhaps something like Doraemon; a Japanese anime robot cat and his magical pocket with its endless supply of gadgets and tools. That may be light years away but, in the meantime, SE2 Labs has an entertainment super-machine that looks like a mini-computer server.
Dubbed ITC One, it packs an Xbox 360, HD personal video recorder, surround-sound processor, digital audio amplifier, 4.3-inch touchscreen, iPod dock, and remote control system all in a single box, according to Chip Chick. Pricing-wise, you will need to fork out a good $24,995 that will probably entitle you to a top-notch home theater system. But hey, if you want something retro and compact, this is definitely worth a look.
(Source: Crave Asia)
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