That's a big bundle of Xbox goodies for just $199.99 shipped.
(Credit: Buy.com)Putting nearly all previous Xbox deals to shame, Buy.com has a complete Xbox 360 Pro bundle for $199.99 shipped.
Until recently, it was fairly exciting to find the console alone for less than $200. The bundle includes not only the 360 (with a 20GB hard drive and HDMI output), but also two wireless controllers and three games. Unheard of, right?
Yes, this is a refurbished system. But before you run screaming for the hills, check it out: Microsoft is backing it with a full one-year warranty, same as new units. So you literally have nothing to lose by going the refurb route.
As I've said many times before, one of the things I like best about the Xbox 360 is that it pulls double duty as a Windows Media Center extender. And you can scarcely buy one of the standalone extenders for such a low price.
On the other hand, it's no Blu-ray player. If you'd rather have that, Dell Home has the Sony PlayStation 3 Slim for $254.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states).
(Search for A3018856 to find the console, then apply coupon code 6FWJ247J1P44CK at checkout.)
The Slim's on backorder right now, but it appears you can still place orders for it. Don't want to wait? The SonyStyle store still has refurbished 40GB PlayStation 3 consoles for $236.77.
Well, game fans, over to you. Both these deals are really hard to pass up. Which console will you choose?
Thanks to reader Cary for sharing the Xbox deal!
Grab the top-of-the-line Xbox for under $200.
(Credit: Geeks.com)Geeks.com has a ridiculously good deal on a refurbished Xbox 360 Elite: $199.99 (after applying coupon code XDEALS at checkout). Shipping will run you about $16.
For those not thoroughly versed in Xbox models, the Elite is, well, the elite. The top of the line. The Xbox that normally sells for $399.99.
Like a new unit, the refurb comes with a 120GB hard drive, an HDMI port, a wireless controller, and a headset. Unlike a new unit, the warranty expires after 90 days.
On the cabling side, the Xbox comes with only the usual component-video cable. If you plan on making an HDMI connection, you can get what you need for just a few bucks.
If the Elite is overkill for your gaming needs and/or your budget can't stretch quite that far, Geeks.com also has a refurbished Xbox 360 Pro (20GB) for $149.99.
Either way you're getting a killer game console and a damn fine media center extender (meaning it can stream music, videos, and photos from your PC).
The Xbox also lets you stream movies from Netflix, though for that you need both a Netflix membership and an Xbox Live Gold account.
OK, so what do you think? Too good to pass up? If memory serves, this is by far the lowest price I've seen on an Xbox 360 Elite. The deal is available through July 31, but something tells me it'll sell out long before that.
If you don't mind a smaller hard drive, you can save nearly $150 on the Xbox 360 Pro.
(Credit: Buy.com)Whoa! Buy.com has the refurbished Xbox 360 Pro for $155.99 shipped. That's way less than the price of a new Xbox 360 Arcade, which has no hard drive and only a wired controller.
The Pro comes with a 20GB hard drive, a wireless controller, and...drum roll...HDMI! However, although component video cables are included, HDMI is BYO. (Meritline, always a good source, has a 6-foot HDMI cable for $4.99 shipped.)
The 360 is not only a killer gaming console, but also a damn fine media center extender (meaning it can stream music, videos, and photos from your PC).
It also lets you stream movies from Netflix, though for that you need both a Netflix membership and an Xbox Live Gold account.
Buy.com doesn't specify the warranty (which is weird--it's not like the company's new at this), but it's almost certainly 90 days. Hey, that's the "cost" of getting a refurb on the cheap. In this case, the really, really cheap.
The DMA2200 features 802.11n wireless and an upscaling DVD player.
(Credit: Linksys)Your PC's in one room, and your big, fancy HDTV's in another. How can you bridge the gap between the two? Answer: with a media center extender, which wirelessly pulls music, photos, videos, and more from PC to TV.
Newegg has the Linksys DMA2200 Media Center Extender with DVD for $94.99 with free shipping. These are new units, not refurbs, and they're rebate-free, to boot.
Easy to mistake for a DVD player, the DMA2200 doubles as one. Even better, it upscales your regular old DVDs to 720p, 1080i, and even 1080p. Given that you could easily pay upward of $90 for a standalone upscaling player, the media center stuff is just gravy.
And good gravy, that's good gravy. The DMA2200 streams content from Windows Media Center, the menu-driven multimedia front end that comes with most Home versions of Vista. The end result is akin to connecting your PC directly to your TV--a desirable but rarely practical solution.
The box joins your network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi--preferably 802.11n, though it can do 802.11b/g as well. (Just don't expect reliable high-definition streaming at those speeds.) It joins your TV via HDMI or component/composite video.
Space doesn't permit me to get into all the nitty-gritty on the DMA2200, so be sure to read CNET's review. It's not overwhelmingly positive, but I think that the dirt-cheap price tag makes this a more desirable buy.
Indeed, the DMA2200 originally listed for $350, at which point you were better off buying an Xbox 360 (which nicely doubles as an extender). At $95, it's definitely a worthwhile option for anyone looking to make the PC-to-TV connection.
An Xbox 360 Premium for $150 is hard to beat, but it comes without a warranty.
(Credit: Overstock Dealz)Regular Cheapskate readers know that I love me some Xbox 360--not just because it's a killer gaming console, but also because it's a killer media center extender. In fact, I recently suggested buying an Xbox 360 Core system expressly for its extender capabilities.
But why buy a Core for $170 when you can get an Xbox 360 Premium for $150? Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' bout! There are some catches, however, so read on before you pull the trigger (or, um, click the mouse).
First catch: this is the non-HDMI Xbox 360 Premium, meaning that you'll need to use the included component video cables to make the HDTV connection. (I don't consider that a deal breaker, but some folks insist on HDMI, which is included with newer Xboxes.)
Second catch: you don't get a headset with these units (no big deal, if you're not planning to play games online).
Third catch: shipping will run you about $26, which is kinda steep.
Fourth catch (and the only one that really matters, in my mind): no warranty. The vendor, Overstock Dealz, offers a "14-day guarantee," which essentially protects you from dead-on-arrival units, but otherwise, you're on your own.
As some will undoubtedly note, the 360 has (or had, anyway) a fairly high failure rate, so buying one without a warranty is borderline idiotic. However, because these are refurbished systems, they're arguably in better shape (i.e. more failure-resistant) than new ones.
Agree? Disagree? Hit the Comments--and try to keep it civil, peeps.
Behind the MediaSmart Connect's fold-down front panel is a USB port and a slot for an optional removable hard drive.
(Credit: HP)Hewlett-Packard's line of MediaSmart TVs includes the built-in ability to stream digital media from your home network and the Internet straight to their screens. But for the vast majority of us who don't own an HP TV, the company will soon have a second option: the MediaSmart Connect. The little black box connects to your home network (via its built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet) and streams a wide variety of digital audio, photo, and video files--including content from compatible Internet services (including Live365, Vongo, CinemaNow, and MovieLink).
The MediaSmart Connect should be able to pull digital files from any UPnP and DLNA compliant storage devices on your home network--beyond standard Windows PCs, that includes network attached storage devices such as HP's own MediaSmart Server and Media Vault. It can also double as a Windows Media Center Extender when interfacing with Media Center-enabled versions of Windows Vista--allowing the streaming of live or recorded TV at HD resolutions. The MediaSmart Connect doesn't have any on-board storage, but users can use the box to pull compatible media straight from an HP Pocket Media Drive (found on the company's PC desktops) or a standard USB flash drive.
The MediaSmart Connect will be available later this summer for $349, and is now available for preorder. (If it looks familiar, it's because HP has been teasing us with it since January's Consumer Electronics Show.) It'll include a learning remote that can control up to four other devices, an HDMI cable, and a $20 CinemaNow coupon. To drum up publicity for the product's launch, HP is offering a trade-in program where 100 people can exchange their old digital media adapter for the MediaSmart Connect. The company is also teaming with Microsoft to offer a series of four online "webinars" to demonstrate the product's features over the next few weeks. Feel free to check them out, but don't be surprised if you're just getting an infomercial for the product in question.
We'll be doing a detailed hands-on review of the MediaSmart Connect once we get a final production sample in July. (Also on deck: the similar Linksys DMA2200.) Until then, the floor is open: do you have any interest in the MediaSmart Connect, or in Windows Media Center Extenders in general? Is the whole idea of streaming media in the home just a niche market that will never go mainstream? Or would you prefer to go with an Xbox 360, which handles nearly all of the same media streaming functions, and adds game playback to boot?
New MediaSmart TVs will sport full MCE functionality
(Credit: HP)HP has updated its MediaSmart TVs for the new year. On the surface, the new SL4282N (42-inch) and SL4782N (47-inch) are very similar to their 2007 counterparts: full 1080p resolution LCD flat-panels with 3 HDMI inputs, built-in high-def and analog tuners, and--the big differentiator--the ability to stream digital video, audio, and images via their built-in 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking connections. But the big upgrade for 2008 is the inclusion of Media Center Extender functionality, which offers easy connectivity to PCs running most flavors of Vista. Prefer a non-HP TV, but want those same media features? HP's got you covered there, too: the company's external MediaSmart Receiver x280N attaches to any TV and delivers the same functionality.
HP's MediaSmart Receiver x280N streams media via a home network, or from an optional internal hard drive (shown on the right)
(Credit: HP)HP likes to hedge its bets. In addition to a couple of big-screen flat-panel TVs with built-in Media Center Extenders, the company is now offering a set-top box as well. Like the MediaSmart TVs, the MediaSmart Receiver x280N has the ability to stream a wide variety of video (including MPEG-2, DivX, WMV, WMV-HD, and H.264/MP4 files), audio (MP3, WMA, WMA-Pro, WAV, AAC/m4a), and images (JPEG, BMP, GIF, and PNG photos) from networked PCs to your living room TV via its wired Ethernet or wireless 802.11a/b/g/n connections. Local media playback is also available via plug-in USB drives or HP's own proprietary Pocket Media Drive (also found on many of the company's desktop PCs). The box boasts HDMI and component video output at HD resolutions up to 720p and 1080i. The MediaSmart Receiver x280N will connect easily to PCs running most flavors of Windows Vista--and will go head-to-head with very similar models from Linksys and D-Link when it becomes available later this year.
A pair of Linksys Digital Media Extenders will hit stores in November.
(Credit: Linksys)
Linksys is tossing its hat into the 2007 Media Center Extender ring with not one but two models. The DMA2100 is a small form factor MCE, while the larger DMA2200 offers a built-in upconverting DVD player. Both models attach to a standard or high-def TV to stream a variety of digital media--live and recorded TV, video files, music, and photos--from networked Media Center PCs located elsewhere in the home. Like the rival D-Link DSM-750, the Linksys models offer dual-band 802.11n wireless connectivity (for optimal streaming of HD video) and HDMI outputs. Interestingly, the DMA2200 has the same overall look and feel as the KiSS 1600, a European model from Linksys' European-based sub-brand.
Linksys is highlighting the software "plug-in" functionality of its Media Center Extenders, which will enable additional future features, such as DivX and XviD support, as well as interactivity with other networked devices in the home. But high prices will remain an obstacle to mass market adoption: The DMA2100 will retail for $300, while the DVD-enabled DMA2200 will cost $350. The latter price is the same cost as a 20GB Xbox 360. The Microsoft game console doesn't have built-in wireless, but it, too, can double as a full-fledged HD Media Center Extender--not to mention play games and HD video downloads from Xbox Live Marketplace. Both Linksys models will compete head-on with the Xbox--and Media Center Extenders from rival manufacturers--when they hit stores in November.
UPDATE (9/28/2007): Since this post was originally published, a Linksys spokesman contacted us to clarify that both the DMA2100 and 2200 will support the streaming of DivX and XviD videos straight out of the box--no additional downloads necessary.
The three antennas should help guarantee smooth audio and video streaming.
(Credit: D-Link)
Networking companies are beginning to deliver the new Vista-friendly Media Center Extenders that Microsoft outlined earlier this month. D-Link's entry in the race is the DSM-750. Like competing models, the DSM-750 attaches to a TV (standard or high-def) and streams live and recorded TV, video, music, and photos from networked Media Center PCs located elsewhere in the home. An update of the older DSM-520, the 2007 model adds dual-band 802.11n wireless (which has the speed and bandwidth for optimal streaming of HD video) as well as compatibility with the popular DivX and XviD video file formats. Unlike similarly equipped products from rival Linksys, however, the DSM-750 will also offer access to active-TV, a service that provides access to more than 200 "channels" of on-demand Internet video content, including free (ESPN, YouTube, AOL Video) and premium (CinemaNow, MovieLink) services. (Owners of the DSM-520 will also get active-TV access, thanks to a forthcoming free firmware upgrade.)
The wireless-N speeds and active-TV content are a nice step up for the D-Link streamer, but the DSM-750 will have its work cut out for it, thanks to a whopping $350 price tag. That's the same cost as a 20GB Xbox 360. The Microsoft game console doesn't have built-in wireless, but it, too, can double as a full-fledged HD Media Center Extender. And unlike the D-Link, it can also play games (Halo 3, anyone?), DVD movies, and HD video downloads from Xbox Live Marketplace. The D-Link will go head-to-head with the Xbox and Media Center Extenders from rival manufacturers when it goes on sale in November.
