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Home Theater
December 1, 2007 • Vol.4 Issue 12
Beyond Games Console Gaming Systems Take The Home Theater To A New Level

Microsoft Xbox 360 Premium • $449.99 • www.xbox.com

Since the first generation of gaming consoles hit the market in the early 1970s, children have been clamoring for the latest gaming devices. Gaming consoles have come a long way since the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System we were awed by 20 years ago. Two popular consoles on the market today, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 (www.xbox.com) and Sony’s PlayStation 3 (www.us.playstation.com), deliver not only top-notch gaming experiences that support HD but also amazing multimedia features. Here’s how to integrate them into your home theater for uses beyond gaming.

PlayStation 3

Sony made its first splash in the console game world in the mid-’90s with PlayStation and again in 2000 with PS2. As expected, the third incarnation of the console leaves its predecessors in the dust, with gorgeous, HD graphics and a super-fast processor. It carries a higher price tag than the Xbox 360, but you might find the features it brings to your home theater well worth the extra cost.

Know your options. At press time, the PS3 is available in two configurations: 40GB ($399.99) and 80GB ($499.99). In addition to extra storage space, the 80GB console comes with MotorStorm, a popular off-road racing game exclusive to the PS3.

Witness Blu-ray Disc. An incredibly attractive feature of the PS3 (and the driving force behind its price) is its integrated BD (Blu-ray Disc) player. If you’re a movie buff who wants movies in HD, you might not need another reason to buy a PS3. BD is the exclusive format for Buena Vista (Disney), Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, and Sony Pictures film studios, and Warner Bros. supports the format. To enjoy the video quality of the PS3’s BD player, pick up an HDMI cable to connect the console to your HDTV.

Go online. The PS3 includes an Ethernet cable for a wired Internet connection, and both configurations can connect wirelessly to your 802.11b/g home network. With the PS3’s SIXAXIS wireless controller and the PS3’s built-in Web browser, use the console to surf the Web and check out the online PlayStation Network. Or use a keyboard and mouse to navigate the Internet; take a look at the Logitech Cordless MediaBoard Pro for PlayStation 3 ($79.99; www.logi tech.com), which connects to the console wirelessly.

Plug in and play your digital media. As with the Xbox 360, you can use the PS3 to play DVDs and audio CDs, and you can also copy audio files to the PS3’s hard drive. Pop your Memory Stick, SD, and CF memory cards into the console’s card slots to download your stored video, image, and audio files to the hard drive for playback on your home-theater system. The PS3 sports four USB 2.0 slots, which let you connect your digital camera, download photos, and print them out on a USB printer. And here’s something cool: A recent firmware update to the PS3 lets you use the console to stream content from DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance)-compatible DVRs and Windows XP/ Vista computers to your TV. What’s more, the update lets PlayStation Portable ($169.99) owners access the music, video, and photos stored on their PS3s via any available Wi-Fi connection—even outside the home.

Xbox 360

In 2005, the Xbox 360 ushered in a new era in console gaming as the first system to deliver HD games. Beyond its formidable gaming abilities, the Xbox 360 is loaded with multimedia and online features, making it a valuable addition to your home theater.

Choose a configuration. At press time, you’ll find the Xbox 360 Arcade ($279.99), Premium ($349.99), and Elite ($449.99). To take advantage of the Xbox 360, we recommend the Elite configuration. In addition to the the Arcade’s and Premium’s features, the Xbox 360 Elite has an HDMI cable and a 120GB removable hard drive. The HDMI cable lets you enjoy 1080p HD video on your 1080p HDTV and multichannel surround sound, and the 120GB hard drive is handy as you download digital media. Separately, the HDMI cable and the 120GB hard drive cost $49.99 and $179.99. With Arcade, you won’t get a network cable, HDMI cable, or hard drive (it has 256MB of memory), but you’ll need them for home-theater applications.

Go LIVE. Many of the Xbox 360’s capabilities are tied to Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE, for which you’ll need a broadband Internet connection. The Premium and Elite Xbox 360 include an Ethernet cable for a wired connection, and you can use the Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter ($99.99) to connect to your wireless 802.11a/b/g network. Once connected, shop the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for TV shows and movies in SD (standard definition) and HD. You can view TV programming permanently after purchase, but movie downloads are rentals and expire 24 hours after your first viewing or 14 days after purchase.

Your TV’s a media center. Why view your family pictures on your notebook’s 14-inch screen when you could use your 52-inch HDTV? The Xbox 360 makes it a cinch. Pair your digital camera or Windows XP/Vista PC with the console and use the Xbox 360’s interface to browse the pictures. Similarly, stream music from a connected MP3 player or WinXP/Vista PC, as well as rip songs from music CDs and create custom playlists to listen to as you play games. Pair your WinXP Media Center Edition system with your Xbox 360 to record and pause live TV and stream video from the PC.

Watch HD movies on your HDTV. As with the Xbox, you can use your Xbox 360 to watch movies on DVD, but after playing games in HD, watching a movie in SD may seem drab. The Xbox 360 HD DVD Player add-on ($179.99) will solve that problem. HD DVD is the exclusive format of Paramount and Universal Studios, and Warner Bros. also supports the format.

by Nate Hoppe

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