AfterDawn: News

Alienware offers Hangar18 HD Entertainment Center

Alienware has introduced the new Hangar18: HD Entertainment Center. Enhancing the way you watch, listen, share and download entertainment, the Hangar18 allows you to record and play back high-definition content in up to 1080p via an HDMI output, delivers the pristine audio quality of an onboard 5.1 surround sound amplifier and offers up to 2TB of hard drive space to store a lifetime's worth of digital media content.

"Alienware's new Hangar18 offers more than just a home theater solution, it lays the foundation for a truly unforgettable high-definition experience," said Frank Azor, senior vice-president and general manager of Alienware's Worldwide Product Group. "Benefits such as HD video playback, massive storage capacity, convenient wireless capabilities and onboard theater-quality sound bring new meaning to the phrase 'all-in-one.'"



It includes a built-in 5.1 surround sound amplifier pumping out up to 200 watts per channel of high-octane audio. There is also an onboard HDMI interface so you can connect all your video and audio through one cable source, while enjoying crystal-clear viewing at full 1080p resolution with High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) enabled. Wireless functionality that allows you to stream music, videos and pictures to other Windows PCs, mobile devices and media extenders in your home.

It includes Powerful AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 dual-core processors that flawlessly run multiple demanding applications simultaneously and AMD LIVE! Entertainment Suite to enhance and personalize the way you access and control all your favorite TV shows, movies, music and photos.

"Alienware's Hangar18, in combination with the AMD LIVE! solution, enables total control over how consumers access, manage and share their personal media to help them get the most out of their digital entertainment," said Joe Menard, corporate vice president of AMD's Consumer Business. "Backed by the power of AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processors, the Hangar18 delivers the performance to enjoy an immersive home theater, surround-sound experience in a stylish, all-in-one form factor designed for the living room."

Source:
Press Release

Written by: James Delahunty @ 5 Jun 2007 7:59

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• 12 comments

• Kasper45

  And you can have one at the low introductory offer of your first born child. The phrase Alienware is never followed by the phrase "Oh that's a reasonable price." NEVER.....

  5.6.2007 09:26 #1

• ThaJazz

  i agree but its really good stuff.

  5.6.2007 09:51 #2

• PeaInAPod

  I'd bet it has two of these babies inside for that 2 terabyte setup. These just came out....
  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145141

  5.6.2007 10:36 #3

• windsong

  2 TB will be chicken feed in 4 years. Remember when 300 gig drives were over 400 bucks? Not so long ago.
  
  Most high bitrate HDTV caps for full length movies are around 16 gigs each. Wouldn't be long before you filled up that hard drive.

  5.6.2007 11:43 #4

• sammorris

  I built myself a networked fileserver, it uses an Athlon64 X2, has 2TB of storage (approximately), that I run my HD files from using my main PC and 3007WFP. I bet I managed it for a hell of a lot less than Alienware. For those who want the ultimate gaming PC built for them, they score well, but for something like this I dread to think how much it would cost. I'm going to side with Kasper45.

  5.6.2007 13:02 #5

• borhan9

  I would love to test this out. I love the fact AMD is in this. Which i feel is a great processor. The only question is cost.

  5.6.2007 13:51 #6

• wdogg311

  According to ALienware. com starts at 1,999. thats a heck of a pricetag

  5.6.2007 14:47 #7

• Spenman91

  If that really is the price, it's cheaper than I thought it would be. It seems like the ones on crutchfield that are similar, but not as nice, are more than that. Still not saying it's cheap by any means.

  5.6.2007 17:08 #8

• sammorris

  Other than the chassis, what's unique about this? How much could you assemble a media PC for with those specs? If you did it using 500GB drives, you could probably do it for less than half the cost of the Alienware.

  6.6.2007 02:34 #9

• PeaInAPod

  Quote:How much could you assemble a media PC for with those specs?Good question and I intend to find out. Ill even do the same specs they list on the products page
  
  Cost of similar HTPC:
  
  OS: Windows Vista Home Premium - $111.99
  
  CPU: AMD® Athlon 64™X2(actual cpu model not listed so Ill go with the one with the highest cost) AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ - $229.00
  
  Memory: G.SKILL 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 - $83.99
  
  MotherBoard: This motherboard is the closest feature wise to the one listed on the AlienWare site. BIOSTAR TA690G - $89.99
  
  Sound: They had onboard 5.1 audio. Were going soundcard with 7.1.
  Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi 7.1 - $139.99
  
  TV Tuners: Two X Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150 - $67.99
  
  Hard Drive: 2 X HITACHI Deskstar 7K1000 1 TB - $799.98
  
  Case: ZALMAN HD160B HTPC - $287.99
  
  
  So in the end the system I built cost $1810.92, and now you may be saying but hey thats only $XXX less dollars than the AlienWare one. And yes that is true, but look at the statement on the AlienWare site "Starting at $1,999 ". So thats essentially for the low-end model. If I configure one like mine the cost would then be $3,899.00. And the only difference between the two being that mine has a far better processor ( a 6000 vs. a 4600) and that AlienWare includes HDMI, Component, and assorted other breakout cables. Oh and a set of 5.1 speakers. So the price difference between my box (remember it has the better hardare) and AlienWare (your buying the name) is a whopping $2088.08!! Thats enough to build another home theater pc like the one I made.

  6.6.2007 08:13 #10

• sammorris

  That's some nice and thorough Alienware bashing there. We love it!

  6.6.2007 08:50 #11

• Unfocused

  Don't feel like shelling out the cash for this, but the look of the hardware is the way that these next gen players should have gone.

  23.7.2007 22:56 #12