HP z556 Digital Entertainment Center
February/March 2006
When you consider its three TV tuners, pause-and-replay FM tuner, and superb handling of over-the-air HDTV programs along with everything else this Media Center PC does, HP's z556 ($1,500) is a great value. Media Centers aspire to replace your DVR, DVD recorder, and audio server, even while letting you download movies and check e-mail. And, unlike an office PC, the z556 looks like it belongs in your home theater. I really enjoyed using the free but deep program guide to record high-def shows like Lost and archive them to DVDs playable in newer Windows notebooks. But the z556 has already been replaced in the HP line by the z560 ($1,800) and z565 ($3,000). Both incorporate dual-core Intel processors, larger-capacity hard drives, and more RAM. They're also Intel Viiv-compatible and Windows Vista-ready.
hp.com
— Michael Antonoff
