Sep
02
Whilst dedicated PC soundcards aren’t quite as popular as they used to be, there are still some companies releasing boards for the desktop audiophile.
ASUS, who has made a name for itself with the well-received Xonar family, is one such company and is today expanding its range with the introduction of the Xonar DG.
Aimed at the gaming crowd, the Xonar DG promises a handful of optimisations including a dedicated headphone amplifier.
The manufacturer insists that this will result in sharper, clearer audio with less background noise than you’d get from a soundcard without such an amp. This is paired with Dolby Headphone support to give virtual of 5.1 surround when using stereo headphones.
For those who prefer to listen through speakers, the Xonar DG can output a full 5.1 signal through an analogue or digital connection, and the chipset features a signal-to-noise ratio of 105dB and supports 192 kHz/24-bit audio.
As well as gaming rigs, the card’s low-profile design will be well suited to most HTPCs, and there’s an additional SPDIF output to connect to a video card for audio output over HDMI.
Unlike some higher-end soundcards, the Xonar DG makes use of a PCI interface, as opposed to PCIe. And, whilst the card’s specification may not be quite as impressive as others in the Xonar family, it should be plenty sufficient for all but the pickiest of audiophiles. It should also prove to be a significant improvement over onboard soundcards, especially when listening through headphones.
We haven’t been given an official price or release date from ASUS, but have seen the Xonar DG at a few domestic retailers priced at under £30 with a release date of August 27.
Sep
02
Today, we are looking for a wireless keyboard with a touchpad built into the tastes of Rosewill. The RK-V1TP Super Slim wireless touchpad keyboard is designed specifically for HTPC because who would not have a keyboard and mouse on a part to control your HTPC from your couch? Read on to see if this multifunction keyboard for the price of only $ 59.99 + Shipping is the ideal solution for your HTPC!
The keyboard uses 2.4GHz wireless dongle that plugs into your USB port to provide a range of “up to 20 meters.” The 2.4-GHz offers a wireless connection that is not required in the line of sight and it is necessary for many facilities HTPC. This new offering Rosewill competition with other 2.4GHz wireless keyboards from Adesso, Solidtek, and others as well as the more expensive options such as the Logitech DiNovo Edge Bluetooth keyboard / trackpad combo.
It seems that everyone is adding a HTPC to their media center. When you have a PC in your living room, you need a way to control it from your couch. Rosewill RK-issued V1TP Super Slim wireless touchpad keyboard to answer precisely this niche for only $ 59.99 plus postage.
Sep
01
Gotta give credit to Mvix for discovering and locking down a deal to sell Hong Kong based J&W’s super MINIX 890GX Mini-ITX motherboard in the US, Canada, and South America. Why super? Check out the following spec. highlights for this $199 board below — in particular the USB 3.0 ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, and RAID 0/1/5/10 configuration options for its 4 x SATA III 6.0GB/s connectors. Something tells me this is going to be a hot commodity when it begins shipping September 14th.
Spec. Highlights
- Phenom II x6 Ready, Support Socket AM3 Processors (95W Max)
- Supports Dual Channel DDR3 1600(OC)/1333/1066Mhz Technology
- Built-in Dual NEC USB 3.0 Ports, Dual Gigabit LAN
- 128MB High Speed DDR3 Sideport Memory (1333Mhz)
- Realtek ALC892 8-Channel HD Audio
- Multi Video Outputs: HDMI, DVI-D and D-Sub (VGA)
- Full-Speed PCI-Express x16 Gen2 Slot
- Mini PCIe Slot (for SSD/BT/Wifi-N)
- 4 x SATA III 6.0GB/s Connectors Powered by SB850 Southbridge
- 2oz Copper Layer PCB, 100% Solid Capacitors
Sep
01
Amex Digital has rolled out the MP-501, a sleek new paperback book-sized gadget touted as the smallest media player to support 1080p HDTV video.
Measuring 175x128x15 millimeters (which translates loosely into 7x5x5/8 inches), the MP-501 weighs in at 250 grams, or just over half a pound.
The Amex Digital media player is outfitted with two USB ports. An SD/SDHC card slot, and HDMI out, with an ARM Cortex-A8 processor tucked inside.
Streams HDTV and other media through its USB ports
The pint-sized gizmo is designed to stream 1080p HDTV video and other media to other connected devices through its USB ports.
The media player supports AVI, MPEG, MP3, JPEG, and just about all other major video, audio and photo file formats, with the exception of DRM-protected formats such as iTunes, Cinema Now, Vongo, Movielink, and Amazon Unbox.
Other innovations include wireless ‘touchscreen’ keyboard
Amex Digital has previously demo’d a number of other pioneering gadgets at the Computex trade show in Taiwan, such as a wireless “touchscreen” keyboard and the RM-mp1, a handheld device combining the functionality of a media remote, laser pointer, and touchpad mouse.
Innovations listed on its Web site include the SP-7, a digital photo frame with printing capabilities; the “world’s first Blu-ray HTPC (Home Theater PC) A/V Center Computer;” and a Blu-ray player for Macs which made its debut back in 2008.
As described in a company profile on the Amex Digital Web site, China-based “Amex Corporation” is a hardware designer, software programmer, and OEM, with manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and offices in both Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Founded in 1990, the company currently manufactures 250 different products and has a staff of 250, according to the site.
Could be available for $49 US in September
Amex Digital is currently advertising the MP-501 on its Web site for $49 US dollars, but an order form isn’t immediately evident on the site.
According to Engadget, however, some customers have received e-mails from Amex Digital stating that the 1080p media player will be available for direct order on September 10, at US pricing of $49 plus a $20 international shipping charge.
You can see a copy of an e-mail apparently sent by Amex Digital by clicking on the “Show Press Release” link in Engadget’s report.