Integra is a front company of Onkyo that ships higher end versions of its Onkyo counterparts.
Now Integra has brought its "high end" approach to HTPC which is a bit of a surprise. Integra is known for components like DVD players. The company's highly popular players are generally considered quite worthy in its price category by most reviews.
Integra's NVS-7.7 Integrated Media Center is a slick looking HTPC built on Intel's ViiV chip. The difference with this unit is that it's not a full featured HTPC, it doesn't try to be a PC at all but takes many of the features of HTPC and stuffs it into a home audio component little larger than many DVD players. Integra hopes to avoid many of the usability headaches with its straightforward design, or so Integra's press releases says. But as with any effort to make the PC experience more linear it runs the risk of becoming stripped down.
According to Integra:
"Our goal was to make it as easy to set up and use as any of our other AV components. With the NVS-7.7, Integra tames the convoluted configuration and programming process, giving installers a complete product that delivers the most powerful source and integration features ever available, yet is no more difficult to set-up, install, and maintain than a high end A/V receiver. And with Integra's acclaimed dealer support and training programs behind them, dealers can feel confident about specifying media servers into every job they do."
The high end audio treatment means the NVS-7.7 was treated to Wolfson DACs with its proprietary Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry. It also includes 400 Gigs of storage means you'll have plenty of digital media to throw at Wolfson's DACs.
Integra NVS-7.7 Integrated Media Center Includes
- Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
- 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 Dual 820 Processor
- 1 GB DDR Ram
- 400 GB HDD
- SD/MS, MS_Pro, Smart/Flash memory card reader
- 4 USB 2.0 ports
- Onkyo's NetTune Internet Radio
The system has Ethernet capability but no mention of Wi-Fi. It's available in that uncomfortable time when you think to yourself:
"Do I buy into a mature DVD player technology or try the waters with the new disc formats?" No HD DVD or Blu-ray and no Wi-Fi. With a steep MSRP of $3000 it's just too bad you'll be left behind on emerging Wireless N bandwidth and streaming HD multi-channel content. But that might be asking for too much.