Time Right for HTPCs?

[kinda]

Hello,

I've always thought a Home Theatre PC solution was convenient, but wouldn't deliver the quality of dedicated separates.

However, with the PS3 rivalling dedicated players for disc playback, and the way it continuously improves its performance with software updates, (despite the hardware now being resonably old), I'm wondering if the processing power has improved to make quality HTPCs viable?

The idea of one box delivering quality BlueRay / HD-DVD, music and video file playback, and flexible television viewing and recording at a fraction of the price of a multi-box solution, and upgradeable, seems very tempting.

Can the quality compare to a multi-box solution?

 

[Anonymous]

So far the only so-called "audiophile" solution that I know of is the Audiolab 8000DT Media Server. But at £2,300, it's not exactly cheap. Then again compared to all the separates it could, in theory, replace, maybe it's not such bad value.