With the
launch of Korean company DVico's TViX (Television Integration Xtreme), an
all-in-one multimedia hub, the days of cluttered entertainment centres appear to
be numbered. Beneath the hub's sleek, cylindrical appearance lies a multitude of
media playback and storage capabilities, including the ability to playback high
definition video at resolutions of up to 1,920 x 1,080, playback of various
formats including .avi, .wmv, .mpg and .mp4, audio playback (.mp3, .wma, .AAC
and more), DVD playback with the option to create one's own virtual DVD library,
and an internal hard drive. Optional components that add to the hub's
functionality are also released periodically, including a HDTV tuner to watch or
record HDTV over the air, as well as a digital tuner and recorder. The cost of
swapping all your media players for this electronic marvel? A mere
US$546.