If you're scared to purchase a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD player because you're worried your purchase may be rendered irrelevant if the opposing media wins out, VidaBox has a solution for you assuming you want a Media Center PVR as part of the package.
The company recently announced they will be offering a couple of new systems by the names of the Lux and Max that will offer a Blu-Ray and HD-DVD player in a single attractive package.
From the press release:
"The Dual HD LUX™ & MAX™ systems are perfect for those who can appreciate convenience, high-fidelity audio, and high-quality video performance in a single, easy-to-use package," says Steven Cheung, co-founder of VidaBox. "High definition is the new video standard, and many customers want the ability to play both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs. Combining that ability with the attractive, rich feature set of media center allows everyone to conveniently use the VidaBox as the center of all their digital entertainment needs. There's no need to buy two separate high definition disc players, nor is there a need to use a PVR/TiVo®, stereo, DVD player, etc. when everything – TV, movies, music, pictures, and more – can be easily accessed from a single remote at the touch of a button."
This is the first announcement of this kind for the popular Media Center PC market, and can be looked at as a positive or a negative.
While you may end up not owning a piece of equipment that could go the route of the Betamax, you still end up paying extra money for the sake of owning both standards since removing either the HD-DVD or Blu-Ray drive would end lowering the end price of the system.
This may work for some people and may not work for others. Either way, it's nice to see a company making an effort to give consumers the option.
We recently reviewed one of VidaBox's other systems and came away impressed with what the system had to show. If the same quality is found across all their Media Center options, VidaBox may have themselves a winner with their Lux and Max offerings.
