The Remote
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The remote resembles that of a standalone DVD player's in both appearance and build quality. You probably noticed the small infra-red receiver on the left-hand-side of the Media XP module, this is how the remote communicates with the module. The remote primarily works with the bundled WinDVD software player. The black button on the top left automatically launches the application. The buttons reflect those of any remote, you can search through chapters, adjust the volume, bookmark scenes et al. Through the bundled WinRip software, you can play and also control a variety of audio formats from the remote control. It all works as well as you would expect. The remote is a worthy addition for those who use their PCs as the centre of their multimedia world. The three removable storage drives show themselves within Windows as separate hard drives.
If you own a device that uses either Secure Digital / Multimedia Cards, Memory Stick and Compact Flash cards, you'll find the drives indispensable. They take the place of external devices freeing up additional USB slots. The above picture shows my Kodak Multimedia Card in operation. My main reservation against this device is its very limited compatibility. It's designed for ABIT's AT7, IT7 and other forthcoming MAX series of motherboards, and will only work well with them. I'm sure that you could obtain limited use with other motherboards but they wouldn't give you the full set of features, especially as the audio cable appears to be slightly non-standard. However, if you own one of ABIT's compatible motherboards, and really want to get the utmost out of it, this little module may just be for you. The chic factor is alluring, too. The price is reckoned to be around the £50 mark. That's a little steep considering the relative expense of the motherboards that it caters for. Still, if you like your gimmicks, give this a try.
Highs
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