Description:
The impressive MX is Sony's ambitious solution for the person who wants one system that does it all. Whether you want to watch and record TV shows, burn and listen to DVD and CDs, listen to FM radio, or edit digital images, the MX does it all, plus of course the typical things you'd do with your high-end computer.Our first impression of the Sony MX was of how small it was considering everything it does. All its components came in a compact, approximately 2-by-2-foot box. Inside were smaller boxes that held the various cables, the keyboard, mouse, handy remote control, case, and the two speakers. The minitower case was an appealing shiny gray and light purple color, which matched the speakers and created an attractive system. Within 10 minutes we had the basic computer set up. When we pushed the power button, the display on the front of the case glowed with a techie-looking green light, showing a marquee of the Sony Vaio brand. The computer comes loaded with Windows XP Home Edition, so we also had to perform the initial setup of that software, but from there we were ready to fully explore the MX. One of its coolest features is a personal video recorder. Similar to other digital recording systems, this device stores television programs on the MX's hard drive. Just plug your TV into the back of the computer and you can start recording and watching TV shows. You can also download episode information from the Web, so you can plan your recordings. You can even transfer information from the personal video recorder to a DVD disc, or to a Memory Stick so you can view them on your camcorder. For the audiophiles out there, Sony includes two large speakers, which provided solid sound quality that made the most of the Vaio's 20-watt power capabilities. To reduce interference noise, Sony has separated the internal sound board from the PC motherboard and has used fully digital signal paths to achieve the highest clarity of signal transmission. The result is a sharp, clean audio experience that sacrifices little on the bass end. While the two-way speaker system is more than adequate when using the Vaio as a PC or for gaming, we felt that TV or DVD viewing would be greatly enhanced by connecting to a surround receiver/speaker system through the unit's digital optical ports. Also loaded on the computer is a variety of different Sony and third-party software that further enhances the MX's versatility. This software controls the tuning of the radio and the personal video recorder and enables you to edit your digital images, burn and label CD and DVD discs, and edit your digital home movies. The list goes on and on. And we had no trouble figuring out the basic usage of these programs; they were all quite user friendly. The one major negative with the system is that there aren't a lot of expansion capabilities. About the only thing you can add to this machine is another hard drive. But then, there isn't a lot that the MX needs. The mouse, while serviceable, was a two-button ball mouse with a wheel. We would have liked to see an optical mouse with such a state-of-the-art system. The Sony MX is a lot of machine to test, but it seems to be everything it claims to be--a digital entertainment system extraordinaire. --Patricia Atherly and Ed Noble Pros:
- Fast computer with large hard drive and good graphics card
- Does practically everything in the way of digital audio, imaging, and editing
- Loaded with lots of useful software
- A variety of different connections and slots for different types of media
- Quiet fan and hard drive
Cons:
- Monitor not included
- Not a lot of expansion capabilities
- Ball mouse, not optical mouse, included
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