All-digital media center sound cool? Here are tips

Now that their products are firmly ensconced in dens and home offices, computer-makers have designs on another part of the house: the living room. The idea is to create an integrated, all-digital home-media center, with one user-friendly interface. Some early models are already in stores.

But while the concept of the digital living room has taken hold, its implementation lags, as some knotty problems remain to be solved. Among them: creating a device that can work simply and seamlessly with other gear.

As inviting as a computer-based home-entertainment center sounds, you may want to hold off buying the centerpiece for a while.

If you need a computer now — and still want to enjoy a wide variety of digital content in your living room — buy a powerful machine coupled with a media receiver. This $200 to $300 device hooks up to your home network and can send music, photos or video from your computer to a stereo or television.

Consumer Reports recently rated several machines — laptops and desktops — ranging from relatively low-cost budget models suitable for most general uses to workhorse computers capable of running 3D games and editing video.

Performance was consistently high among all types and brands, making differences in reliability and technical support more important than ever. In surveys of Consumer Reports subscribers, Apple computers routinely score at or near the top in tech support, and they have also been reliable. Some findings from the 2005 surveys:

• Laptops from Compaq, Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM, Sony and Toshiba were as reliable as those from Apple. Among desktops, Sony and Dell computers proved more reliable than Compaq, HP and Gateway machines, though not quite as reliable as Apple.

• In tech support, IBM provided significantly better overall service for its laptops than other Windows manufacturers did for theirs. (Apple's laptop tech support was better still.) Survey respondents who use Windows desktops cited Dell's tech support as best for problem solving; HP's as worst for support staff. Apple's service for its desktops was praised for problem solving, support staff and time spent waiting on the phone for assistance.

Yet deciding between Windows and Mac machines isn't just about reliability and technical support. Viruses and spyware are far less likely to target Macintosh than Windows computers.

All essential productivity software is available for both, but Windows has the edge on home and entertainment packages. (If you're shopping for a Windows PC, you can gauge how much computer you'll need by consulting CR's online chart of specifications. It's available free at www.ConsumerReports.org until April 10. Click on "Electronics & Computers.")

Nor is portability the only consideration when comparing desktops and laptops. Choosing a desktop gets you greater storage capacity, memory, multimedia features and expansion capability. They cost less and are cheaper to repair.

Laptops take up less space than a desktop, and built-in wireless networking allows you to move your computer throughout the house.

But all that's important only if you need a new computer. For many users, upgrading an old machine may suffice.

Copyright 2006, Consumers Union