Alienware got back into the Media Center game today after a few year hiatus.  The Hangar18 is what they decided to come back with, and in my opinion they should not have even bothered.  This machine is flawed is so many ways I can’t suggest that anyone look to purchase one. 

According to Alienware is this supposed to be a “HD Entertainment Center.”  Maybe someone can explain to me how an HD Entertainment Center can only support a single HD source; OTA ATSC.  No CableCARD.  No HD DVD.  No Blu-ray.  It is HDCP Ready, though it’s not like that matters as only the options they didn’t include need HDCP to begin with.

It only supports 720p output on the base configuration and it’s a $200 upgrade in order to support 1080p output.  According to the PDF product summery it uses an integrated graphics solution from NVIDIA.  Why not use an 8000 series graphics card?  They cost next to nothing and they are passively cooled, the perfect Media Center solution.  There is little to no reason to build a Media Center and not either look at the 8500/8600 series or the new 2400/2600 from ATI.

In addition, this disappointing PC starts at $2000 and only includes a single NTSC and ATSC tuner.  You can add additional tuners, but only on the low end 720p configuration.  Once you “upgrade” to 1080p “support” it locks you out of configuring more than two tuners.

I’ll give Alienware a little credit here for designing a nice case with front media controls (although it looks like it can light a room alone with its numerous LED’s), shipping systems with a Gyration remote, and including an 1000-watt amplifier which I do praise them for.

Other than that, I can’t recommend anyone purchase this machine.  All other Media Center PC vender's have been including HD DVD and/or Blu-ray as an option for months now.  Even smaller companies have been shipping CableCARD now.  Alienware, who is owned by Dell should have no issues doing the same and hopefully this doesn't foreshadowing waiting even longer for Dell to enter the CableCARD market.

My advice to Alienware: Include HD DVD, Blu-ray, and dual CableCARD as options.  Don’t advertise as a complete HD solution until you catch up with everyone else has been doing.  Put a 8500/8600 or 2400/2600 low profile passively cooled GPU in there and allow for four tuners to be configured in all systems.

Related: Chris Chats with Alienware; Hanger18 Redeems Itself