For all the controversy surrounding Charles Darwin, it’s easy to forget that he did not invent the concept of evolution—he simply explained it the best. What’s more, Darwin probably wouldn’t have published his theory when he did, if not for the prompting of fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who came to the same conclusion at roughly the same time. Yet Darwin is now synonymous with evolution, while Wallace is known mostly to science nerds.

Likewise, Niveus Media did not invent Media Center PCs, those all-in-one devices built upon the Windows operating system, which work as DVD players, music and video servers, digital video recorders, online portals, and even complete home automation devices. Niveus didn’t even invent the high-end Media Center—a version of the product with refined aesthetics and reference-quality audio and video. But looking at the newly updated Denali Edition Media Center sitting beside my A/V rack, it’s really quite tempting to relegate all other Media Center PCs to Wallace’s level of anonymity.

If you wonder why the Denali is sitting beside my rack, rather than in it, the answer is simple. Despite the fact that Niveus has continued to refine Denali’s inner workings, its exterior remains virtually identical to that of the original 2004 version. It’s an awe-inspiring beast, measuring more than 17 inches wide and deep and 8 inches tall, and weighing 60 pounds. Massive deco-style heat sinks along the sides speak to the majesty of the machine—and along with interior heat pipes and thermal pads, the heat sinks contribute to the unit’s whisper-quiet, fan-free operation. The gentle hum of my TiVo, resting a few feet away, sounds like a lion’s roar by comparison. But the most impressive view of the Denali is from behind: Aside from four USB ports, the back panel gives hardly the slightest indications of its PC origins. Instead, it sports an impressive host of dedicated A/V connections—including BNC connectors for component video, which we normally only see on consumer video products from such esteemed names as Theta Digital or Ayre Acoustics.

Yes, looking at the Denali, it’s easy to forget that it is a computer. But even though its two-year-old design still has the power to inspire breathless panting, in the world of personal computers, even last season’s processor is verging on extinction. Niveus has kept up by fitting the latest Denali Edition with Intel’s leading-edge Core 2 Duo E6400 processor, which obliterates the Pentium 4-equipped Media Centers that have passed through my doors to this point. What this means in terms of media playback is smoother, faster performance—Windows Media 9 high-definition titles such as Standing in the Shadows of Motown play with nary a stutter or hiccup. Button response when scrolling through the Media Center interface is lightning-fast. Songs are ripped much more quickly than most Media Centers can manage. Digital photos are processed in the blink of an eye. And best of all, the dual cores of the processor ensure that background processes such as virus scanning and Windows Update don’t impede upon media performance in the slightest.

In addition to the basic hardware makeover, this latest Denali also incorporates Intel’s Viiv technology, which is a nebulous conglomeration of hardware and software enhancements and specifications whose exact details are a bit hard to nail down. At least one benefit of Viiv, though, is plain to see: I touch the power button on the system’s remote control and the computer springs instantly to life. In a race between the Denali and my Denon DVD-1920 DVD player to see which device could fire up and deliver a movie to my TV the fastest, the DVD player comes in a distant second.

In the midst of all of these shiny new upgrades, it seems a bit odd that the Denali still relies on Nvidia’s GeForce 6600 GT, a video card that is two years out of date—at least on paper. In practice, the Denali, with its proprietary hardware interface between the graphics card and the outside world, sets a new benchmark in terms of Media Center video performance. I have yet to see any video device—PC-based or not—perform nearly as well with Silicon Optix’s HQV Benchmark DVD, which seems to have been designed with the express intent of making every video device on the planet look simply wretched.

Buying a Media Center PC is a tough decision because technology changes quickly. Niveus has recently introduced a version of its Rainier Edition machine with HD DVD playback, and Windows Vista will introduce CableCard technology to PCs not long after this review sees print. It stands to reason that next year’s Denali will be a monumental leap over this one. Indeed, by the time this review appears, Niveus will probably have replaced the 6600 GT video adapter with the new 7600 GT, which will give quite a boost to gaming performance. But rest assured that any Denali will exceed the performance of the vast majority of new Media Centers on the market even two years later.DESCRIPTION
Media Center PC. Provides integrated DVD player, DVR, video and music storage, Internet access, etc., with a remotely controlled interface. Plug-ins exclusive to Niveus provide networked TV distribution, high-resolution music downloads, and up-to-date weather reports from within the Media Center interface

CONNECTIONS
Front: Two USB ports, IEEE 1394 FireWire port
Back: Four USB ports, IEEE 1394 FireWire port, RJ-45 Ethernet connector, BNC component video output, DVI video output, DB-15 connector for VGA video output, 7.1-channel RCA analog audio outputs, RCA stereo analog audio output, coaxial digital audio output; two sets S-video input, coaxial RF input, stereo audio input for tuner in; two coaxial RF inputs for HDTV, coaxial RF input for FM radio

DIMENSIONS
8.2 x 17.2 x 16 inches (hwd)

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: $7,999 for standard model
CONTACT: 866.258.2929, niveusmedia.com