When it debuted in late 2005 , Apple ’s Front Row foretell to give you ascendancy over your euphony , movie , and image files with just a click of the remote dominance . And for the most part , the media - management software that comes bundled with sure iMac G5s and all Intel - ground Macs delivers — though not without a few quirkiness .
True , Front Row allow you catch movies and slideshows and take heed to your music program library , insure the medium more or less as you see fit . occasional update have fixed behavioral hiccups like not being capable to ruffle songs by creative person or album . But certain slideshow effects still ferment periodically in Front Row and TV playback can be inconsistent . And of track it ’s only supported on Intel Macs and the iMac G5 .
It ’s only natural , then , that those leave wanting by Front Row ’s feature arrange ( and PowerPC - based Mac users who are block off from a fully - supported version of Front Row ) would be eager to feel an alternative . And step up to fill that void isMediaCentral from Equinux . MediaCentral is loose and do work with both PowerPC - based Macs ( with an 800MHz or faster processor ) or the Intel models .
But does it shine where Front Row sometimes stumbles ? As part of my ongoing experiment to create the ultimate Mac - centric multimedia middle , I spent some clip take MediaCentral out for a mental test drive . What I found was a home - medium interface that , while not without promise , is n’t yet ready for quality clip .
MediaCentral ’s main port
The look
Just like Front Row , MediaCentral takes over your Mac ’s silver screen , displaying a gray background knowledge dwell with tumid heading commands that can be easily seen from across the room . On the main filmdom , you find entryway for DVD , Movies , Music , Photos , goggle box , and Power Off . These command do n’t exactly duplicate Front Row ’s features . For deterrent example , if MediaCentral does n’t find a DVD motion picture in the drive , it will look in your Documents folder for a Video_TS brochure — a folder that obtain a movie you ’ve ripped from DVD — and let you play that movie .
If you ’ve bind anElgato SystemsEyeTV 200 , 300 , 400 , or 410 digital television recorder ( DVR ) to your Mac , MediaCentral ’s Movies screen offers the option to view motion-picture show stored in the EyeTV Recordings folder . The Movies screen door also cater access to movie in your Mac ’s Movies folder and lets you preview many of the same pic trailers extend by Front Row . The idiot box bidding takes you to a cover where you could choose to play streamed boob tube subject from WebTV as well as regard live boob tube from an EyeTV machine ( again , assuming you have one connect to your Mac ) .
MediaCentral ’s Movies screen will display programs register using one of Elgato ’s digital video recording recorders if you have one connected to your Mac .
Using your Mac ’s keyboard to navigate , you use the Up and Down arrow keys to select items and entreat the Return , Enter , or Right Arrow key to trigger the selection and move to the next menu screen . If you have an Intel - base Mac , MediaCentral can be controlled via the Apple Remote Control that ships with those systems . If you have an Intel Mac or PowerPC Mac , you could control most of MediaCentral ’s control with a compatible outside control such asKeyspan ’s $ 40 Unq Remote for Front Row . Equinux also treat what kinds of distant control MediaCentral supports in anFAQ about the programme .
The performance
MediaCentral lacks some of Front Row ’s niceties . For instance , it wo n’t play the videos you ’ve purchased from the iTunes Music Store nor will it play motion picture from a portion out volume . And there ’s no Shuffle command in evidence for shuffling through your music collection .
Regrettably , the programme is penetrate with inconsistencies . Although at version 1.2.1 , MediaCentral is a genus Beta in everything but name . Even though the plan take it can encounter live EyeTV programs , it ’s more miss than hit — MediaCentral routinely clock out when I asked it to show what was toy on my EyeTV 200 . ( It does n’t spot the existence of the recently released EyeTV 250 ) . When playing back music , multiple iTunes playlist of mine were grayed out and inaccessible .
MediaCentral ’s controls are n’t standardized . When you play movies hive away in the Movies Folder silver screen you could expend the proper pointer key or a remote control ’s fast forward clit to jump forrader through the motion picture . attempt the same affair with euphony tracks in the Music area or movies found in the EyeTV Recordings screen and MediaCentral zips back to the first of the motion-picture show . Temporary pilotage and volume windows designed to disappear after awhile sometimes do n’t and when the computer programme locks up ( as it did a handful of time in my tests ) there ’s no path out . Because MediaCentral overlook the filmdom and does n’t grant you access to the mouse , there ’s no room to appeal a Force Quit command . You must restart the Mac by press and holding the great power switch .
The verdict
I salute Equinux for its initial attempt to bring a free alternative to those who are barred from the Front Row ( or find its hind end uncomfortable ) and pray that those effort will continue . MediaCentral has potential , but that potential drop is far from realized . countenance ’s hope Equinux ’s engineers have the resources ( and patience ) to finish the job .
