HP, India’s number two PC maker and the World number one, has combined a 21.5-inch TV and a full-fledged computer into a single product introduced at around Rs 27,000.
The new product, called the HP Omni 200-5310IN, is similar a mash up of the all-in-one PC with the LCD TV. While an all-in-one PC does away with the CPU box by using lap-top like parts to ‘attach’ the entire computer behind the screen itself, the Omni pushes the idea further by bringing a TV on board.
While the same functionality can be achieved by combining an all-in-one PC, which costs roughly the same as HP’s Omni, this one has the added advantage of built-in compatibility between the TV part and the PC part.
As a result, the TV stream can be easily manipulated by the PC, which runs Microsoft Windows Media center edition. This helps in various possibilities, such as minimizing the TV display into a window that can then be put on the side, or recording the content on to the hard-disk.
Like normal TVs, the Omni also has a remote.
This is, of course, not for someone looking for a 21 or 22 inch TV, as such a device will cost only around Rs 11,000-13,000 — not even half of the Omni’s price.
Rather, it is aimed at the PC buyer who would also like the new machine to double up as a bedroom TV, or someone who enjoys keeping an eye on TV news as he works on his computer.
HP has tried to keep the costs down — as reflected in the configuration of the PC. It sports an Intel Pentium Dual Core E5800 processor running at 3.2 GHz, but has a decent 500 GB hard-disk so that you don’t run out of space for recording very easily.
The full HD display is lighted up by LEDs rather than the cheaper florescent light, helping save energy. It also has built up Wifi (advanced ‘n’ version included) and has the usual array of USB ports, card-slots etc.. The machine, which has 2 GB of system memory (RAM), just enough to be decent, also has built in speakers (unlike PC monitors), web-cam, DVD drive etc..
In all, the Omni is a decent, mid-tier PC, even if, as a TV, it can only qualify as a bedroom (and not living room) device.