Hi-Grade Xperian 1700-2660

The Xperian is the very latest in convergence, mixing the immediacy of TV with the power of a PC. Others, like Tiny's Takami, have tried and failed, but Hi-Grade's first attempt is pretty convincing. The Xperian isn't much bigger than a regular LCD panel, with everything housed in the base.

The killer feature is Instant On, which allows you to play DVDs, CDs and MP3s, or use the machine as a TV or radio, without booting Windows XP - just press the appropriate button on the remote control and it sets off. This is thanks to a custom Linux installation, which takes up 50MB of the capacious 120GB Maxtor hard disk. While it's hard to imagine Microsoft condoning such a partnership, this dual-boot approach is remarkably effective. One of the advantages of using Linux rather than BIOS applications is that it can read NTFS partitions, so it can play MP3s stored on the hard disk rather than just on CDs or DVDs. The final touch is the remote control, which gives the Xperian the feel of a conventional household appliance.

But the Instant On features can also be launched from the keyboard. Of the six buttons at the top, five provide instant access to the entertainment functions, whether the PC is on or off. Admittedly, when using these shortcut keys, the remote becomes the only way to control the apps. However, if you launch them straight from Windows XP, pressing the PC button will bring you immediately back to Windows without having to wait for it to boot.

As you'd expect, the keyboard and mouse are wireless, although the connection was unreliable, working one moment but not the next, which became incredibly frustrating. Also, while they keyboard is comfortable to type on, the keys aren't as firm as I'd have liked. The Caps Lock key was also too close to the A key, and I often found myself writing in capitals.

But it certainly gets high marks for style. The keyboard is finished in an Apple-esque silver and white, and the mouse has a similarly cool silver finish. Unfortunately, the designers plumped for a dull grey for the monitor and base unit, but it's still a huge improvement over the standard beige box, and you won't be ashamed to have it in your lounge.

All-in-one PCs like this often suffer from compromises, particularly with the screen, but not this time. The glass-fronted 17in LCD is exceptionally bright, has a high native resolution of 1,280 x 1,024 and the viewing angles are bolstered by the fact that you can tilt the display vertically by several degrees. The only problem was the lack of contrast when watching DVDs, which made dark scenes difficult to view, but you can get round this by adjusting the Display properties in Windows XP.

The TV tuner has a standard analog aerial connection and both composite and S-Video connections. Using InterVideo's WinPVR software you can record to the hard disk in MPEG-2 format, with features such as pausing live TV and Timeslip. The tuner can also pick up radio, although it's limited to FM. If you want to archive your recordings, Hi-Grade offers an upgrade to a DVD-RW for an extra £150 (you get a DVD-ROM and CD-RW combo drive as standard).

Of course, half of the DVD experience is the sound, and the Xperian also features integrated six-channel audio. Hi-Grade has included a set of Creative Inspire 5300 speakers, although you could also connect up a separate decoder through the optical out at the rear. Alternatively, you have the display's integrated speakers, which still produce decent volume without distortion.