Millions of computers are used as digital audio jukeboxes, their owners ripping CDs, downloading MP3s, and burning playlists to CD-Rs. It's no secret that a good set of speakers can turn a computer into a legitimate stereo. Those who want to extend these capabilities into the living room with a dedicated component should take a look at HP's de100c Digital Entertainment Center. This "fancy CD player" rips CDs, offers an intuitive graphical user interface, streams radio content, and burns custom CDs.

The de100c fits right in with your other gear. Ours sits underneath (and is connected to) an amplifier and a DVD player and is hooked up to a television. Inside the de100c resides a 566-MHz Celeron processor with 64MB of RAM, a massive 40GB hard drive, and an 8X CD-R/4X CD-RW drive. A tweaked-out version of RealJukebox software lies on top of a Linux operating system.

Essentially, the de100c allows you to store your entire CD collection (750 CDs max) and listen to it through your existing stereo or entertainment center without a computer.

The ingredients are present

For $1,000, the de100c may seem like an overpriced beige box in stereo clothing. Frugal folks may consider laying a cable between a PC and the amplifier, or better yet, networking their PC through a $200 Sonicblue Rio Receiver device. But with the price tag comes the convenience of an easy-to-use dedicated device complete with remote control.

The 16-pound device is no wider than any other component (17 inches), but it extends back nearly 14 inches. It has optical digital and analog outputs, analog inputs, and phone and Ethernet jacks built in. The inclusion of an Ethernet jack for connection to the Internet or networking with a PC is a feature that the competing Compaq iPaq Music Center left out. There are also three USB ports designed to interface with portable players such as Sonicblue's Rio 500.

Three video output options (S-Video, composite, and VGA) allow the user to navigate the interface using a television or monitor. This method both augments the user experience and also allows for functions that aren't accessible with the built-in LED display.