Although the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray hard-fought war ended quite a long time ago (well, a year or so in technology is quite a lot), with Toshiba's format slipping into oblivion, from time to time, we can still encounter its “scars” or “remnants.” And that's exactly the case with the particular device you're about to see as follows, namely the HD:Hub Media Center from Kinetic, which sports an optical unit capable of reading both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

It's still rather unclear just why any company would release HD DVD-compatible hardware when no HD DVD titles have been released on the market (well, not lately) and it's hard to believe there are THAT many early adopters out there looking for HD DVD support. However, they do provide this option, although it's very likely that most users will opt for the Blu-ray writer instead.

As far as the hardware section is concerned, these new media are built around Intel's latest Core i7 processors, accompanied by up to 6TB worth of HDDs, which will allow users to easily rip quite a hefty amount of CDs or even Blu-ray movies directly into the HD:Hub's playback for easier playback.

The device also provides wireless b/g/n connectivity and comes complete with Windows Vista Home Premium, which includes Windows Media Centre. Hence, users will be able to carry out a lot of activities in a very fast and easy manner, including here surfing the web, watching movies and photos, listening to music and a lot more.

As far as audio is concerned, the Kinetic HD:Hub packs onboard Optical I/O and S/PDIF technology, as well as a Creative X-Fi Titanium card with Dolby Digital Surround Sound Support, allowing users to enjoy Dolby and DTS Movies in 7.1 audio.

No word on the pricing and availability yet, but given the features it provides, it's very likely that the HD:Hub will cost a pretty hefty sum (especially if you push the options' list to the max).


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