MSI
NX7600GT-VT2D256E-HD: $199
www.msicomputer.com

Right or wrong, HDCP (high-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) is a very big deal. This is the encryption scheme designed to wrap around high-def data carried over digital conduits—which today means DVI or HDMI—and keep it bulletproof against those who would try to intercept, pirate, or otherwise molest that content in an unapproved (by the content owner) way. Extremely few PC products today support HDCP, and this puts a real crimp in your ability to create media center solutions that will be future-compatible out of the box.

Fortunately, MSI's X7600GT-VT2D256E-HD card has you covered. This SLI-capable unit is based on the NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT graphics processor (580 MHz) backed by 256MB of DDR3 memory (1,500 MHz). If you've used the GeForce 7 series, you already know about all the HDR rendering, Shader Model 3, PureVideo HD, and other benefits that GPU generation offers. What you may not know about is the hardware-based acceleration for MPEG-2, Windows Media Video, and H.264. MSI now swoops in and adds HDCP support to the equation as well as the company's own “Vivid” image optimization technology and a large software bundle punctuated by Serious Sam II.

MSI also makes a 7900-based HDCP card, but we like the 7600 for its price savings while still delivering great performance and next-gen video support.

Arctic Cooling
Accelero X1: $33
www.arcticcooling.com

The stock cooler included with NVIDIA's GeForce 7-series cards is plenty ample. But it isn't the best answer when your customers are looking to maximize cooling and minimize noise. Then again, there's only so much someone will spend to upgrade a component already working well enough.

Fortunately, Arctic Cooling's Accelero X1 is both effective and inexpensive. The company claims that while NVIDIA's solution generates two sones—a perceived measure of loudness—the Accelero X1 is rated for four tenths of a sone. Simplified installation, SLI compatibility, and support for BTX form factors all add up to one reseller-friendly upgrade.

Plantronics
MX100s Mobile Headset: $44.95
www.plantronics.com

I have the worst luck with headphones. I like the lightness and comfort of open-air headphones, but you tend to lose a lot of bass considering the cumbersome form factor. In-ear canal headphones (or “canalphones”) from the likes of Shure can deliver amazing fidelity, but I must have small ear canals, because every set of canalphones I've tried have required substantial shoving to hit that “sweet spot” and exert very uncomfortable pressure inside my ears. I have a set of Sony headphones that use hooks to sort of screw onto the backs of your ears, but, again, fidelity and comfort take a hit. And I have yet to find a set of ear buds that would stay put through jogging or even a quick head turn. I'm cursed.

However, in a product category full of compromises, the Plantronics MX100s is one of the best solutions I've seen yet. At first glance, these white units look like regular ear buds, but Plantronics turns the bottom of each headphone into a rubber-coated hook that bends under and presses into the ear lobe. It's sort of a cross between an ear bud and a clip-on earring. The sensation takes a little getting used to, but once you ignore the gentle pressure on your ear lobe, the fit is comfortable enough, and, more importantly, the bud stays firmly placed over the ear canal, so fidelity remains quite good for a headphone in this class.

There are several other perks here. The speaker cord is longer than most, so users can put the cord behind their necks and still connect comfortably to a belt-worn player. Significantly for diverse resellers, the MX100s has both 2.5mm and 3.5mm plugs for standard cell phones and digital audio players, an inline mic with decent noise reduction capabilities, and an inline volume control that also lets users switch between phone and player devices.

Obviously, this is a product for people who use both device types rather than an all-in-one player/phone. Sure, an all-encompassing wireless solution would be more elegant, but this is an affordable, solid quality solution that's here today and can suit a wide segment of your clientele.

ADS
Tech DVD Xpress DX2: $129.99
www.adstech.com

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but yes—I still have an operational VHS deck in my home theater. I suspect most of us over the age of, oh, 25 probably still have a lingering collection of analog video if only because storing it is easier than the hassle of converting it to digital. After all, if you've seen the number of bad crops, mismatched audio/video sync sessions, and other conversion headaches I have, storage makes a lot of sense.

Well, forget that. The DVD Xpress DX2 takes all the headaches out of analog-to-digital conversion. Simply plug in the S-Video or composite feed, plug in the RCA stereo audio, connect the DX2 box to a PC via USB, and run the capture wizard. ADS' bundled software makes quick work of capture and editing or simply burning straight to CD/DVD. The box contains a hardware-based encoding accelerator, so conversion into MPEG-1/2/4 or DivX (version 5) looks excellent. ADS has an “Audio-Lock” feature that makes sure the audio and video tracks stay in sync, and there are also export profiles for devices such as the video iPod and Sony PSP. Mind you, the DX2 will still detect any Macrovision protection, so you're not entirely out of the copyright protection woods, but for everything else, this is the easiest way yet I've seen to get old analog content back into circulation in a hurry.