Niveus MEdia’s 2009 media servers boast progressive processing power and enhanced multi-zone capabilities

Featuring HDMI 1.3, next-generation Intel processing, specialized Seagate hard drives, and upgraded cooling solutions for impressive multi-zone performance.

Denver, CO – CEDIA Expo 2008 – September 4-7 – Booth #850 – Niveus Media unveils its 2009 line of media servers, enhanced to provide an incredibly robust entertainment experience in as many as eleven independent zones. All Niveus media servers, including the passively cooled Summit Series’ Rainier and Denali Limited Edition and the rack mountable Pro Series, have been upgraded to incorporate bleeding-edge technologies for the most powerful Media Center performance.

“To accommodate the variety of installation applications and performance demands, we’ve upgraded all of our media servers to offer Niveus Authorized Dealers the preferred range of configurations,” states Brian Paper, Vice President Operations and Co-Founder of Niveus Media. “With a selection of form factors, processing power, audio and video solutions, and storage capacities, Niveus has a superior solution for today’s multi-zone scenarios.”

Significant upgrades across the Niveus Media Server line include: HDMI 1.3 support for high-definition audio codecs and the utmost in connectivity and new Seagate Pipeline HD™ hard drives for unprecedented acoustics, reliability, and video streaming performance.

Now completely fanless and utilizing an external power supply, the 2009 Niveus Media Center – Rainier Edition is optimized for the coolest and quietest performance and offers: up to 1TB of internal storage; Niveus Pro Audio featuring 8 channel analog & digital out and 116db signal-to-noise ratio; and, most notably, the new Intel® G45 Express Chipset with Intel® Clear Video technology, a videophile-worthy integrated graphics solution providing major advancements in video performance and responsiveness, enabling crystal clear 1080p video.

The rack-mountable Niveus Media Center – Pro Series line, scheduled to be available Q4 2008, features enhanced cooling technology, allowing for improved airflow and cool and quiet performance in demanding rack-mount scenarios. The Pro Series will also offer: up to 4TB of internal storage; a 32GB dedicated solid state drive (for the operating system); Niveus Pro Audio featuring 8 channel analog & digital out and 120db signal-to-noise ratio and support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio; and Nvidia’s GeForce Series 9 graphics featuring PureVideo™ HD technology for high quality video scaling up to and beyond 1080p. For advanced power, Niveus intends to utilize the Intel® Core™ i7 processor for the ultimate in high-definition, multi-zone entertainment.

“Intel is excited about Niveus incorporating both the onboard G45 graphics solution into its Rainier Edition as well as their future intention to offer the Intel Core i7 processor with the Pro Series,” states Jeff McCrea, Vice President and General Manager of Intel’s Consumer PC Group. “Niveus continues to leverage the Intel platform to deliver astounding multi-zone entertainment.”

For 2009, the flagship Niveus Media Center – Denali Limited Edition has undergone a complete facelift, adding even more sophistication to this award-winning media server. Internally, the Denali Limited Edition has been refined to incorporate: 2TB of storage; a 32GB dedicated solid state drive (for the operating system); a slot load Blu-ray Disc player; Niveus Pro Audio featuring 8 channel analog & digital out and 120db signal-to-noise ratio and support for Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio; and Nvidia’s GeForce Series 9 graphics featuring PureVideo™ HD technology for high quality video scaling up to and beyond 1080p. Denali Limited Edition now represents one of the quietest, most powerful media servers on the market.

All Niveus media servers are capable of storing, managing, and distributing high-definition TV, music, movies, photos, and more, and can be easily integrated with premier home automation solutions.

Niveus’ 2009 product line will be available in Q4 2008.

In short, the Niveus PC can do whatever you normally do on Vista, such as watch downloaded movies, and it can also do what the TiVo Series 3 does.

The test setup, which you can see in the video on top, is running Niveus's higher-end Denali system along with the company's dual CableCARD receiver. Check that out, then join us after the jump for impressions.

If you've never used Vista's Media Center, you can see how shiny and usable the interface is. The bonus of going with a Niveus system is the company-specific add-ons and plugins: Stuff like HD music downloads via the Music Giants Network and Niveus's own backup software are all integrated into the 10-foot experience.

If you are familiar with Media Center—perhaps using it with an analog NTSC tuner to record standard definition cable now—you'll know it works quite well. Adding a CableCARD makes it work even better. In this test system, we were able to record three HD shows and play back a fourth without any hiccups. We were also able to flip channels in HD with even less delay than my piece-of-crap Comcast Motorola DVR.

You'll be needing both a standard Rainier or Denali set that has Vista installed, plus a Niveus Digital Cable Receiver with CableCARD in order to handle HD. This, in turn, makes it so you have two components to place into your media center cabinet, not just one. Plus, it jacks up the price a bit.

Other miscellaneous items: It's super quiet (only 20-something db) thanks to its all-but-fanless system. There's one fan in the power supply but everything else is passively cooled, with the heat out to the gigantic fins on the outside. It works with Niveus's other products like a Disc Changer, Storage Server, and a Media Center Companion that runs on a laptop or a tablet PC.

The only downside is that the setup is pricey. These are high-end systems here. If you thought a TiVo Series 3 was expensive, don't look at the $3199 price point for the Rainier, plus another $1499 for a CableCARD digital cable receiver. However, other than having DVR features, the Niveus system doesn't have that much in common with a TiVo. Can you play games on your TiVo? Record 4 HD channels simultaneously? Download and play back HD media? Link up to your 100-disc DVD changer? Play back HD DVD discs? Not exactly.

If you do want one with CableCARD recording capability, you'll have to wait until late April or early May to get it. Watch for our review before then. – Jason Chen

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