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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent design for those who just need a general purpose PC, December 24, 2009
This review is from: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Piano Black Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)
The Dell Zino HD (aka Inspiron 400) has so far been just what I was hoping for: a general purpose PC, small footprint, quiet, and with enough computing power to handle everyday tasks. Of course, how you configure it is up to you.
Specifics:
-- The Zino HD appears to have more in common with a laptop than a typical desktop PC. For instance, the power supply is external and similar to what you'd typically use with a laptop. With a case size just under 8" x 8" x 3.5", I'm guessing that the same engineers who design laptops had a hand in designing the Zino. Also, the CD/DVD drive is typical of what you'd find in a laptop...which is essential given the relatively small case size.
-- The size and overall design of the Zino HD gives you more flexibility on where you place it.
-- The Zino HD is very quiet. The cooling fan in the back makes barely a hum (again, similar to a laptop).
-- Dual-Core Athlon CPU + 4gb Ram + Windows 7 are probably the three "upgrades" you'll want to consider. After all, you can only expect decent performance if the hardware is matched with the appropriate operating system (and vice versa). Windows 7 (so far) has met expectations and appears to be a hit with the general user population out there. Microsoft got it right.
-- The integrated graphics card appears to be a good match for this machine. Online video programming and the sample HD video that comes with Windows 7 look great and without pauses.
-- So far, cooling doesn't appear to a problem - that was my main concern given such a compact case. Being a desktop, it's got a few design advantages over a laptop and I think that has made the difference.
Bottom line: if you want a general purpose, quiet PC, that you can place in the corner of a desk or on a shelf, then consider the Zino HD.
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24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
720p barely, 1080p impossible, February 5, 2010
This review is from: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Piano Black Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)
I purchased this system with the express purpose of replacing my DVR. Dell gave me the impression this was an Home Theater PC and includes an HDTV tuner as an option. Note: I am using a dual-core processor, 2GB of memory, and the HD3200 video card.
As a normal PC it seems alright, not that I've done much with it in that regard. Big apps seem to be a bit slow to load, but my desktop is a fast quad core system w/ a 10K RPM hard drive.
Since my intent is to replace my DVR, I hooked up the tuner (hauppage USB HD Tuner) and started Windows Media Center. All drivers installed and WMC quickly located all of my cable channels. That's the last of the good news.
I started by using 1080i resolution on my monitor (an HDMI LCD TV). The video was completely unacceptable. It probably dropped 10-20 frames for every one it displayed. The system performance was so bad it was excruciating to get out of Windows Media Center.
If I put the video 720p mode, I can watch TV with just a little skipping or delay; however, if I bring up the TV guide at the same time the TV is running, forget it. The TV stutters horribly.
Now that I have the system and the problem, I am seeing reports of this problem popping up in audio/video forums (ugh, why didn't I check there first before buying this). In fact, CNET reviews this systems and the CON is it will not work in HD mode with the integrated video card. (The link to the review is removed by amazon, but google "cnet zino review").
I've tried to resolve the problem with tech support, but so far they haven't been able to make it past basic troubleshooting - ie. I haven't made it past the first layer of support technicians.
Hopefully I can return this tomorrow. If not, you might want to watch craigslist for it. I have no use for it if it can't handle HDTV.
Final Note?: No thanks to Dell I have found that by using the VGA connection to my TV (NOT the HDMI connection), I can get HDTV to work in 1280x760 mode (the max resolution of my TV's VGA port) fairly well. All digital signals from cable (QAM signals) work perfectly. For some reason the analog signals still stutter, but I don't care about those.
I cannot stress how disappointed I am with Dell over this. The video card cannot be field upgraded. The returns department (I tried to send this back and get one with the correct video card) said 'No returns after 21 days. Thank you, come again'. The tech support people were clueless. I don't know how ma and pa Kettle get their systems running. You have to have a computer science degree 1/2 the time to get consumer stuff working right.
Final Note!: Dell is taking it back. Perhaps someone there also read the cnet review. Just in time as the VGA port went on the fritz this weekend and now no display port is usable.
Epilogue: After searching the market I couldn't find another system with a form factor I liked so I ended up repurchasing a Dell Zino with the upgraded video card (ATI HD4330) and 4GB instead of 2. This system *works* for displaying HDTV broadcasts. Unfortunately it cost significantly more than the base system. It's had some odd glitches (like audio via HDMI has occasionally stopped requiring a reboot), but it has been OK. OK is about the best I can say given the headache this whole project became.
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20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
False advertising and horrible customer service, February 21, 2010
This review is from: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Piano Black Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium) (Personal Computers)
I ordered this, based on Dell's claims of being great for a HTPC, including 5.1 surround sound. After spending an hour on the phone with Dell "please restart your computer" tech support and several hours of searching the web, I learned that the 5.1 surround only works if you order the $70 optional video card - which *cannot* be added later.
I decided to send it back, which was another hour of pone calls. The CSR claimed they would send a RMA, but they didn't. It took another hour of calls (a week later) to get it escalated to a CSR who could do something for me. My credit card hasn't been credited yet, so I still don't trust them.
Dell released this machine too early (trying to make it in time for Christmas sales) and has failed horribly. There have been all sorts of problems, and the description on the website changes daily. At one point they said you could play DVDs on the "HDMI Player". They also claim it outputs 2.1 channel sound - which is simply not true. It puts out 2 channel sound, and you amplifier & subwoofer turn it into 2.1. They failed to mention that you need the video card to use the HDMI cable for the 5.1 surround sound.
The marketing folks have no idea what this computer is about, what it can do, and what's inside it. The CSRs are clueless and know nothing about it as well.
This has been the most frustrating computer experience I've had in 20 years, and some of the worst customer service I've ever received.
If you need a basic computer, it would be fine. However, I'll never take a chance on Dell again.
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