OTHER TECH

Saying that I was impressed with this feature is an understatement. It's this cataloging ability that really distinguishes LE&AP from other servers. Other systems rely on previously stored metadata, or need an entire album to identify tracks correctly. But LE&AP looks at various criteria on every individual file, then reaches out to Gracenote's Web database to identify the song and correct or fill in missing details. It correctly identified a staggering 99% of my songs! Even horribly mislabeled tracks from those Napster glory days appeared on the DDC menu with all information miraculously intact. If your collection is in a shambles, the DDC can be your musical Sherlock Holmes.

Two more cool music features were added as we went to press. Embedded Gracenote Playlist software now lets you create instant custom playlists from your stored music based on a single seed song. And integrated Rhapsody support lets users with a subscription to that Internet music service access their Rhapsody online libraries from any Digital Player (though your networked PC still needs to be turned on for account verification). For $10 a month, that gives the system instant access to over a million songs!

Photos and videos definitely benefited from the DVI connection, appearing noticeably sharper than with the component- and S-video connections. Unlike many other systems, LE&AP allows you to play music during a photo slideshow.

If you have a TV tuner in your PC, you can transfer recorded programming to the DDC for viewing around the house. But there's no built-in tuner or other mechanism to directly record TV shows to the drive - a significant drawback. Nor will the system currently support Windows Media Video (WMV) or DivX, two PC-based video file formats.

My review sample came preloaded with a tantalizing hint of just how this system could be used for that Holy Grail of killer apps: DVD distribution. Stored inconspicuously was a Superbit transfer of Spider-Man 2, probably there so I could verify the system's ability to stream and display high-quality video files. Opening this produced a pristine picture and had Dolby Digital EX 6.1-channel sound erupting from my speakers. There's debate currently about the legality of ripping DVD movies you own to a server or portable device for personal viewing. But LE&AP recognizes MPEG-1, -2, and -4 video files (and is ungradable for future formats), so you'll be ready when the coast is clear. Add some extra storage and you'll have a $3,000 server that'll stream movies to any room in the house!

The Linux-based operating system performed reliably and didn't require any frustrating restarts. The remote control, however, was inconsistent. Sometimes it would work, other times it wouldn't, and I often found myself pressing buttons multiple times. A good universal remote would likely solve this problem.

BOTTOM LINE All in all, LE&AP is a reliable and easy-to-use system for moving photos, music, and video around your house. Though the inability to directly record TV shows is frustrating, and adding anything to the system requires a trip to the computer, LE&AP's music prowess and promise as a DVD server will put you in a forgiving mood.