Niveus announce new ZONE PRO Media Center system

I am reviewing one of the original Niveus ZONE boxes at the moment (see this video) and I really like the flexibly of a small form factor PC so I was interested to see Niveus announcing a ZONE PRO Media Center box, which looks like the same packaging with as faster processor and SSD drive:

NIVEUS RELEASES “ZONE PRO” MULTI-ROOM MEDIA SOLUTION
Custom Installers & Prosumers now have access to the latest in ZONE technology, the ultimate building block for the ultimate whole-home HD television and movie solution.

Fremont, CA – Aug 27th, 2009 – Niveus Media is pleased to introduce the all new “ZONE PRO” media player. The ZONE PRO is now the fastest product in the ZONE family, featuring a 3x speed increase over the original ZONE. Faster speed equals faster applications, snappier movie library navigation, and quicker media playback. In addition to faster performance, the new ZONE PRO increases reliability by incorporating a solid state hard drive, the latest in storage technology.
The Niveus ZONE family of products feature the Niveus Movie Library movie management software, and other proprietary Niveus features. ZONEs deliver upscaled DVD and native 1080p Blu-ray movies to any room of the house. The bundled music & photo library features transform your high definition television into a high resolution photo and slideshow viewer set to the soundtrack of your favorite tunes. ZONEs are also Digital Cable Compatible, allowing customers to add-on a 3rd party television tuner for additional Digital Video Recorder functionality. New for this fall, ZONEs will also support sharing of HD cable content amongst other ZONEs on the home network.

Like the original ZONE, multi-room equals multi-zone. With multiple ZONEs it’s easy to create that ultimate whole-home solution. ZONEs can share content with each other, as well as look to centrally located media storage solutions. Simply put, if it’s on the home network, you can browse and enjoy your content on any Niveus ZONE.

When it comes to networked media playback, performance & design matters. The ZONE family of products use the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processing, and provide powerful interconnects such as HDMI 1.3, and eSATA for additional storage. From a design aspect, ZONEs feature a brushed aluminum chassis that is accented by a front facing, slot load Blu-ray/DVD drive. Additionally, the ZONE’s compact form factor (6”x6”x2”) allows for placement practically anywhere in and around the home. The ZONE products have been designed to deliver on power, without compromising your utility bill, consuming less than 50 Watts of power at full load
Unlike some proprietary multi-room solutions, ZONEs are compatible with a wide range of digital products such as: digital cable tuners, wireless keyboards, network attached storage, remote controls, and more. Niveus believes in the open architecture, and for that reason customers can use ZONEs with both Niveus Media Servers, as well as existing PCs in the home environment. The goal is to create a powerful home entertainment network, and ZONE will help get you there.
It’s all about the community. Whether a Niveus Authorized Dealer, or enthusiast customer, ZONE users can interact with each other at the newly launched Niveus Forums. It’s about getting answers quickly, and the community can help. Niveus ZONE users have access to early releases of proprietary Niveus applications compatible with Windows 7, as well as access to the full suite of features found at the Niveus Software Labs. As Niveus readies new versions of its software, the ZONE Community will be able to provide valuable feedback and interact directly with the development team at Niveus.

Available for order worldwide today from Niveus.com and Niveus Authorized Dealers, the ZONE and ZONE PRO are Niveus’ most affordable media solution yet. Starting at $1,499 per ZONE, and $1,999 for ZONE PRO, customers can also take advantage of a free Niveus Windows 7 Upgrade program later this fall. The ZONE PRO represents Niveus Media’s most recent addition to its award winning line of media solutions. With over 6 years of experience and technology development, Niveus Media is at the forefront of home media networked solutions.