It seems almost ridiculous to think that, by releasing the LX2000, Philips is taking a punt in the dark. But, in AV terms, the company surely is.

Media PCs, in general, should have made more of an impact by now. Just look at all the kit that one simple, slimline computer can replace: DVD recorder? Check. Upscaling DVD player? Check. CD player? Check. MP3 player? Check. HD and SD media streamer? PVR? DivX player? Digital photo frame? Games machine? Internet? Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. It does all of these things and more.

A half-decent media PC can replace a swathe of existing components and comes with digital video and audio as standard. Now that should therefore sound like a no-brainer. However, the AV community, on the whole, treats media centre PCs like a farmer treats foot and mouth disease. They are fully aware that it exists, but they wouldn't waaaant it on their laaaand!

Because, no matter the dressing, underneath there's a computer. And unless you're called Nigel, carry around pens in the top pocket of your shirt and spend your social time chatting to your cyberfriends as Gobbo the half-Orc, that may not be your bag, baby.

Or, at least, overtly. Take one closer look at your kit rack and you may find 'convergence' lurking there in the corner like a B-movie slasher. Check out that Blu-ray player, the HD DVD player, the DVD recorder and the PVR. In their essence, they are computers.

Indeed, modern home entertainment technology has many PC-centric traits: firmware patches, crashing, a constant need to be hooked up to broadband internet, etc. When you put it like that, then the leap to media PC is less alarming than you may otherwise have thought.

And with products like Philips' EasyLife LX2000, it's not even a hugely expensive one. At less than £500, this represents astonishingly good value. We've always prided ourselves on putting performance above wonga - if it's good, it doesn't matter how much it costs - but for the capabilities of this piece of kit, the relatively small outlay is tantamount to daylight robbery. Let me explain.