If 2004 was the year of the small form factor PC, 2005 looks like being the year of the media-streaming device.

Pinnacle's new ShowCenter 200 is a set-top box that doesn't have a hard disk to store files. Instead it receives digital video, audio, photos and internet radio across a wireless link from a PC in another part of the house.

The ShowCenter 200 has a power button on its front, and all other controls are on the supplied remote control.

Once set up to communicate with a PC, either wirelessly or through a cabled network connection, the main screen shows options for Music, Movies and Photos. Selecting these plays them through a TV and hi-fi, via an extensive set of connections on its back panel.

There are sockets for Scart, S-Video, Composite video, SPDIF and analogue audio. It supports most media file formats, including High Definition video and copy-protected music downloaded from Napster or iTunes. A USB port on the front panel also allows you to attach a digital camera, USB key or external hard disk.

You can also set the ShowCenter to monitor specific folders on your PC, which means that any new media (such as recorded TV programmes) are immediately accessible.

Although it looks bland, there are some nice touches to the on-screen display, such as showing album art and track titles with any music you play. You can select from an extensive list of internet radio stations if you have a broadband internet connection.

The ShowCenter 200 also has features such as time-shifting and live TV pausing, but only if the PC is equipped with a Pinnacle PCTV tuner card.

We had a slight problem when using the ShowCenter in conjunction with our wireless router but this was fixed quite quickly after consulting the manual.

This is a clever piece of kit but it would be good to be able to stream live TV with other makes of TV tuner card, and getting the ShowCenter 200 talking to a PC can be fiddly. Otherwise, it's a neat and practical device, albeit a little lacklustre in its on-screen appearance.

Bear in mind, though, that your PC will need to be on for the ShowCenter to access any files and it's not a standalone product for viewing digital media in your living room.

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