OTHER TECH

The Bottom Line Perhaps the most exciting thing is that so many terrific products exist in this relatively new category. And at real-world prices! While these systems take different approaches to managing your media, each has its place. Whether you're looking for a single-room solution or a complete house-wide system, and whether you want to distribute audio only or video as well, one of these systems likely fits the bill.

Like Everclear's song, ESCIENT'S FIREBALL DVDM-300 tries to be "Everything to Everyone." By controlling your entire CD and DVD collection through connected megachangers, the Escient makes a ton of sense for a single-zone system like a home theater. Plus, the built-in CD-RW drive makes creating that perfect mix disc a snap. When you factor in the 300-GB of storage and the ability to stream music throughout your home, Escient has made a good thing even better.

Janis Joplin might have been talking about MEDA SYSTEMS' BRÁVO when she sang, "You know you got it, if it makes you feel good." Playing with the Brávo was just plain fun. The optional Pocket PC controller might not be for everyone - and many other control options exist if it isn't - but I loved it. That a five-zone audio system can be reduced to just two components (Brávo 4 and a multichannel amp) is amazing - and this approach could redefine whole-house audio.

As with The Matrix, you can't be told how cool the XPERINET POLARIS is - you must experience it for yourself. If it only streamed movies, it would be awesome. Having your entire DVD library readily available - and accessible in any room - will have you watching more films. But it also stores your music, which makes it even more desirable. If Xperinet comes through with the promised updates (network control, chapter markers, bookmarks), the system will be nearly perfect.