Full marks well done.

Also, Windows 7 has a mode that allows you to increase the screen real estate which looks great on an HDTV: Fonts and icons enlarge, and it’s highly viewable from a few feet away. XP lacks this feature, although you can sort of “fake it” by increasing your font size, but it’s simply not the same.

As to why I need CoreAVC on Windows 7 and not XP, honestly I don’t know why that is. I use the EVR (Vista/.Net3) setting in MPC on Windows 7, whereas this setting does not work on XP and I had to use VMR9, I believe off the top of my head? Not sure if that makes a difference. When I first installed Windows 7 I was very down on its performance as I was not getting the same results I had with my XP partition. But after I installed CoreAVC, it all fell into place, performance-wise.

If all you have is XP, you’ll be fine. But Windows 7 is very nice on an HDTV and I recommend it for the points listed above.

Now, in regards to your XBMC question: When I installed XBMC on a (Linux) Live USB, it worked BRILLIANTLY. The same goes for when I installed Boxee on the Revo in Ubuntu: VDPAU is superior to DirectX if you ask me. Both Boxee & XBMC on Windows 7 and XP are poor performers. I think it’s simply too bloated an environment for the Acer Revo to handle in DirectX.

But if you install Ubuntu on the Revo, or launch XBMC and Boxee from Live USB sticks, you will have excellent results, without a doubt.

My only problem with the Live USB sticks were when I put the system to Sleep, the Revo’s light would blink, indicating it was in standy-by and it was very distracting sitting under a TV. If I chose “Hibernate”, the Live stick would fail and I would have to do a system reboot. So you most likely want to install Ubuntu on the Revo as a native OS. But PLEASE take caution: Mixing the Linux file system with that of Windows’ in a dual-boot environment can cause problems. This is in fact how I wrecked my Master Boot Record, so just take heed.

As far as general web browsing on a TV goes on the Acer Revo, I DEFINITELY suggest Windows 7. It has a mode (sorry, the name escapes me) that essentially “beefs up” all of the icons and fonts on the operating system, making them all large and highly viewable from afar when viewing on your couch, say. It’s great. Same thing with web browsers: Adjust the fonts to display large and it’s all highly viewable.

Now keep in mind I have the single core Revo, the 1600. And as far as casual web browsing goes, I don’t have a complaint. Again, Windows 7 I feel is the better choice over XP. It’s all very zippy. That’s not to say XP isn’t bad either, but if you have a choice, I would go with Windows 7. And of course in either operating system, I would suggest going with Chrome as your web browser of choice: It’s super lean in memory size, and a very fast browser. I still use Firefox, but I can feel the difference right away.

With Flash 10.1 your results will vary. But non-Flash sites all work great. I suspect if you go dual core with the Acer Revo 3610, you will get even better results with casual web browsing.

One last word regarding Hulu: in WindowsXP? Forget about it. XP doesn’t have anything to compensate for vsync, so Hulu’s quite a tearing mess in action scenes and panning shots. Of course, being a modern operating system, Windows 7 fares much better when Aero is turned on, eliminating pretty much all Hulu screen tearing although the picture is still prone to a skip here and there as the Flash plugin (the weak link in the puzzle) struggles to cope.

One question – how does the Acer handle general web browsing from the couch, things like ebay, twitter, facebook, blogging, forums, google maps, etc.? I’d like to be able to do some web stuff in the living room and wondered how zippy the Revo is.

Thanks!

I was wondering if you test out a couple of games for me? The demo’s are available on steam so they shouldn’t be too difficult to get. They are “Trine” and “Serious Sam HD (the first encounter)”

If the revo can play these well then an acer revo will be in my house the very next day.