Hardware boxes are very tricky, in my opinion. I do use the Netgear MP101 music players and own 4 of them. At the moment, I only have one hooked up and in use. It's in the bathroom with an Altec Lansing 2.1 audio system. I have used other systems that seek to provide video and the few I have tried are garbage. Thankfully, I was able to sell the device on eBay. All I seek is something as good as Media Center in a nice, $100 - $300 set top box, with regular updates (like MC) and small/quiet/cool.
Of course this is highly unlikely. One key to a housewide media system is having consistency. Even if the computers aren't the same (which they are definitely not), at least I have common software and IR remotes for interfacing. Media Center is truly the only solution that is even an option--and it's the best one at that. I suppose some newer boxes might be getting good but I've invested a lot in setting up hardware for MC so switching would require tons of effort. Then, as soon as 13.0.120 is released, I may want to switch back to MC! no way....MC it is