Hewlett Packard was one of the first PC manufacturers to embrace Windows Media Center and build machines that act as one-stop DVRs and media management systems, dubbed Digital Entertainment Centers (DEC). This week, HP introduced two new DECs, the HP z565 and HP z560, that feature high-definition digital video recorders, and progressive scan DVD players to record and play high-quality video.

The HP Z556, reviewed earlier this year in The Perfect Vision, was one of the first products of this type on the market, and as such had some compatibility issues with other CE devices. With its newest offerings, HP is looking to get a leg in the custom installation market, where Exceptional Innovation has provided seamless integration of the servers into their comprehensive Lifeware multi-room AV and environmental management system. The servers are also suited to run Microsoft’s Windows Vista Premium platform, when it becomes available sometime next year.

The z565 adn z560 include HDMI connectivity, 800 GB hard drives, upgraded software, and dual-core Intel processors with Viiv technology for streamlined AV performance. A 9-in-1 card reader is onboard for accessing multimedia files on flash memory cards. Pricing and availability information was not released.