You’ve voted in your thousands over the last two weeks, and if it’s New Year’s Eve it must be time to reveal the winners of the We Got Served Reader Awards 2009!
This year we saw a number of very closely fought battles across the five categories:
Best Windows Home Server Software
Best Digital Media Receiver
Best Windows Home Server Hardware – Large
Best Windows Home Server Hardware – Small
Best Windows Home Server Add-In
So, with the virtual red carpet rolled out and gold envelopes at the ready (thankfully no speeches!) let’s see how you voted!
Best Windows Home Server Software
1st Place: LightsOut
2nd Place: TwonkyMedia Server for Windows Home Server
3rd Place: My Movies for Windows Home Server
A real humdinger of a battle between last year’s winner, TwonkyMedia Server, and the new commercial release of power management favourite, LightsOut. Throughout the voting period, each led the race for a short while before conceding to the other. But despite TwonkyMedia finally releasing a standalone add-in for Windows Home Server, it’s Martin Rothschink’s application which takes this year’s award. Congratulations to Martin, and commiserations to the guys over at Twonky and Brian Binnerup, who completes the line up with My Movies for Windows Home Server, awarded a hard earned third place.
Best Digital Media Receiver
1st Place: Popcorn Hour C-200
2nd Place: Xtreamer Media Player
3rd Place: HDHomeRun
In the Best DMR category, third place was taken by HDHomeRun, a personal favourite of mine which offers the ability to transmit your TV signal around the home over your network. In second place, the Xtreamer Media Player has clearly won the hearts of many WGS readers, allowing playback a vast array of audio, video and image file formats at a knockdown price. That leaves the Popcorn Hour C-200 in top spot, which cements its position as a firm favourite with readers.
Best Windows Home Server Hardware – Large
1st Place: HP MediaSmart Server EX495/X510 Data Vault
2nd Place: Acer Aspire easyStore Home Server
3rd Place: Lenovo IdeaCenter D400
This year, we split the Windows Home Server Hardware category into two sections, and in the Large category we saw another great battle between HP’s third generation MediaSmart Server and Acer’s debut, the Aspire easyStore Home Server. Whilst both home servers offer up to 4 bays of storage delight, you voted the MediaSmart Server as your favourite this year. Let’s hope both companies serve up fresh hardware for a follow-up fight next year! Way behind in third place was Lenovo, whose IdeaCenter D400 looks the part, but hasn’t done enough this year to really fire your voting fingers.
Best Windows Home Server Hardware – Small
1st Place: HP MediaSmart Server LX195
2nd Place: ASUS Home Server TS Mini
3rd Place: RipNAS Home Server
Our Small hardware category was for home servers offering just 1 or 2 hard drive bays, and we’ve seen a number of great home servers appear this year which offer great features at a lower price point. It’s a clean sweep for HP this year, as they scoop the reader award for the MediaSmart Server LX195, which proved that small home servers don’t have to skimp on great product features – HP’s MediaSmart software has clearly won your affections this year. In third place, the RipNAS Home Server deserved to feature in the Top 3 – great looks for those happy to spend a little extra on their hardware. In second place, ASUS’ debut Home Server TS Mini also deserves your congratulations, but the biggest plaudits this year go to HP for winning both of this year’s hardware gongs.
31. December 2009 at 1:16 pm
I voted for P80. love it that much.
1. January 2010 at 12:40 pm
A big thank you to all who voted for Lights-Out! This is a very nice present for the New Year.
Martin
2. January 2010 at 2:12 am
Too bad the SageTV HD Theater extender didn't make the cut for media receiver. It isn't well known, but I think it is more impressive than any of the other three devices.