MediaGate's new MG-450HD media extender looks very similar to last year's MG-350HD model. In fact, there are only a few differences: The new device has an HDMI output (instead of DVI), SATA hard drive support instead of IDE, and the remote control now runs on AAA batteries instead of a lithium ion battery. That's it. Yes, there are software upgrades, too, but those enhancements are also available to MG-350HD owners. The addition of HDMI certainly boosts the device's HD abilities, and the switch to SATA hard drive support speeds up performance. A hard drive isn't included in the $229 (list) price, but drives can be added in a variety of sizes when you purchase the MG-450HD. Without a hard drive, this device isn't terribly useful since its streaming capabilities are weak.

Worth noting are a few of the MediaGate's other new features, all of which are software based. You can now browse other music selections while a song is playing—a much-needed improvement. There's also a file deletion option and a sleep timer; in addition, FTP is used transfer files rather than NDAS. Again, all the software updates are available for the MG-350HD, too.