Designer TV boxes strut their stuff

As strange as it may seem, the portable hard drive has continued making a play for the runway with designs ranging from leather to real gold. What makes it even more curious is that these boxes aren't usually put on a pedestal for all to see. So it makes sense, in an odd way, that a TV set-top box would try to make a bold fashion statement of its own--it is, after all, usually kept in a more conspicuous place.

Enter Sky HD, the HDTV service of the United Kingdom's BSkyB network, which is offering an entire line of boxes from various designers. No cheap skin jobs, these really look like works of art that should somehow be propped up for adequate display.

It would be nice if Comcast and DirecTV showed such creativity. Given much of the programming on the air these days, boxes like this might be the best viewing available.