The DVDO Edge teaches us that good design is literally about thinking outside the box. In fact, in a world full of plain boxes, this is something altogether different; this is a ‘nonbox’.
The DVDO Edge is made for the discerning home theatre owner—the people for whom high quality viewing is an obsession.
A ‘nonbox’
Most home-theater electronics are called set-top boxes for a reason – they are just boxes. In the early days it was the cheapest way, to simply put electronics inside a housing. Manufacturers would create a metal box, put on a plastic bezel and that was it. There were, of course, variations on how the bezel was designed — the placement of the logo, the design of the vent patterns, and the design and placement of the buttons. And that used to be enough, it was ‘just a home theatre component’ after all.
When DVDO asked NONOBJECT to create something outstanding, the box was the first thing that was questioned. The idea of a set-top box that wasn’t even a box took hold. A timeless product that would have more in common with an iconic piece of furniture rather than a home theater device.
All edge
After taking the concept to its simplest form, components and internals were added without ever compromising the aesthetic. The design did away with buttons on the front, and the internal workings of the box were returned, but hidden in the shadows behind a clever diagonal cut-in. The crucial ‘box’ component virtually disappeared, leaving just the elegantly streamlined silhouette.
Less is more, is less
Demonstrating the strong design-for-engineering capabilities of NONOBJECT, the DVDO shows that out-of-the box thinking when it comes to design doesn’t have to be more costly. The DVDO Edge came in on budget with a bill of materials that was less than the estimate, demonstrating the value of genuinely thoughtful design in real terms.
