The Squeezebox is like a number of other similar devices in that it requires a PC to serve it files. A HTPC can offer more flexibility (both audio and video, DVD playback, and so forth), but it involves putting a potentially noisy unit in the equipment rack and can be a bit more difficult to set up. Devices like the SqueezeBox (or AppleTV and XBoxes, which are among some of the media client devices that support video as well as audio) allow you to shift everything except a (typically) quiet device. They can also be easier to set up.