Linksys RangePlus Wireless Network USB Adapter WUSB100 - Network adapter - Hi-Speed USB - 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n (draft) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When the adapter first arrived, we tried running the set-up with a computer that is running on Windows Vista. In short, it wasn't happening. We got repeated error messages and the Network adapter would not connect to our wireless network.
On the recommendation from my son, we tried doing the set-up procedures on my laptop that happens to still be running on Windows XP. It connected in record time and now works perfectly on our wireless system.
We have no issues with slow speed when we download movies via Netflix, etc.
Great product! I would recommend this Adapter for any household system.

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The RangePlus Wireless Network USB Adapter is the simple way to add or upgrade wireless connectivity in your desktop or notebook computer. Just plug it into your computer's USB port and enjoy incredible high-speed wireless network access while retaining true mobility.The RangePlus Wireless Notebook Adapter uses wireless networking technology to achieve extended range. Unlike ordinary wireless networking technologies that are confused by signal reflections, MIMO actually uses these reflections to increase the range and reduce "dead spots" in the wireless coverage area. The robust signal travels farther, maintaining wireless connections much farther than standard Wireless-G. And with MIMO, the farther away you are, the more speed advantage you get. It works great with standard Wireless-G and -B equipment, but when both ends of the wireless link use RangePlus technology, the throughput can be increased even more by using twice as much radio band.Once you're connected, you can keep in touch with your e-mail, access the Internet, and share files and other resources such as printers and network storage with other computers on the network, wherever you wander. At home, you can surf the web or use instant messaging to chat with friends while sitting out on the patio. You'll also be able to connect with any of the growing number of public hotspots springing up in coffee shops, airport lounges, hotels and convention centers. Your wireless connection is protected by industrial-strength WPA2 encryption. The included Setup Wizard will walk you through configuring the adapter to your network's settings, step by step.Get connected with fast throughput, reduced dead spots, and increased wireless range with the RangePlus Wireless Network USB Adapter from Linksys.

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Roku HD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this in January, 2009 to add some additional value to my Netflix subscription. It has far surpassed my expectations, and has proven to be one of the best $100 I have spent in a long time. This is true especially in a down economy.
Here are the pluses, and the minuses, I have seen in the product after 2 months of daily use
Pluses:
1) Huge money saver: Having this box has allowed me to drop from 3 disks unlimited to 1 disk unlimited as well as drop cable entirely. The addition of Amazon on Demand is an even bigger value in that newly released movies will also be in abundant supply.
2) Ease of Set-up and use: I am a die hard apple fan because of their ease of use, and the set-up process was the easiest I have ever experienced. In less than 4 minutes I was watching a Netflix stream on my Sony HD TV. Also, the user interface is as straightforward as possible. A lot of thought went into it, and it shows. Bravo for one of the simplest interfaces I have ever utilized.
3) Clarity of picture: Unsrupassed and almost full HD. Often forget we are streaming over the internet.
4) It just works as advertised!
5) Customer Service: Video was skipping and contacted the customer service. You would never believe that a real live person answered the phone within 5 minutes on a Sunday night. Turns out it was a nework problem (see below). Amazing customer service!
Minuses:
1) The quality of your picture is tied to your internet speed. This has only been an issue once. My Charter Cable modem service averages above 4 meg downstream, but every once in a while the network performance drops. A call to charter fixed it. This is in no way an issue with the device, just something to be aware of. Check with your service provider on your speed before buying.
2) Direct Ethernet connection recommended for best picture: This is a limitation of my wireless network, but you may also have a similar set-up. My laptop has a G wireless card, and when it gets online the whole network slows down, and wireless video quality suffered. Solved it by using a direct ethernet connection, and recommend for everyone who is able to. Much more stable and very limited intereference.
That is my review to date. If you have Netflix and want to get Amazon on Demand there are few things that will be a pleasure to use and that will provide as much bang for your limited dollars. Thank you Roku, Netflix, and Amazon for such a wonderful product.

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With Wi-Fi and High Definition playback capability built-in, Roku HD Player is the easiest way to stream top-quality instant movies and shows directly to your TV - over 50,000 and counting, from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and more. The best-selling HD Player has everything you need to start enjoying endless entertainment from the comfort of your couch. No wonder it's Netflix members' top rated streaming player.

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Netgear EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I really like this device, it's got great potential. However I should note that this unit is for techical users - not-technical users will probably be better off with iTV.
This box plays a lot more formats and has a lot more features - but it compromises on ease of use. If you are the kind of person that likes to tinker - this is definitely a good fit for you. Make sure that 1st thing you do after plugging it in (which was really quick and painless) is register on NetGear forums and request access to beta firmware.
Beta firmware addresses a lot of stability issues of original firmware and adds many good useful features. And access to beta firmware is free, also you can roll back to original one if you'd like at any time.
So far it played anything I tried (about 5-6 different formats). Firmware is being actively worked on, developers are active on the forums and actually listen to feature requests.
Overall I'm very happy with my EVA8000, it does everything I need at a fraction of a cost of Media Center PC.

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The NETGEAR EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD connects your TV and home entertainment system to your computer network, letting you enjoy the HD videos, music, and photos from your PC on your HDTV and high-quality speakers.
Easy Setup and Strong Security The EVA8000 plugs into your home theater system with a variety of outputs including RCA, S-Video, Digital Coaxial/SPDIF audio, HD component video, and HDMI for resolution up to 1080p. The Digital Entertainer HD supports both 802.11g wireless for up to 54 Mbps speeds, as well as wired connections via an 10/100 Mbps RJ-45 jack. Note that in order to connect the device to your home network with sufficient bandwidth to stream your HD videos, you will need to use the wired connection. Dual 2 dBi antennas are built-in for better wireless reception.
In addition to the hard drive of your PC, the EVA8000 also works seamlessly with the NETGEAR SC101 storage device (sold separately). There is also a USB 2.0 port, letting you play files saved on an iPod, USB thumb drive, USB disk, or digital camera.
The Digital Entertainer boasts hardware-based WEP 40/64-bit and 128-bit encryption and WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK for enhanced security.
Support for Digital Media File Formats The Digital Entertainer can handle a large variety of digital media file formats. Compatible audio formats include: MP3 (up to 320 Kbps or VBR), WAV, WMA (up to 192 Kbps or VBR), M3U, and AAC. Compatible video formats include: MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, WMV (up to 1080p), and Xvid. Compatible photo formats include: JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF, and GIF.
If you have a TV tuner card (not included) installed on your PC, the EVA8000 will let you schedule recordings and pause and rewind live TV, providing an easy interface to your DVR. If you purchase two or more Digital Entertainer HDs and have them in different rooms, you can synchronize music throughout the house for parties, and you can keep watching a video moving from one room to another by pausing it in one room and unpausing it in another.
An included remote control lets you control all the media files on your home network, as well as from popular internet sites, from the comfort of your couch. You can also access your desktop and some applications such as email. The NETGEAR EVA8000 Digital Entertainer is backed by a 1-year warranty.
What's in the Box EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD, infrared remote control (2 AA batteries included), power cable, Ethernet cable, component video cable, installation guide, resource CD, and warranty/support information card.

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Popcorn Hour C-200 Networked Media Tank (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)BUYER BEWARE!!! I bought the C-200 back in December 2009, it worked well for a while but died in August 2010, I had to send it back to popconhour for a new motherboard :( The device does play everything you throw at it and is faily versatile in that it can take an optional bluray drive and more internal store etc. Unfortunately it is an ugly addition to a home theatre setup. There is no offical support that I can see, most of the problems people have with playback seem to be addressed with firmware updates. It is NOT worth the price, there are many alternactive devices available now which do just as good a job, WDTV, PlayOn, ASROCK ION 330 etc. Trust me, it is a hassle to keep this thing working well. The forums over on networkedmediatank shows many uswers having problems which are NEVER resolved. Best steer clear of this box and all other popcornhour devices folks.

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It's Time to Unleash Your TVThe Popcorn Hour C-200 is the most powerful and versatile Networked Media Tank yet. It’s blazing-fast processor, Blu-ray capability and storage options make the C-200 an ideal addition to your home theater or high-definition entertainment system. All Your Media in One BoxWith Popcorn Hour you can stream or playback digital media content from a variety of sources, such as your PC, network-attached storage, digital camera or USB storage (flash drive, hard disk, and DVD drive). Popcorn Hour also makes it easy to download and stream content directly from popular Internet sites like SHOUTcast™ Radio, Blip.tv, Revision 3 and dozens of others. Popcorn Hour even has a built-in download utility, eliminating the need to rely on your PC to download files from the Internet.Expand Your Possibilities• The C-200 includes the most expansion options with a total of 5 USB ports and 2 SATA ports for all your storage needs.• You can add a Blu-ray drive** to turn your Popcorn Hour C-200 into a full-featured Blu-ray player.• You can add a hard drive to create a central library of all your digital media files, ready to play on your HDTV at any time.**Requires at least 1GB storage space (USB or Hard Disk) for full playback.

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DVICO TVIX HD N1 Cafe Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been streaming video content for over 8 years now, using a variety of network media players. I have mainly used the TViX brand players which have been a bit more on the pricey side compared to others. This new version of the TViX network media player is extremely cheap compared to the more expensive versions and seems to do just about everything the other players do with style.
I am extremely please with the setup procedures! I have an existing media library that only took me 2 minutes to configure the N1 to access. Within seconds I was streaming a HD movie across my existing network. This is one of the easiest media players that I've every worked with. Boot up time is very quick compared to the previous TViX models and silent. I have basically the same functionality and in a much cheaper package.
Included with this player, are features that use web sharing applications but no all of them work. I do not like the fact that you can not restrict access to these features within the player itself. That would have been nice.

Now with all these ease of use features, there are limitations that are a result of the chip design.
With this player, I have only been disappointed with a few of the limitations;
1) this player's chipset does not support PNG file format for icons;
(Does not seamlessly integrate with the shared content network environment where coverart is
utilized by previous TViX models. This only applies when graphic images are leveraged for
coverart browsing.)
2) setting up folder security on content that resides on a network share is not as simple as it is on
the TViX M7000A and earlier models.
(Does not seem to utilize the same methodologies used to assign secure access to folders as the
previous TViX models.)
Other than the limitations that affect my usage, these are great little media players.
BTW, I purchased 3 of these for my kids and compared to the price of one of the previous TViX models, I have basically the same functionality and very please thus far (with the exception for how security to functions and content has been implemented within the devices)

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Media players are gaining popularity as more and more consumers store and share their video in their home.As more brands enter the market, it's become clear that not all players are created equal. DVICO, as a veteran manufacturer of the TViX media players has earned a reputation for building solid boxes with all the attributes like low noise, user friendly, and highly customizable players that can please the most discriminating videophile.The TViX N1 Cafe is the latest and most affordable Media Streamer that packs all the features of the higher priced units of DVICO's premium players.Silent (no fan) aluminum construction now features a first in Realtek based players, support for Dolby's TrueHD audio and Webremote access from your mobile phone.If you have your video, music, and photos stored on a portable hard drive or networked on a PC or NAS, the TViX can play virtually any file formats, as well as access the internet for YouTube.Connect a flash drive or a memory card from your camera/camcorder to watch slideshows and videos easily.The N1 supports widest range of files including FLV (flash) and RMBV as well as MKV and BD File and ISO formats.Powered by the Realtek RTD1073 Plus processor with 400MHz MIPS with HDMI, component and composite video outputs, the N1 supports virtually all types of displays.If you store your files on a dedicated storage device like a NAS or just on multiple computers over the network, the N1 is a cost effective solution for sharing your files. The N1 supports third party cover art applications that spices up your movie collection, making the N1 a easy to use player with a look that rivals the most expensive DVD server.TVIX-HD supports a wide range of audio/video formats such as MP3, WMA, PCM, DTS, WMV9 and WMV-HD, DIVX, XVid, HDV and MKV files recorded by digital camcorders, and standard transport streams that are recorded by today's HD devices, as well as the new H.264 (MPEG4) in addition to FLV files downloaded....

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Noah Company MediaGate MG-M2TVD Digital Media Player HDMI Full 1080P with DTS 2.0 Digital Audio Out (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As the other reviewer noted, the fan is super loud, more noisy than my PC with 3 fans. Granted, there is a mod over on the yahoo group to modify it so the fan is less loud, it also means I have to open up the box. I buy the box to be ready to use. Not acceptable IMHO, so I took out one star for that.
The next bad thing is that there is no easy way to change the screen resolution on the fly during play back, other similar product from chinese manufacturer has that feature. It is very useful to swap between 4:3 vs 16:9 material. There are also some files has no sound when play and it does have sound on the computer. That is the reason why I only give it 3 star.
It is great that my parents can plug in the SD card directly from the Digital Camera and see everything on TV, photo and movie.

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Ever wanted to relive those key family vacation recordings in the comfort of your living room? How about listen to your favorite music, while viewing through a slideshow of your latest digital photos? All of that can be now done with the new MediaGate M²TVMedia Player, Media 2 TV never made easier! Scalability, portability and flexibility, all in Full 1080P. Plug and play any external hard drive using the USB host port, or simply plug in your digital memory card and enjoy the digital life on your digital TV using the MediaGate M²TV. The best has just got better, now supporting Real Media files!

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Roku SD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A few months back when my husband had started talking about the Roku box, I admittedly thought it would be a big waste of money. We aren't TV watchers and thus have lived on basic cable for years, but we do have our dedicated "movie nights" where we routinely enjoy watching movies together. We've had Netflix for about 6 years now and we've never gone back to traditional rentals. I thought our unlimited DVD rentals from Netflix was all we needed. It can't get any easier than picking a movie and having it show up at your door two days later, right?
I was wrong. ;)
Since we have jumped on the Roku bandwagon, I've gotten a lot of questions from others around me who are now considering the purchase. I find there is a lot of confusion about what exactly the Roku does, so here we go. The Roku box streams media (movies, TV series, podcasts, music, etc) to your TV in real time. You don't need a Netflix subscription for it to work, but it hugely enhances the enjoyment of the Roku box as it is undoubtedly the most popular feature of the device. With your basic unlimited Netflix subscription (beginning at $8.99/mo or $7.99/mo if you only want the Starz Play streaming media with no DVD option) you have unlimited access to watching streaming videos on your TV at any time of day or night. All you need is a TV (of any kind, new or old) and an internet connection. Cable or DSL is required for good performance of the streaming media. I wouldn't try this on dial-up. You can set it up via traditional ethernet cables or set it up on your wireless network in minutes.
One thing I've noticed in talking with people is that a lot of people may already have a compatible streaming device in their home and not realize it. If you own a PS3, Xbox 360 or Tivo, you can stream Netflix to your TV and you do not need to buy the Roku. Rumors of it coming to the Wii are on the horizon but are not confirmed, to my knowledge. Also, some select Blu-ray players and internet connected HD TVs are compatible as well. Check with Netflix for more information. Again, you do not need to buy the Roku if you already have one of these devices in your home!
The other main feature of the Roku is the ability to stream Amazon on-demand. If you have ever purchased a movie on Pay-per-view, Amazon on-demand will seem instantly familiar. You can rent movies digitally and stream them to your Roku (or other compatible device) any time for a fraction of the cost of your typical Pay-per-view movie. Amazon's digital rentals range in price from $0.99 to $3.99 for newer releases. Each rental has a specific rental time. Some you can enjoy and watch as many times as you like for a full 7 days and others for 24 hours. You also have the option to purchase media this way which is usually the same price or less than what you would pay for the DVD. This allows you to stream it any time and as many times as you like until the end of time. Without taking up shelf space! Pretty nice. You are also able to download it to your PC and/or portable media device for enjoyment on the go. You can download it as many times as you like. As long as you have your Amazon account, Amazon will remember what titles you have purchased and you will have access to it forever. It works just like Amazon's MP3 downloads.
The lesser known features of the Roku include instant access to 12 additional channels which include (in addition to Netflix and Amazon on-demand), MLB.com, MotionBox, MediaFly, Blip.TV, Twit.TV, Facebook Photos, Revision3, Frame Channel, Flickr, Mobile Tribe, and my absolute favorite, Pandora. If you have an account at Pandora.com, it takes seconds to link it to your Roku and start enjoying your music channels instantly. The Roku also supports different Pandora accounts if you have the need. Being able to listen to Pandora on our beautiful surround sound setup any time of the day or night is blissful. My 4-year-old's favorite feature, aside from the plethora of children's titles available on Netflix instant play, is the MediaFly channel which streams 5,000+ audio and video podcasts. Among them, two of my son's favorite video podcasts, Ultra Kawaii and Sesame Street. You have the ability to add your favorites to a list that you can quickly access at any time. My husband is in love with the Twit.TV channel which streams all of their internet shows, including This Week in Tech. The Flickr channel also has a really neat feature that showcases random artistic photos and is actually quite interesting to watch and is never the same. There is really something for everyone in this growing library of channels and it is far more than I expected from the Roku.
Being the new spokesperson for Roku (I kid ;), I also hear a lot of concerns of TVs not being compatible with the Roku. No one should be concerned with this because the Roku ships with all cables needed to hook up to any TV, new or old. If you don't have an HD TV, you might be purchasing the SD version which will connect to any TV with the standard red, white and yellow cables. If you do own an HD TV, you will receive both an HDMI cable and the standard red, white and yellow, just in case. The same goes for the HD-XR version. As far as compatibility goes, there should be no reason that everyone can't have a Roku box, regardless of their type of TV.
In the same vein as the prior concern, there seems to be worry from the less than tech savvy movie lovers out there, fearing setup will be complicated and frustrating. Not so. Roku is able to hook up to your router via a standard ethernet cable or link seamlessly with your existing wireless network in a matter of minutes. Anyone can set this up and avoid frustration completely. It's very straightforward and simple and the onscreen prompts will guide you the entire time.
Now that we know what the Roku can do, I'm sure you want to know, does it actually DO them? Absolutely, YES! Obviously with the SD version, you will be viewing in SD, but the HD and HD-XR Rokus stream HD beautifully. We read some reviews that recommended using the wired ethernet connection to avoid hiccups during viewing, but we have had none whatsoever with our wireless network running on a cable internet connection. I would suggest trying the wireless first as it takes only minutes to do and requires no additional hardware, and if you have problems (which I tend to doubt) you can go the ethernet route. It should not be necessary as long as the Roku is within reasonable range of your router. Keep this in mind when choosing where to set up your Roku.
Navigation of the Roku menus is extremely simple and intuitive. There are your four directional buttons, select, home, and your standard fast forward, rewind and pause/play. I love the simplicity of this remote as our remote collection contains numerous remotes with countless confusing buttons that I have never even used. Don't be fooled by it's looks, however, because this remote is all you need to quickly and effectively access all of the Roku's features. I also wanted to point out that if you lose your remote and you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can download an app that acts as a remote for your Roku. Sweet!!
Last but not least, you need to carefully consider which Roku you purchase. As nice as it would be to have an all-in-one box which includes all features at one price, currently you have to choose from three versions: the SD, HD and HD-XR. To put it plainly, they ALL have the same exact features. The only difference being the SD is limited to streaming only SD content, the HD can stream all HD and SD content, and the HD-XR can stream all HD and SD content and also includes an as of yet unused USB port (maybe for an external hard drive in the future?) and the ability to link with your "N" network. Given that the price difference is marginal, I would probably grab the next best up from what you are currently needing. If you have any intention at all at any point in the near or distant future to buy an HD TV, get the HD version. It's $20 more and you will spend much more than that getting a new box if you ever do get a new TV. Also, if you are at all enticed by the possibility of having an external hard drive to play all your own media, get the HD-XR. It's not been said what they intend to do with this USB port, but I think it seems fairly obvious what their plans are for it. You may not want to invest the money in a feature that is not yet supported, however. I do think it's a bit cheap to charge $30 more for a feature that should have been standard on all versions, but it is what it is.
In the end, if you love movies and like to save money, you will not be disappointed with the Roku. You will never have to visit a rental store or buy a pay-per-view rental ever again! And you may even save a nice chunk of change from canceling some channels that will now become obsolete with your new toy. If you are at all on the fence, rest assured that you will get your money's worth from this device. It's worth every penny.

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With built-in Wi-Fi, Roku SD Player is the easiest way to stream instant movies and shows from Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand directly to your TV. Now at our most affordable price ever, the SD Player comes with everything you need to access a world of great entertainment on your terms including the FREE Roku Channel Store to access even more shows, music, and more instantly to your TV. No wonder Roku is Netflix members' top rated streaming player.

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XTREAMER PRO Media Player & Network Streamer with 2 x 3.5" Hard Drive Bays Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So, I've had a few days to test out the Pro. I have experience with the ROKU SDRoku SD Player box and loved it. I thought I would solve a network storage for media problem as well as eliminating a DVD carousel and CD carousel.
The good: This box is tiny. The box looks nice. The remote is easy to use and has special function keys to speed things up. With fan on low, I only hear hard-drive noise. The UI is usually fast (although it slows down when switching thumbnails) and the boot time is fast. DVD ISOs seem to play without issue. DVD ISOs stream across wireless N without a problem. The device found all of my NAS shares devices automatically. The video quality seems to be good but it is hard to tell as I have had to drop back to composite video as I do not have HDMI.
The difficult:
Firmware:
The firmware provided needs a good bit of work. The functions implemented are brittle. Something works for this file this way and for the next file of the same type it will not. You either get a black screen that you can get out of or the device reboots altogether. Currently, the device reboots all of the time for me as I try something, it hangs and then restarts. The device UI is designed for large screen displays. On my 32", the text is very hard to read. Will not copy files to the box without a flash drive inserted even though it has HD installed.
Music:
The device fails to play any file from my Thecus NAS N2100 Network Attached Media Server (Black). However, it will stream across the network from a PC and will play locally.
Jukebox:
Performance is slow.
Video:
When playing videos through the optical digital cable, it appears that the device is outputting analog signals as opposed to digital. I suspect this because the PCM indication is raised with my receiver rather than just Dolby.
Internet TV
The implementation of the internet tv screens is badly laid out. The thumbnails either do not load or are mismatched in size.
Summary:
The UI is several steps down from the ROKU standard I love.
The reliability of just doing what is supposed to be supported is not there.

Click Here to see more reviews about: XTREAMER PRO Media Player & Network Streamer with 2 x 3.5" Hard Drive Bays

The Xtreamer PRO player is based on the same successful platform of the smaller Xtreamer model. It allows you to stream HD (MKV H.264) movies or user-generated videos, listen to high-quality digital music and show high-resolution photo slide-shows on your TV. With the added dual 3.5" SATA drive bays, you can now have a gigantic capacity of up to 4 TB storage. The Xtreamer Pro is equipped with double the memory of the smaller model and adds an ultra-fast eSATA connector (with dedicated controller chip on-board).Experience the new spectacular artistic GUI on your TV screen and amazing picture quality of HD video and crystal clear 7.1 CH digital audio.*Chipset:Realtek 1283XJM20336 - Dedicated Storage ControllerMemory:512mb Total: 256MB DDR 2 SDRAM & 256MB FlashAudio/Video outputs:HDMI v1.3a (up to 1080p)Composite VideoStereo Analog AudioS/PDIF Optical Digital AudioInterface:1x USB 2.0 slave2x USB 2.0 hostInternal SATA 2eSATA FrontNetwork:Ethernet 10/100 RJ-45WIFI USB Antenna 802.11n (optional - SOLD SEPERATELY)Media Support:BluRay BD Iso with Simple NavigationCommercial DVD with menus.Artistic GUI:HD menu with Artistic (user defined) BGSearch, Indexing and Thumbnail Based Navigation (MovieJukeBox) will be introduced in later Firmware update free of charge.Multilingual On Screen Display , Subtitles & GUI:Arabic, Thai, Hebrew,Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, Italian, Turkish, Greek , Dutch, French, Latvian, Russian, Croatian, Portugese, Swedish, Polish, Romanian, Ukrainian, English, Magyar, Czech, Slovenian, Finish, Danish, UTF-8*HD Audio Pass-thru requires a firmware update.

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2TB Mvix Ultio Pro Media Center (2TB HDD Installed) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this in January, 2010 to archive and organize my entire DVD and Blu-Ray collection. It has trully surpassed all my expectations. Without a doubt, this is one of the best $$ I have spent in a long time. Mvix is a brand known in media centers for a long time, but I had never bought anything from this company ever. Saw this at a friend's house and its sleekness and decided to try it out.
After nearly 2 months of use, I am married to it.
A) Best Bang for Buck: With the innumerable features and options available in this tiny box.. and the low price, makes it the best purchase of this year. These guys sent me a 2TB preinstalled and then I have attached my 6TB NAS over the network. All my DVDs, BDs and MKVs in one place, nicely cataloged in folders and ready to go. I introduce it to my friends as a 1000-DVD changer !.
B) Ease of Set-up and use: One of the simplest interfaces I have seen. Wife loves it. enuf said.
C) Beautiful HD quality: This does 1080p Full-HD. It looks awesome on my 56-in Samsung.
D) Customer Service - Top notch. Was having problems installing the Samba and Torrent modules on the system. Contacted Tech Support. A quick answer in 10-minutes at 11pm in the night. Apparently, I was using a unformatted USB-drive. Best customer service, hands down.
Since then the torrent module has been working flawlessly and my video collection continues to grow by 3-4 movies a day. He he he.
Overall, very satisfied with this compact wonder. No wonder the company advertises it as the swiss army knife of media centers. Will recommend this to anybody in a heartbeat

Click Here to see more reviews about: 2TB Mvix Ultio Pro Media Center (2TB HDD Installed)

The latest, Mvix Ultio Pro (MX-880HD) 1080p Media Center w/PVR is a Hard-Disk Based media player capable of HD digital media playback with video output as high as 1080p. Its high-end video processing (playback of H.264 / MKV formats), allows you to enjoy Blu-Ray quality video. Store your entire Hi-Definition media on its internal hard drive, plug it into your TV via a HDMI or Component Cable and enjoy all your movies, digital music and family photos on large LCD or Plasma. The flexibility and scalability of Ultio Pro makes it the easy to play HD movies or home videos, listen to digital music or enjoy a themed slideshow of your family photos on your TV.Now, Imagine a solution that allows you to record your favourite TV shows from the Cable or Satelite, backup your old VCR tapes and/or DVDs, archive your camcorder footage and stream them wirelessly across your local network, ... anywhere, anytime you want. That is the new Mvix Ultio Pro.

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Roku HD Streaming Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)OUT OF THE BOX;
Comes with the basic unit, Composite cables (pretty useless), power supply, remote, a very minimal setup guide, and batteries for the remote.
WIRELES SSETUP:
Wired ethernet is also an option.
1. There is some plastic film to peel off. Plug the unit in and connect your HDMI cable (or component cables) to your TV or HD AMP. Turn your TV and amp on and set the correct inputs. The unit will display the first screen on TV and immediately ask what kind of connection you would like. I used wireless, which I suspect will be most popular.
2. Wireless networks in range with SSID broadcast on will be displayed. Choose your network and click Ok. The next screen has alphanumeric input to supply your network password if your router is set to WEP or WPA protection. If you have MAC filtering on, turn off your MAC filter or add the MAC device ID to your router. The ROKU's MAC is displayed if you seek help from a help menu button on the password screen.
3. If the following sounds a bit complicated, it's not really. The setup proceedure will lead you through it well. The unit will connect and do a rather lengthy download of a "software" update. If this is successful, the home screen will be displayed with options of what service you want to link to the ROKU. If any step fails, back to the first setup screen. Thankfully it remembers your net password. You will also have to choose a display size configuration and resolution. The unit will then display a code to link to the ROKU site. You can ignore it or link to the ROKU site and choose your service from there. I picked 1080P HD, and chose Netflix directly from the ROKU menu. A new Netflix specific code will be displayed. Then I went to my computer to pull up the Netflix site, migrate to streaming access, pick the ROKU out of a menu of devices (it's "other") and input the Netflix code.
4. Thats it! The ROKU will now be ready and will display a nice Netflix menu to choose what you want to stream and play. The Computer menu is a bit easier to browse when choosing a DVD or show to watch than the ROKU screen, but the latter is perfectly serviceable, especially if you know what you want to watch.
Some caveats/suggestions/musings. When I started the setup routine, the device kept rebooting and loosing network connectivity. It was position. It is VERY sensitive to it's placement. Don't put it in between a large amp and a DVD player, or in a deep cabinet, say. Have it positioned out in the open. If you don't have a gigabit 802.11 "n" router, get one. There's lots of info downloading and streaming to this device through your router. Some reviews have criticized the ROKU's remote. I found it worked just fine. If you are wedded to the idea of streaming media, this device is great at present. But, there is an increasing selection of Blu- Ray DVD players with this capability already built in. They are much more expensive at this time, but prices will come down. If you are almost ready to upgrade to a Blu-Ray player, maybe good to wait a bit and pick one when prices fall in the near future.
AFTER SETUP;
Great. video quality and sound are terrific at 720P.1080p coming next year from Netflix, I hear. Wasn't disappointed at all. Terrific buy.

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Roku is a little box that allows you to instantly stream tons of entertainment on your TV. Watch over 100,000 movies and TV shows from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, and more. Listen to music on Pandora, or listen to your own iTunes playlists. Even watch major sports, news, or original Internet programming. It's all available whenever you want it. Now smaller, more powerful, and more affordable, the all-new Roku HD delivers high-definition entertainment instantly to virtually any TV in your home over your wireless network. No wonder Roku is the best selling streaming player ever.

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Xtreamer Media Player & Network Streamer 1080p HD Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Xtreamer and the NMT are the 2 best hardware media players out there based on frequent firmware upgrades and manufacturer's participation in the support forums. NMT (Networked Media Tanked) is the technology from Syabas that many many OEM'ers license to make their players. Popcorn Hour, EGreat, Jasmine, QNAP, Istar, Elektron, Suno, Kaifa, SnaZio, Eminent, CMI, etc. all license NMT firmware and hardware to make their players. Popcorn Hour (PCH) is subsidiary company of Syabas so it gets the firmware releases quicker than others. PCH for this reason and its broad user base may be the best NMT device to go for. The other camp is really the Xtreamer. Functionally it's almost the same as the NMT devices except it doesn't have BitTorrent download capability built-in. It has NAS, FTP, HTTP, UPnP, SAMBA. It can stream content from your PC or Mac like any other streaming device including PS3, XBox, etc. It has Internet streams and Internet Radios.
As far as playing all kinds of media types, me-too doesn't cut it. 1080p materials all differ. Wait till you actually try high sample-rated stuff. The true test is something like lossless blu-ray rips. I used to own a Mediagate M2TV. That thing chokes all over the place on full sample-rated 1080p. The Xtreamer used to too. But with the latest firmware 2.0.2, not a problem anymore. That goes to show frequent firmware and manufacturers' dev team support are so important. In 2-3 months I have owned the Xtreamer, there've been 2 major releases. I'm just waiting for their full TrueHD and DTS-HD MA support. The Xtreamer is safe to get.

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Check out the new Xtreamer Wireless Headphones--Search for Amazon ASIN #: B003UU8FYAThe Xtreamer features state-of-the-art digital playback that brings all the media content from your PC to your living room. With a dizzying array of file-format support, it is engineered from the ground up for high performance networking and high-definition playback. Media files supportedVideo containers: o MPEG1/2/4 Elementary (M1V, M2V, M4V) o MPEG1/2 PS (M2P, MPG) o MPEG2 Transport Stream (TS, TP, TRP, M2T, M2TS, MTS) o VOB o AVI, ASF, WMV o Matroska (MKV) o AVC HD o MOV (H.264), MP4, RMP4 o FLV - Flash VideoVideo codecs: o XVID SD/HD o MPEG-1 o MPEG-2 o MP@HL o MPEG-4.2 o ASP@L5, 720p, 1-point GMC o WMV9 o MP@HL o H.264 o BP@L3 o MP@L4.0 o HP@L4.0 o HP@L4.1 o VC-1 o MP@HL o AP@L3Audio containers: o AAC, M4A o MPEG audio (MP1, MP2, MP3, MPA) o WAV o WMA o FLAC o OGGAudio codecs: o Dolby Digital o DTS (DTS DownMix Supported) o WMA, WMA Pro o AAC o MP1, MP2, MP3 o LPCM o FLAC o VorbisChipset o Realtek 1283 (Special Edition)Memory o 256MB DDR SDRAM, 32MB FlashAudio/Video outputs o HDMI v1.3a (up to 1080p) o Composite Video o Stereo Analog Audio o S/PDIF Optical Digital AudioInterface o 1x USB 2.0 slave o 2x USB 2.0 host o Internal SATANetwork o Ethernet 10/100 OPTIONAL USB WIFI 802.11n Antenna SOLD SEPARATELY Amazon ASIN: B002OHARAU* This model does NOT support 7.1 pass-thru (bitstreaming) of Dolby True-HD & DTS MA (HD Audio)

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Popcorn Hour A-200 Networked Media Tank (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
I've had the A-200 for 4 days now and so far it works great. It was very easy to setup on my 10/100 wired network and have it access a Buffalo 4TB Linkstation hosting all my backed up DVDs stored as ISO images. The Popcorn Hour has no problems in playing any one of these images. I've tried .VOB and .AVI formats also with success. Navigation to the videos is folder based and is as easy as using Windows Explorer to get to the video you wish to play. The main reason I bought this unit is because of all the different video formats it can play and the rave reviews it has received. My TV is a 55" Samsung 8000 series that has DNLA built into it but its very lame. You can't FF or REV the movie and depending on the video container you can't even pause the movie. The Popcorn Hour A-200 performs all these functions without flaw including "jump to chapter". It also automaticaly sets a bookmark on the movie you are watching when you push the Stop Button. When you select that movie again, it resumes at the bookmark. It will set bookmarks for 10 different movies. The unit does contain a cooling fan but you can't hear it unless you put your ear next to it. At first glance, the remote control looked like a universal remote because of all the buttons on it but its not. All those buttons control different features of the A-200.
The reason I gave it a 4 star rating is because it doesn't come with a manual, just a quick start guide and the font is very small. Also if you have any questions, there is no phone # to call but there is support online and also a forum to post your questions.
If you are not a techy then this unit is for you, it works right out of the box.
If you are techy then you can have lots of fun with this, applying different skins, writing your own skins...
I am not disappointed at all with this purchase.
Cons:
I don't have anything serious to complain about it except:
It does get a little warm.
It can use some weight. With the amount of cables attached to it, it tends to not lay flat unless you arrange the cables just right.
A manual would be good.
Update
I've had the PCH for 3 months now and the "New Toy Feeling" has worn off. I have loaded 400 movies onto my NAS and every one of them plays beautifully through the Popcorn Hour (PCH). There is one thing that bugs me about it, the IR sensor that picks up signals from the remote is very narrow. If you don't point the remote directly at the unit then it won't pickup the signal. I use a Logitech Harmony 7 remote and all of the devices that it controls responds well even when I point the remote to a white wall behind me but the PCH will not respond unless the remote is pointed directly at it and parallel with it's sensor. A small inconvience considering all of its other features that work very well.

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It's Time to Unleash Your TVThe Popcorn Hour is the world's original Networked Media Tank. It allows you to stream digital video, audio and photos from your PC, storage device, home network or the Internet to your HDTV or home theater setup. The A-200 gives you total control over your digital media experience.Expand Your PossibilitiesAdd an optional hard drive to the Popcorn Hour's standard expansion slot to open up a host of additional features and options:• Create a central library of all your movies and video files, ready to play on your TV at any time.• Easily share media with friends and family; utilizing the hard drive the Popcorn Hour can act as a file server to share files over your home network.Digital Entertainment Your WayPopcorn Hour's interface utilizes intuitive navigation prompts, so first-time users can quickly get up to speed on even the most advanced features. The standard remote control supports playback modes such as play/pause and trickmodes, as well as simultaneous display of images and playback of audio tracks.Features• Play virtually any digital media file on your TV.• Supports the most advanced high-def video and audio standards, including Blu-ray and Dolby.• Newer and faster processor for increased performance in all areas

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Nixeus Fusion HD NX-1000 Full HD 1080p Wireless 802.11n Network Media Player, Supports up to 2TB SATA HDD Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was looking for a device that can store all my movies so I could bring it around with me whenever I have gatherings with friends and family. Most of my friends and family are movie buffs so we like having many options to choose from. This device allows you to install an internal hard drive so it is a perfect for me. I like being able to plug and play without many hassles and I had no problem doing it with this. I just installed my hard drive inside it and boom I had access to all the movies in it.
Sometimes I'm not in the mood to watch the whole movie and just like watching my favorite scenes so the percentage skipper or time skipper really helps with that. Most files are done in a way so you can't do chapter select so this makes it way more convenient. The quality of the picture and sound is top notch and utilizes my 65 inch plasma TV and surround sound to its fullest capabilities.
The ease of use is the best part of the Fusion HD. My parents who aren't very tech savvy have no problem using this and they have a hard time with a computer!!! Other features include the file sharing capabilities which can be very useful if you got other people in the house that have movie files. Me and my sister can share the movies we got on our computers through the wireless network flawlessly.
Anyways, I would recommend the Fusion to anyone who is a hardcore movie fan. The ease of use and the features it has make worth the investment.

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Nixeus Fusion HD is a full HD Network (Wi-Fi N and Ethernet) multimedia player that is designed to playback your digital movies, photos, and music on your TV. Integrated with the latest Sigma Designs chipset allows the Nixeus Fusion HD to playback most file formats available today.Nixeus Fusion HD can be connected directly to your local network allowing you to stream digital content from your PC or UPnP Server onto your TV using networking streaming. The Fusion HD allows you to install 3.5" internal SATA HDD, plug-in external hard drive or other digital memory and allow you access to all your multimedia files.

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HDI Dune HD Base Network HD Media Player W/Hot Swap SATA Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Before the Dune 3.0 Base, I bought an ASUS O!Play HDP-R1. It was and still is a very good player for its price, perhaps the best HD network media player under $100. But the O!Play has two major limitations. It cannot process the HD audio (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-MA) due to its Realtek 1073DD chipset limitation. It does not support the BD menu either.
So I bought the WDTV Live to see if it can do better. It can pass through the TrueHD audio but does not support the BD menu. Worse it does not show the DVD menu which the O!Play does. Both the O!Play and the WDTV Live can stutter on high bit-rate video streams over the network. But the O!Play can play the same video files stutter free when streaming from its eSATA port as long as no HD audio is involved. In the end, I kept the O!Play and returned the WDTV Live.
I wanted an HD network media player that can pass through the HD audio tracks to my Yamaha receiver and show the complete BD and DVD menus. After some careful research, I decided to get the Dune Base 3.0. It is based on the Sigma Design 8642/8643 chipset which is also used in the Syabas Popcorn Hour A-200 and C-200 as well as the HDX BD-1. All these players can support the BD menu and HD audio and claim the Gigabit ethernet speed.
I chose the Dune HD Base 3.0 over others for its more mature firmware, the built-in hotswap SATA HD bay, the eSATA port and the Gigabit ethernet. Until USB 3.0 becomes the norm, eSATA provides the highest speed for externally attached hard drives since it is same SATA interface for the modern hard drives inside the computers. I thought the Gigabit port would be a nice addition too.
The Dune HD Base 3.0 fulfilled almost all of my wishes. It supports the HD audio passthru and full BD and DVD menus. The picture quality is top notch. With the Dune HD Base 3.0, one can have the full BD experience with the menu support. The HD audio sound is exactly the same as the standalone BD player would provide.
What is there not to like? Well, not much. The price is a bit steep. At $350, it is one of most expensive HD network media players on the market. But no one else can quite support the BD ISO, the BDMV folder or standalone .m2ts files as well as the Dune 3.0 (Base or Prime). For example, while the PCH A-200 and C-200 were struggling to support the Blu-Ray PGS subtitles on the standalone .m2ts files, the Dune 3.0 worked without issues. The out of box Dune 3.0 supports the PCS titles out of BD ISO or BDMV folder structures. The standalone .m2ts file PGS support came With the firmware update.
The Gigabit ethernet is a joke. All three players, the Dune 3.0, the Popcorn Hour A-200/C-200 and the HDX BD-1, claim the Gigabit ethernet support. But the Sigma chipset itself does not. So the HDI recommends the Dune 3.0 users to disable the Gigabit ethernet. I tried with it enabled or disabled, the throughout was exactly the same, about 9MB/s or 72Mbit/s. Some folks got about 11MB/s or 88Mbit/s but I did not, even with my Gigabit switches and Cat6 cabling. The Dune 3.0 has a built-in feature that ensures the streamed video over the network is stutter free. In fact, the O!Play maxes out at about 36-40Mbit/s.
Because of the buffering, the Dune 3.0 is not as quick quitting as the O!Play. It can take a while for the Dune 3.0 to quit when one hits the stop button during the playback. The O!Play stops almost instantly. For DVD playback, I prefer the O!Play but for BD playback with HD audio, there is nothing better than the Dune HD 3.0.
HDI also promised the Netflix support for the Dune 3.0 but it has not appeared yet since it came to the market in the end of 2009 (Dune 3.0 Prime) and beginning of 2010 (Dune 3.0 Base).
Should one buy the Dune HD 3.0 Base? It would depend on whether one wants to play BD ISO or BDMV folders with HD audio, high bitrate, high ref frame count and BD menu support. If the answer is yes, the Dune HD 3.0 may be the right choice. Otherwise, the $99 O!Play can do the job just fine. There are tools one can use to solve the HD audio problem. The high bitrate issue can be solved by connecting a hard drive directly to the O!Play's eSATA port. The BD menu support, however, cannot be done with the O!Play regardless what tools one uses.

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Updated Processor: Sigma Designs 864xMemory: RAM 512 MB, system Flash: 128 MB, expandable with a HDD partition or USB flash drive (2GB recommended)Media sources: internal HDD (SATA 3.5"), external HDD (eSATA, USB), external optical drive (eSATA, USB), USB devices (USB flash drive, USB card reader, etc), PC and NAS in local network (SMB, NFS, UPnP, HTTP)Video codecs: MPEG2, MPEG4, XVID, WMV9, VC1, H.264Video file formats: MKV, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, M2TS, VOB, AVI, MOV, MP4, QT, ASF, WMV, Blu-Ray-ISO, BDMV, DVD-ISO, VIDEO_TSVideo output modes: wide range of supported modes and resolutions, including 23.976p, 24p, PAL, NTSCAudio codecs: AC3 (Dolby Digital), DTS, MPEG, AAC, LPCM, WMA, WMAPro, EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), Dolby True HD, DTS HD High Resolution Audio, DTS HD Master Audio, FLAC, multichannel FLACAudio file formats: MP3, MPA, M4A, WMA, FLAC, WAV, DTS-WAV, DTS, AC3, AAC Pass-through and decoding of HD audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master AudioPicture file formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIFSubtitle formats: SRT, SUB, text/SSA/ASS (MKV), VobSub (MP4), PGS (full Blu-ray mode)Playlist file formats: M3U, PLSFilesystems: FAT16/FAT32 (read-write), EXT2/EXT3 (read-write), NTFS (readonly)

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Iomega ScreenPlay Director HD Media Player, 2TB - 34653 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have never owned a multimedia player before, and I didn't think using one would be this hard. Technology has been around for a few years now and you would think manufacturers would have figured out some basic necessities. I wonder if Iomega engineers even looked at their competition before designing this.
Pros:
1) It works
2) Connections are easy
3) Looks good
4) Has buttons on the front for most operations - if you lose the remote, you can still use the device
5) Built-in hard drive
6) USB allows external drives (I have only tried a flash drive and it worked well)
7) Plays AVCHD files from Canon (HG10) without conversion
8) Plays Flip videos without conversion
Cons:
1) AVI Videos from my Canon (S1-IS and S2-IS) can not be played
2) MOV video files from my Panasonic (FZ28) can not be played
3) USB connection with computer is flaky. Some times the drive is recognized some times not. Win XP and Win 7 had the same issue. I am yet to figure out what causes it work - very frustrating issue.
4) Printed manual is only quick setup manual, has no useful information, and occupies less than a letter sized paper (one side only)
5) Manual is on a supplied CD, in HTML form, hard to use. WHY CAN'T THEY GIVE A PDF?
6) When connected to TV and turned on, it takes several seconds to boot up. I have a suspecion that it reads the hard disk contents while booting up.
7) Menu selection (using the remote) is hard to control. Push the button once - nothing happens. Push it again, skips twice.
8) When you navigate into a folder containing a large number of files, it will show first few files. There is no scroll bar and there is no way to know how many files are there. I couldn't figure out how to page-up and page-down. That function may not be there.
9) I couldn't find a way to randomize video playing sequence. If you have a bunch of home videos and you want to watch them, you must watch them sequentially.
10) When an error occurs (file can not be played), a popup box comes up and it wouldn't go away easily. Pushing the OK button performs some other unanticipated action.
Wish List:
1) I want a firmware update with a totally revamped menu design. Current system is very frustrating.
2) The device must play most popular file formats (MJPEG) without having to convert them first.
3) A printed manual.
4) Fix the USB connection issues
5) Speed up the boot up process
I was able to convert my video files successfully using MediaCoder software (free) into MP4 and the ScreenPlay Director played them fine.

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Enjoy a complete media experience with the new feature-rich Iomega ScreenPlay Director HD Media Player, USB 2.0/AV/Ethernet - With full 1080p high definition multimedia player connect easily to your home network to store and access your videos, music, and photo collections. Easily browse your network to select stored videos and view on your home theatre or access online content with the convenient remote. Compatible with the latest media formats such as H.264, MP3, AC3 (Dolby Digital Encoding), WAV, WMA, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI/VOB), MPEG-4 (AVI/XViD), DivX and JPEG. It supports the Iomega USB WIFI Adapter for wireless access (adapter sold separately). DivX Certified to play DivX video, including premium content. Available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, plus includes Iomega Protection Suite software with anti-virus and backup software solutions.

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NETGEAR NeoTV 550 NTV550 Ultimate HD Media Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[Downrated because of Blu-Ray ISO issues over SMB. See Updates at bottom.]
This is a review of the Netgear NeoTV 550 with updated firmware version 3.0.268 EU. I received the device from a European retailer on Nov 30, 2010.
The Netgear NeoTV 550 is a complex product to review. Your success with the device is highly dependent upon situational factors such as usage, media source, network speeds, and user technical ability. While the device is easy to use, it requires a home theater geek to properly and optimally set up the device. When first received, I recommend going through the device's Settings menu, drilling down through all the submenus, to properly understand and configure the device. Take the time to go through the several dozen settings and try to make them match your home theater equipment. There are settings for DVD region, video resolution, frame rate, aspect ratio, language, audio output (pass-through (bitstreaming)) and so on.
The remote is IR based, non-universal, non-learning, and not backlit. Ports include one HDMI port, two USB ports (front and rear), one SD port and one eSATA port. Some Blu-Ray menus require 1GB of storage. This can be a USB stick, SD cartridge or other attached storage device. The unit has no fan and is dead silent.
My media consumption is largely local content so this review reflects that bias. Alternatively, other people will use this device for consuming online media. I selected this device because of its rare ability to play Blu-Ray content with full menu support, bitstream audio and WAF. A plus will be when and if it plays Netflix, Vudu or other streaming services. I have hundreds of movies stored on a Windows Home Server (WHS). DVDs are ripped to folders and Blu-Rays are ripped as an ISO file. I tested several dozen DVD and Blu-Ray titles. Blu-Rays and DVDs play fine, audio bitstreams and menus work. The device has a good user interface. Video quality seems quite good too. Movie files are shown as cover art. My girlfriend has given the NeoTV's usability an eager thumbs up whereas the HTPC was impossible for her to use and difficult for me to maintain. I do not use any reencoded media/containers so I can't speak about MKV, FLAC, etc.
Initially, I had problems with stuttering on Blu-Ray. This is a common problem on networks that are not optimal. In my case, I had to turn of WHS's Drive Extender on my movie server. There's a host of technical problems that can prevent media, especially Blu-Rays, from playing properly. The device has a network speed test which can help identify some issues. However, my issue was the server's inability to sustain adequate disk read rates. The device offers no diagnostic for this situation. This must all be a nightmare for Netgear tech support -- customers too.
Tip: The power button will stop a playing movie and bring up the Home menu.
Update 3-Dec-2010: Updated firmware to 3.0.268 EU. It fixes a few annoyances, adds a couple nice touches, leaves a couple bugs not fixed. No sign of Netflix. Perhaps an annoucement next month at CES?
Update 4-Dec-2010: Raised the rating to five stars because of resolution to my Blu-Ray networking problems (my bad) and bug fixes in 3.0.268 EU firmware. All's good now.
Update 4-Feb-2011: NeoTV 550 is stuttering on some Blu-Ray ISOs when played across a network. Importantly, it does not stutter when playing directly from a file or folder across a network. I believe the NeoTV has some optimization issues on Blu-Ray network playback. I'm hoping the NeoTV developers fix the stutter issue with a firmware update. Otherwise I'll be spending hours converting ISOs to folders. Because of the stuttering issue, I've lowered the rating from five stars to three.
Update 7-Feb-2011 I've confirmed that Blu-Ray stuttering is caused by NeoTV's SMB (network protocol) implementation. There's no stuttering when using NFS. This is a major problem as SMB is used by Windows networks. If you are planning on playing Blu-Rays ISOs across a network, hold off buying until the issue is resolved.
Update 9-Feb-2011 Community has confirmed Blu-Ray stuttering over SMB. Waiting for firmware update. Workarounds are to use file/folders or NFS. Hold off buying until the issue is resolved.

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Why NETGEAR's NeoTV 550? Bring all your digital media to your TV. Play movies, music, and photo collections stored on your networked devices (such as PC, Mac, and network attached storage). The NeoTV 550 also provides easy access to files stored on your USB drives and SD cards. Features: Automatically searches and scans your networked and local devices, and organizes your movies, music, and photos. Live Browsing provides an easy and fast access to your media collection. Built-in media card slot for convenient access to personal photos and videos (AVCHD compatible). Compatible with a wide range of SD file formats including. Blu-ray with menu, navigation and BD-Live support1. Delivers your movie sound tracks in Hi-Def 7.1 (Dolby, DTS & LPCM compatible). Improved video and audio navigation using movies and CD covert art instead of file names. Custom remote with shortcuts designed for quick selection and ease if use. Disclaimers: 1Blu-ray experience requires an external USB or eSATA Blu-ray drive. Package Contents: NeoTV 550 (NTV550), Infrared (IR) remote control, Two (2) AAA batteries, Ethernet cable, AV cable, Note: HDMI cable not included, Quick install guide, Resource CD, Power adapter (localized to country of sale).

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Advanced Network 1080p HD Media Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own a PHD set-top box and have been mostly pleased with it. I also do some encoding for server playback, so when i got the announcement for the HM5 media player, it seemed like a good tool for playing promotional videos at client venues. I ordered one and it seems to be quite the tool for the price, but i have one problem that no one seems to have reported yet. On some VOB files, i get video "skips" every few seconds. The video and audio seem to jump down into the clip for no apparent reason. I haven't identified a pattern to the jumps but i suspect that there is one. I thought that it might be related to using drives that are too big for the operating system, and that may still be the case, but going down to a 250 GB drive did not fix the problem. I first noticed it above about 250 GB on a 500 GB NTFS drive, hence the test, but it doesn't seem to have helped. It doesn't seem to be related to file size. I guess i will try going to a FAT32 disk and see if i still see it, but that will limit the file size.
Anyone have any clues?
UPDATE:
After i wrote this note, i went back to the computer and dug a little deeper. What i found was that the problem is not related to file size, disk size or operating system. It was caused by the nature of the DVD production. All of the DVD images that i had were produced by individuals for screening, not commercial discs, and opening them in MPEG Streamclip (on a Mac) showed timecode breaks. When i let Streamclip fix the breaks, then exported the clips as MPEG Program streams, all was well with the PHD-HM5. So i have upgraded my rating to 5 stars. It works like a champ. Sorry for the confusion. BTW, i don't see the problem on BluRay disc images.

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PHD-HM5 provides the most convenient way to play HD movies or user-generated videos, listen to high-quality digital music, and show high-resolution slideshows of your family photos on your TV. With outputs HDMI (up to1080p), Component Y-Pb-Pr (1080i/720p/480p) and inputs from USB 2.0 and Ethernet, PHD-HM5 guarantees maximum performance while delivering the ultimate quality in high definition video and audio.

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