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

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(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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Iomega ScreenPlay Plus HD Multimedia Player 1 TB - 34499 Review

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(More customer reviews)I know that I shouldn't be disappointed by a unit that does exactly what it's supposed to do, but I can't help feeling that this player is just too limited to deserve a recommendation. It's a little slow, which is not a huge problem, and the interface is very simple, which is both good and bad in that it's easy to use but feels archaic. The real issue is that it doesn't support very many video file formats. (It plays audio files and displays images just fine.) It supports MPEG-1, 2, and 4, and some DivX and Xvid formats, but the specific codecs supported are a bit of a mystery. I downloaded a movie trailer -- that worked. I downloaded a .m4v (MPEG-4) episode of a web series -- "Invalid file." I tried an .AVI of a video I took with my camcorder about 4 years ago -- "invalid file." I have over 30 years of computer experience and some good video-editing software, so I could probably work around this by re-encoding the videos, but that's a lot to ask of the average consumer, which is the likely target market for this sort of product.
Again, it's extremely easy to use, and it handles all standard audio and image file types. You plug the USB cord into your PC, and the computer sees a new hard drive. Copy over the files, stop the device, and plug it into your home theater or TV. Fire it up, and select what you want with the remote. Then hope that you don't get that dreaded "Invalid file" message. If you want to use it as a music or picture server for your home theater, it'll work fine. But for video it can be a hassle. Including a wider range of video decoders would have made this a very nice product. Maybe it's best to wait for the next generation of ScreenPlay and hope that it's more versatile.


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Set your media collection free! Enjoy the convenience of watching digital files on your home theatre or TV without being connected to the computer (PC only)! The Iomega ScreenPlay Plus HD Media Player is a cost-effective, high definition multimedia player plus a high capacity digital storage device. HD playback to 720p/1080i and DivX certified! In a compact, sleek black style to complement your home entertainment system, the ScreePlay Plus HD Media Player includes an HDMI connection and is compatible with the latest media formats such as MP3, AC3 (Dolby Digital Encoding), WAV, WMA, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 (AVI/VOB), MPEG-4 (AVI/DivX 3.11, 4.x, 5.x, 6.x/XViD) and JPEG. Plus, software is included to backup your media files and protect your computer from viruses. Available in 1 TB capacity.

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Netgear EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD Review

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(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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LaCie LaCinema Premier 301814 500 GB USB 2.0 Multimedia Hard Drive (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I received the LaCie 500Gb today and hooked it up to my Apple. The drive was recognized immediately and it functioned like a normal hard drive would. I moved my music and movies onto the hard drive and downloaded the firmware/software update from LaCie's website (There is no manual in the box. Lacie gives you a CD that you have to load on your computer). After loading my files, I hooked it up through my stereo and television. The first connection using component video cables and an optical audio cable had a delay with the video and audio sync on my screen. I switched to the digital coaxial audio and component video and they synced fine. Once installed, I was taken back by how generic the software program is. The main screen has screen buttons for Movie, Music, Photo, Browse and Settings, but if you click on Movie, Music, Photo or Browse they all take you to the same directory. What is the purpose of having four on screen option buttons if they all lead to the same place? The remote is the same way; four buttons with the same titles but again, they all lead to the same place. (Since we are on the remote, I have to admit, it is confusing. I am moderately tech savvy, but I have not figured out many of the buttons - and the manual was no help). The fifth onscreen button takes you to the settings. This feature allows you to change the audio and video settings (playback from 720P, 1081i etc, audio Digital, analog. The default video output is 480P, if you have an HD TV, you will need to set each time it is unplugged back to 720 or 1080 or else playback will look grainy). Once I changed my settings, I chose the music directory. I have 14,000 songs from a couple thousand artists. This part was frustrating. When clicking the music directory, it took nearly 5 minutes to load the directory. It is terribly slow when reading and loading directories. As mentioned earlier, the screens are generic. When it finally came up, it showed the artists name only in a basic blue screen. When you click a name - it goes to albums. You can only choose to play an album or a track not associated with an album. There is no option to play all songs by that artist, just by album. The songs when played display the running playtime and kbs size and unlike the Ipod or Archos DVR stations, it does not show ANY album art. When that artists is complete and you click back to the main directory (for all artists), it has to go through the whole process of loading the artist by name (again ... waiting, waiting). It is frustratingly slow when loading the file directories and when reading the files, the whole system locks up until complete. In all, I played AVI, MP4, MP3 and WMA files and they do play fine, just extremely slow in loading. It was slightly better on the movie side but I do not have the quantity of movies as I do music. The movie on-screen display is again very basic. I have an Archos 504 with the optional DVR to play on my television and the Archos has a nice feature of giving a mini display of a scene in the movie next to the each file name in the file directory. The LaCie on the other hand has nothing but the name of the file on a basic blue screen. I know this is a first year model with LaCie and I hope (and quickly) they come out with a more interactive software update with a feature that reads the files by update so that the directory does not have to reload every time. I purchased this LaCie because I needed the extra space. My Archos is only 160gb. It would be ideal to have the software capability of the Archos along with the hard drive capacity of this Lacie. As is, I will use my Archos to store music and only the movies I need when I travel. I will use the LaCie to hold only movies. If you are buying the LaCie to place large amount of music files or any large file directories to display on your television screen, I think you will be disappointed, at least until there is a software update. UPDATE: 10/2008 When I wrote this article, the LACIE 500GB was selling for $249.00 dollars. I received one the first week they came out. The current price around $180.00 would make me give it 3.75 stars. I have grown to like it. It does play movies well, but as stated, it is slow loading. I was able to figure out a delay setting on the remote control to fix the digital audio and video sync tracking problem. The only problem is, it doesn't seem to be even with all videos, meaning I have to reset it with each feature. It is not a problem, just an annoyance if you cannot get them in sync right away. I have both analog and digital connected. Since the analog audio does not need adjusting, I use it 80% of the time. Lastly, and probably not even worth mentioning, but the back to the remote comes off easy and has now misplaced itself. Minor problem. Overall, this is not bad for $180.00. If it goes down to $150.00 I might pick up another.


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The LaCie LaCinema Premier 301814 500 GB USB 2.0 Multimedia Hard Drive lets you transform your home theater system into a virtual entertainment center, letting you enjoy your digital movies, photos and music from the comfort of your couch. With high-end optical output and 1080i upscaling capabilities, this drive lets you experience your digital media with HDTV-quality video and surround sound. Your Movies, Photos and Music on Your TV Are you tired of experiencing your digital media through the poor resolution and low-end sound system of your computer? The LaCinema Premier lets you play your digital media where you can enjoy it most--through your TV and home theater system. Simply connect the LaCinema Premier to your PC or Mac via USB to transfer your digital media files, then plug it into your TV for instant playback. This will save you time and hassle from having to constantly burn CDs and DVDs. Just plug it in and play it--the way it should be!With a 500 GB capacity, the LaCinema Premier can store up to 500,000 photos, 125,000 songs or 500 movies. Designed with HDTV screens in mind, it can adapt video content up to a 1080i resolution, and thanks to its optical output capability, it can also transform your audio into virtual surround sound. Best of all, you don't have to be a geek to get the full benefits of the LaCinema Premier. It was designed with the whole family in mind, with an easy-to-navigate on-screen menu and convenient remote control. If you know how to operate a television remote, you'll be taking full advantage of the LaCinema Premier in not time at all.Safe, Secure Storage and Back-Up When you're not using the LaCinema Premier to play back your photos, videos or music through your TV, you can use it as an external hard drive for additional data storage and as a back-up for your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. Since it comes with a USB port and cable, you can plug it into your desktop or laptop PC or Mac for an easy, quiet backup solution. The drive also includes LaCie's exclusive 1-Click Backup software for quick, easy backups.The drive is housed in an elegant, slim-profile black body and is designed to run silently without a noisy fan. It features a rotational speed of 7200 rpm and a cache of at least 8 MB. It measures 2.68 x 6.69 x 4.92 inches (WxHxD) and is backed by LaCie's 2-year limited warranty.About LaCie Established in France in 1989, LaCie is a leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. With offices and plants in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie develops and manufactures external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology.What's in the Box LaCie LaCinema Premier, remote control, A/V cable (stereo audio and composite video), power adapter, USB 2.0 cable, CD-ROM with User Manual, and quick install guide.

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

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(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.

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CHECK OUT OUR NEW IXTREAMER Model (Amazon Item # B004FMXDH6 or B004H323P6 (with Wifi)!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-45OPTIONAL USB WIFI 802.n Antenna (SOLD SEPERATELY)Media Support:BluRay ISO with Simple NavigationCommercial DVD with menus.Artistic GUI: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* NOTE: HD Audio Pass-thru requires you to update to firmware 2.4 or later.The firmware that comes on the device may be an older version.For the best user experience, please update the unit to the latest 2.6.0 firmware!

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Advanced Network 1080p HD Media Player Review

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

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(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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Micca MPLAY-HD 1080p Full-HD Digital Media Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I chose this little box over the NBox and other comparable media players, mainly because it has a wider array of audio/video ports, and it pretty much splits the difference price-wise. I am using the HDMI port for my plasma screen, and the digital coaxial port for my receiver. I am beholden to Western Digital My Passport Essential USB drives, and I couldn't be happier with the results. The HD picture looks fantastic, and the booming 5.1 surround sound far exceeds what I could get out of my laptop. It browses reasonably fast through your files, folders, and sub-folders, and it offers continuous playback of your media. It played AVI, MPG, MP4, VOB, MKV, and pictures with no problems. The box is packed with composite cables and a short component video cable. It has two USB ports, and you can supposedly copy/paste/delete between the two, and apparently you can play a photo slideshow and music simultaneously, neither of which I have tried yet.
However, it does have it's shortcomings. Like most remotes, this one is a little user un-friendly, and doesn't seem to work when you're more than 10 feet away. The manual is scrawny and somewhat disorganized, so read it carefully. It wouldn't cooperate with one of my drives for some reason, and it also wouldn't play any of my Flash videos, not that I ever save them anyway. I put a movie on pause for a few minutes; when I resumed play the audio became out of sync, and I had to cue backwards to align it again. Still, the pros far outweigh the cons--I doubt I'll burn a DVD ever again.
Some tips: if you hook this up and turn it on and get no picture, repeatedly push the "TV Out" button on your remote first, the menu should soon come up in sharp full-color form. I recommend powering down the unit using the on/off switch on the back, rather than using the remote. It's supposed to go into "standby", but it seems to me that it still uses too much power for being inactive, and I'm more comfortable shutting the player down completely before I remove the USB cable. If your movie file is encoded with AC3 audio and you're using a hi-fi, set the digital out to "RAW" so your receiver can decode the Dolby Digital/DTS soundtrack, otherwise you'll just get 2-channel stereo.
All in all, a remarkably versatile little gadget that should round out any home theater, whether you're running out of storage space for your DVDs and CDs, or if you want a convenient way to move your PC experience to the living room. I just hope it's as durable as it performs.

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Micca makes 1080p video playback affordable with the compact and convenient MPLAY-HD stand-alone digital media player. Just connect it to your TV or HDTV as you would a DVD player and enjoy your videos, music, and photos from a USB drive or flash memory card. Convenience The MPLAY-HD is small, matte black, and completely noiseless. It starts up in less than 2 seconds and has an intuitive and responsive interface, making it effortless to enjoy all your media content without the need for a computer. The full size IR remote provides easy access to all playback controls. Performance The MPLAY-HD is a true next generation digital video device with broad video/audio codec and file format support at up to 1080p and 40-80mbps. The following is a brief summary, please search for "Micca MPLAY-HD Specifications" for full details: - Video Files: MKV, AVI, MP4, MOV, XVID, TS, M2TS, RM, RMVB, DAT, MPG, MPEG, VOB - Video Codecs: H.264/AVC BP/MP/HiP L4.1,MPEG1/2/4, DivX/Xvid, Real Video - Audio Files: MP3, WMA, WAV, RM, OGG, AAC, M4A, FLAC, APE - Audio Codecs: MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, PCM, DTS, AC3, RA, AMR - Photo Files: JPG, BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF - Subtitle: SUB, ASS, SRT, SSA, SMI, IDX+SUB - Other: DVD VIDEO_TS with menu Compatibility The MPLAY-HD can be used with all TVs, HDTVs as well as home theater systems with its extensive connectivity: - Video: HDMI 1.3, CVBS/Composite - Resolution: NTSC, PAL, 480i/p, 576i/p, 720p, 1080i/p - Audio: SPDIF coaxial, analog stereo - Storage Interface: Dual USB 2.0 Host ports, SD/SDHC/MS flash memory card reader - File System: FAT32, NTFS, HFS+ (No Journaling) What's Included - Micca MPLAY-HD - IR Remote - AV cable - 100-240V AC adapter

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NBOX TV Media Player - Supports SD/USB Drive/USB External Hard Drive - Plays DIVX/AVI/RMVB/RM/XVID/MPG Review

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(More customer reviews)When I attempted to setup my NBox Media Player, I discovered that the included power cord would not fit. I applied firm pressure, and even tried to twist it into place. Nothing worked. I boxed it back up to get a replacement but learned that Amazon does not offer a replacement on this product since it is sold through a third party. They only offer a refund. I sent them an e-mail to see if I could just get a replacement cord. They again said I would have to send the entire thing back, get a refund, and reorder it. I found no way to contact the company directly to see if I could just get the correct cord.
Thankfully, I'm a huge techno geek, and after searching my other various electronic gadgets, I found a cord that was not only the right voltage, but also the right size.
Now the review- I connected everything and was up and running in seconds. The interface is very user friendly. The menus were very easy to navigate and easy on the eyes. I had no problems accessing music, video, or picture data off my flash drives, memory card, or portable 320GB FreeAgent hard drive. I did have a few MP4 files that would not play, but XVID, MP3, and AVI all played well. The video and audio quality was good. I, however, could not access any of the video files on my 1TB external hard drive. The NBox locked up for a few minutes while accessing the drive. When it finally came up with a file list, it would still not access the files.
In summary- If you're looking for a quick way to access most of your video and audio files off a flash drive or memory card, NBox does the job. May not work with a very high capacity drive. I took one star off for the power cord mix-up.

Click Here to see more reviews about: NBOX TV Media Player - Supports SD/USB Drive/USB External Hard Drive - Plays DIVX/AVI/RMVB/RM/XVID/MPG

The NBOX digital media player lets you watch videos, view photos, and listen to music on your TV or home theater system without using a computer. It's as simple as 1-2-3: Store your digital media files on a flash drive, USB hard drive, or SD Card; Insert the USB drive or SD card into the NBOX; Sit back and enjoy as the NBOX playback your video, photos, or music on the big screen!- 720P high definition component video output- Compatible with all NTSC/PAL TVs and HDTVs, including CRT/LCD/Plasma/Projection- Plays a wide range of popular media formats- Fast, responsive, and easy to navigate user interface- Conveneint auto resume and continuous multi-file playback- Play media files from USB hard drives, USB flash drives, or SD/SDHC/MMC flash cards- Full function IR remote control in addition to on-device buttons- Ultra compact and portable for use in the home or on the go.Video Formats:- RMVB: RealVideo 8/9/10/11, Max 1024 x 576 @ 2.8Mbps- AVI: MPEG2/4, DivX 3/4/5/6, Xvid, Max 720 x 576 @ 4.5Mbps- MOV, MP4: MPEG4, Max 720 x 576- VOB (DVD): MPEG2, Max 720 x 576 @ 10Mbps- MPG, DAT (VCD): MPEG1/2- 3GP: 640 X 480- Subtitle: .SRT for DivX/Xvid/AVI- Not Supported: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, WMV, MKVAudio Formats:- Codecs: MP3, WMA, AAC, AC3, PCM, DMPCM, OGG- Bit Rate: 32Kbps ~ 384Kbps- ID3 Tag display for MP3 and WMAImage Formats:- JPG, GIFWhat's Included:- NBOX Digital Media Player- IR Remote Control- AV Composite Cable- 110-240V AC Adapter- User's Manual- Bonus Component Video Cable (for 720p video output)

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Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD Media Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After much anticipation, WDTV Live is finally here! I'll get right to the point, because I know there are a lot of questions from current Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player owners and those sitting on the fence about the capabilities of the Live in comparison to other media players on the market. I also considered the ASUS O!Play ($99) while waiting for the Live's release or the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+HD ($135). The WDTV is a proven quantity and for the Live, I had high expectations.
Cosmetically, not much has changed. Not even the box. The Live is nearly identical to the WDTV except in color, being matte grey instead of shiny piano black. Ease of setup and usage carries over from its forebear, so WDTV users will be right at home with the Live's interface and settings. At the rear, the ports have been slightly rearranged to make room for a LAN port and component out. HDMI is now 1.3 instead of 1.2, capable of a color depth of 12 bits per pixel. Batteries are included in the box, as are component and composite cables, but bring your own HDMI or LAN cable.
Building on the strengths of the original (and successful) WDTV, WD has made an already excellent player even better. They listened to users and addressed two of the biggest complaints of the WDTV, namely: lack of network connectivity and lack of DTS down-mixing.
I am pleased to report that on these two counts, the Live is a winner, packaged inside the same compact form factor as its predecessor and sold at a very reasonable price. The most exciting thing is network connectivity because the Live can be made wireless!
1) Network connectivity: out of the box, the Live connects via CAT-5. I have no interest in connecting USB hard drives to the Live because it limits my mobility. I have 2 NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices (D-Link DNS321 2-Bay SATA, RAID 0/1 Gigabit Ethernet Port Network Storage Enclosure and D-Link 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure) and have been streaming movies wirelessly to my PlayStation 3, but I don't like the PS3's lack of MKV support and wasteful energy consumption. My PS3 can now go back to being a dedicated game and Blu-ray machine.
I was surprised to discover that my AirLink 101 AWLL6070 150Mbps 802.11n Wireless LAN USB 2.0 Adapter (purchased for a failed WDTV networking hack attempt) worked. I plugged it in, changed the Live's setting to wireless and it saw my wireless network with no fuss. I really have to hand it to WD for making the device open-ended, unlike the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Live (Black) (which I tested and returned), which requires a proprietary $40 Netgear dongle. Other dongles will work too with the Live, and WD has a forum listing them.
2) DTS down-mixing: this was another shortcoming of the original WDTV. The Live down-mixes DTS to 2.0 so you don't need to slave it to an audio receiver anymore. Many of my MKV's are encoded with DTS, so this is another huge improvement. DTS Master Audio does not seem to be supported, but I am not very concerned as DTS MA is rarely encountered in the wild (though that may change in the future). All my files are MP3, AAC, AC3, or DTS audio streams, which all work on the Live. Many of the tested MKVs have multiple audio streams for different language tracks. You can also mux additional tracks and subtitles into the MKV file with the free and awesome mkvmerge GUI program. Subtitle files can be downloaded from sites like DivxStation.
DTS downmixing means now I can take a portable drive of movies over to a friend's house and not worry about compatibility, greatly increasing the versatility and value of the Live. The inclusion of both component and composite outs removes the worry about older TV's. And like the WDTV, the Live will downsample to standard def for non-HDTV's. However, if you have an HDTV and an AVR, you'll want to use them for maximum enjoyment.
But the most biggest selling point for me is wireless. After discovering WiFi connectivity, I lost all interest in using the Live as a wired device. With just $20 (cost of AirLink), I now have a wireless player that easily out-competes more expensive ones like the Popcorn Hour A-110 HD Networked Media Tank (EU), and can enjoy the freedom and convenience of putting this player anywhere in my house. I don't have messy and dangerous wires all the floor to trip over (I killed a 1 TB hard drive full of movies this way) and I don't need an audio receiver. All the 720p/1080i/p videos I had on my NAS played perfectly with the except of one 1080p .mp4 which had intermittent hiccups every minute or so.
The Live saw each device 2x on the menu, as a media share and a network share. With media share, the files are divided into 3 categories: video, photos, music. Only some of my movies showed up (WMV, MP4, AVI, TS), no MKV's. With network share, all the files are listed. This is the listing option to use if you have a NAS.
3) Additionally, third complaint on the WDTV was lack of support for 1080p24. This format now plays. VOB is now also supported, for those of you who make DVD archives.
USABILITY:
The WDTV had the most attractive and usable interface of any of the 10+ media players I tested over the years, and WD didn't mess with a winning formula. Graphically, the Live retains the blue cool-toned look and easy-to-use navigation of the WDTV. It adds a third listing option, Preview mode. Movies will now start playing in a smaller window on the right if you pause over the title for a second or two (with audio). Every movie I tested plays in preview. The remote control is the same as the WDTV. Navigation long directories is still somewhat of a pain because of no Page Up/Page Down button, but if you hold the up or down button down, it'll scroll by a page at a time after a second or two. Commands are fast and responsive. No spinning dials that plague the Netgear Live Entertainer.
For rewinding, the preview sometimes does not match the time-code. The timer was counting down, but the screen showed video from the opposite direction. If you stop rewinding and resume again, it'll show the proper preview. This is a small nuisance that I hope WD fixes soon in a firmware update.
Subtitle support via embedded or external still works great for Western and non-Western character sets because of Unicode. Embedded subs are pre-tagged with the language code, so the device will display "Subtitle 1/3 - English". For external .srt files, I discovered that if I name them the same as the movie and include a dash, then the language (e.g. "MOVIENAME - ENG.srt"), the WD will display the part after the dash as the language name.
INTERNET STREAMING:
For YouTube, the videos looked really good. The Live will select HD streams if available. I was surprised at the video quality of some of the ones I loaded, particularly one music video. Startup was fast, if not instantaneous, and I did not notice a buffering delay. Currently, YouTube is the only site supported, and searching is only in Western characters. The onscreen keyboard is arranged in row, A-Z, with 0-9 at the bottom. (Plugging in a USB keyboard did nothing.) I'm hoping for Hulu, Vimeo, and more in the future, like a WDTV Live Channels Guide or something like that, organized by interests (sports, history, science, news, etc), or regions of the world. It would be a very useful feature for people like my dad, who doesn't know how to use the web and he'd be able to watch shows from other parts of the world. Maybe in a future firmware update.
I didn't test Pandora or Live365 (internet radio) because I'm not interested in listening to radio/music out of my TV. Noticeably missing is NetFlix support, a feature prominent on some networked media players, Blu-ray players, and gaming platforms (Xbox 360), though word is that WD is at work on an update.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Next on my wishlist is RMVB support. This is the last thing missing from the long list of supported formats, because then I can throw out the really crappy RMVB player I have. Sadly, it seems to be hardware related and cannot be added with a firmware refresh.
Lastly, if the Live came in new colors like fire engine red like the Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive WDMER3200TN (Real Red), or banana yellow, that'd be hot. I don't particularly care for the Live's matte grey exterior and prefer the glossy finish of the WDTV. It's not solid grey. It's sparkly like glitter, a rather odd choice for a finish.
To sum up, this is the device you've been waiting for! It is a great little player for the price. It now does everything I want it to (minus RMVB playback) and is truly the versatile and unfettered player that I have been hoping for. As a gadgets guy and early adopter, I wasted several hundreds of dollars testing out disappointing players and can say definitely that WD makes one of the best players on the market.
UPDATE 1: 10/24/09:
1. I logged into Pandora and it worked...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD Media Player

The WD TV Live HD Media Player from Western Digital has everything you need to play your HD media collection and the fun stuff you find on the web in brilliant HD 1080p on your big screen HDTV. Because it supports a wide variety of file types, you can instantly enjoy all your home digital media, regardless of the file format. Plus you get direct access to a huge selection of video, photos, and music from popular internet sites like YouTube, Flickr, Live 365, and Pandora (U.S. only) right from the beautifully easy WDTV navigation screen. The WD TV Live HD media player is exceptionally easy to use so anyone in the family can do it and, because it\'s networked, you can easily access media from any PC in the home. Compatibility; HDMI, Full HD (1080p), AAC, MP3, JPEG, USB 2.0, H.264, SimplayHD, Energy Star, Dolby Digital, DTS, DLNA, Bonjour, AVCHD, Windows Vista. Box contains; Media Player, Compact remote with batteries, Composite AV cable, Component AV cable, AC adapter, CD with sample media, Quick Install Guide.

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Micca MPlay Digital Media Player For USB Drives and SD/SDHC/MMC Flash Cards - Plays MPEG1/2/4, DivX, Xvid, RMVB, AVI, MOV, MP3, MP4 On All TV and HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When I ordered the Micca Mplay, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I wanted to make this video review so that other Amazon shoppers could see what they're getting. All in all, I do like it and I'm glad I made the purchase. With that being said, it's not a perfect device but it does the job:
Pros:
* The price was reasonable.
* Plays most of the Standard Definition file types (I use it mainly for AVI files)
* Fast startup time.
* Plays MP3s.
* The remote control has been responsive. Great for when you don't feel like getting off the couch.
Cons:
* I've had problems with the fast-forward/rewind features. Once in a while this will actually cause the file to stop playing, which is annoying when you're already 20 minutes into a video.
* It doesn't play High Definition file types. I knew this when I bought it, but it would be a nice feature to have. I would highly recommend this device to anyone who wants to easily play video files on their TV. If you have a High Definition TV, spring for a player that supports high definition files and HDMI.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Micca MPlay Digital Media Player For USB Drives and SD/SDHC/MMC Flash Cards - Plays MPEG1/2/4, DivX, Xvid, RMVB, AVI, MOV, MP3, MP4 On All TV and HDTV

The Micca MPLAY is a high value digital media player that lets you watch videos, view photos, and listen to music on your TV or home theater system without using a computer. It's as simple as 1-2-3: Store your digital media files on a flash drive, USB hard drive, or SD Card; Insert the USB drive or SD card into the MPLAY; Sit back and enjoy as the MPLAY playback your video, photos, or music on the big screen!For less than the price of a DVD player, and certainly taking up much less space, the MPLAY gives you convenient access to all your media files in one small easy to use box. So inexpensive and compact, put one in every room where there's a TV!- 720P high definition component video output- Compatible with all NTSC/PAL TVs and HDTVs, including CRT/LCD/Plasma/Projection- Plays a wide range of popular media formats- Fast, responsive, and easy to navigate user interface- Conveneint auto resume and continuous multi-file playback- Play media files from USB hard drives, USB flash drives, or SD/SDHC/MMC flash cards- Full function English/Chinese dual-language IR remote control in addition to on-device buttons- Download the latest User's Manual from Micca Store for more infoVideo Formats:- Files: AVI, MP4, MOV, VOB, MPG, DAT, RMVB- Codecs: MPEG1/2/4, DivX/Xvid, RealVideo 8/9/10- Max Reslution: 720x576- Subtitle: SRT for DivX/Xvid/AVIH.264/MKV and WMV not supported, please see the Micca Video Recode TutorialAudio Formats:- Codecs: MP3, WMA, AAC, AC3, PCM, DMPCM, OGG- Bit Rate: 32Kbps ~ 384Kbps- ID3 Tag display for MP3 and WMAImage Formats: JPG, GIF, BMP, PNGWhat's Included:- Micca MPLAY Player- IR Remote Control- AV Out and Component Cables- 110-240V AC Adapter

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Cisco-Linksys Media Center Extender Review

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(More customer reviews)It plays our recorded TV, pictures, DVDs ripped to XviD (not DVDs in the player), and music from the other room with an interface that looks just like Vista Media Center. Wife acceptance factor = high. We are using wired ethernet (100) and a 1080p tv via HDMI. The supplied remote is good. Speed of menus is acceptable (even faster, if you turn off transitions in the setup). FF, rewind, pause, etc. are all fine for Live/Recorded HD TV -- looks perfect on our 1080p tv.
XviD files are a little slow to start up on the DMA2100.
I had realistic expectations and we are happy!
NOTE: This note is ONLY for people with a Linksys Etherfast DSL/Cable router. If you have that router, your computer will not detect the DMA2100 unless you also go into the router setup and set Filter Multicast to Disable (which is NOT the default). Thanks for wasting my time, Linksys. After the change, it works great.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Cisco-Linksys Media Center Extender

Sharing your photos, music and movies on your computer with friends and family has been made easy by the DMA 2100 Media Center Extender from Linksys. The device allows you to view digital photos, movies and high definition programs on your TV, and listen to downloaded music on your home theater sound system. It even enables accessing digital content and Internet services from your Microsoft Windows Vista Premium or Ultimate Media Center PC and wirelessly stream it to your home entertainment system. Its single learning remote helps you to easily navigate menus. The media extender uses existing high-speed Wireless-N home network.

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Noah Company MediaGate MG-M2TVDW Network Wireless N HD Media Player HDMI Full 1080P with DTS 2.0 Digital Audio Out (Piano Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had several of these from different makers and I find this one to be the best for the money. While others claim it is noisy, I can say this one is whisper quiet. I play mainly movies on mine from a 1TB external hard drive that plugs in the front of this unit (actually has 2 ports for 2 hard drives or memory at the same time). It plays 99% of my movies with no problem, while every once in a while some movies will not play the sound (I blame the source file, not the unit). It has some great options in the menu, my favorite option lets you view your show in Pan mode, Widescreen or Full no matter what the original source is recorded in.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Noah Company MediaGate MG-M2TVDW Network Wireless N HD Media Player HDMI Full 1080P with DTS 2.0 Digital Audio Out (Piano Black)

Using the latest technology the MediaGate M²TVDW is the only media player to support full 1080p high definition resolution and Real Media Content, along your favorite files like .mvk, .avi, .mp3 and many more. With its multifunctional features, this Wi-Fi Net-Disk multimedia player will be the focal point for digital home or office. The MediaGate M²TVDW Wireless N capability allows you to streaming for more efficent and effectively your media files from any networked PC. 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 M²TVDW. The new MediaGate M²TVDW Media Player, Media 2 TV never made easier! Scalability, portability and flexibility, all in Full 1080P. The best has just got better, now supporting DTS 2.0 Digital Out!!!

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Patriot Box Office 1080p High-Definition Media Player PCMPBO25 (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The unit arrived today, and I tested it for several hours so far. It's hooked up to a secondary bedroom 32" Sony LCD via HDMI (cable included). Other included items are : remote w/batteries, wall wart adapter, cheap composite cables. The wireless LAN USB dongle came included as part of the promo in a separate package, inserted either in the front or back full sized USB port.
I have yet to RTFM which is found on a CD, so any missteps or errors on my part may have been avoided had I done so. It offers a ton of features with the price point just right.
Right then, my main use of this MP is to stream video from a networked media center separate from my home theater. I did test direct playback from a portable HD, in this case a WD Passport powered directly via USB. Playback proved flawless of any content I had. Mostly this consisted of mkv container files of 720 & 1080p content. Audio codecs included AC3 and DTS with no discernible difficulty. I was unable to play some archived .iso files, but playback of these were never confirmed on other machines.
The image quality almost rivals my dedicated HTPC (albeit its hooked to a much better TV). The Patriot defaults to an "Auto" noise reduction (NR)function which I left on. Fast panned and action shots displayed smoothly. On the setup screen you can specify TV resolution up to 1080p with or without 24HZ playback. As is the case with stand alone MPs, it does not recognize an attached CDROM.
Audio remained synced with video from mkv containers as well as other files. Pause/play response was quick.
After testing direct playback from USB drive I set up the wireless. It recognized my network, and prompts for ID/PW which you type in via a displayed virtual keyboard, after which it stores (if you so chose) the info. I had trouble logging on to a Windows 7 PC (would not accept info) but had no issues with an XP PC and separate networked drives, including shared CDROM drive. I had no trouble with UPNP setup. Streaming audio and all the usual video formats worked perfectly.
Toggling through the shared content on different PCs was quick and I had no difficulty in accessing the media. Note this is wireless G, not N, so connection speed varies. Best I could achieve in continuously smooth playback was 720p content. It struggled a bit with DTS audio but this mostly depended on the source material. At these times intermittent desync of audio became briefly noticible . 1080p playback proved inconsistent and not advised wirelessly. If this is important to you then running a CAT5 directly may do the trick- I haven't tested it on the Patriot.
Standard DVD play just fine via wireless. Just identify the .ifo and press play. All standard DVD functions including menu navigation work as normally would with any DVD remote.
The remote is decent with all commonly used functions readily available. The response however is inconsistent, sometimes it requires several presses to work a function especially during playback at which time lag is horrendous. Its range is semi decent and has little room for off axis recognition. I like the zoom function up to 8x as I recall-which really showcases the auto digital NR- really great quality. Comes in handy for some 4:3 or 2.35:1 formats if you prefer 16x9 viewing.
Maybe discrete codes are available to program into a universal remote. As far as the quality it's decent enough.
Other features: excellent subtitle handling (Unicode UTF8, and several languages). Adjustable font size, color and screen placement all easily accessible.Build quality is acceptable, light metal not plastic. The price imo is worth the quality and features it offers. Comparing it to the Seagate Theater which I returned to a box store recently, the Patriot's playback quality is noticibly superior which, in the end, is what matters.
So in conclusion, I can see myself using the bedroom TV more and more considering the versatility and quality of playback. The wireless capability does leave room for improvement- as time passes I may decide to extend a direct ethernet to the Patriot if it's worth it and I can't tweak my wireless setup to satisfaction. Also annoying was the occasional slow and inconsistent response of the remote during playback, including FF/Rew and other buttons. With the unit on, some may find the slightly audible hum distracting, but that's subjective. I also have to figure out accessing the Windows 7 PC.
****UPDATE:*****
The unit continues to work great. Since my initial review, I've updated the firmware several times with the benefit (among others) that now external DVD/CDROM drives are recognized via USB. Also, the remote seems much more responsive.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Patriot Box Office 1080p High-Definition Media Player PCMPBO25 (Black)

Patriot Box Office High Definition Media Player is an All-In-One Media Player which supports 1080p playback from various files sources such as VOB, H. 264, ISO, WAV, etc.

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Viewsonic NexTV VMP75 1080p Network Media Player - Stream Netflix, Internet radios/videos & access to Twitter, Facebook w/free HDMI cable Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this primarily for Netflix. The first unit I received had a bad HDMI port on it. I had to turn it upside down and wiggle the cable in order for any picture to show on my TV. I held it down in this position to see how it worked. Everything looked OK except the Netflix had no sound. Well this unit went back the next day.
The second unit came and the HDMI port was OK on this one. I tried Netflix and NO SOUND AGAIN!!! This time I reported the issue to Viewsonic and got a response back quickly. Naturally they wanted me to validate I knew how to hook it up. I responded that the sound was fine with playing network files and was fine on YouTube...just Neflix. The response was a thank you and they said a possible fix is in the works.
Well...yesterday (Sept 7th) I checked for firmware updated and there was one!!! I downloaded and installed and now Netflix works. I like this box now.
Reminder to all...download the latest firmware before trying anything. They are adding fixes all the time now that people are reporting problems.
***Edit Nov 25****
There is another new firmware update. It fixed my HDMI sync issues, allows zip codes for location, seems to work better with network shares, seems twice as fast responding to commands, and loads during power up faster. It is getting there..just wish all this was done before they launched. Right now I am glad I bought this.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Viewsonic NexTV VMP75 1080p Network Media Player - Stream Netflix, Internet radios/videos & access to Twitter, Facebook w/free HDMI cable

Streaming internet content is easy with the ViewSonic® NexTV® VMP75 Full HD 1080p network media player. Enjoy movies, videos, music and photos from your storage devices or accesscontent from YouTube, Live365, ShoutCast internet radio, Flickr and more. Now you can access the Netflix streaming platform with your Netflix subscription to access thousands of movies and TV shows instantly. The NexTV VMP75 supports a full range of the most popular video, audio and image formats and can be connected to your home entertainment system. With its web browsing capability (not available for rich Flash content) and custom RSS feeds, your connected TV experience is greatly expanded.
A full range of format support With the support of the most popular video, audio and image formats, the NexTV VMP75 offers an unrivaled and ultimate entertainment viewing experience. Additionally, with the support of DTS and Dolby, you can enjoy digital media in full surround sound with your home A/V system.

Formats supported include:

Video: MPEG1 (AVI/MKV/TS/DAT/MPG/MPEG/VOB), MPEG2 (MKV/DAT/MPG/MPEG/VOB/ISO/IFO/TS/TP)/M2TS, MPEG4 (AVI/MP4/MKV/MOV/WMV/ASF), DivX 3/4/5/6 Xvid (AVI/MKV/MP4/MOV), H.264/AVC (TS/AVI/MP4/MKV/MOV/FLV)/M2TS, VC-1 (TS/AVI/ASF/WMV)/M2TS, WMV9 (ASF/WMV)

Audio: MP3, MPEG Audio, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA, WMA Pro, PCM, LPCM,FLAC, WAV, AAC, HE-AAC,OGG, MKA,VORBIS

Photo: JPEG,GIF, PNG, BMP,TIFF

Subtitles: SRT, SMI, SUB, SSA,IDX+SUB, IDX, AAS, TXT

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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 Instant Video, 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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Kodak Theatre HD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have this product installed on a 50-inch LCD in my living room. We use it to access six accounts worth of iTunes and overall 6000 songs, about 10,000 pictures, and various home videos we've converted to digital. I love my Kodak player. We use it a lot at parties to play music from playlists (can import or create your own), and to show screen images from the photo collection. (I'd like to be able to email photos from here please Kodak as other parents want pictures as they come up!) The remote is a Wii-like remote that works on the TV, and it's great -- all TVs should have this remote. This would make a great gift for anyone with a digital storehouse of info they want to access on their TV. The only issues I had were that I could not mount a network drive (I store my content on a homeserver) and a minor issue that when reported they sent me a patch. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to access their content on the TV.

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Forget crowding around the computer, with the KODAK Theatre HD Player, you can relive your memories on your big screen HDTV in stunning high-definition. Invite your friends and family over to show off your personalized slideshows, videos and web content in the comfort of your living room. Then share the excitement by wirelessly sending your content to anyone, anywhere.View the pictures and videos stored on your PC, right on your HDTV.Insert a memory card, USB storage device or plug in your KODAK EASYSHARE Digital Camera. Connect to popular photo sharing sites such as KODAK Gallery and Flickr for access to your pictures and those from friends and family. Quickly sort through your new pictures on your TV and send the best ones to your PC for safekeeping. Make the most of your home theatre system-get to your PC music collection and downloaded movies from the living room

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