Media Players

[craigt3365]

Just got back from Tesco. I think they had 4-5 different kinds of media players. From cheap to expensive (2TB internal HD).

I like that popcorn hour. Have to research this a bit more!

[SteeleJoe]

Just got back from Tesco. I think they had 4-5 different kinds of media players. From cheap to expensive (2TB internal HD).

I like that popcorn hour. Have to research this a bit more!

Which Tesco? And do you remember how much the one with 2TB HD was? (I'm sure I won't spend that much but I can dream).

[craigt3365]

Just got back from Tesco. I think they had 4-5 different kinds of media players. From cheap to expensive (2TB internal HD).

I like that popcorn hour. Have to research this a bit more!

Which Tesco? And do you remember how much the one with 2TB HD was? (I'm sure I won't spend that much but I can dream).

It was the one here in Pattaya. I think the one with the 2TB HD was something like 7-8k Baht. I think the cheapest one was a bit under 3k. But it was a brand I'm not familiar with.

[SteeleJoe]

Just got back from Tesco. I think they had 4-5 different kinds of media players. From cheap to expensive (2TB internal HD).

I like that popcorn hour. Have to research this a bit more!

Which Tesco? And do you remember how much the one with 2TB HD was? (I'm sure I won't spend that much but I can dream).

It was the one here in Pattaya. I think the one with the 2TB HD was something like 7-8k Baht. I think the cheapest one was a bit under 3k. But it was a brand I'm not familiar with.

Thanks. As far as unknown brands; I've done some learning this last week and I've found some brands that I'd never heard of are supposedly quite good -- then again you are probably much more knowledgeable than I and maybe you would have known them.

Actually, I wished I hadn't asked -- I've nearly used up the 2TB of HD space I have now and I'm actually in desperate need of another external HD but being on an extremely tight budget lately I'm opting to buy the media player instead -- now you tell me that I could have a media player and 2TB for less than I'd pay for them separately...arrrggghhhh!

Edited April 11, 2011 by SteeleJoe

[craigt3365]

Thanks. As far as unknown brands; I've done some learning this last week and I've found some brands that I'd never heard of are supposedly quite good -- then again you are probably much more knowledgeable than I and maybe you would have known them.

Actually, I wished I hadn't asked -- I've nearly used up the 2TB of HD space I have now and I'm actually in desperate need of another external HD but being on an extremely tight budget lately I'm opting to buy the media player instead -- now you tell me that I could have a media player and 2TB for less than I'd pay for them separately...arrrggghhhh!

Yeah, it's confusing for sure! I've pretty much used up a 2TB drive also. I'm trying to get my network setup so the media player can see my PC. Then I can just add a $140 2TB internal hard drive when I need another one and don't have to spend the extra dollars/baht for an external drive. Then media player will be able to see everything on the network. Not there yet, but working on it!

I would head to your nearest store for a browse. The store here is quite large...not sure where you are located.

Too many choices!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tigerbeer]

i have been using the Apacer AL460 for a few months now. bought from Tescos for 2800 as well i think. got a HDD with my movies attached to it and also through ethernet link to my routers. i happen to had a ethernet link from my computer area with MOdem/ROuter to my dreambox to where my tv is. Added a network switch there and one wire into my Apacer. Works like a charm. very very happy with it. only thing is that it does not have Youtube/Pandora etc. but with the ADSL quality here, i don't think i would miss it.

[Phil Conners]

Craig, I was close to Tesco on Sukhumvit road today so dropped in to check out the media players you mentioned - but didn't find a single one. Plenty of DVD players with sd-ram option, but I don't think that's what you meant? Where did you see media players in Tesco? I looked both in the TV area in the back and in the shops in front. Didn't go upstairs though, maybe that's where you saw them?

[genobkk]

one bad thing about the popcorn hour, it does NOT support netflix or Hulu, only supports some lame apps so if your looking for that kind of thing the popcorn is not so good. It is fast and plays everything with ease . It could be a much better box if it supported Flash at least the last I knew the popcorn hour did not. I was watching NHK through my popcorn through livestation.com they have an app for the popcorn it is the only app that is useable for me at least.

[craigt3365]

Craig, I was close to Tesco on Sukhumvit road today so dropped in to check out the media players you mentioned - but didn't find a single one. Plenty of DVD players with sd-ram option, but I don't think that's what you meant? Where did you see media players in Tesco? I looked both in the TV area in the back and in the shops in front. Didn't go upstairs though, maybe that's where you saw them?

Were you at the one near Numchai or down south...I was talking about the one down off Thepprasit. They were in 2 different areas. One big display of WD stuff by the TVs and a few more over by where they sell external hard drives, one isle away from the back wall and near where they sell CDs.

one bad thing about the popcorn hour, it does NOT support netflix or Hulu, only supports some lame apps so if your looking for that kind of thing the popcorn is not so good. It is fast and plays everything with ease . It could be a much better box if it supported Flash at least the last I knew the popcorn hour did not. I was watching NHK through my popcorn through livestation.com they have an app for the popcorn it is the only app that is useable for me at least.

I'm trying to find a player that can handle my music better. WD does not do a good job with this. If I am not mistaken, you can not play music via HDMI. Which is what I have setup....and the jukebox interface is not that great. But it does a great job with movies....

[Naam]

I've got a WD Live also and really like it. Problems are it gets hot. So have to unplug it when not in use. I don't do streaming due to bandwidth issues.

I like that Asus, but read it is HDMI only. So make sure you can handle that.

Naam recommended the Egreat. What I like is you can add a hard drive inside and it has a cooling fan. Along with connections for anything you need. Seems to be a nice player.

http://www.egreatworld.com/en/

egreat is not bad but shortcoming is the sluggishness of USB-harddrive or US-pendrive. direct hardddrive connection much faster. some functions do not work (copying from one connected media to the other one). internal harddrive limit 500 gigabytes = too small.

[Spoonman]

Have a look at Xtreamer, I puechased one when my Xbox got banned, it did a decent job and was plug and play into my home network and was easy to set-up for media sharing from my PC (windows 7 OS).

I ended up purchasing a new Xbox though as I prefer to stream over wifi than run lan cables.

[Phil Conners]

Craig, I was close to Tesco on Sukhumvit road today so dropped in to check out the media players you mentioned - but didn't find a single one. Plenty of DVD players with sd-ram option, but I don't think that's what you meant? Where did you see media players in Tesco? I looked both in the TV area in the back and in the shops in front. Didn't go upstairs though, maybe that's where you saw them?

Were you at the one near Numchai or down south...I was talking about the one down off Thepprasit. They were in 2 different areas. One big display of WD stuff by the TVs and a few more over by where they sell external hard drives, one isle away from the back wall and near where they sell CDs.

I was in the big Tesco Lotus off Thepprasit. Odd, I walked around for quite a while, didn't see anything that looked like mediaplayers. Anyway not important, was just curious to see what they had on display...

[SteeleJoe]

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm going to select the Asus O!Play HDP-R1 HD but I do wonder about something and my IT knowhow is so limited I can't figure it out, no matter how much I've read about this device:

There is apparently no built in Wi-fI but is there any way to ultimately make it access my computer without connecting via cable? If I have a WiFi modem and one of them air-cards (or whatever they are called) will that work? (Yes, perhaps you are thing, 'why not just spend the money for something with built in WiFi?' Well, I really am determined to spend not much more than 3,000 baht and for the moment wireless hookup isn't a priority. However, I'd like it if that was something I could eventually sort out if I wanted to.)

Or alternatively,what's the easiest (or only) way to connect to a computer that's on another floor and at the other end of the house?

[Spoonman]

You would need a wireless bridge for that one SteeleJoe, alternatively you could use some powerline ethernet adaptors

[naidraw66]

Where can you buy these powerline adaptors over here, please be specific . . . . .

Thanks

IW

[Spoonman]

Ive no idea where to get them here, mine came from AUS.

[SteeleJoe]

You would need a wireless bridge for that one SteeleJoe, alternatively you could use some powerline ethernet adaptors

Thanks very much Spoonman. But...

1) I don't know what a "wireless bridge" is. (Sorry, I am almost completely ignorant tech-wise).

2) Roughly how much do you reckon an ethernet adaptor would cost?

[Spoonman]

Wireless Bridge.

Ethernet powerline adaptors aint cheap SteeleJoe, mine were $120.00 AUD.

[SteeleJoe]

LOL. Thanks for the link but clearly you don't understand the level of ineptitude you are dealing with; that sh*t just does not compute for this brain.

Thanks anyway (and an those adaptors aren't worth it in this instance: I'd be better off just buying another media player (with WiFi) if was going to spend in the neighborhood of an additional 4,000 baht.)

Well, it helps to have that cleared up: no wireless connect if I get the HDP-R1 HD. I'll probably get that one anyway but I did wnat to know. Cheers.

[Spoonman]

Have a look at the xtreamer pro, does all you want (except stay under 3000 baht) including wifi as well as being able to install 2 3.5" HDD's if you want more storage at a later date.

Xtreamer PRo clicky clicky.

[SteeleJoe]

Have a look at the xtreamer pro, does all you want (except stay under 3000 baht) including wifi as well as being able to install 2 3.5" HDD's if you want more storage at a later date.

Xtreamer PRo clicky clicky.

That looks real good. Maybe that will be my next one. Thanks.

[Digitalbanana]

The WDHD (non live model) is no longer supported for firmware updates.

Yeah, a friend (who has one) just told me that today.

I haven't needed a firmware update for it since buying one a couple of years ago or more. Works fine. I especially like its small size so I can carry it on road trips and plug into any TV to watch my hard disc entertainment either through the three component video ports or HDMI.

Interestingly someone mentioned the WDHD Live version gets hot when not in use. So does this, so I always power off using the wall plug rather than the remote power off switch that comes with device. Using the remote doesn't completely power off things inc attached hard drives which can get warm. A small annoyance I have gotten used to and a much better user experience than those cheap DVD players with USB ports built in.

[jfchandler]

t.

You don't need live + as you can't access netflix etc from here anyhow.

Actually, you can...just fine.... and several different ways to arrange it.... One of my favorite home entertainment sources....

[jfchandler]

I'm interested in this subject and the general discussion about the hardware, and I've even installed a WDHD Live box on my home network for a friend who bought one.... I found the remote control and screen interface to be slow and plodding... and pretty aggravating the more I fiddled with it.

Overall, I've yet to understand the attraction and advantage of these media player devices over the alternative of simply connecting a laptop or regular PC with "video out" capability to your television and/or home theater system.

The thing that's turned me off about the different boxes I've looked at is they each have a certain set of functionalities built in... And pretty much whatever you get with your purchase, is all you're going to get...apart from likely modest future firmware upgrades. Some don't play this or that kind of file. Some have Netflix, Hulu, Pandora built in, others don't. But if your box is missing some online service you want or can't play a particular file format, you're pretty much S.O.L.

With a media capable laptop or PC, which can be one you already own if it has decent hardware, you can pretty much download and install whatever players and software you like to provide whatever capabilities you like. Need more storage, just plug in an external USB drive, now even USB 3 drives. Or better still, if you have a decent home Wifi network, you can play files from any networked device in your household on your TV/PC setup. And you don't have to settle for whatever player interface the media player box has provided. You can install and use whatever software players that work best for your particular uses/style.

The landscape of streaming media and related services is constantly changing... New things emerge and other things die out.... A home theater PC can adapt to those changes pretty easily. A firmware bound media player box, by comparison, is likely to become more and more out of date as time goes by.

[SteeleJoe]

I've yet to understand the attraction and advantage of these media player devices over the alternative of simply connecting a laptop or regular PC with "video out" capability to your television and/or home theater system.

Some people don't have a laptop (let alone a Home Theater Laptop), or don't have one that they are willing to leave hooked up to the TV (unlike if you are single, you want something that doesn't have to go with you when you are out of the house but is still portable if the whole family goes; they are smaller and lighter than a laptop).

And a laptop isn't necessarily easily set among your A/V equipment, taking up small space and operated by a remote.

The thing that's turned me off about the different boxes I've looked at is they each have a certain set of functionalities built in... And pretty much whatever you get with your purchase, is all you're going to get...

Like a lot things. Probably people aren't hoping to get everything they ever wanted for a device that cost well under 10,000 baht. I know I'm not.

Some don't play this or that kind of file.

Video containers: mp4,mov,xvid,avi,divx,asf,wmv,mkv,rm,rmvb,flv,ts,m2ts,dat,mpg,vob,mts,tp,trp,iso

Video codecs: mpeg 1/2/4, h.264 VC-1, RM/RMVB

Audio formats: MP3, WAV, AAC,OGG,WAV,FLAC,AIFF,LPCM,WMA,Dolby Digital AC3,Dolby Digital Plus,DTS, Dolby Digital & DTS pass through

I think for 3,000 baht I'll be fairly satisfied with the above choices.

The landscape of streaming media and related services is constantly changing... New things emerge and other things die out.... A home theater PC can adapt to those changes pretty easily. A firmware bound media player box, by comparison, is likely to become more and more out of date as time goes by.

Just one of the reasons I plan to pay for only one of the cheapest; I'm not bothered if in a year (or sooner) there's something better that comes along and this one winds up being something my son uses or we use on a TV in a different room or whatever. 1 year -- that's paying 10 baht a day for all of the above capabilities and still having a decent little gadget to use in an auxillary fashion if one gets something better at the end of that year.

Of course my scenario doesn't apply to everyone but I think some of that might and I think there's plenty of good reasons why people would view this as a nice addition to there home theater. If one had a choice to have on of these for 3-6,000 baht or a Home theater laptop for the same price, well then sure, the laptop's the obvious choice -- but I'm fairly sure that they don't come that cheap.

Plus, gadgets are fun.

Edited April 16, 2011 by SteeleJoe

[jfchandler]

You raise some legitimate points, Joe...

In my case, I've long had a nothing special laptop for when I travel... Probably 5 years old now..but runs Win 7 OS and has Super VGA video out that works fine with my regular TV.

In the past, the laptop would just sit in the closet unused when I was home, where I'd be using a regular desktop PC as my main computer... But now, being abroad, the laptop takes on a whole new life as a media center in my home that can easily be hooked up to whatever TV and whatever location I choose. And it leaves my desktop PC free for regular work and business stuff.

I wouldn't particularly advocate someone going out and buying a computer just to use for media streaming.... although that would be my personal choice over buying a media player box, especially considering that good laptops these days can be had for between $300 and $500 U.S. if bought in the States.

But in my case, I didn't spend a dime extra.. Well, OK, I spent about $10 to buy the necessary audio and video cable to connect my laptop with my television and speakers. But other than that, it's just been making good and better use of something that used to just sit around the house waiting for me to travel.

I consider that, in my case, a better deal than even shelling out $100 (3000 baht) for a media player box.

[SteeleJoe]

Sure, JF I could understand YOU not wanting one (I understood if from the start why, all other things being equal, a laptop would be far superior in most respects). But you said you couldn't see the attraction and by implication meant for anyone.

If I had an extra laptop lying around I wouldn't be spending even 3,000 bat on media player. But for a number reasons there's no way I'm spending 20,000 baht on a laptop that would be nice to have but I don't actually need (I have a PC at home and one at work and and anything more than that is my case, in the category of a luxury rather than necessity: nce to have but that's it.) -- not when I can spend a fraction of that and have all my essential needs met.

Anyway, I feel kind of silly trying to sell these things! I don't see them as the be all and end all or necessarily the thing everybody should want or have.

But I want one - and I've convinced myself that it's worth buying.

[craigt3365]

SJ: I think your best bet is to get the WD Live. It's pretty much ranked #1. Easy to use, easy to find, plays everything I ever tried, rock solid. Almost every review I have read has put it at the top of the list. It's a great device.

As for a PC, if I am not mistaken, it does not have HDMI out. So, if you have a home stereo setup...or get one in the future...your picture quality and sound will suffer. I have a friend who uses his PC and it stutters from time to time and the PQ is just not as good as I get on mine. I only download HD movies with 5.1 surround sound (if available). Makes a huge difference.

And as you mentioned, that small box looks a lot better than a big PC sitting up there in your entertainment center.

But that Xtreamer Pro looks pretty cool!!!!

[sammycic]

SJ: I think your best bet is to get the WD Live. It's pretty much ranked #1. Easy to use, easy to find, plays everything I ever tried, rock solid. Almost every review I have read has put it at the top of the list. It's a great device.

As for a PC, if I am not mistaken, it does not have HDMI out. So, if you have a home stereo setup...or get one in the future...your picture quality and sound will suffer. I have a friend who uses his PC and it stutters from time to time and the PQ is just not as good as I get on mine. I only download HD movies with 5.1 surround sound (if available). Makes a huge difference.

And as you mentioned, that small box looks a lot better than a big PC sitting up there in your entertainment center.

But that Xtreamer Pro looks pretty cool!!!!

I agree with you 100%. I have a laptop with HDMI hooked up to one TV and would much rather use my WDTV LIVE on the other one.

[craigt3365]

SJ: I think your best bet is to get the WD Live. It's pretty much ranked #1. Easy to use, easy to find, plays everything I ever tried, rock solid. Almost every review I have read has put it at the top of the list. It's a great device.

As for a PC, if I am not mistaken, it does not have HDMI out. So, if you have a home stereo setup...or get one in the future...your picture quality and sound will suffer. I have a friend who uses his PC and it stutters from time to time and the PQ is just not as good as I get on mine. I only download HD movies with 5.1 surround sound (if available). Makes a huge difference.

And as you mentioned, that small box looks a lot better than a big PC sitting up there in your entertainment center.

But that Xtreamer Pro looks pretty cool!!!!

I agree with you 100%. I have a laptop with HDMI hooked up to one TV and would much rather use my WDTV LIVE on the other one.

I agree the WD interface is not perfect...but it's simple and easy to use with a very small remote. No mouse, no waiting for it to boot up, etc. It may not be the best option, but IMHO, one of the easiest. And it works just fine.