TViX's new media device does HD

So we peeped one of TViX's hard drive enclosures last year, and some of you were asking about HD support. Here's the latest from them, which does indeed support HD content at up to 1080i, and the form factor's been changed up somewhat so that it's not really an enclosure anymore — it's designed to take USB 2.0 external drives as well as flash drive, flash readers and digital cameras via USB host functionality. If you've got a tv tuner it can serve as a settop box, and this time around it's also sporting ethernet connectivity for playing files across the LAN. It's doing DVI, component, S-video and composite connectivity, and also has a coax optical audio output. We know it supports WMV9, DivX, Xvid and MPEG 1 and 2, but we don't know when and how much other than "coming soon."

[Thanks, Rick]

[Joshua @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

That is one sweet coffee grinder!

[Scoobydoo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Holy crap Batman! I'll take 3 of these please! :)

[Jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

what? and no tanning bed?

[Russ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

This does look pretty wicked. How long before there is a fully-fledged PC running Windows Media Center in a similar form factor?

"if you've got a tv tuner it can serve as a settop box"? I guess that means TIVO style functionality? The only thing I'd be scared of is buying one -> then the company going kaput and there would be no support for all the multitude of codecs out there (newer versions of Divx, etc), no further onboard software upgrades. The best thing they could do is get linux on it, and open up the APIs for the open source community! Then you know it'll continue to get support.

[Noname @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

I have been using the existing TVix model for some months and I must compliment it's role as a multimedia enabler. It is running Linux but there is no sdk released that I'm aware. This new version sounds like an improvement although I was waiting for WIFI and Matroska support. Price will also be a factor. I'm less afraid of company closing because the features supported is inherently determined by the onboard chip and there's only so much it can do. I would like to know more details about the Sigma Design EM8621 chipset it uses.

[dschamis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Does anyone know of the DVI output requires HDCP? Logic would say not, but you never know.

[EatingPie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

No Firewire?

Whelp, can't serve as an *HD DVR*, as firewire (and 5C) is required for HD recording. :(

-Pie

[Bob The Pirate @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

GIMME SOME GOD DAMNED HDMI SUPPORT!!!

[Garrett @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

I'm talking WIFI here. Matroska would be nice, but not a bargain breaker for me personally.

Odds it could be tricked with a USB WIFI solution?

[Yuriv @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

According to the manufacturer's website: "Wireless LAN 802.11b/g (optional)". This means that you could have media stream from your home PC to the TivX via wireless LAN if you purchase the model with this functionality.
Regarding the comment "if you've got a tv tuner it can serve as a settop box", the manufacturer's site also indicates that an optional feature is to have the unit with a built in ATSC tuner. No PVR functionality unfortunately.
These are interesting options that could be worth looking onto depending on the pricing. I just wish they had stuck with a cube design instead of going with a tube - some classic form factors shouldn't be messed with.
I do wonder if I could hook my iPod directly into this unit and have it access the stored music.

[Yuriv @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Ok, I just heard back from the company, and here are some details:

1) The product is scheduled for release at end-August.

2) The price here in Korea will be 265,000 Korean Won (about US$260).

3) The wireless LAN version will be available around October, and will be able to output media streamed from a PC. The LAN function is a target feature and is not guaranteed (I don't know if this is also true of the wireless LAN, as the company only specified this for wired LAN).

4)The unit will function as a PVR and will be able to record HDTV (if you have the version with the built in ATSC tuner). However, the company is not yet certain whether time shifting will be possible. This makes me wishit would have a standard NTSC tuner, so that I could record regular broadcasts as well.

It certainly sounds pricey, considering no storage is on board. However, this is an impressive list of features, and PVR functionality makes it something I am very interested in.

[Anugraha @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

When I first saw this I thought it was designed around a top-loading DVD player, sadly not true.

I've got no experience of this brand. Can someone say if it will stream from a remote DVD player (PC/Mac) on the LAN?

N

[Anugraha @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

When I first saw this I thought it was designed around a top-loading DVD player, sadly not true.

I've got no experience of this brand. Can someone say if it will stream from a remote DVD player (PC/Mac) on the LAN?

N

[Dave man Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

Retarded idea. If you want it in your car you have to worry about two things the external hard drive, and the player itself.An enclosure is a much better idea.Savit micro offers all these features and you dont even need a PC to transfer pictures or videos from your camera.Much better stuff out there :)

[Mark @ Dec 19th 2005 1:24AM]

http://www.enuri.com/Index.jsp?midURL=%2Fsearch%2FSearchlist.jsp&last_keyword=&korder=No&wordtype=1&lcatename=&nosale=&search_all=YES&factory=&disp_keyword=&const_keyword=&kordername=%253A%253F%253F&page=&pagesize=&kModelCode=&kUserId=&chk_modelno=&first_search=NO&sMaxPrice=&const_category=&key=&kMCategory=&searchtype=0&shopcode=&cmdchg=YES&keyword=tvix&sMinPrice=&from=search&cmd=imglist&lcate=&const_knowkind=&searchkind=1

Above link is to a big online store aggregation site here in Korea with prices and info on electronics.

They're selling the M-3000U with formatted 200GB HDD for 224,000 won (about US$216). The M-5000U is listed and is said to be released in September.

The TVIX company product page confirms the 265,000 won price for the M-5000U ($256)