Netgear Digital Entertainer EVA700 announced

While everyone's all stoked about that new Netgear Skype handset, we almost forgot that Netgear makes regular home networking stuff too. Today, the company announced its new Digital Entertainer (EVA700), meda streamer that'll even take your snaps n' flicks on your computer across the house and display them on that flat screen hotness that anchors your living room. The EVA700 ($270) has a convenient USB port on the front and on the flip side is decked out with everything you'd expect: Ethernet, WiFi, RCA ports, S-Video, S/PDIF, a SCART jack (for you Euros in the house), and will play plethora of audio and video types, including XviD. Now, while this brushed metal bundle of joy does play 1080p (downcoverted), we'd still really like some HDMI love in the near future. Whaddyasay, Netgear, you want to take on that iTV, or what?

[George Younis @ Sep 26th 2006 7:36AM]

sweet.. Id get one

[Chris @ Sep 26th 2006 7:42AM]

It looks like it is Windows-only given the details on the product page. Not much of an iTV contender then afterall. Although I'd love a way of getting my xvid content streamed from my Mac to the TV - who else is assuming the iTV will be locked down no-xvid anyway?

[Stegmaier @ Sep 26th 2006 8:11AM]

man. felling the iTV in a single blow! This thing is just what the doctor ordered. ftw.

[bob @ Sep 26th 2006 8:14AM]

"man. felling the iTV in a single blow! This thing is just what the doctor ordered. ftw."

how, through the lack of hdmi, or beacuase the iTV will almost definatly be using 11N?

[stuart @ Sep 26th 2006 10:06AM]

DLNA compliant. You can stream direct from a NAS to this device - no PC or Mac necessary. this is one of the first AV devices i have seen like this that complies to DLNA (and i've been looking, believe me)

[valiymt @ Sep 26th 2006 8:33AM]

Dlink was first in this area with Dlink HD media player . It works great for me

[zargon @ Sep 26th 2006 8:54AM]

I am possibly interested, but if it requires their stupid server, forget it! I am sick of all these media streamers that force you to use their software just to use the device for two reasons. 1, I have to use it to use the player and 2, I don't run Windows and I haven't found one that supports linux with a linux based server.

I have a 2 TB HDD array that I use as my NAS and I run it based on linux since I could create a custom distro that can fit on a 32 MB flash that I boot off of. I have a Roku Photobridge HD-1000 right now, well sort of, due to their crappy design the power supply went. It however was great while it lasted and the third party support is still amazing. It supports all shares type, Windows, OSX, Samba and NFS. No software needed, you just dropped the application some where on one of the shares and off you go. The only draw back, was the audio and video support. Due to third party it got better, supported most of the audio formats, but... the video was limited to mpeg-2 (including HD) due to the chip set on board.

Apparently Roku is releasing a new Photobridge sometime Q4 of this year or Q1 of next year. Suppose to support Mpeg-4 formats and what not, but due to their horrible support of the Photobridge and basically giving up on it and leaving a lot of people high and dry. I am not sure if I would like to support them. I will wait and see, because DIVCO is also scheduled to release a update to their TVIX M5000 (best media streamer on the market right now with out breaking the bank), the TVIX M5101 that is suppose to support even more formats, mainly the new HD ones like .264 and WMV-HD. The TVIX line up also does not require specialized software and can see the major types of shares.

The only thing that would bring me to the Roku if it did in fact have the same specs, is the third party support. Roku labs is all about a open SDK that has spawned amazing software for their gear. Plus, I have yet to hear any complaint about their SoundBridge line up, what they are really famous for. The Photobridge was almost like a after thought, an experiment to them. Hopefully they do the next one right.

Should be interesting to see what comes out end of this year or early next year. I will be getting something!

[Sam D @ Sep 26th 2006 9:20AM]

I am looking for something with many of the same features as you zargon, surely something like GMediaServer would give you access to a linux server?

[zargon @ Sep 26th 2006 9:37AM]

GMediaServer may work, I have not stumbled across it. I just do not like the fact that I have to use any software. Also, from what I have read, certain devices are locked to their own software.

I suppose I could always reinstall VMWare and install Windows XP. Though, it probably would tax my system too much. I wonder if I could get the wife to let me get a dual dual core system? Then I could run a full fledge Windows XP in VMware and also run that Xen software that virtualizes Windows application to X in linux! Yeah right, keep dreaming.

I really think the best two solutions for my cause are going to be the replacement for the Roku Photobridge or the TVIX M5101. I assume the Photobridge will be in the $300 price point, maybe $400 and the TVIX M5101 should fall in the $300 to $500 price point.

[tofu @ Sep 26th 2006 10:29AM]

These have been out for a while... DLNA compliant too... http://www.buffalotech.com/products/multimedia.php

[LD @ Sep 26th 2006 10:35AM]

These types of products ARE NOTHING NEW.

There have been wireless XPMC extenders for quite a while. Hell, going way back (5 years?) there was the PrismIQ which is at least as good as this thing probably.

THIS IS NOT NEW TECHNOLOGY.

[KieranMullen @ Sep 26th 2006 10:44AM]

Not new. Try again...

I have a dlink medialounge which I picked up off ebay for $80 which does divix & xvid mp3s streaming etc. New ones without DVD are $199 at bestbuy.com

I added tversity.com server software and that extended the devices abilities quite a bit.

[stuart @ Sep 26th 2006 11:45AM]

@tofu - cheers!

@ld - the dlna aspect is. every other product out there required your pc to be on acting as a server. now you don't need pc or mac on just cos u want to watch a film or listen to music in the lounge (or wherever). i have a kiss 1504 which does a good job, but its a PITA to have to boot up pc just to watch a film.

[zargon @ Sep 28th 2006 7:55AM]

Not true, like I said, the Roku Photobridge and the TVIX line has been able to access shares (NAS, external harddrives, etc...) with out a computer in the middle.

DLNA is a great idea, but isn't going to do much. Companies are still going to take the easy road and create devices that need a server running.

[oldman @ Nov 22nd 2006 1:49PM]

if one wants a a mediabox which can connect to a Linux box then look at KISS. Myself has a Kiss dp500 with mhhlink SW on the Linux box. I bought it 3 years ago and been happy since.Streaming from my PC and any other device that can connect to a Linux PC. (audio,video or picture) The SW for the KISS runs on both windows and Linux since it is java. The SW mhhlink is a special designed fork of HellLink(pure java) for the Linux. The mhhlink also supports streaming from the internet and podcasting to the KISS player. The Kiss player also supports KML so you can build your own functions.