Netgear Digital Entertainer HD reviewed

While it's neither as small nor as hackable as the Apple TV, the folks at Laptop magazine seem to think Netgear's newly-launched Digital Entertainer HD EVA8000 will find its share of fans, with it snagging a respectable four out of five rating in their review. Helping it earn those high marks is its support for a wide range of video formats, including YouTube videos, as well as its support for Internet radio and RSS feeds, and its inclusion of the all-important HDMI port (which was lacking on Netgear's earlier WVA700 unit). On the downside, the lack of 802.11n support resulted in some troubles streaming full 1080p files, and the initial setup proved to be somewhat time consuming, even when they opted for the so-called "basic" mode. Despite those quibbles, they weren't hesitant to call the EVA8000 "as good as it gets" -- at least for those not dependent on their library of iTunes content.