SanDisk Sansa TakeTV hands-on

by Ryan Block, posted Oct 22nd 2007 at 4:20PM

Well, after about a day and a half of anticipation, we've got a TakeTV of our own to fool around with. First thing that struck us: this ain't your mom's USB flash drive -- unless your mom carries around a Zachmorrisphone, because the TakeTV is big. (But it's not really intended for taking out of the house and using on the daily, so it's not like that's really any big deal.) The remote is thin and blister-buttoned (meh) but the play button is unusually, satisfyingly large. The video dock the TakeTV plugs into doesn't have any rubber grips though, so the thick cable is liable to push it around (or over). Other than that, we haven't much else to say since our unit (which was possibly pre-release hardware) is having some trouble getting up and running. Check back soon, we'll let you know how Fanfare and the rest works out.

Gallery: SanDisk Sansa TakeTV hands-on

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Portable Video, Storage

Tags: fanfare, hands-on, sandisk, sansa, taketv

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

EngadgetFanBoi @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:31PM

The fact the SanDisk thought this was a good idea kinda bothers me.

Neutral

pagercam @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:34PM

SanDisk ussually has strong products, website looks cool, device is clunky.

Neutral

D.L. @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:50PM

Does it play non-DRM'ed Divx/Xvid files?

Neutral

Meng Bomin @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:16AM

I believe so. It's just that the store only sells DRMed files. Kind of like how the iTunes store used to sell only DRMed files but the iPod played both DRM and non-DRM (could be applied to a wide variety of products).

Neutral

Gadgie @ Oct 22nd 2007 4:54PM

... I guess it wouldn't be so bad if the total price is not much more than comparable regular flash drive, but it just seems like such low-tech.

Isn't this what networks are for? Media streamer anyone?

Neutral

Mike @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:40PM

$100 for 4GB and $150 for 8GB (USD)

Neutral

JamesR @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:10PM

If you have to go to the website and click each show to DL that would be a nightmare.

If you can leave it docked and subscribe to the shows so they're DL'd by the time you get home each day I could see this being some value to people who don't have a HTPC.

Neutral

Mike @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:39PM

Sneakernet FTW!

Neutral

Sirocco @ Oct 22nd 2007 5:41PM

How can I fit this into my already media-packed lifestyle? And if it's not intended to leave my house, doesn't my DVR already serve the same purpose (i.e., to record TV shows)?

Neutral

M Burke @ Oct 22nd 2007 6:00PM

this actually seems to make sense, if you don't DVR all your shows, or download shows you cannot normally access (Dexter on showtime or something) putting them on here is a good idea... what's the res?

Neutral

ryantrevisol @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:14PM

COMPOSITE VIDEO? Welcome to 1997!

Neutral

John @ Oct 22nd 2007 7:27PM

http://tinyurl.com/39qlpt

Neutral

Drew @ Oct 22nd 2007 9:38PM

Awesome, another "HD" DVD player than can't read any HD content. I'd buy the TakeTV just for the fact that they don't lie about what they can do with HD.

Almost no Component lines on TVs can take 1080p despite the fact it was around way longer than HDMI and isn't all sticky with DRM options. You have two corporations fighting over what to put their HD movies on. Then, they want to broadcast in HD, but fail to even set a standard. What's so great about HD again? I know the PS3 I bought for $500 won't run on the 720p line my TV claims to support. Of course, I can drop another $1-5k and hope the next HDTV actually does a couple of the things they claim. Even better, while shopping for a TV the only website that actually lists all the for real supported formats on their input channels is Circuit City. I'm glad they could figure out what these TVs can do, I sure know I can't.

I'll stick with my 480p connection to my SD Tivo, maybe pick this up (since it's reasonably priced) for the ease of having --SOMETHING-- that can read both files and DivX.

Neutral