EZfetch Wireless HD Digital Media Player gets official

We certainly haven't been starved for media streamers of late, and if you reckoned the feature-packed EZfetch Wireless HD Digital Media Player would be priced right out of your league, guess again. This multifaceted unit, which appeared just days ago on the FCC's website, is now officially available to anyone interested -- and for $249, no less. Yep, for the price of a (likely sold-out) Wii, users can pick up a snazzy streaming box that pulls in content from Nokia N-series mobiles, PCs, NAS drives and a slew of WiFi-enabled devices in order to light up your living room TV. Furthermore, the gizmo plays nice with more formats than you can shake a stick at, and it's shipping now to those who simply can't resist.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

[timo @ Nov 2nd 2007 5:41AM]

me wants one

[Mike @ Nov 2nd 2007 5:51AM]

Confused: HD, but only composite and s-video outs? (Most TV's don't use DVI).
Where's the component and/or HDMI connectors?!

[404error @ Nov 2nd 2007 6:06AM]

That's what DVIHDMI cables/adapters are for. =3

[DAZA @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:39AM]

HDMI is pin for pin compatible with DVI. It essentially is DVI with audio, in a much nicer plug.

[skhawaja @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:02AM]

includes DVI-D to HDMI adapter

visit mfg website next time

[404error @ Nov 2nd 2007 6:08AM]

DVI to HDMI*

[Kevin @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:58AM]

So you would have to spend at least $25 more for an adapter. Why not spend the extra $75 and get a PS3 that does a lot more?

[Marshall @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:01AM]

Monoprice - DVI/HDMI adapter or cable will run you about $5.

[Dan @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:12AM]

If you look at the website, the package contents include a 'DVI-D to HDMI adapter', so there ya go, problem solved. Plus a PS3 is $150 more than this.

[coverjunk @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:03AM]

It streams DivX (HD), H.264, VOB, Quicktime, VC-1 (HD) WMV (HD), Xvid, but no MKV?

No go for me.

Firmware update?

[Nick Catalano @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:53AM]

I came in here to say just that. Where is mkv support? It can't be that freaking hard to do, it is just a container

[Dan @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:53AM]

Agreed! If this supported x264 encoded MKVs, I would be buying it right now...

[Russ @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:24AM]

i like. i hope they let open source hackers get inside it..

[Nils @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:08AM]

And connect it to EZTV :-)

[Mak @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:20AM]

You would have to be insane to buy this, the PS3 does all this and more, for just $100 extra.

[Majortom1981 @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:28AM]

$100 extra is alot of money.

[John @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:57AM]

Add it does not eat as much electricity.
That is just like those people who use thier $1000 Dual Core PC as an electronic picture frame most of the day.

[Mak @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:20AM]

Nonsense, the price of a good meal and a few beers.

[Zak @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:35AM]

I really hope that Microsoft flips the switch this fall and gives us DivX support on the Xbox 360. I'm still using my Xbox 1 with XBMC, but i'm starting to find more and more HD content that it just doesn't have the horsepower to play.

[alisse @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:36AM]

No 802.11n? Can't run ethernet -- showstopper for me. Otherwise it looks pretty cool.

[DAZA @ Nov 2nd 2007 8:40AM]

It can use Ethernet, there's a photo of a "LAN" port in the bottom picture..

[Marshall @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:02AM]

I think he's saying that He can't run ethernet. Perhaps born without thumbs?

Marshall
------------
The Real HT Info Podcast

[booticon @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:35AM]

Mak, can you please get over the fact that there *may* be people out there who just don't want a PS3? As shown by your comment history you've been whoring it for months, and while the 40GB is a pretty good deal, maybe some people just want to do a single thing that's done sufficiently by a nice and tidy package.

[Mak @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:19AM]

So you are telling me that your TV and Home Theatre setup uses no electricity?

The new 40GB PS3 uses 130w of electricity, which pales into insigificance compared to a big plasma/TFT and home theatre amp.

[Joseph @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:38AM]

No HDMI??? :-(

[Galley @ Nov 2nd 2007 9:45AM]

DVI? What is this, 2003?

[Mr Yuk @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:32AM]

The website says it comes with the HDMI to DVI adapter, and I'm sure it's a heck of a lot quieter than a PS3.

[Ken @ Nov 2nd 2007 10:32AM]

Well for one, I don't buy Sony.

Don't want a PS3 because it does nothing extra without games. Those games cost more money.

Don't want Blue Ray. Blue Ray movies cost more money.

Would like the extra $100 to watch all of my media content without the overhead of a console system.

[Jugomugo @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:00AM]

Eww. No MAC OSX support? Wonder if you could support it on MAC using VMware Fusion.

[Fergus Kane @ Nov 2nd 2007 11:33AM]

Still needs a PC, so no real point. It it could access NAS without a PC, might be worth something.

[RogerX @ Nov 11th 2007 7:36PM]

It does use standalone NAS. Follow the link and view the product description for more deets. :)

[Yannick @ Nov 12th 2007 3:20PM]

Actually if your NAS runs a UPnP AV Media Server like Twonkyvision you don`t need to keep your PC running.

[Fergus Kane @ Nov 12th 2007 10:29AM]

Hmm, I can't tell from the page. The following paragraphy worried me: 'By using the included CD to install SimpleCenter software onto your PC, you create the connection and get your digital devices talking to EZfetch over your digital home network' Does that mean you need your PC on? If so, too bad.

[DigDug @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:08PM]

To bad it doesn't come with an HDMI port, I guess I gotta get an adaptor for the DVI.

[skhawaja @ Nov 3rd 2007 5:06AM]

comes with DVI-D to HDMI adapter

visit mfg website next time

[Neeko @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:32PM]

why out the USB port in the FRONT. THATS DUMB.

[Neeko @ Nov 2nd 2007 12:36PM]

SORRY I MENT WHY PUT*

[RogerX @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:17PM]

This is a device I have been waiting a long time for. Just the right featureset (except I was hoping for a $299 model with a DVD player, since my Wii won't play back DVDs.) I would replace my DVD player and kludgey XP box that I use now.

I still see value in a small PC to some degree (I'm using an old 1.5GHz Dell with S-Video out right now), especially in the flexibility of something like Windows MCE or (more likely) MythTV. You can put in an HD-DVD, Blu-Ray, or DVD drive and play back. You can put in a tuner and use it as a PVR. And dual-core CPU and motherboard combos can be had for $129, so I don't understand the comment about "$1000 dual-core systems." Still, this is small, low-wattage, and elegant, so I'm likely to dump the PC next to the TV. I don't want another video game console (the whole family gets along great with the Wii), but I did want DVD support. Guess I'll just have to have a small one of those on another set of inputs for now. :(

Also, I disagree with the negative remarks about the USB on front. One on the rear would have been nice for something like a hard drive, but for small flash drives, this is perfect. Someone brings over their stick, plugs it in, you watch, pull it out.

I will personally commit to buying three of these at $299 if EZ4media made one with a DVD player included (slot load, laptop-sized, right below the USB port.)

[porath @ Nov 2nd 2007 6:18PM]

if you're looking for mkv playback, you can find it in the new syabas based player at www.popcornhour.com . why engadget still hasn't done a story on this player is beyond me. i'll submit it to them in a few minutes. very limited availability for now, but i'd say it's worth waiting for for hdmi, mkv and soft subtitle support.

[Ben @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:52PM]

I'm liking my ziova CS500. All this and more.

http://www.ziova.com/

[porath @ Nov 2nd 2007 7:59PM]

according to the feature list on their website, that box doesn't seem to support 1080p or mkv. has it had firmware updates to support those features?

[LexDiamonds @ Nov 6th 2007 3:01PM]

Whats the deal with the songs/videos on your iTunes? I've purchased an extHDD hooked up to my AirportExtreme and I'm looking to rip all of my DVD's and load in HD media. This thing can stream that as well correct?

I don't understand why I can't find a catch-all. I heard the slingcatcher is going to do the majority of what I need but I simply want something that can play all of my media onto my TV without me having to spend hours converting it to WMV (XBOX360)or adding it all to iTunes (AppleTV) or whatever else these other machines can cookup to make me pull my hair out.