Hama PhotoPlayer 1080i digital picture viewer

Hey there Ansel Adams -- we know you're shooting all your news pictures in an ultra-detailed, millions-of-megapixels format. Unfortunately for you, it's hard to show off your breathtaking work to friends and family. Well, a company called Hama hopes to change all that with its PhotoPlayer 1080i, a curious device that serves one basic function: it allows you to view your photos on an HD television. Basically, the little contraption is a 35-in-1 card reader which also outputs images (via component hookups) to your favorite 1080i-equipped display. The PhotoPlayer comes with a tiny remote for flipping through your majestic vision, and also includes a USB jack (for hard drives and the like), so you can go for a really, really long haul during your presentations. We can hear the "oohs" and "ahhs" already. Available now, no word on price.

[Via PhotographyBLOG]

[Azayzel @ Dec 4th 2007 10:11AM]

What a waste. Why bother simply hooking up a media reader to you HD set when you can connect up a HTPC? The TV costs quite a pretty penny, so why bother with a little gizmo when you can hook up your own system and design your own slide-shows sans intermediary device? Not to mention people who are shooting images worth viewing in HD probably aren't going to bother with an el-cheapo photo rig, so they won't need this device as well. Nice try!

[Kevin @ Dec 4th 2007 10:24AM]

Plus more and more HDTVs are coming with USB ports to hook-up USB sticks or USB card readers to display your photos directly onto the TV. This product will be obsolete very quickly (if it isn't already).

[Electromodo @ Dec 4th 2007 10:30AM]

@Azayzel

Even 3-5 MP old cameras still deliver pictures in at least 1080 lines (1920x1080) and they look great on HD TV. All the modern point-and-shoot cameras are far better than that.

BTW, not mean to troll here, but... my 1080p TV has a USB port, that can be used with flash drive full of photos. TV itself browses through the photos on flash drive. Also, I checked that many recent TVs have this function. So I guess I do not need this thing.

[Mutant @ Dec 5th 2007 3:34PM]

My HDTV (a 2 yr old Panasonic plasma) has SD and PC card slots but it does a terrible job of displaying pictures on the screen. It doesn't adjust the size of the picture to fit the screen. I personally use my Xbox 360 but if I didn't have one then I would consider a box like this.

By the way if you are showing still pictures 1080i or 1080p will look the same.

[farfisa @ Dec 4th 2007 10:20AM]

Can composite hookups even carry an HD signal?

[Zak @ Dec 4th 2007 11:28AM]

It has component cables, not composite. Component cables can carry an HD signal.

[shawnwaite @ Dec 4th 2007 10:32AM]

farfisa.. FTA, "component" (Engadget mis-print)

..having used several "devices" to display my photos on my HDTV, i hope this thing is fast, lack of speed is a deal breaker. Even TV's w/ built in readers are slow.

The Wii, not HD
The DVD player, slow.
Dish Network 622, usb drive, slow

currently using a MacBook to get high res goodness.

[Mark @ Dec 4th 2007 11:02AM]

cmon. that thing looks like more chinese junk.

awesome specs, but will eventually break early or fail to deliver.

[kuade @ Dec 4th 2007 11:04AM]

I already have one, it is called a PS3.... Oh, it is 1080p too.

[badenglishihave @ Dec 4th 2007 11:41AM]

Why do they use "1080i" in the product name? The 'i' stands for interleaved, which is only used in video... why would they need that for pictures? My only guess is they put it there so that consumers make the association with HDTV.

[coolsnack @ Jan 8th 2008 10:36PM]

The device has a video output for an HDTV with a stream that contains the pictures. Televisions require video (as opposed to "pictures") and 1080i (interlaced) is the cheapest HD signal to generate.

[Will @ Dec 4th 2007 3:01PM]

When did they switch from making bombs to electronics?

[chris fredette @ Dec 4th 2007 5:32PM]

You are all missing the point, I think.
I have a older version of this from sandisk that you hook up to any TV. We originally got ti for grandma to look at digital photos on her tv. My only complaint it that it isn't HD like this one. I paid $20 for it so that would be a ton cheaper than a PS3 or a HTPC.
I use it now in the kitchen on a 26" hdtv and it makes it quite a large picture frame. For some reason most TV's under 32" don't have SD cards or USB inputs. You could probably get a cheap 19" monitor and hook this up for a instant picture frame.
This would also be a lot quieter and use less power than a 360, PS3, or computer.