Brando's SATA HDD Multimedia Dock includes video-out, media player

Brando's SATA HDD Stage Rack doesn't stay the same for very long, as it seems a new iteration keeps popping up every month or so. The latest (and greatest, might we add) is the SATA HDD Multimedia Dock, which enables users to slap in any ole 2.5- / 3.5-inch SATA hard drive and access it via USB. That's not all, though. This one also provides an SD card slot, S-Video / composite / component outputs and a bundled remote -- what for, you ask? So you can play back MPEG1/2/4, XviD and DivX (among others) files, of course. This takes multifaceted to an entirely different platform, huh?

[Via Coolest-Gadgets]

[Fearless Bill @ Jul 30th 2008 7:10AM]

Cool! this is what I've been looking for, I wonder how much it retail on the street

[Rick White @ Jul 30th 2008 7:26AM]

You can probably just trade your media drive for it, and then you'll have an ultimate medi-oh noes, my pr0n!!!

[zfurie @ Jul 30th 2008 7:11AM]

Next iteration would allow you to plug in a motherboard.

[jay.viz @ Jul 30th 2008 7:25AM]

Isn't that what the USB is for?

[Wwhat @ Jul 30th 2008 8:07PM]

That went right over your head jay.viz

[Pang @ Jul 30th 2008 7:20AM]

mkv is surely our of the question

[GhostDoggy @ Jul 30th 2008 7:33AM]

If they make it into a DLNA appliance and make it cheak then they'll have something.

[Samo @ Jul 30th 2008 7:34AM]

This is starting to get out of hand now, isn't it?

Next up, built-in screen!

[Larry @ Jul 30th 2008 7:40AM]

How about ISO's? That would be great.

Add a torrent client/ethernet, and it could compete with the Popcorn Hour A-100.

[Joe @ Jul 30th 2008 9:14AM]

This might be called the QNAP TS- series

[Eric @ Jul 30th 2008 7:55AM]

http://usb.brando.com.hk/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00561

84.00

Only works with FAT32 drives

[Xepol @ Jul 30th 2008 7:50AM]

finally one worth paying for!

[ezkcdude @ Jul 30th 2008 7:56AM]

Great, but doesn't have HDMI - only S-vid and component.

[OneLove @ Jul 30th 2008 11:58AM]

if it had DVI or HDMI I would be sold. (just wait)

[Paul @ Jul 30th 2008 8:02AM]

holy crap thats a badass product

[Marvin Quach @ Jul 30th 2008 12:04PM]

holy crap thats a badass icon

[Tom McGee @ Jul 30th 2008 8:19AM]

It'd be great if they made one of these for SCSI drives so I could check my old ones for long lost data before tossing them.

[jimbolicious @ Jul 30th 2008 9:02AM]

man i really want this. but i wish someone had a review of it some place. is it just me, or does the plastic casing look kind of cheap in the close up shots? plus with the extra SD slot... man i need this...

[simbiot @ Jul 30th 2008 9:38AM]

Is there a remote with that thing? How do you select what you want to play back? Is there a GUI?

[computer.dude.28 @ Jul 30th 2008 11:13AM]

"This one also provides an SD card slot, S-Video / composite / component outputs and a bundled remote"

RTFA?

[Jamus @ Jul 30th 2008 9:39AM]

What a freakishly cool little device. I may have to try this one out.

[akbbell @ Jul 30th 2008 9:58AM]

I personally like the Sansa's TakeTV device better. It is a much simpler design. Unfortunately I think it is going away.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/20/sandisk-sansa-taketv-8gb-video-player-leaked/

[OneLove @ Jul 30th 2008 12:00PM]

Sorry, no takeTV for you.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/06/sandisk-kills-taketv-dead/

[Jordan Lee @ Jul 30th 2008 9:59AM]

I think mkv, iso, HDMI, and space for a second drive would complete this product. At the rate they're going four more generations should be done by the end of the year.

[moliseven @ Jul 30th 2008 11:04AM]

Works with ide HD?

[Dragod @ Jul 30th 2008 11:22AM]

They should just have a branded version of VLC Player on it. Then, almost any video/music file could be played almost indefinitely.

[Dee @ Jul 30th 2008 11:41AM]

Just because it can play back MPEG1/2/4, XviD and DivX doesn't mean it can play all files in this format. I'm sure movies encoded at high bit-rates would show up on your screen as slide shows, with the audio and video totally out of sync.

I fallen for devices that have the so called "play back" functionality, only to find out it the processing power of the device was crap and video would only show up if encoded to a lower bit rate. I think I'll pass on this, convenient dock though.

[Jamie @ Jul 30th 2008 12:03PM]

"A powerful tool for data transfer, backup and cloning"....how about HDD wiping. I would love to have that functionality built into it natively.

[David @ Jul 30th 2008 12:20PM]

I want a review..
FAT32 who cares. I already use 500GB FAT32 with my Philips DVP5982.
This would kill the need for philips!

This a killer product for us media backup junkies.

[mj @ Jul 30th 2008 12:34PM]

The really cool gadget would be a “cheap” PMP with TV out and USB host controller. This way you could plug-in you’re external/portable USB HDD or pendrive.
Cowon P5 does all that but the price is, well, not for me.

[epobirs @ Jul 30th 2008 12:54PM]

Now it just needs another USB port for a game controller and some emulators...

[The Professor @ Jul 30th 2008 1:15PM]

this maybe a silly question, is there a media player built-in? In other words, can this truly by hooked-up directly to the TV as it says...or does it need to go through a DVD player or other unit that can handle the different video/audio files?

[PiNPOiNT @ Jul 30th 2008 1:19PM]

I bought one of these, and i have yet to be able to get it to work. It shows up fine in windows, but keeps saying "HDD media Not Exist" when you try and list a folder. Support has been no help.

If anyone know's how to get it going please email me at justifun (at) gmail.com

I tried a 250gb sata formatted to fat 32 with partition magic. = no joy.

[Andrew @ Aug 17th 2008 3:30PM]

I've just bought one of these as well and had the same problem as yourself at first.

To use the media player you have to power it on WITHOUT the USB connected, otherwise it seems USB hogs the hard drive and the media player can't access it.

Additionally the instructions say you must have them in a folder called Movies, this isn't the case, it seems to list all folders and gives you options to play the whole folder, just the one film etc.etc.

Seems to play stuff quite well at first look, threw an avi and mpg at it of dubious quality/source and it played em straight off.

Happy bunny now.

[Dan @ Jul 30th 2008 1:27PM]

Next, an iPod slot to appease the Apple junkies!

[jeff allan @ Jul 30th 2008 1:29PM]

One word: Fugly

[greg @ Jul 30th 2008 2:28PM]

wow is that an sd slot in the pic too? But still I wonder how useful it is. I mean more than likely your going to have it attached to a computer to use the usb opinion. And in that case, you can just hook the tv to the computer and have a media center like setup.

[ShadowKain @ Jul 30th 2008 3:48PM]

Um, Media Extender anyone? Does more, and prb with better functionality than this.

[lanejasper69 @ Jul 30th 2008 4:11PM]

OMG

Here's my credit card number, please send ASAP

8888-8888-8888-8888 EXP 07-11

Thanks! (that does rule, but yes, ISO and MKV FTW!!!

[youngcalihottie @ Jul 30th 2008 6:49PM]

for a second i thought a hard drive was popping out of a polaroid! i say the next iteration should be able to take pictures on 600 film. lol.

[Wwhat @ Jul 30th 2008 8:08PM]

I don't like to operate HD's vertically, it's one of the things that would repel me from purchasing this.

[Queco Jones @ Jul 31st 2008 12:50AM]

Interesting... I still think my UltraDock v4 (from Wiebetech) is more useful though...

[paulinstl @ Aug 5th 2008 12:44PM]

i don't see any eSATA output.

[Renat @ Aug 15th 2008 1:00AM]

Look what I found...

* SATA 3.5 Inch HDD Enclosure
* Max HDD Size: 500GB
* Construction: Aluminium and Plastic
* File System: FAT32 or NTFS
* Supported Media Formats: AVI, ASF, VOB, DAT, MP4, DIVX, XVID, MP3, JPEG, WAV, WMA, MPEG2
* Subtitle Formats: smi, srt, sub, txt, psb, ass, ssa
This unit is not capable of playing native 720P or 1080P HD content files *.wmv9 for example.
* Outputs:
- HDMI
- Component Video (Yr,Pr,Cr)
- S-Video
- Composite Video
- Left and Right Channel Audio Out (RCA)
- Digital Audio Out (Coaxial)
* Inputs:
- USB up to 2 GB
- SD Card up to 2 GB
* USB: 2.0
* System: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS 9.2 or later
* Power Source: 5 + 12 VDC (Power Brick Provided)
* Dimension: 208mm x 42mm x 117mm (L x W x D)
* Manufacturer Ref.: 64SSDDO509Q8

Other Features:

* Cool Blue Screen
* Cooling Fan
* Easy Navigation by Remote or Front Panel Buttons

Accessories:

* Manual
* USB Cable
* HDMI Cable
* Remote Control
* S-Video Cable
* Stereo RCA Cable
* AV Cable (RCA)
* Stand
* Screwdriver
* Power Adapter

http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.php/pName/awesome-sata-hdd-media-enclosure-with-hdmi/