Popcorn Hour puts A-110 HD media streamer, B-110 mobo up for pre-order

Who knows if Popcorn Hour really is still working on a couple more HD media streamers, but its latest one is definitely up for pre-order. First whispered about a few months back, the $215 A-110 is a revamped A-100 that adds 2.5- / 3.5-inch SATA HDD and USB Slave functionality, HDMI 1.3a support (for full HD audio pass-through) and an optical S/PDIF to replace the coaxial S/PDIF socket. For those of you looking for even more flexibility, you can take a look at the outfit's new B-110 Baseline. This "Home Theater Motherboard" arrives with the media enthusiast in mind, boasting support for HDMI 1.3a, optical / coaxial S/PDIF connectors, four USB 2.0 ports and a mini-ITX form factor. Both pieces should ship out within two to four weeks, but considering just how sticky things were when the A-100 launched, we'd tack on a few weeks to that estimation just in case.

[Thanks, Stephen and Jeff]

[Neeko @ Aug 4th 2008 9:16AM]

There will b a huge wait list for this product. The previous version still has a 1-2 week waiting period. But its nice they have upgraded the HW.

[Teaser @ Aug 4th 2008 10:11AM]

No waiting in Sweden. Can pick it up in every store and walk out (after paying).

[sam @ Aug 4th 2008 9:23AM]

Still no gigabit ethernet though:( would help alot with 4.4gb .mkv files.

[macgerry @ Aug 4th 2008 9:47AM]

you don't need gigabit for the size of the files, I have never had a problem with mkv that are 9gb or so.

Does this new version mean that the DTS will work through the tv now without a need for any other equipment ?

[Rich @ Aug 4th 2008 10:18AM]

The PCH doesn't have enough horsepower to even reach the limits of its existing 100Mbit connection, so Gigabit LAN is totally pointless.

[SuperQ @ Aug 4th 2008 11:06AM]

The maximum bandwidth for a BluRay movie is 54mbps, so you really don't need anything over 100mbps.

[Jonyah @ Aug 4th 2008 12:01PM]

gigabit would be great if the chipset could actually run fast enough to support it. if you don't actually have a drive in the machine though it doesn't matter. it's more than fast enough to stream any size file over a standard connection.

I love my popcorn and have been waiting for the 1.3 version to buy more (have 2 now). won't be long till every tv in the house is wired in.

[sam @ Aug 4th 2008 9:24AM]

would be good if they created a version with an integrated bluray reader drive too, they are only £75 ish, it would then be able to play anything you throw at it.

[Pete @ Aug 4th 2008 9:38AM]

Still no cooling fan. Still no DTS decoding.

[avester @ Aug 4th 2008 9:54AM]

No cooling fan = THIS THING IS SO DAMN HOT IT CRASHES GIVE US A FAN OR DEATH!

Cooling fan = THIS THING IS SO DAMN LOUD, WHAT KIND OF AN IDIOT PUTS A FAN TO A MEDIA STREAMER, TAKE THE FAN OUT OR DEATH!

[freakinsyco @ Aug 4th 2008 9:57AM]

Aww poo. DTS decoding would really have made me consider the upgrade from my current PCH.

[Loban @ Aug 4th 2008 10:00AM]

@ avester

I don't know why you would think a tiny little 40mm cooling fan in a little media device would be loud.

[Jim @ Aug 4th 2008 10:09AM]

Their website claims to have a DTS codec as well as DTS passthrough:
http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/index.php?pluginoption=catalog&task=info&item_id=6&main_id=0&category_id=

[Evan @ Aug 4th 2008 12:32PM]

A fan doesn't have to be loud. I put a PCI slot cooling fan in its hard drive bay, and it's whisper quiet!

[Loban @ Aug 4th 2008 10:00AM]

That figures. I just ordered my A-100 2 weeks ago and it's due to ship tomorrow. Oh well, I can't take advantage of all the new HD stuff anyway (video or audio) and I've run out of optical audio ports on my receiver. All I have left is a coaxial audio port, so the A-100 is perfect for my setup. The only thing I like about the A-110 over the A-100 (at least for me) is the USB port in the back and the new black paint job. ;)

[RoroCo @ Aug 4th 2008 10:00AM]

Are they ever going to get a wireless version?

[Tom @ Aug 4th 2008 11:24AM]

just plug in a usb wlan stick. since the latest firmware upgrade drivers are included.

[leland @ Aug 4th 2008 10:01AM]

Check the boards before you buy one of these. While it does play back MKV pretty well the interface looks like it's from 1995 and there are countless bugs (though they have been good about patching every few months).

[Loban @ Aug 4th 2008 11:11AM]

For enthusiasts (those who actually buy these things), the interface is the least of their concerns. The crappy interface is due to the fact that the CPU in this thing is dinky. Your cell phone's CPU is probably more powerful. It's just there to handle the interface and that's about it. All the media work is done by the video processor. A better CPU for a better interface would generate more heat, draw more power, and would be more expensive. I'd rather have a crappy interface and keep the passive cooling and cheap price.

[7on @ Aug 4th 2008 10:16AM]

I just ordered one. I needed an SATA interface to use larger HDDs and they gave me that :)

[Loban @ Aug 4th 2008 11:10AM]

Just FYI, there are adapters to put a SATA drive in the A-100s.

[MetalMusicAddict @ Aug 4th 2008 10:18AM]

I wish someone would have done a better job on that product image. Why can't anyone seem to get reflections or shine right? :) The perspective is also wrong on the circle cut-out for the box. (far right edge of box) Should have a kinda oval to it whereas that looks strait on.

And someone get them a better Engadget logo to use. :) (http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/images/review-A100/logo_engadget.png)

Art nit-picking aside, I've used the previous one and was quite pleased. Though this new one is a step up, I still have my gripes. Defiantly a company/product to keep an eye on though.

[Scuba Steve @ Aug 4th 2008 11:25AM]

It's a minor h/w upgrade according to their own people...not a rearchitecture...and the original model is still plagued with defects and warts.

Example, I bought the thing to stream ripped DVDs...but the 5.1 audio on the disks is artificially low due to a defect in the Sigma chip libraries they are using. I'm not talking about a small nit here..and not just issues associated with the audio because the 5.1 track has broader range. It is a known defect that drops the volume of 5.1 tracks SIGNIFICANTLY...and the issue prevents us from using the PCH on any TV in our house for watching ripped DVDs (our primary purpose for the streamer). Given that most DVDs no longer ship with a separate English 2.0 soundtrack, the issue is fairly large.

They are adding a temporary workaround with a +6dB distortion-inducing volume boost in the next firmware release, but that probably won't help much since the audio track for such disks played on 5.1 on the A100 is already plagued by background hiss. The real solution is to integrate updated sigma libraries into their firmware...and they have no estimate for that fix.

Add to that the myriad of other annoyances (e.g., board power issues, horrible remote, poorly placed remote buttons, no ability to resume any video that you stop...and you will inadvertently stop them because of the horrific remote) and you get the sense that the reviewers who glow over this thing just tried it out briefly and didn't actually try to use it at home for a month.

Also, their support is fairly bad. Syabas (they DBA as PCH) is based out of Malysia and they rely on (and link to) a Community Forum that is run primarily by volunteers...although they did just hire the board admin. That said, he still acts like a volunteer...not an employee...and that is the tone of most of the responses to issues posted on that forum. Let's just say that you better search for an answer to your question before you post a new thread. Yeah, hardly the support you expect from a consumer products vendor.

I suggest waiting until this market matures.

[Shawn Garringer @ Aug 4th 2008 11:42AM]

As a popcorn hour user myself I will acknowledge that the issues you describe are there. But, on the other hand, what product, at any price point, will play the stuff that the popcorn hour will? I used XBMC for years and once I went HD found that XMBC wouldn't cut it anymore. I looked around and the ONLY device I could find was popcorn hour. You're right, 5.1 audio doesn't decode well, but I downsample 5.1 to 2.0 when I am ripping and compressing, and its fine. I use this to play HD media and for that, it shines. Short of building a $1000 computer for your media center, there is nothing else that comes CLOSE to the popcorn hour, and certainly not at the price/energy point.

[Gary J @ Aug 4th 2008 1:20PM]

Not sure what you are talking about. My PHs play at the same volume in 5.1 as any other component on my systems. I hear no hiss and who uses original remotes? And searching first on forums - what a concept!

[getStringFromObj() @ Aug 4th 2008 2:28PM]

I would guess your audio levels are off because the guy that encoded the movie isn't the same guy that is playing it. It's a bitch downloading stolen content, isn't it?
I also love how people expect the $179 A-100 to perform like they paid $1000 for it. You get what you pay for, and $179 doesnt go a long way in producing quality AV equipment. I think the A-100 does pretty good for the price.

[Scuba Steve @ Aug 4th 2008 3:26PM]

Wrong. The disks are DVDs that I own personally and ripped myself..as standard *raw* TS_VIDEO rips...so there is no level adjustment in play. It is a raw rip...not reconverted to some other format.

As stated in the original post, the issue that I have noted is an ACKNOWLEDGED issue by PCH. They know it is there for 5.1 content and they have traced it to the libraries provided by Sigma - the vendor of the SMP8635 media processor chipset in the A-100...but don't let information get in your way. Flame on.

Am I asking for the box to do everything a $1000 PC could do? Hardly. That statement is just hubris. What I am asking the A-100 to do is do what it advertises - play back DVDs ripped raw as either ISO or TS_VIDEO...and do so in a manner that someone can actually hear the audio track. They advertise the capability and it doesn't do it. Some folks get around it by converting the raw DVD to some other format and remastering the 5.1 soundtrack to 2.0, but that is both onerous and yields a DVD library that is not 5.1 capable. There are multiple long threads on this topic on the community support forum and I would link to one, but that forum has been down all day...which reinforces my other issue about support.

http://www.networkedmediatank.com/index.php


There are many major issues with this unit. Dozens (or more) of us have had to return our boxes due to faulty power circuits that require the user to plug and unplug the box six or seven times before the board gets power and lights the LEDs. After I got mine back, it still requires this "work around" at times...yet you think my expectations are the issue? Do you even own one of these things?

Seriously, read the post before you decide to flame.

[getStringFromObj() @ Aug 4th 2008 4:55PM]

Hold on there sparky. I do have an A-100, my order number was around 756 if I remember right. In the first few firmware revisions I had some skipping if I left it on longer than a week, but a reboot seemed to fix that. I rip my own dvds to iso or mkv files and never really had a problem. I have also used TS files and not noticed any issue with background noise or low sound, and luckily my receiver has a volume knob so I could adjust it higher if needed. I would say the device has performed just as I expected it would, a few bugs, but nothing major other than a terrible remote that I only used to program my harmony. I know three people with A-100's and all have had a similar experience with minor issues, all are pleased.
You should consider sacrificing a few more floppy disks to appease the technology gods (or stop using the caps keep so much) because it appears they are pissed at you right now.

[Seb D @ Aug 4th 2008 12:33PM]

What about the istarhd. It can at least decode DTS and has a HDMI 1.3 connector on it. It has the same firmware as the Popcorn hour and is smaller, but allows an external SATA HDD

www.istarhd.com

[Jonyah @ Aug 4th 2008 12:05PM]

i just took notice of the b-110 and it's mini itx format. for those who don't care about the money get that with this case and you'll have the coolest media player: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163081

[MarxAnth @ Aug 4th 2008 2:19PM]

Thats cute but if you are going to spend $200 and another 200 for the board.. Add a few more dollars and buy a mac mini, throw on Plex aka OSXBMC.. done.. Yeah doesn't have all the audio decoding but the interface cant be beat..

[JSM @ Aug 4th 2008 5:46PM]

uh, yeah marx, but it CAN'T PLAY HD VIDEO. When are all these xbmc folks going to stop piping up every time any other media player is mentioned. Get .ts and h.264 media support and we'll talk.

[rv @ Aug 4th 2008 12:30PM]

I've been wanting to try pch so I can stop putting things in the right format for my 360. Then again, a pc will play anything at all, so perhaps that is the right way to go...

[Loban @ Aug 4th 2008 1:30PM]

That's exactly what I did. I'm sick of transcoding to WMV for my xbox 360, so i'm gonna give the PCH a try. Here's hoping it works.

[Evan @ Aug 4th 2008 12:54PM]

I don't see the upgrade as being worth the price increase:

- SATA? The Popcorn Hour is not a full featured NAS, they need to stop pretending it is. I expect many users, like myself, will keep it diskless and connect it to a larger NAS.
- Optical? Most decent receivers have both types of inputs, and the optical inputs are more likely to be used up by game systems.
- HDMI 1.3a? Nice, but most people don't need this because most downloaded video has re-encoded audio that doesn't need 1.3a.

There are other things that I think Popcorn should have focused on first: fix the audio codecs, fix the GUI, deal with the cooling problems, and offer built-in WiFi.

[Lowest Ranked @ Aug 4th 2008 1:15PM]

Audio Codecs fixed: check!
GUI fixed: check!
Cooling problems fixed: check!
Built-in WiFi: check!


And your grand total will be $663 plus tax.

[NxP3 @ Aug 4th 2008 2:29PM]

Man...I preordered the first one for a long time, but it was still sold out at the time. I got tired of waiting so I canceled it. By that time the ps3 was able to stream video to my HDTV without a problem. Sure it's not perfect, but I use tversity or nero home seem to work well with my ps3. I guess I can live without PCH.

[Nirav @ Aug 4th 2008 6:15PM]

How did you cancel your order? I ordered a A-100 last week and now saw they have the A-110 with the SATA ports.

I couldn't find any place to email them to cancel my order. Their forum is down today.

[n irav @ Aug 4th 2008 6:17PM]

How did you cancel your order? I ordered a A-100 last week and now
saw they have the A-110 with the SATA ports.

I couldn't find any place to email them to cancel my order. Their
forum is down today.