Popbox is Popcorn Hour evolved, with 1080p streaming and Netflix support
By Ross Miller 
posted January 4th 2010 3:46AM
posted January 4th 2010 3:46AM
posted January 4th 2010 3:46AM
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This is how a media streamer is done. Hint hint, Steve Jobs.
@Dafrety Though they could use some help from Boxee or XBMC or heck, Apple or Microsoft in terms of UI.
if its as good as xbmc, i'm in.
@greenythebeast Yep, that's my benchmark as well. At a minimum, for me, it has to stream ISO DVDs, allow me to add video RSS, and process 1080p. Looks like that last one is covered.
Hulu? plz plz
I rather get an actual HTPC + XBMC. Sure, more expensive, but much more flexible.
Is this "software" the same that is on the C-200? If it is not, will it be ported over to the C-200 or A-100/110?
@Yakuza Fighter
Some more info in their errrr... "support forums" >> http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showthread.php?tid=34082
2 things
1) I don't see why this isn't just a softtware upgrade on the current boxes. All I really see is a new skin that this runs instead of the old stuff. I can do cool artwork on my popcorn hour now, and a lot of those same features minus Netflix. This seems like a money grab instead of them just releasing new software for older boxes (and I know they are a business that needs to make money, but just charge me for some software to upgrade my older boxes instead of makign me through my older boxes away and buying new ones).
2) I started converting over to XBMC already which plays all of my movies without issue. Popcorn hour had certain problems with certain files and it was always hard getting proper support from them on why. The general answer was to re-encode the file. XBMC just doesn't have this problem.
@rchapoteau
just by the sounds of things it very likely is using a much stronger cpu than the a100/110. be interesting to see a spec sheet on it.
@rchapoteau try doing the network update monthly. i haven't found a file yet that my popcorn hour won't play.
@jonyah I do check on a regular basis. Ususally the files in quetion are WMV's. Some of the WMV's I get work and others don't. The only thing I'm told by the manufacturers is to re-encode it. These same files don't have a problem playing on my pc or on my xbmc.
So while the popcorn hour is a good little device, I would prefer to get something that I have a little bit more control over that I know wont give me any problems. I'll keep my eye on this device though. At that price point I might just pick one up anyway.
Will this version *finally* let ms do something as outrageous as stream video from my UPNP server in the garage. I mean god forbid somebody would like to take box like this, hook it up, and stream something across their LAN like a divx avi file..... :p
@bushi popcornhour has done this for years. I have 4Tb of content on my server that is streamed through uPnP to my popcornhour with no problems.
@bushi
yeah are you saying your popcorn hour doesn't do this? because thats all i do with mine, xvid up to 1080p mkv over the lan
Looks like a very good deal at this price.
The remote looks good too, which is usually a weak point for these types of devices.
The C-200 Popcorn Hour still doesn't work as originally advertised, for example total lack of 100mbit network functionality.
Rather than new products, i'd love to see some love for what was only released a few months ago. =/
Still, sounds like a great product at an ideal price.
@RokenR
--lack of gigabit network functionality
Hello fellow engadget readers. Do any of you guys know of a streaming service that works in Germany?? I currently use hotspot shield to mask my IP and allow me to stream netflix - but as a result i get horrible streams.... any ideas?
@Chaos744
Reason you get horrible video quality is HotSpot Shield, you aren't just "hiding your ip" you are piping your internet through their servers/internet connections, which they limit to pretty low speeds, and when they have a heavy traffic it will get much worse.
glad i haven't ordered extra popcorn hours yet. i may have to wait for this.
Hulu?
Rhapsody?
IHeartRadio?
SMB/NFS? (store content on a unix/linux/mac/pc elsewhere in your house)
Tivo storage/transfer/player client? (xfer shows from Tivo to your Popbox's storage, whether that's SD, USB, or network storage)
Amazon online MP3 store client? (and when they get an online video store, that too)
This should be a free update or add-on to the C-200, not an entirely new product. It's funny -- they announce the C-200 then delay, delay delay. Finally take orders for the thing and, what do you know -- delay, delay, delay. People finally get them and they are buggier than shit -- to this day, gigabit ethernet still doesn't work -- and now they go and announce another product. How about fixing the new products you just came out with rather than just putting out more new products?
@MCV
They have stated on their support forums that the updated UI will be moved to the C-200. The UI will actually be more advanced than the popbox b/c the C200 will have more advanced features.
@scyber
If that's truly the case, I withdraw my complaints. Thanks for setting me straight, Scyber.
FINALLY a decent UI without having to hack it. I really love the ability to view a full page of cover art to browse your movies. Even with the AppleTV this was only possible in the iTunes store and not in your personal library for some strange reason.
@MCV
i hope this thing has at least 100bt ethernet unlike the a100/a110.
glad i skipped over the c200, not interested in a drive bay or fancy lcd for that matter
This is cool....but why not gigabit ethernet?
@(Unverified)
Then you should take the YuiXX (www.yuixx.com), based on Intel, this has standard Gigabit and 11n for streaming incl. UPnP, Samba and NFS..
@(Unverified)
Thanks cameron, I'll check it out.
Who cares about ethernet? This is not HTPC. The idea about media players is all computers off.
@Gary J
That's great but what if you already have a 5TB RAID setup and it's already shared via gigE over CIFS? (aka my setup) :P
@(Unverified) You get to continue spending half of your life setting up, debugging, fixing, maintaining and tinkering with it - that's all.
@Gary J I do. These boxes come and go, but my storage on the network will go on. Not to mention that I have multiple media players that need to access 1 location. Ethernet is very important to me.
Will it have Last.FM like on the 360 where it will display random images and info to the selected song and allow scrobbling?