ZAGG has been dropping a few hints about its ZAGGbox media center for a little while now, but it's so far been keeping a relatively low profile -- it even managed to slip under our radar at CES. It was at the show, however, and its now finally announced that the ZAGGbox is available to pre-order for $799. Not exactly the cheapest set-top box around, to be sure, but that price will get you a few fairly unique features, not the least of which is simultaneous transcoding of captured video for easy viewing on both your TV and the mobile device of your choice (it also comes with its own iPhone app). Otherwise, you'll get an ample 1TB of storage, a full range of A/V inputs and outputs, built-in 802.11n WiFi, and some Slingbox-like streaming to any device, anywhere you like. Unfortunately, ZAGG still isn't making any firm promises about a release date, although it will supposedly be out sometime in the second quarter of this year.
posted January 15th 2010 3:01PM
I fooled around with this a little at a CES press event, and it's pretty slick. The only weakness I see is that it's kind of blah. The PR lady demoing it didn't really know anything besides you can put your pictures and home videos on it.
Streaming is streaming, but I'm more excited about devices that offer a range of entertainment sources, rather than ways to share stuff I already have.
Am I really going to sit in my bedroom and stream a movie to my iPhone from my living room?
$800?! Ouch!
When you include the matching InvisibleShield I'm sure the price will top 1k!
It's quite a leap going from $10 plastic film to $800 media centers. Waaaaay overpriced.
I wad interested until I saw the price tag
No HDMI inputs?
@ReyZero
No lag in video switching over component and also no copy right protection ;-)
@Bahndit
Who uses component, pif
A cheap HTPC will do everything this does for half the price. If you want to charge that much more than something's worth, you better stick an Apple logo on the side or you'll just get laughed at.
The box just doesn't add up.
@Chip + 1. Low cost HTPC = no brainer.
or Boxee Box + SlingBox + 1TB External = $500 (and gives me access to internet content, streaming live TV, and a hard drive that I can connect to my computer to fill with content). Also, 200 movies x 2hrs (average movie time) = 400 hours/24 hours = 16.67 straight days of recording + 16.67 more days to transcode them into mobile format! (thanks Bahndit) $800 for that privilege? No thanks
This might not blend.
The preorder discount is $799,down from $999... So I'm assuming once it releases this thing would be over $1K?
Too rich for my techie budget
It has multiple component video inputs and S/PDIF audio inputs; I would say it operates as a video recorder for HD sources sort of like a bunch of Hauppauge HD-PVRs but without the need for a PC.
If there were actually more information about this damn thing people wouldn't assume it's just a media player/streamer.
From what I understand is you can connect your BD player, HD cable box, and game console to it and have it stream this out over the network transcoded for PC and mobile device playback.
If anyone knows better please correct me.
@xraycat82
If it were $500 cheaper, and let me record those DVD's, I'd look into this.
@BigJayDogg3 but from what I understand it would let you record those DVDs...or anything through the component inputs - like the Hauppauge HD-PVR. It specifically says it "easily records" but recording DVD seems ridiculous compared to ripping and storing it on the device.
I am thinking of comparing it to a component matrix switch that has multiple component inputs and multiple outputs. Instead, rather than multiple outputs it only has one for the local display and a network connection to stream to other device.
The retail cost of a 4x4 component matrix switch it like $500 but this also does media streaming, transcoding and recording.
I say wait until there is more info released or a review done before deciding $800 to $1000 isn't worth it.
@xraycat82
Yeah that is accurate except that it can't stream stuff unless it has been recorded first. No live streaming.
Recording a DVD like an old VHS tape probably makes sense to a lot of non-geek consumers out there. This is probably what the target market for this device is. They probably aren't targeting those users that know that you can get a PC capable of playing BD rips for $200 and that you can just rip those disks directly with a bit of software and another $100 BD drive.
Due to all of the DMCA shenanigans, I don't think that tools for ripping DVDs got that polished or widespread.
Sure, none of us have any problems with Handbrake or mencoder but we're all rather abnormal.
@jedi Unles they have anyone in the household between 12 and 40 who can tell them how to rip any dvd (no pun intended) sd or hd.
I don't get the product placement on this.
Our cheap WHS, which holds 1000 films uncompressed and bakcs up our pC's and macs can transcode to my mobile phone (HTC TP2) and y wife's iphone already.
i stopped reading when i saw the $799 price tag.
I think $799 seems reasonable for what this does. It's basically 3 Hauppauge HD-PVR's with 1TB of local storage and the ability play back content on your TV and transcode for mobile streaming. The big problem for me is it doesn't appear to work with the HDHomerun. I need a way to schedule recordings and play live TV. If it had those features I might consider buying one.
Link to specs says HDMI is only at version 1.1?! What! HDMI is already going to 1.4 why is this not at least 1.3. Not buying for that reason.
"simultaneous transcoding of captured video for easy viewing on both your TV and the mobile device of your choice"
I saw this at the show and this in an inacurate description of the ZAGGbox. In order to make something available on your mobile device the box has to playback the file and transcode it again! So if you want something on the box you first have to record it through the Component inputs real time. Then you mark the recorded file to be transcoded again for a mobile format which the box will then playback, again in real time, when it is not being used to make it available for mobile streaming (a process that if interrupted has to start over from the beginning of the file.)
@Bahndit Why can't it just delay the recording by building up a buffer and transcode that buffer? I assume the transcoding is hardware based so the buffer could be on the order of seconds or less.
@xraycat82
That is a good question but they told me that the hardware wasn't capable of doing anything live. Maybe in the future. I guess the downside would be that you would have to make all of your recordings in the mobile format since the hardware can only do one transcode at a time.
this company has such high markups
That design is obviously done with the thought of putting a CRT on it, but uhm, there are no CRT's anymore.
That's what you get when you outsource design to areas that still have CRT's I guess, but at least you can use the steampower spigot also as a watercooling system too.
Pre-ordering is Pre-tentious. I will simply ORDER.
ZAGGbox pre-orders have been shutdown the last 2-3 months. If they allow it, try and apply some of the discount codes from retailmenot.com or www.facebook.com/zaggcodes. They have a bunch of 40-50% off discount codes on those sites.
The ongoing discount code is ZAGG20. See http://www.codes4discount.com/2010/zagg-unveils-zaggbox-at-2010-consumer-electronics-show/