ViewSonic streams Netflix, other stuff with NexTV VMP75 networked media player
By Darren Murph 
posted June 16th 2010 6:35PM
posted June 16th 2010 6:35PM
Lights, Camera, Action; ViewSonic® Brings the Internet and Netflix to your Living Room
ViewSonic's new NexTV VMP75 networked media player allows easy and seamless streaming of movies and TV shows directly to your TV
WALNUT, Calif. - June 15, 2010
ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today announced the NexTV VMP75 – a network media player that delivers the ultimate entertainment experience to consumers' HDTVs with Full HD 1080p playback from external storage devices or streaming media from home networks and the Internet. Among the available Internet options is Netflix, the leading online movie subscription service whose members can instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed via the NexTV VMP75.
In addition to Netflix, NexTV's iMedia feature brings a world of Internet entertainment to HDTVs with quick and easy links to media content from YouTube, Live365.com, SHOUTcast Radio, Flickr and more. NexTV's integrated web browser allows for Internet surfing and custom RSS feeds for instant news and world events of interest. Users can keep up with their friends through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, and instant content and connections are never more than a click away – all through an intuitive user interface and full function remote control.
Bringing all the digital content together from your home PCs or network has never been simpler. The NexTV VMP75 allows you to listen to your stored music, view all your digital photos and watch any home movies right on your TV, making the living room the center of entertainment. Whether accessed through USB memory stick or hard drive, eSATA storage device, or over the network through Ethernet or optional wireless connection, your digital content will look and sound better than ever.
Full connectivity for the NexTV VMP75 includes HDMI, Composite, S/PDIF, USB and eSATA, with an easy network connection through an Ethernet port or via 802.11b/g/n with optional wireless adapter. NexTV also supports an external USB keyboard and mouse.
Although the NexTV VMP75 streams in full HD1080p, HD content from Netflix instantly streams in 720p and most of the thousands of titles streamed from Netflix are in standard definition.
For further information on ViewSonic products, please visit ViewSonic.com or follow ViewSonic on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
###
Trademark footnote: All corporate names and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.
This news release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's expectations with regard to future events. Actual events could differ significantly from those anticipated in this document.
Executive quote
"Imagine the internet's endless library of information and entertainment in the palm of your hand and displayed on your HDTV in the comfort of your living room", said Josephine Chiu, senior product marketing manager, ViewSonic "The NexTV VMP75 brings all of your favorite entertainment choices directly into the heart of your home or office with easy and convenient play back or streaming to any HDTV. We're delighted to be opening up the possibilities of digital entertainment to enjoy or share in full HD quality."
"The world needs another network media player like it needs another eight billion barrels of oil floating around in the Gulf of Mexico..." Ouch, but oh so true.
@mustangs
Also not needed here as a joke
@Big Wizz Yeah I agree...a bit soon, no?
This looks pretty good, I looked at the source page and they got a few pics. I just want to stream my content from the main PC and $129.99 is a great low price. My only concern is the price of the wireless adapter.
Its like most of the players already available. Not interested.
I love all the options for media streamers. But if I was gonna get something I'd still build an HTCP, it might cost a little more but I know it'll play anything and I could use it for more stuff like torrenting.
I know some media players can only play up to a certain level of H264 which sucks when most of the stuff you have is a higher level.
I have a WDTV Live, and although this looks interesting, I'm still waiting on the Boxee Box (November 2010).
tempting but I would rather purchase that $99 xbox360 arcade :) !
Can it play hulu? I have the asus o!play and its great at streaming my content from my pc, it doesn't do much else. No netflix or hulu , no web browser
Yes, there a re a lot of these but I don't any that do everything... this one streams .mkv so it looks very promising.
VIDEO DECODER
MPEG1 (AVI/MKV/TS/DAT/MPG/MPEG/VOB)
MPEG2
(MKV/DAT/MPG/MPEG/VOB/ISO/IFO/TS/TP)/M2TS
MPEG4 (AVI/MP4/MKV/MOV/WMV/ASF)
DivX, Xvid (AVI/MKV/MP4/MOV)
H.264/AVC (TS/AVI/MP4/MKV/MOV/FLV)/M2TS
VC-1 (TS/AVI/ASF/WMV) M2TS
WMV9 (ASF/WMV)
AUDIO DECODER MP3, MPEG Audio, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA,
WMA Pro, PCM, LPCM, FLAC, WAV, AAC, HE-AAC,
OGG, MKA, VORBIS
@billbytes and Hulu? Hulu should just make their own box for crying out loud!!
@billbytes
just have to wonder what level of h264 it supports, I know many players only support up to 4/4.1 while 5 is the best and what most stuff i get is.
@billbytes
With Playon Media I can stream any content my PC can play directly to any DLNA capable box including the XBox 360. The PC transcodes everything on the fly to a format the client device can understand. Was one of the best investments I've made in my home entertainment setup.
@ArhcAngel
Yeah I have a similar setup with my PS3 and a PSMedia Server, however I would like a device that frees me from the need to transcode. PlayOn is nice and getting some addtl Internet content built into the application is a step up from PSM but PSM is free and PlayOn is moving to a pay for play model.
Does it support flash? Cause I need that to watch hulu.
It'd be nice if they linked to the specs...
FLV = Yes
Internet Streaming = Yes
Hulu = Not mentioned
I imagine you could Hulu via a hack but then they would just block you again, I assume Viewsonic is not an authorized content player... they apparently have everything on the technical side to play Hulu.
Hmm the specs say that Web Browser feature is not available in rich flash content... not sure what that means given the device can play .flv. Perhaps they mean there is no Flash player in the browser but the device can play flash videos.
$129 for a set top box that streams media and plays Netflix... or $99 for a Xbox 360 that does that and more?
@timotim 170 watt per hour for a xbox in standby, plus the noise of a xbox vs 10 watt per hour for A fanless media player, you do the math
@daskino Theirs no math to do. People want ONE set top box that does it all, NOT have a bunch of different set top boxes that do some things and have their experience broken up with different UIs, remotes, features. This is not it. Also, if you buy a 360 today, it will be around 135W, not 170... besides, the living room is the one place people don't mind using extra power... they already have HDTVs, high end receivers and sound systems, HTPCs etc... I think they will be fine. The new 360 also runs very silent according to reports of those who have them so, no worries there either.
At this point, these things need to be like $70 - with a DVD player.
Now.. I don't care too much about DVD so I would take it without the DVD player, for $70 or so.
DEAR EDITORS:
In the future, please refrain from horrific jokes like that. Not funny at all. Not even a little.
The space is too saturated and there really are no compelling features. About the only difference bet this and WDs TV-2 is eSATA (on this) and DTS decoding (on the latter), and its not certain they're needed at all. I'd rather have as many streaming options as possible at the expense of faster ports and audio options.
The 'next big thing' in media streaming/connectivity shouldnt be too far off. These are simple stopgaps.
"The world needs another network media player like it needs another eight billion barrels of oil floating around in the Gulf of Mexico"
Yeah, ummm cause this makes TWO! That can stream from your computer and stream internet content. That's right this is only the second one that does both. WD TV live Plus makes up the rest of the entire market.
I've been keeping an eye out for these. I already have TV's and BDP's that don't have streaming or connectivity. This is the best option for people like me.
@javalsu
Except that WD does it WELL. No telling about this one.
"The world needs another network media player like it needs another eight billion barrels of oil floating around in the Gulf of Mexico"
Why stop there? How about.
"This market is flooded worse than New Orleans after Katrina"
All in BAD taste.
The WD HD Live streams MKV flawlessly and has a very nice user interface. Add a Roku box to that and you're done.
Most of these other boxes will be history in a year, just like my Popcorn Hour A-100 already is.
@kcmurphy88 Look up the WD TV Live Plus HD
@kcmurphy88
Will never buy a WD product again. I bought the HD live..LOVE it. Patiently waited for the firmware update to add Netflix...then what did they do?? They release a new version that has the SAME HARDWARE...nothing added!! that has a new firmware that plays nettflix!. Basically a 'go F urself' to the existing Live user base.
Windows Media Extender - that would be a nice bullet point of differentiation with other streamers.