Media Player -- Engadget

media player posts

ViewSonic's VMP70 media player does 1080p for less than a hundie

by Tim Stevens posted Nov 5th 2009 at 7:41AM

The WD TV is still more or less the king of the tiny media player boxes, but now Viewsonic is getting into the game at a lower price point -- and minus the whole network compatibility bit. The VMP70 is a "direct connect" media device, so it will play content from your choice of USB-compatible storage, pumping it at up to 1080p to your display over HDMI or component cables, also sporting composite for lower-def fare. It packs an S/PDIF port to get clean audio, and supports a slew of formats including the usual suspects (DivX,Xvid,H.264) along with some slightly less usual ones (RM/RMVB, DTS, OGG). It's all available for an MSRP of $129.99, but order now and you'll get special holiday pricing of $98.99. Operators are standing by... somewhere... probably.

Gallery: Viewsonic's VMP70 Media Player

Cowon iAudio 9 and iAudio E2 media players make the scene stateside

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Nov 4th 2009 at 12:37PM

Cowon-heads of the world, you are in for a treat today. It looks like not one but two of the company's snack-sized media players are finally hitting the big time. First off, the iAudio 9 PMP is due to hit the states within a week. Available in 8GB and 16GB denominations, for some reason the domestic version will be available only in black. Aside from supporting the usual compliment of media files (MP3, FLAC, Ogg, WAV, APE, WME, XviD, and WMV videos) this guy sports composite video out. Get your hands on the 8GB version for $129, or go wild with 16GB for $169. If video isn't your bag, the enigmatic iAudio E2 (all 2.5-inches of it) is also available. Sporting a bevy of EQ presets, 4GB of storage and a not entirely terrible 11.5 hours of battery life, this is the keychain you've always wanted -- but never wanted to pay $65 for. Additional glamor shots after the break.

[Via Electronista]

Read - Cowon prices iAudio 9 for US
Read - iAudio E2 now available, still confusing

Continue reading Cowon iAudio 9 and iAudio E2 media players make the scene stateside

Patriot's $130 Box Office 1080p media player streams on the cheap

by Darren Murph posted Oct 18th 2009 at 7:02AM

Eying a Popcorn Hour device, are you? We know Patriot isn't exactly the first name you think of when pondering your next media streamer, but the $129.99 price tag affixed to the black box shown above definitely piqued our interest. Like most of its rivals, this one features a 2.5-inch HDD slot (though you'll need to bring your own drive, obviously), a trio of USB sockets, 10/100 Ethernet for content streaming, UPnP support, a rather decent file support list and a bundled remote. There's also an optional USB WiFi adapter for those not keen on running 80 feet of Ethernet cabling through their den, and while the GUI won't revolutionize your life, it certainly ain't bad given the low barrier to entry. Too bad it's still stuck in that painful-to-watch "pre-order" stage, huh?

[Via thegadgetsite]

Gemei's 4.3-inch HD8800 PMP does 1080p out, other cool things for $122

by Darren Murph posted Oct 18th 2009 at 3:57AM

It's been a hot minute since we've seen a compelling new media player from the labs of Gemei, but the HD8800 ain't half bad. Offering up a 4.3-inch display with an 800 x 480 resolution, this touchscreen-based PMP packs 8GB of internal memory, a battery good for five hours of movie playback (or ten hours with audio), USB 2.0 connectivity, 3.5 millimeter headphone jack and support for more formats than you'll ever use. Oh, and then there's that handy video out feature, which can supposedly shoot out content at up to 1080p via HDMI. It's yours right now for a buck-twenty-two, but only heaven knows if that "JESSICA" wallpaper is changeable.

[Via PMP Today]

ASUS ships $100 O!Play HDP-R1 HD media streamer

by Darren Murph posted Oct 1st 2009 at 9:52AM

Hey, you -- yeah, you. Remember that O!Play HDP-R1 media player that ASUS teased us with back in June? Remember how you dedicated a calender to it so you could count down the days 'til its arrival? Time to stop all that madness, as said box is finally on sale and shipping right now within the US of A. For the surprisingly reasonable price of $99.99, users can utilize this very device to stream and play back an array of formats with 1080p resolution support. Heck, there's even an eSATA and Ethernet port there, just waiting for your love. So, will you show it? Or is life still worth living knowing what you've neglected?

[Via Slashgear]

QNAP ships NMP-1000 Network Multimedia Player

by Darren Murph posted Sep 29th 2009 at 10:58PM

It sure took 'em long enough, but QNAP has finally come around and delivered its NMP-1000 Network Multimedia Player here in the States. If you'll recall, we actually toyed around with one way back at CeBIT, and while those camped out in Osaka have been enjoying the spoils for months now, the Yanks in attendance have been forced to wait. According to QNAP, the DLNA-compliant media streamer is now shipping in America, though a quick look around our favorite web stores has turned up nothing. We're sure that'll be remedied in short order, though.

[Via HotHardware]

Gallery: QNAP ships NMP-1000 Network Multimedia Player

Seagate launches FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player, we go hands-on

by Darren Murph posted Sep 15th 2009 at 9:39AM

Remember when Seagate introduced its Betamax-esque FreeAgent Theater HD way back at CES this year? Of course not -- you were locked onto the Palm Pre keynote. At any rate, the next generation of that very device somehow made it through the product development stage and now sits in our very hands, and we have to say, it's no more modern in person than it is in press shots. Equipped with the usual assortment of ports (HDMI, component, composite, Toslink, Ethernet and two USB) ports, the FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player gets all of its content from a FreeAgent Go USB 2.0 hard drive (sold separately or in a bundle) or whatever you shove into those USB sockets. You can count on 1080p output and a pretty standard UI, and while it's wired-or-die right now, Seagate's hoping to pop out a USB WiFi adapter ($69.99) for it next month.

We've yet to really put this player through its paces, but we can say for sure that it's not made for abuse. The mostly-plastic box is staggeringly light, and one drop from atop your AV rack could lead to utter disaster. Furthermore, this is really only useful for those wound tightly around Seagate's finger; the bulk of its functionality relies on having a FreeAgent USB drive at your disposal, and if you've selected any other portable HDD, you'll have to deal with connecting it the old fashion way and ditching the "clean look." At $149.99 sans an HDD, it's one of the cheaper options on the market, but it still can't beat Popcorn Hour's heralded lineup when it comes to value and format support. Those looking for an all-in-one deal can opt for the $289.99 bundle, which throws in a 500GB FreeAgent Go drive. Have a look at retro exemplified in the gallery below.

Gallery: Seagate launches FreeAgent Theater+ HD media player, we go hands-on

Spark's egg-shaped VTube media player won't fit neatly in your AV rack

by Darren Murph posted Sep 15th 2009 at 9:16AM

Much like Sony's PlayStation 3, Spark's VTube clearly wasn't designed to sit nicely in-between a 7.1-channel AV receiver and a cable set-top-box. Engineered in some backwoods lab about 30 kilometers south of Shenzhen, the so-called VTube looks to be a pretty standard media player outside of its unorthodox design. The unit packs HDMI / component / composite video outputs, an Ethernet jack and a Toslink optical audio output, and those who dig internal storage can slap a 2.5-inch HDD within to keep those old Office clips handy. Predictably, it also supports pretty much every file format known to man, and the built-in USB port ensures that you can add external storage if need be. It'll only run you around $130, but the chances of seeing this on US soil are slim.

[Via Cloned In China]

WD TV Mini loses Full HD, but remains a handy Media Player

by Vladislav Savov posted Aug 18th 2009 at 11:54AM

While we wait excitedly for Western Digital to update its HD Media Player, the company has decided to add another, value-minded product to its media player range. Working along the same lines as the HD unit, The WD TV Mini serves as a conduit between your TV set and USB-connected storage -- whether it be a camcorder, an external HDD or a humble flash drive -- and plays back a vast array of digital media formats. The Mini part to its name refers to its diminutive 91 x 91 x 22 mm footprint, but being the younger sibling also means it loses a couple of the premium features, namely HDMI and full 1080p, though that drop-off isn't too steep with 1080i and composite plus component outputs serving as alternatives. It's available now for $99.

Tricorder PMP-09 won't analyze data or call Starfleet, will lift your spirits with music

by Ross Miller posted Aug 17th 2009 at 9:07PM

Let us tell you, this isn't any ordinary Star Trek tricorder prop, if such a thing exists. The Tricorder PMP-09 looks an awful lot like the Mark X model from the series, has a 2.8-inch TFT screen, plays up to 12 hours music / 4 hours of video and supports AVI, MP4, JPG, BMP, and WAV files. It boasts 12 different LCARS / themed interface, and from what we can see on the site, at least six different skins, including Starfleet, Borg, Workbee, and Marine. Starting price is $362.50 for US orders / $384.50 for international. It probably won't help you in the event of a Sith or Dalek encounter, or if you find yourself in need of medical assistance, but the next time you run into a Deep Space 9 crew member on the street, you better believe this'll make for a great ice breaker. Videos of the packaging and working display model, flashing LEDs and all, after the break.

[Thanks, Anthony]

Continue reading Tricorder PMP-09 won't analyze data or call Starfleet, will lift your spirits with music

WD TV-2 spruces up Western Digital's already attractive media player offering

by Paul Miller posted Aug 16th 2009 at 2:30AM

Western Digital really hit a sweet spot last year with its $130 WD TV HD Media Player. The thing pumped out 1080p over HDMI at an attractive price, and that's all most people really needed. The newly leaked WD TV-2 revisits the formula, but adds in network playback over the new Ethernet jack, DTS audio decoding, and a component video plug for folks caught in the technological no man's land between composite and HDMI. Outside of that there's a just plain silly amount of codec support, which is hard not to love. No word on price or a release date, but the leaked photos and detailed specs seem to imply this thing is ready for prime time.

Boxee locks up additional funding, plots route from underground to mainstream

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 12th 2009 at 9:48PM

We're not sure how this affects the zero-dollar revenue goal for 2009, but popular media player software Boxee announced it has closed a $6 million round of financing including a new partner, General Catalyst. We'll let the money men assess value, the key point for users is how this affects the company's plan to take the platform from underground darling to mainstream hit - embedding the software in connected TVs, Blu-ray player, game consoles and set-top boxes. With a Windows alpha release in the bag and latest support from MLB.tv Boxee seems well on the way towards reaching larger audiences, CEO Avner Ronen says to look forward to the beta release this fall, more content deals and extending the App Store and API support. Our advice is to avoid tearing an ACL itself dancing on stage like another recent independent performer turned-mainstream star, what would you like to see from Boxee now that the company has more resources to provide it?

RAmos T6 PMP don't need no buttons

by Darren Murph posted Aug 10th 2009 at 8:26AM

Ah, if it isn't RAmos again. The only Chinese PMP maker that cranks out wares that aren't chock full of KIRF. The outfit's latest endeavor is the T6 icon, a sleek, simplistic media player that isn't apt to head stateside anytime soon. Packing a 4.3-inch LCD (800 x 480 resolution) and a frame that's just ten millimeters thick, the HD-capable device also boasts an HDMI output and nary a button on the front face. 'Course, the assortment of rockers around the edges ensures that your volume level and track selection isn't solely controlled by a touchscreen, but we definitely appreciate the clean look.

Barron's: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch

by Joshua Topolsky posted Aug 2nd 2009 at 5:15PM

According to a report in Barron's, a phantom "veteran analyst" has actually handled Apple's heavily rumored tablet-device-thing. If you believe what the report is laying down (and honestly, that's a big if -- analysts have a funny habit of making things up) the tablet is still on for a September unveiling, with a shelf life beginning somewhere in November. What's also interesting about the report is that the analyst claims the device will be marketed somewhere in the $699-$799 range -- as was previously rumored -- and will be aimed at uses as a media player (with some kind of potential Apple TV tie-in) and gaming device. The analyst, who obviously declined to be named, said that the tablet is simply awaiting Steve Jobs' final blessing, and claimed that other ODMs have paused new products until they see the finished version of what Apple has in store. That last bit is potentially the most interesting of all, as we've recently heard reports of device-makers freezing new production until 2010, which definitely raises the possibility that the industry is holding its breath to see what kind of new trick Apple has up its sleeve. Yeah -- things are about to get fun. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

[Via 9to5mac]

Digital Cowboy's DC-MCNP1 2.5-inch NAS doubles as media player

by Darren Murph posted Jul 30th 2009 at 5:21AM

It's a little hard to believe that we've gone two whole months without a new device from Digital Cowboy, but at long last, the Japanese wrangler is hitting back with a striking new piece of consumer electronics goodness. The DC-MCNP1, which falls neatly into the Movie Cowboy family, is a 2.5-inch NAS drive at heart, but aside from giving you access to files on its diminutive internal drive anywhere in the world, it also streams a plethora of file formats to your HDTV. The HDMI / composite video outputs should take care of the vast majority of ya, and the USB 2.0 socket provides an expansion option for those needing to hook up an external HDD. An Ethernet port is built in for network access, but those who'd prefer to cut the cord can certainly plug a wireless adapter into that USB socket and pray continuously to the signal gods above. If you find yourself in Fukuoka next month, give this one a look if you've got ¥19,900 ($209) to spare.