Linksys DVD player w/ WiFi and ethernet 338
An anonymous reader writes "Linksys has announced a progressive scan DVD player with 802.11g and ethernet. Users can stream MPEG2, MPEG4, DivX, MP3, WMA, and other formats from their PC to the TV. Sure I can do this cobbling together other tools, but this is a self contained box even newbies can use. Think how many people could install and config a router and an AP, versus the number of people that can plug in one of the self-contained wireless routers? "
Gateway has something similiar (Score:5, Informative)
and epson just came out with a whoopass hdtv. something like 72", built in photo printer, etc. $4k
missing stuff (Score:3, Informative)
Before you buy... (Score:0, Informative)
This is not a company that you should support.
Sincerely,
Seth Finklestein
Open Source Company Watchdog
Re:Before you buy... (Score:3, Informative)
It does not stream your DVDs (Score:3, Informative)
Bleh. Too bad.
Or you could get a momitsu instead (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Region free? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Xbox. (Score:2, Informative)
Plus the xbox can play games and run a variety of other applications (web server etc..) Can this DVD player do that? Nope. (oh not to mention it supports every single possible video format out there that exists on Linux/mplayer/windows, including QT/RA/Ogg)
Re:WMA? But no AAC or Ogg Vorbis (Score:1, Informative)
no one uses vorbis except nerds. Literally.
as for AAC my guess is licensing issues
It's an extension cord for your DVD-ROM! (Score:2, Informative)
So, I can pop a DVD into the drive on my laptop, and stream the encrypted data directly out via the network to the player, which will then decrypt it and send it to the TV.
I wonder if the firmware on this thing can be flashed to play other formats...
Qcast for PS2 has been able todo this for years... (Score:3, Informative)
Plus Qcast will let me use a whole bunch of different formats this can't.
Re:Been there, tried that (Score:2, Informative)
PS2: the BroadQ system requires the Network Adapter and installation of software on the PC. Allows streaming of music and DivX. Supposedly licensed to one of the myriad of PS2 third-party suppliers to also try to sell.
XBox: The Xbox Music Mixer (or the new "Media" thing mentioned above, requires software to be installed on the PC, but runs under WinXP only. Doesn't stream movies... yet. But the ability to do so is there, obviously.
TiVo: Home Media Option. Doesn't stream movies... yet, but handles music and slideshows. On the plus side, they say their streaming software works on Macs. Downside: currently limited to about 400 songs in the queue and you can't play the slideshow while listening to music - it's either one or the other. Hell, TiVo has enough problems convincing non-technical people that it's more than just a "glorified VCR", let alone explaining to non-believers the whole "streaming music" thing. (small disclaimer: I'd be lost without my TiVo.)
It's not like the idea is a bad one. I'm all for simplifying the Computer-to-HomeTheater process. How many of us have wanted to take our computer music libraries and play 'em through the stereo? For the most part, the easiest way to do so has been to get an MP3-capable DVD player and load a CD with hundreds of files, letting the player randomly take 'em. With the added bonus of being able to take the same CDs to the MP3-capable car stereo, it's a one-stop shop. Or we use an audio cable already setup to plug the iPod or Nomad Jukebox into the stereo and play that way.
Streaming music over the 'net implies that most homes are wired already, with network outlets near their TVs and/or stereos... or have gone wireless. I don't think the general buying audience is ready for this level of technology yet.
It's taken years for folks to get comfortable with digital cameras, and yet they still don't understand that you need to crop or resize that 2MB photo of little Sally before emailing it to the entire office.
Re:Gateway has something similiar (Score:5, Informative)
The Gateway product is weak at best..
It requires proprietary streaming server software, which is only available for Windows. That server software has many restrictions on what it will allow to be sent to the player. For example, it would not allow me to stream my home movies exported to DVD format (or the native Mini-DV, or any other export I tried). It won't import any video with a rate that is > 3Mbps. So, you can basically only do poor quality internet downloaded thumbnail videos.
The MP3 streaming was okay, but not great. The GUI needs a lot of help. It also requires you to use the streaming server, so any exising song/playlist management you have is useless.
The JPEG playback was okay, but could be better. It only supported resolution up to 480p, no HD display. It did not allow MP3 playback during the slideshow - only silence. Of course, you had to import your images into the crappy server software.
A more interesting product is the Roku HD streaming device. http://www.rokulabs.com/ [rokulabs.com] Linux based, open architecture, developers kit & API's, access content via samba (works with Windows, Linux, MacOS), JPEG display at HDTV resolutions, MP3 playback. They had a beta release that supported streaming of HDTV captures.. I'm not sure if that is released yet, or if they support DVD VOBs yet.
Re:Xbox. (Score:3, Informative)
Neither the official DVD player (provided you've purchased the remote) or the stock DVDX2 (the foremost DVD player for the XBox for the uninitiated) support progressive scan playback of DVDs. There are hacked versions of DVDX2 floating around which do, but unless you've specifically found one of these chances are DVDX2 is using 480i for playback, if you're even using component output.
Also keep in mind that any XBEs you are using which are built with pirated versions of Microsoft's XDK are infringing on their copyright and are technically illegal.
Re:Gateway has something similiar (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Gateway has something similiar (Score:3, Informative)