Toasty Warm! - HP Digital Media Receiver 802.11b Wireless

[TrouserTrout]

This unit is Finally Shipping, and for a limited time the Shipping is Free!

Check it out. I think somebody finally got it right when it comes to a Digital Media Player.

HP Digital Media Receiver

I have owned the Rio Receiver, the Motorola SimpleFi, the Compaq Ipaq HD based Music Player, the HP de100c, and have contemplated purchasing others units. I read about this one and decided to purchase it. Ordered yesterday shipped same day and is due to arrive on Wednesday. Can't wait to use this and the 802.11b wireless capabilities. This will work great anywhere in the house.

This unit seems to have everything I want for a reasonable price.

If you don't need Wireless, you can get the Ethernet version for $199.99

 

[vladgur]

i dont think that wireless version is worth $100 more than wired especially if you can get wireless bridges for less than $70....

 

[TrouserTrout]

Using another device in between this and your computer would just create one more link in the chain to cause problems. The 802.11b option isn't worth a $100.00, but I will pay it to get the convenience.

Anybody want to buy a Motorola SimpleFi?

 

[Fritzo]

[Daffy Duck] Da-roool Da-roool! [/Daffy Duck]

Man, this would be perfect! I wonder if I could get a wired one and put on of those DLink Wireless bridges on it for $60. I don't know...$100 does seem kind of steep for wireless, but this does do everything I've been looking for in a media receiver on the cheap.

 

[dolph]

is there anything like this that's just for audio?

 

[DerProfi]

Originally posted by: dolph
is there anything like this that's just for audio?

Yup. The Rio Receiver is sometimes in stock at SonicBlue for $99. If you dare deal with them, TigerDirect also has them for around the same price.

 

[YRLSEngr]

Originally posted by: dolph
is there anything like this that's just for audio?

1. SliMP3
http://www.slimdevices.com/index.html

Like the HP, it has analog output only. Wired 10 Mps Ethernet, but works with a Wi-fi bridge. Web-based server software required, but it is open source and works in Mac/Windows/Linux. Great display and form factor. Integrates very well with iTunes. MP3 only.

2. Audiotron
http://www.turtle-beach.com/site/products/audiotron/producthome.asp

Analog and optical outputs. Wired 10mbs Ethernet, but works with a Wi-fi bridge. Stereo component form factor. No server-side software required - can play directly from a network share. Plays a wide variety of music formats (MP3, WAV, FLAC, WMA). No video output. Great support (!) New version (with video output) announced at CES is late to market.

 

[ZHS]

I saw this thing at CompUSA, its looks OK and features are limited. I like to see some Divx streaming, along with built in browser. Or better option is to just get a Xbox and mod it.

 

[faZZter]

Originally posted by: TrouserTrout
Using another device in between this and your computer would just create one more link in the chain to cause problems. The 802.11b option isn't worth a $100.00, but I will pay it to get the convenience.

Anybody want to buy a Motorola SimpleFi?

If you configure them right, the wireless bridges work great. Also you could add a cheap switch to the wireless bridge and be able to connect other things to the network also, like an X-Box or ReplayTV.

Try that with the built in 802.11b!

 

[Chancellor]

I bought the HP DMR a couple weekends ago when Fry's first got them in. I took the thing back two days later. The software that you have to install on your PC to make pictures and music available is pretty pathetic. It has to make copies of everything you want to share in its own folder on your hard drive--it can't just share things out from where they sit. It's also very slow to sync everything to the receiver when you first get started. I have about 2500 digicam pix, and it took 8 hours to get them all ready to display. Plus, if you add even one picture to your collection, the whole sync process starts over again. Another 8 hours before you can use the device. I never got around to telling it to sync all 3000 of my MP3s. You have to wonder if HP did any beta testing on this thing, and if they did, if they listened to the beta testers. This thing was a major disappointment.

 

[Fritzo]

Really? Wow...that stinks! I was seriously looking into one of these until I read that. I'm sure that will be on the "fix with code update" drawing board.

 

[DerProfi]

The Prismiq Media Player seems to beat the HP digital "picture box" at its own game. It looks interesting for $249, particularly because it supports video.

Video Formats supported: MPEG-1, MPEG-2
Audio Formats: MP3 (more this Summer)
Graphics Formats: JPEG, GIF, PNG
Digital Audio: 18-bit stereo RCA out and S/PDIF out

It has a built-in 10/100 port and a PCMCIA slot which supports the following 802.11b cards:

The Linksys Group, Inc. Instant Wireless Network PC Card
Linksys WPC11 11Mbps 802.11b WLAN Card
Linksys WPC11 v2.5
Linksys WPC11 v3.0
Lucent Oronico PCMCIA 802.11b card
US Robotics USR2410
NETGEAR MA401RA Wireless PC Card
Avaya World Card
LA4111 Spectrum24 Wireless LAN PC Card
3Com AirConnect
Intel PRO/Wireless 2011
Ericsson WLAN Card C11
Nortel Networks e-mobility 802.11 Wireless LAN PC Card
Farallon SkyLINE
D-Link DWL-650
SAMSUNG 11Mbps WLAN Card
HyperLink Wireless PC Card 11Mbps
PROXIM LAN PC CARD HARMONY 80211B
Tekram PCF-200
Cabletron RoamAbout 802.11 DS
ELSA AirLancer MC-11
Intersil PRISM2 11 Mbps Wireless Adapter
Lucent Technologies WaveLAN /IEEE Adapter
MELCO WLI-PCM-L11
NCR WaveLAN /IEEE Adapter2.5

 

[clarkmo]

What about an epc with tv out? I play anything I want on my tv or 5.1 entertainment system with dd 5.1 or the Acoustic edge processing (for Music). That stuff rocks thru all 6 speakers. You gotta hear the 25th Hour disco scene on a home ent unit. It takes you there! And it's networked!

 

[Fritzo]

Ehhh...I don't know. The company looks a little shakey. That media player is the only product they make, usually the sigh of a startup company. They probably won't be around a year from now.