Smart Home Blog

Syabas, well-known producer of networked media tank Popcorn hour, is going to release the media player for non-geek users. Because NMT Popcorn Hour is not easy configure and user friendly device. Also it’s expensive a bit regardless the rich set of offered features. So, the new Popbox is a compact and elegant box with redesigned rich user interface. It still can play all known media files and containers from attached USB storage or network shares (it doesn’t have internal HDD). Popbox support wired connection to the home network as well as WiFi (802.11 b/g/n). Sure the device is fully compatible with HD (720p or 1080p).

Another good advantage of Popbox is access to the online services such Twitter, Revision3, Netflix, SHOUTcast via built-in apps. The number of apps is growing fast. Thanks to available App Development Platform. So, if you’re interested to add new app you can do it easily. Also the Popbox allows to you organize your media library more efficient by retrieving metadata from IMDB for video or AllMusic for audio files.

The Popbox should be available this Spring at just $130! If the price won’t be changed it’ll be probably the best network media player on the market!
See the demo of the Popbox UI after jump
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Next step after releasing of Boxee Box Boxee is going to offer a paid content to their users this Summer. There is a big number of comments about that topic on the Boxee blog. Many people like it on conditions that the payment will be monthly/yearly for unlimited access to the channel or bundle of channels. The most difficult part of that task is finding providers with interesting content. Wish good luck to Boxee team with that and wait for Boxee Box.

Syabas released recently a next generation of its networked media tank (NMT) A-200. The A-200 doesn’t have optical drive like C-200, but it has a lot of advantages over old model A-110. It sports faster processor and bigger DRAM and NAND Flash. Additionally the A-200 will have new rich UI, which is more attractive and user friendly then previous one, and ability to install new apps, developed by third-party developers, from App Center. Additionally the A-200 meets EU Green Power Requirement, which will help to reduce energy consumption and save the environment.

The rest spec is more or less the same with A-110. The A-200 still plays everything it find in the internal HDD, USB mass storage, network shares or online services. It looks much better in my mind and its price is very very nice – just $179! If I remember correctly this is less then the price of the A-110 was. So, the A-200 seems good candidate to occupy the space in the AV stand.

Another networked player contains popular HTPC software Boxee. NUU player demonstrated at CES 2010, is based on Atom CPU and probably Intel graphics. It sports 160GB HDD, HDMI, DVI, a few USB and one Ethernet ports. There is no info about WiFi adaptor but the player includes Bluetooth module. So, the wireless headset can be attached there.

Except Boxee, the NUU player offers XBMC and Skype applications. That’s really interesting cause you may no only watch video from sofa but make also Skype calls using Bluetooth headset without standing up.

The price of the NUU player is a bit more expensive then upcoming D-Link Boxee Box – $300 (Boxee Box is just $200). The date of availability is not set yet. The demo video after jump.
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Next to Netflix another US online content provider VUDU comes to the AV devices. Its Apps will be added to the HDTV by Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Sharp and Toshiba. Toshiba will also integrate Vudu Apps in to their line of internet-capable Blu-Ray players. A list of applications is huge. Except VUDU Streaming Movie Service, it includes Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Diggnation HD and much much more.

This is a good tendency when online services are integrated directly to TV or player. The bad thing for non-US citizens is that the either VUDU or Netflix is not available outside US. Just wondering about availability of VUDU Apps in Europe.