For the past three weeks, the nice folks at UEBO sent me three test models of their latest media players to review. I was sent the UEBO M400 1080p Media Player, the UEBO M100 Portable 1080P Media Player, and the UEBO M50 Mobile 1080p Media Player. I have had a chance to really use all three and have some positives and negatives about these players.

UEBO M400 1080p Media Player

To start at the top and work my way down in no way diminishes the capabilities of the M100 and M50, but I have to start with the UEBO M400. Out of the box, this is one of the more gorgeous media players that I have seen. I didn’t just stop there, I hooked up the M400 to my main television in the living room to give it a test drive. The hookup was easy enough, HDMI to HDMI and a power cable. I switched on the television and fired up the M400 media player, and after a few minutes I was greeted by the user interface. I thought the menus were okay, not great, but okay. The basic function of the menu system was the same as some of the older media players, but they have advanced and look much nicer. The remote that came with the M400 has a huge wheel in the middle for selecting things, and in my opinion made things more difficult. I was not able to get the remote to function properly with the web browser that is included on the M400, and a USB keyboard will definitely make data entry much easier. Overall, setup was very easy. The M400 immediately found my wireless network, and it hooked up flawlessly with my DLNA server. Within minutes I was streaming content from my computer. I enjoyed using the M400 and was able to easily hook-up my online services like Facebook and check my e-mail on Yahoo! The only feature I wasn’t able to access was Pandora, but it is still in development, so not the M400′s fault. There is space to install your own hard drive, and it will support up to a 3 terabyte HDD. Wifi comes built in, so no adapters to buy. Also, you can utilize a service called PlayOn TV to access over 200 internet channels including NetFlix, CNN, ESPN, and Hulu. Enough rambling, here’s the good stuff:

■Video Outputs – HDMI 1.3 (up to 1080p), Component Video (YPbPr – up to 1080i), and Composite Video;

■Audio Outputs – HDMI 1.3, Stereo Analog Audio (R/L), S/PDIF Optical and Coaxial Digital Audio Outs;

■Video Files and Codecs – AVI MPG DAT VOB DIV MOV MKV PMPEG TS MTS M2TS RMVB WMV ISO IFO MP4 FLV TP TRP; Codecs – MPEG1 HD MPEG2 (up to MP@HL) HD MPEG4 SP/ASP (1080P) Xvid H.264 BP@L3 MP@L4.1 HP@L4.1 WMV9/VC-1 AP@L3 RM/RMVB8/9/10 (up to 720@30P) AVS HD (1920×1080) – both PAL and NTSC supported.

■Audio Files and Codecs – MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV, AAC, FLAC; Audio codecs – MP2/MP3, OGG Vorbis, WMA (DRM, and Advanced Profile not supported) – Dolby Digital True HD / DTS HD-MA / DDP (Pass-thru & Down-mixing)

■Connectivity – WIFI (802.11n), UPnP, USB 2.0 Host Ports (2), USB 3.0 Device Port (1); USB 2.0 Device Port (1); SD Memory Card Slot; Ethernet Port

■Web Stuff – PlayOn, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Blockbuster, Amazon VOD, Vudu, CinemaNow, Yahoo, Youtube, Pandora, and tons more (200+).

The link to the UEBO page for the M400 can be found here, UEBO M400

UEBO M100 1080p Portable Media Player

When UEBO says “portable” they mean it! The M100 Media Player is only 5.63 inches long, 3.35 inches wide, and only 0.91 inches thick and only weighs 3.2 ounces. It truly was shocking taking this one out of the box. This has a slot for a built in 2.5 inch hard drive that can support up to 2 terabytes (FAT, FAT32, NTFS, EXT3). It is WIFI ready, but you have to get an optional adapter with the M100. In my opinion the wireless adapter (about $30 USD) for this M100 is necessary. The portability selling point in mind, if a person were to take this player on travels, most hotel rooms offer free wifi, or wired connection. I prefer to connect to wifi when possible, I really don’t like wires. The menu system on this player was the same as the M400, so no more to tell there. I like the size of this player, and without the wifi, was able to hook this one up pretty easily. Here are the specs:

■Video Outputs – HDMI 1.3 (1080p), Composite Video;

■Audio Outputs – HDMI 1.3, Stereo Output;

■Video Files and Codecs – AVI, MPG, DAT, VOB, DIV, MOV, MKV, MPEG, TS, MTS, M2TS,RMVB, WMV, ISO, IFO, MP4, FLV, TP, TRP; Codecs – MPEG1, HD MPEG2 (up to MP@HL), HD MPEG4 SP/ASP (1080p), Xvid, H.264, BP@L3,MP@L4.1, HP@L4.1, WMV9/VC-1 AP@L3, RM/RMVB8/9/10 (up to 720@30P), AVS HD (1920×1080) – both PAL and NTSC supported.

■Audio Files and Codecs – MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV, AAC, FLAC; Codecs – MP2/3, OGG Vorbis, WMA (DRM, and Advanced Profile not supported) – Dolby Digital True HD / DTS HD-MA / DDP (Pass-thru & Down-mixing)

■Connectivity – 802.11b/g/n USB Wi-Fi Adapter, up to 300Mbps (USB Wi-Fi Adapter Optional); Memory Card Slot; Ethernet Port

■Web Stuff – PlayOn, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Blockbuster, Amazon VOD, Vudu, CinemaNow, Yahoo, Youtube, Pandora, and tons more (200+).

Here is the link to the UEBO M100 Page,UEBO M100

UEBO M50 Mobile 1080P Media Player

The idea behind this palm size media player is that you can take your movies and music with you wherever you go. The M50 has a USB port for an external hard drive, and an SD card slot. I wasn’t too keen on this player for practical reasons, but at the low price that UEBO is asking for it, I can see how it is attractive as an entry level Media Player. No built-in wifi on this player either so you will have to opt for the optional wireless adapter (about $30 USD) if you want to connect to wifi networks to utilize the internet functions of the player. Same exact connections and file formats supported as the M100 (see above).

The link to the UEBO M50 page can be found here, UEBO M50 Portable

With the technology ever expanding in the digital media player world, consumers are becoming more demanding every day.  The first players I reviewed on DMP Guide are still great players and the technology is still relevant today, but there are new bells and whistles that have been added to the more recent models that are hitting the market.  I’m no longer just satisfied with streaming my personal movie collection to my home theater, I want access to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Crackle, and Pandora.  If you can squeeze Facebook in also, that would be nice.  I came across the Sony SMP-N100 Network Media Player with Wi-Fi and after a little research, realized that it is worth a mention here on the DMP Guide.  It is right in my price range and has all the features I am looking for.

Sony SMP-N100 Network Media Player with Wi-Fi

One of the first things that differentiates the Sony Digital Media Player is that, unlike the first players out on the market, it does not require you to go out and buy a separate wireless adapter.  It is still not uncommon for even the most recent players to ask you to spend an extra $30 on an adapter that will allow you to connect to your home wireless network.  The Sony SMP-N100 also has hard wire connectivity through the USB port or standard LAN cabling for those who don’t have the home wireless or just prefer to set it up with good old USB cables.

So just to jump in to the features, you will get all of the features that have become standard for digital media players.  The Sony Network Media Player allows you to enjoy your personal media in up to Full HD 1080p either through the USB connections, or wirelessly over your home network as it is DNLA compliant.  This allows for full access to your movies, music, and other media.  I’ll give the nuts and bolts feature and compatibility list down below, but also sound is beautifully output as it supports AAC, DTS, and Dolby Digital all through either the HDMI output (cable is sold separately) or the optical digital output.  One nice touch that the SMP-N100 has is that it offers compatibility for everyone.  Even if you don’t have HDMI, it provides Compenent Video which also provides output up to 1080p, and it also provides standard composite and stereo output (standard red, white, and yellow cables).  Obviously if you want the high end output features, you must have  a compatible television and cables.  Most reviews of the Sony SMP-N100 Network Media Player with Wi-Fi indicate that the picture is very good even when hooked up to a standard definition television.

Probably the features I am most excited about is the streaming compatibility of this digital media player.  Sony gives you access to Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Pandora, and Crackle.  So not only do you have access to your own media library, you will have acces to almost 100,000 instant movies that you can stream directly to your television.  All of those services require that you have an account, obvioulsy.  A huge plus, that has just recently been announced, is that Amazon Prime now inclues free access to 5,000 movies at no additional charge as an included service with their Amazon Prime accounts.  Amazon prime is currently $79 per year and members get unlimited free two day shipping as a part of their membership.  Now, in addition to the free two-day shipping, you will have access to 5,000 streaming movies at no additional cost.  Their library is growing every day, so this is a huge plus to this Sony Media Player.  Personally, I have Netflix, and now with Amazon Instant Video I have added about 5,000 movies with the push of a button.  An exclusive of the Sony SMP-N100 Network Media Player is that it also gives you access to Crackle, which lets you watch movies, TV shows, and original series from the Sony Pictures library.  If you would like all of these same features, and also like the functionality of  a Blu-ray player, Sony also makes the Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player which has all the features of the SMP-N100, but you can play your Blu-ray movies also.

Features Breakdown:

Format Support

AAC: Yes (USB) — m4a

AVC-HD: Yes (USB)

DivX: Yes (USB ) — jpg, jpeg

DivX HD: Yes (USB and DLNA) — XviD

JPEG: Yes (USB and DLNA) — jpg, jpeg

LPCM: Yes (USB and DLNA) — wav

MP3: Yes (USB and DLNA) — mp3

MPEG-1: Yes (USB) — vob, vro, mpg, mpeg, m2ts, mts

MPEG: Yes (USB and DLNA) — vob, vro, mpg, mpeg, m2ts, mts

Simple MPEG: Yes, MPEG 4 AVC (USB) — mkv, mp4, m4v, m2ts, mts

WMA: Yes (USB and DLNA) — wma (DLNA:Basic profile only no 32kpbs or lower)

WMV: Yes, WMV9 (USB) — wmv, asf

Inputs and Outputs

Analog Audio 2ch Output(s) (L,R): 1

Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr) Output(s): 1

Composite Video Output(s): 1

Ethernet Port(s): 1

HDMI Output(s): 1

Optical Audio Digital Output(s): 1

USB Port(s): 1- front

Weights and Measurements

Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.6 x 7.4 inches

Weight: 1 pound, 8 ounces

Back View:

The brite-view cinema tube is one of the most versatile media streamers in the digital media player genre and truly one of the most fun USB toys out today.  It comes from the manufacturer with the ability to play any files you can throw at it .  It has all of the features to keep even the pickiest video snob happy, like streaming 1080p video playback and support for digital sound with DTS and Dolby Digital Playback through the optical output.  Utilizing Upnp technology will allow you to instantly start streaming services like CNN and Hulu right out of the box.  It is also a compatible torrent download that can support three downloads at the same time.  This could free up your computer to actually be used as a computer, and not just a media player.  Similar to the Xtreamer this media player also has the capability to be an MKV streamer.

Update 11/17/2010: Brite-view has released a new “Mini” version of the BV-5005HD called the CinemaGo. Right now it comes standard with the wireless dongle and an HDMI cable included from Amazon! Find out more at this link, New Arrival! brite-View BV-5005HD Mini . 

The Briteview Cinematube 1080p Full HD Media Player

Features, features, and more features, and did I mention that  this media streamer is wireless capable also?  The wireless adapter (WL-6200C) is sold separately, of course, but nonetheless you are able to connect the Briteview Cinematube to your network via wireless adapter and instantly it becomes a wireless media player.  Amazon sells the Brite-View media player and the wireless adapter as a complete kit, or for about $30 less, you can just buy the brite-view player by iteself.  If you are interested in the media player without the wireless adapter it is available here at, Brite-View BV-5005HD .  Now, for some die hard media player fans who prefer their media player to be hard wired, you can also connect the Brite-view usb video player directly to your network via Ethernet cable.  I couldn’t find any evidence that there is an internal expansion slot for installing your own internal hard drive to store your media on the device.  The Brite-View 1080p media player will only play files located on a USB device that is connected to the unit.  You can connect the Brite View 5005hd to your network via Ethernet cable and access your network also.  This media player will  play your pc content like movies, and music directly from your computer network, but you will have to install 3rd party applications such as PlayOn and TVersity on your computer to be able to achieve this feature.  It will, however, stream digital media like CNN, ESPN, CBS, and HULU through the Ethernet cable or the wireless adapter.  Now I normally will start off by touting the greatness of a player, and I started out with a few things that this player is lacking, and it may seem like I am bashing this player, but truth be told I really like the Brite-view BV-5005HD Cinematube multimedia player.  One feature of this player that is considered, “Hush, Hush”, due to certain implications is its compatibility as a torrent downloader.  It can support up to three simultaneous torrent downloads directly to the USB device you have connected to your Cinematube as a usb video player.  This device only supports playback from USB hard drives with the NTFS or EXT-3 formats.  The Brite-view Cinematube also has video playback at up to 1080p supported and Dolby Digital and DTS sound output through the digital optical out, or through the HDMI cable.  The Brite-View comes with a free Ethernet cable also.  Here is a look at some of the other great features:

• Video Outputs – HDMI (up to 1080p), Component Video (YPbPr), and Composite Video,
• Audio Outputs – Stereo Analog Audio (R/L), S/PDIF Optical Digital Audio
• Video Files and Codecs – MPEG1 (AVI/MKV Streamer/TS/DAT/MPG/MPEG/VOB); MPEG2 (MKV/DAT/MPG/MPEG/VOB/ISO/IFO/TS/TP)/M2TS; MPEG4 (AVI/MP4/MKV/MOV/WMV/ASF); DivX 3/4/5/6; Xvid; H.264/AVC (TS/AVI/MP4/MKV/MOV/FLV)M2TS; VC-1 (TS/AVI/ASF/WMV)M2TS; WMV9 (ASF/WMV); Real Video 8/9/10 (RM/RMVB)
• Audio Files and Codecs – MPEG audio; MP3; WAV, WMA, FLAC, OGG; Audio codecs – Dolby Digital, DTS, PCM, LPCM, ADPCM, AAC, RA, MKA
• Connectivity – WIFI (to make the Briteview a wireless media player), UPnP, USB (2), Ethernet Port
• Web Stuff – Video : CNN, NBC, CBS; ESPN, Youtube TV, Torrent Download

Also, having the ability to stream any movie you want to your HD television means your are probably going to have some late nights, or some very early mornings depending on your perspective.  Either way, if you love coffee, then I found a great site that you can visit by following this link, coffee press guide.

Welcome to the digital media player big leagues the Xtreamer 1080P HD Media Player & Network Streamer H.264 MKV.  Released in advance of the holiday season on November 1, 2009, the Xtreamer 1080p HD player comes absolutely loaded with features like iPhone remote control compatibility, of course as the name suggests 1080p TrueHD, Dolby Digital and DTS sound, Google Movie Juke Box, Bluray ISO support, and much more to be discussed.  Ups and downs, this network media tank is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition when it comes to features, but leaves a little in the connection department.  Overall, my rating is that this player is a must see!

Xtreamer 1080P HD Media Player & Network Streamer H.264 MKV Streamer

Price: $129.99USD (updated 11/10/10)

At the onset, one of the most impressive attributes of the Xtreamer is its compatibility with all sorts of codecs and formats.  This streaming wireless media player will play just about any type of file in the world.  Also, no more hard to sort through menu systems.  The Xtreamer HD Player utilizes Google’s Movie Jukebox and Music Jukebox software programs*.  Xtreamer 1080p Network Streamer is also one of the first digital media players on the market to offer Bluray ISO support.  This is a huge feature as the price of Bluray players and discs are coming down and more and more the ability to play Bluray ISO files will be needed.  On the go all the time, or just want the ability to access your network, the Xtreamer is compatible with and comes with iPhone remote control which allows the Xtreamer to be controlled by the iPhone or any mobile phone with web browsing capabilities.  Sound as clear as it comes with the support for Dolby Digital Dolby TrueHD down mixing and also DTS-HD Master Audio.  Hear every detail and get the full capailities of you Bluray player with up to 7.1 audio channels output supported through the HDMI output or the Digital Optical Output.

The Xtreamer Media Player can be hard wired directly through the ethernet port or it can be set up as a wireless media player with a wireless WiFi connection to your home or business network with the purchase of the optional Xtreamer Wireless N USB 2.0 WiFi Adapter / Antenna available for around $29.99USD.  Whether hard wired or wireless, you can enjoy browsing through your home media collection on the HD menu system graphic user interface.  You can also download or stream live internet content like CNN and ESPN streams.  The Xtreamer Media Network Player also gives you the ability to install an internal 2.5″ SATA hard drive to expand the capabilities  of the Xtreamer and also to store your media directly on the device.  The Xtreamer offers multilingual support also.  To top it all off the Xtreamer is Windows 7 compatible.  Here is the low down on the Xtreamer 1080p player:

• Audio/Video Outputs – HDMI v1.3a (up to 1080p), Composite Video, Stereo Analog Audio, S/PDIF Optical Digital Audio
• Video Files and Codecs – MPEG1/2/4 Elementary (M1V, M2V, M4V), MPEG1/2 PS (M2P, MPG), MPEG2 Transport Stream (TS, TP, TRP, M2T, M2TS, MTS), VOB, AVI, ASF, WMV, Matroska (MKV Streamer), AVC HD, MOV (H.264), MP4, RMP4, FLV – Flash Video; Codecs – XVID SD/HD, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MP@HL, MPEG-4.2, ASP@L5, 720p, 1-point GMC, WMV9, MP@HL, H.264, BP@L3, MP@L4.0, HP@L4.0, HP@L4.1, VC-1, MP@HL, AP@L3.
• Audio Files and Codecs – o AAC, M4A, MPEG audio (MP1, MP2, MP3, MPA), WAV, WMA, FLAC, OGG; Audio codecs - Dolby Digital, DTS (DTS DownMix Supported), WMA, WMA Pro, AAC, MP1, MP2, MP3, LPCM, FLAC, Vorbis
• Realtek 128X Chipset (Special Edition)
• Connectivity – WIFI, UPnP, SSDP, UPnP AV, NTFS
•  Web Stuff – Video : Picasa, Yahoo Video, CNN, NBC Today, CBS Face the Nation; Audio : Live365 Radio, iPodcast, Radiobox, ABC News, BBC Podcast, CNN News , Indiefeed, Jamendo; Photo : Picasaweb; RSS feed : Yahoo! Weather, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Xchange, MSNBC News
• Interfaces – 1x USB 2.0 slave, 2x USB 2.0 host, Internal SATA (Internal HDD not included)
• Network – Ethernet 10/100, Optional Xtreamer Wireless N USB 2.0 WiFi Adapter / Antenna

*For more information or to download, there is a link in this previous article to download  YamJ Movie Jukebox program available from Google.

New Products From Xtreamer:

2010 XTREAMER PRO Media Player & Network Streamer

New for 2010 and released on March 24, 2010, is the NEW 2010 XTREAMER PRO Media Player & Network Streamer digital media player.  The 2010 Xtreamer pro is jam packed with all new features and comes standard with a dedicated storage controller, which allows you to add 3.5″ drives to store your movies.  You will have a capacity of up to 4 terabytes!  The Xtreamer Pro supports Full 7.1 digital audio including DTS-HS MA & Dolby True-HD.  One of the features that stands out the most is the breathtaking menu system (see picture below).  This is by far heads and shoulders above any menu system I have seen on any digital media player.  There are so many features to mention, I’ll just get to the list, but of course this player will let you stream almost every type of video file on the market, including MKV H.264, up to 1080p.  By the way, did I mention this player will also support the BluRay ISO files??  Enjoy your head off on this one.  Here are some of the highlights:

Internal Memory:
256MB DDR 2 SDRAM, 256MB Flash

Realtek 1283X chipset
JM20336 – Dedicated Storage Controller

Video outputs:
HDMI v1.3a (up to 1080p)
Composite Video

Audio Outputs:

Stereo Analog Audio
S/PDIF Optical Digital Audio

Connections:
1x USB 2.0 slave
2x USB 2.0 host
Internal SATA 2
eSATA Front

Connections/Network:
Ethernet 10/100 RJ-45
WIFI USB Antenna 802.11n (optional – SOLD SEPERATELY)

Supported Media Types:
BluRay BD Iso with Simple Navigation
DVD and menus.
Artistic GUI:

Design your own or use preset HD menus

Languages Supported:
Arabic, Thai, Hebrew,Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, Italian, Turkish, Greek , Dutch, French, Latvian, Russian, Croatian, Portugese,
Swedish, Polish, Romanian, Ukrainian, English, Magyar, Czech, Slovenian, Finish, Danish, UTF-8

*A Firmware update will be available soon to allow HD Audio Pass-thru. Firmware scheduled to be released in May 2010 will also include Google Movie Jukebox free of charge!

If you are looking for more bang for your buck then the Western Digital WD TV Live Plus HD Media Player WDBABX0000NBK-NESN has some of the best features and capabilities on the market.  The WD TV live Plus is a very popular digital media player, and is highly rated by its owners for ease of use and functionality.  The latest player released by Western Digital on June 9, 2010, the WD TV Live added some key upgrades from the previous release from Western Digital, the WD TV Live.  This player is network ready, provides video playback up to 1080p TrueHD and digital sound though the media player optical output or the HDMI output.  Also, this digital media player has the ability to stream Netflix live to your high definition TV.  You can also stream content from Youtube, Pandora, and Flickr.  One of the biggest improvements was to the menu system for selecting your media. Follow this link, Western Digital WD TV Live , if you would like to see more on the previous Western Digital player.

Western Digital WD TV Live Plus HD Media Player

Price: $99.99 USD (On Sale as of 11/17/10)

The WD TV Live  digital media player is a media streamer that allows you to stream your video, music, and photos to your high definition TV and play your audio via your home theater system.    This usb video player does not come with an internal hard drive, but rather must be connected to a USB mass storage device or network containing your media files.   One of the recommended storage drives is the Western Digital WD Elements 1 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive WDBAAU0010HBK-NESN which will provide ample room to store lots of movies, photos, and music.  As it comes from the manufacturer, the WD TV Live is a hard wired network ready media streamer.  There is nothing to prevent you from going wireless also with a USB wireless dongle.  A popular wireless adapter for the WD TV Live is the Linksys Range Plus Wireless USB Compact Adapter that will let you connect to your existing home or business wireless network and convert your WD TV Live into a wireless media player.  Either wired as a usb video player, or wireless, this digital media player has it’s competition cut out for it.  It is very similar to the Patriot Box Office Multimedia Player and the HD Digitech HDX-1000, but it doesn’t offer the feature of adding your own internal hard drive to the media player itself.  If this isn’t a concern then the WD TV Live Plus is really a fantastic media player.  It offers the latest and greatest including 1080p true high definition through HDMI and Dolby Digital and DTS Encoders.  Here are the goods, on the WD TV Live Plus HD:

• Includes HDMI 1.3 port, Supporting up to True HD 1080p
• Connect external hard drives directly or connect to your network to view movies, photos, and music
• USB port for USB drives
• Audio formats: MP3, WAV/PCM/LPCM, WMA, AAC, FLAC, MKA, AIF/AIFF, OGG, Dolby Digital, DTS
• Video file formats: AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4), MPG/MPEG, VOB, MKV Streamer (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC-1), TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4, AVC, VC-1), MP4/MOV (MPEG4, h.264), M2TS, WMV9
• Photo formats: JPEG, GIF, TIF/TIFF, BMP, PNG
• Connections: Video: HDMI v1.3 (up to 1080p), Composite Video Out; Audio: S/PDIF Optical Digital Audio, Other: 10/100 Ethernet.
• Remote Control Included.

First available to the public in July of 2009, if you have not yet heard of the HD Digitech HDX 1000 Network Media Tank then please let me introduce you to one of the best in the digital media player genre to date.  There are some downsides to this player also, but the good far outweighs the bad.  With a serial ATA (SATA) slot for adding an internal hard drive, and additional features like Bittorrent support, you can store your media on the device, and give your computer a bit of a breather.  Couple those features with the latest video and audio processors, the HDX 1000 Network Media Tank supports video output up to 1080p and audio output of Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS HD-HR and DTS HD-MA, be prepared to blow your family and friends away.

HD Digitech HDX 1000 Network Media Tank NMT 1080p HD H.264 MKV Player

Price: $249.99 USD

The HDX 1000 Network Media Tank offers both hard wired streaming network support and wireless network support (TP-LINK TL-WN821N Wireless N USB Adapter) is available as an add on for around $20 USD.  The HDX 1000 network media player h264 gives you the ability not only play media files from your computer or external hard drive, but this digital media player also supports streaming internet video from sources such as Youtube, Veoh, and Google Video.  Connectivity is a breeze with Universal Plug N Play (Upnp) and DNLA Media Server support.  The DNLA support will offer additional compatibility for your Xbox and PlayStation 3.  You can also hook up to the slave USB port for direct copying of your media files from your computer.  View your media in up to 1080p through the HDMI 1.3a port.  The HDX1000 also supports component video out and composite video out.  HD Digitech went all out with the audio processing also, by offering Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS HD-HR and DTS HD-MA playable through the media player optical output or the HDMI ouput.  Really top notch sound.  It supports and plays almost any media files out there.

There are, like anything, some downsides to the Digitech HDX 1000 NMT player.  The user interface, out of the box, is text based, but do not fear.  There are third party plug-ins available that will help you navigate your media.  YamJ Movie Jukebox is available from Google and will help you navigate through your media collection.  Also, there are no real hdx 1000 manual instructions that come in the box.  The closest thing to an hdx-1000 manual is an instructional Wiki set up at Networked Media Tank.  Overall, the HD Digitech HDX 1000 Full HD Networked Media Tank really does offer an elite home media streaming experience.

Here is an overview of the features:

• Includes HDMI 1.3a port, Supporting up to True HD 1080p
• Includes expandable hard drive slot for future expansion for extra storage of movies, photos, and music
• Universal Plug-n-Play capability (UPnP)
• 3 USB ports for USB drives (1 is a slave USB for direct copy from PC)
• Audio formats: Dolby®/DTS™ encoders, MP1, MP2, MP3, WAV, WMA, WMA-Pro, AAC, LPCM 5.1/7.1, FLAC, DTS, AC3
• Video file formats: MPEG1/2/4 Elementary (M1V, M2V, M4V), MPEG1/2 PS (M2P, MPG), MPEG2 Transport Stream (TS, TP, TRP, M2T, M2TS, MTS), VOB, AVI, ASF, WMV, Matroska (MKV), MOV (H.264), MP4, RMP4
• Photo formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF
• Internet Connectivity: YouTube, Google Video, MetaCafe, VideoCast, DL.TV, Cranky Geeks, iPodcast, Radiobox, ABC News, Flickr, Picasa, RSS:Yahoo! Weather, Yahoo! Traffic alerts, Yahoo! Stock, Cinecast, Traffic Conditions.  Shoutcast.
• Connections: Video: HDMI v1.3a (up to 1080p), Component Video (up to 1080p), Composite Video (All Gold Plated) Audio: Stereo Analog Audio (Gold Plated), S/PDIF Coaxial Digital Audio, Optical Digital Audio, Other: 10/100 Ethernet, Serial ATA (SATA) port.
• Remote Control Included
• Manufacturer Link: http://www.hdx1080.com/

Released by Patriot Memory on November 10, 2009, the Patriot Box Office 1080P HD Media Player is one of the most exciting media players to hit the market this year.  Unleash all the power of your media on your home theater system.  Enjoy your True HD 1080p media streamed from your desktop to your living room.    Right out of the box, the Patriot Media Player is easy to set-up and will offer compatibility with most systems out there, including offering compatibility with Sony PlayStation® and Microsoft Xbox®.

Patriot Box Office 1080P High Definition Media Player

Price: $99.99 USD (Updated 11/10/2010)

This all-in-one media player offers some of the best functionality to hit the market to date.  Like other digital media players, the Patriot Box Office HD, or Patriot Video Player is a streaming media player, but an added feature unlike most of the other players that are out on the market today is the ability to expand the internal storage capacity of the Box Office.  So, as your media library continues to grow, the Patriot Box Office comes with an internal 2.5″ SATA hard drive slot that will work with any SSD/HDD.  The Patriot Box Office HD media player does not come with an internal hard drive, but it is comforting to know if a person ever wanted to, a hard drive could be added.  Some people may choose to only use it as streaming HD media player, and that is fine, but the Patriot Box Office Wireless G USB Adapter is also available on Amazon*.  Another feature that jumps out is that this digital media player has lots of plugs and will work with any USB mass storage device.  The Patriot Media Player comes with three USB 2.0 ports to accommodate more than one drive or peripheral.  Also playable through the media player optical output or HDMI output, the Patriot Box Office includes Dolby® Digital and DTS™ surround sound processors providing 5.1 and 7.1 channel surround sound through your home entertainment system.

Here is an overview of the features:

• Includes HDMI 1.3 port, Supporting up to True HD 1080p
• Includes expandable hard drive slot for future expansion for extra storage of movies, photos, and music
• Universal Plug-n-Play capability (UPnP)
• 3 USB ports for USB drives
• Audio formats: Dolby®/DTS™ encoder, MP3, WAV, WMA, Real Audio
• Video file formats: MPEG-1, DAT, MPEG-2, VOB, ISO, TS, TP, M2TS, MPEG-4, AVI, MOV,  WMV9, FLA, [H.264/AVC] MKV/TS/AVI/MOV/M2TS, [DviX 3/4/5/6, Xvid] AVI/MKV, [Real Video 8/9/10] RM/RMVB
• Photo formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG
• Connections: Video: HDMI, AV  Composite; Audio: Digital Audio Output S/PDIF (optical), Stereo RCA audio ports; Other: 10/100 Ethernet, 3x USB 2.0 ports & internal 2.5″ SATA HDD connector (HDD not included)
• Remote Control Included

UPDATE 12/08/09 – There is news from Patriot Memory that they will be releasing a new wireless adapter called the Patriot Wireless N USB Adapter that will be compatible with the Patriot Box Office 1080p HD Media Player.  There is no release date set, but I will keep you up to date on the Patriot Media Player update information becomes available.

*UPDATE 11/10/10 -  The wireless n dongle is still available for $22.00.

Image Credit: Patriot Memory

Netgear® EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite

Prices: $400.00 – $450.00 USD

The EVA9150 is truly the king of the hill of the Netgear® digital media players.  Boasting a built-in 500 gigabyte hard drive and video output of 1080p with all the connections you need.  EVA9150 will play video, MP3s, and digital photos from your computer, PC or Macintosh, and from any networked storage device.  This player has similar features to the EVA8000 like “Follow Me” and “Party Mode”, but there are some other differences that need to be mentioned.  The added capability of up-conversion, where the EVA9150 will up convert your standard definition playback movies up to full 1080p high definition.  It will automatically search your network for media and make them available to play on your television without having to search for them and add them yourself.  Simple wireless is available with just the push of a button supporting Dual Band 11n with Push N Connect.  Here’s the rest of the specifications:

• Includes HDMI port, HD upconversion up to 1080p, Wireless-N
• Includes a 500 GB hard drive for extra storage of movies, photos, and music
• Enjoy full HD up to 1080p when playing back Windows® Media Video 9, H-264, MPEG-2, or MPEG-4 files
• USB ports for iPod® and USB drives
• Audio formats: MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, FLAC, WMA-Pro, M4A, M4P, AC3, DTS Passthrough, PCM, LPCM, AIFF
• Video file formats: AVI, DivX, Xvid, WMV9, MOV, M4V, VOB, MPG, MP1, MP2, MP4, ISO, IFO, MKV (with AC3 only), TS, M2TS, PS
• Photo formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF
• Connections: Video: HDMI, AV  Composite, Component Video, S-Video; Audio: Digital Audio Output S/PDIF (coaxial/optical), Stereo RCA audio ports; Other: USB 2.0, Ethernet port, SCART connector for regions that require it
• Remote Control Included

Image Credit: Netgear

Netgear® EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD

Prices: $250.00-$320.00 USD

The EVA8000 is the only higher end model to come with the wireless features built in to the device.  It also offers a wider range of connectivity options than the EVA2000.  This is a complete step up to a higher end streaming digital media player.  With playback up to 1080p, HDMI, and digital audio out, setup will be easier than you think.  If you don’t have HDMI on your TV, don’t worry this player has plenty of options.  One of the neatest features is something that Netgear calls “Follow Me”.  If you have two or more Digital Entertainer HD’s in your house, you can pause a show in one room and then resume play in another room.  You can also synchronize the players in both rooms for “Party Mode”.  Here are the specs:

• Streams HD videos, music, Internet radio and digital photos from your home PCs and storage devices to your HDTV.
• The Digital Entertainer HD supports high definition playback of Windows® Media Video 9 or MPEG-4 file formats at up to 1080p resolution on your HDTV.
• Audio Supported:  MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, FLAC
• Supports MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, WMV, Xvid video playback
• Network: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, RJ-45, 802.11g standard compliant (connects to 802.11b or 802.11g networks), Dual 2 dBi antenna for better wireless reception
• Connections: Video: HDMI, AV  Composite, Component Video, S-Video; Audio: Digital Audio Output S/PDIF (coaxial/optical), Stereo RCA audio ports; Other: USB 2.0, Ethernet port, SCART connector for regions that require it
• Image formats: JPEG, BMP, PNG, TIFF
• Included Remote Control

Netgear® EVA2000 Digital Entertainer Live

Prices: $125.00-$150.00 USD

Netgear® launched this little player in July of 2009.  It offers great features for a wired home theater system.  The EVA2000 can also be used as a wireless digital media player, but you must purchase the wireless adapter, Netgear® Wireless Adapter for EVA2000, in order to take advantage of the wireless features.  The wireless adapter will run about $40.00 from Amazon.  The EVA2000 offers great features, but does not offer many options in the connectivity area.  Limited to only an HDMI output, the EVA2000 is geared toward the household with strictly home theater systems which include a TV with HDMI.  This leaves out any Component Video or S-Video families out there.  Netgear is intentionally vague in describing the resolution output.  The name suggests HD output, but from what I can tell, it only outputs video at 480p.  So if you are looking for high end 1080p output, or just 720p output, then you will want to look elsewhere.  I’ll be reviewing two other players from Netgear that offer the higher end features.  If you are looking for a simple player to stream videos from Youtube or other online video services, or just a basic way to stream media from your computer then this player might be for you.  Some key features are:

• up to 480p Standard Definition Playback (HDMI Only)(based on my research)
• MP2, MP3, WMA, AAC, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless, WAV, LPCM, Vorbis, AC3, M4A, Dolby Digital (HDMI Output Only)
• Supports WMV 7/8/9, VC1, VP6, H.263, H.264, MPEG 1/2/4, AVI, DivX 4.x, DivX 5.x, Xvid, MOV, MP4, MPEG2-PS, MPEG2-TS, DVD VOB, FLV, Matroska, ASF video playback
• USB 2.0
• Connections: Video: HDMI, AV  Composite, USB 2.0 (2 ports), 10/100 Ethernet; Audio: HDMI Audio Out
• Image formats: JPG
• Included Remote Control