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Last Friday Popcorn Hour announced that you can now pre-order their A-100 digital media streaming device. By following a few steps in their online web shop, you are sure to stream digital media from a PC via a wide range of connectivity options. Both DivX and Matroska and other high-bitrate video formats are supported by Popcorn’s A-100.
You can use the A-100 as a BitTorrent peer-to-peer downloader, but this will require an internal hard disk drive. This multi-functional device can also be used as a network-attached storage device and features a 256MB of DDR SDRAM and 32MB of Flash memory. The device is fitted with a few USB 2.0 ports and a Parellel ATA port. Currently the A-100 is priced at $180 and this includes HDMI v1.1 input, S-Video and composite plugs.
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Posted by EPiPHON3 (guest) on Wednesday 07 May 2008 15:26
Get into it:
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/
Posted by DukeNukem on Wednesday 07 May 2008 15:57
http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/
"Cardea DRM (WMDRM-ND)"
DRM? WTF is this about?
"Cardea DRM (WMDRM-ND)"
DRM? WTF is this about?
Posted by johnzap on Wednesday 07 May 2008 16:25
Hey Duke, don't you know of a very useful tool, named Google? 
It appears the PH allows you to stream WM DRMed content. But don't worry, it also allows you to play quite a LOT of non-DRM content.
Thinking about getting one of these puppies myself.
It appears the PH allows you to stream WM DRMed content. But don't worry, it also allows you to play quite a LOT of non-DRM content.
Thinking about getting one of these puppies myself.
Posted by Hi-Jack (guest) on Wednesday 07 May 2008 19:08
PopCorn was one of the first NMT media players to launch, but there are a wider range of poducts using the exact same firmware from Syabas but show differences in hardware and size like eGreat (USB Slave, 512MB memory), ISTAR, (external enclosure, DTS Decoder, HDMI1.3) and HDX-900 (Alluminum design and only HD ouptuts).
All products are up to par with support, hence using the same firmware. There's 4 to choose from so choose whatever one you like best or need most with the limited, yet sometimes valuable hardware differences...
Reviews on all of these can be found online at MPC Club ( www.mpcclub.com ). Just for a little read to know what you buy...
These are the best in calles currently beside the TViX M-6500/7000...
Enjoy
All products are up to par with support, hence using the same firmware. There's 4 to choose from so choose whatever one you like best or need most with the limited, yet sometimes valuable hardware differences...
Reviews on all of these can be found online at MPC Club ( www.mpcclub.com ). Just for a little read to know what you buy...
These are the best in calles currently beside the TViX M-6500/7000...
Enjoy
Posted by DukeNukem on Wednesday 07 May 2008 19:28
@ johnzap
Yeah, I guess I'm just getting lazy.
I'm also thinking about getting one. But I don't want to stream, I want to put an HDD in it. I wonder what the max drive size is? Either that or I'll build an HTPC.
@ Hi-Jack
Thanks for the info. It's always appreciated.
Yeah, I guess I'm just getting lazy.
I'm also thinking about getting one. But I don't want to stream, I want to put an HDD in it. I wonder what the max drive size is? Either that or I'll build an HTPC.
@ Hi-Jack
Thanks for the info. It's always appreciated.
Posted by old3eyes on Thursday 08 May 2008 10:13
I bought one of these back in January. Plays virtually anything I throw at it. For what it costs it's the best value for money I've seen for a long time..
Posted by johnzap on Thursday 08 May 2008 12:45
@DukeNukem
From what I'm reading, there's no apparent harddrive size limit, e.g. I remember reading someone who inserted a 750GB one. I'm reading some reports that WD disks are not very easy to insert, because the IDE connection, on the disk, is slightly shifted and there's trouble using it with the PH. Samsung and Seagate should not be a problem.
In the meantime, a few warnings:
- if you are concerned with noise, maybe a 2.5" HD will be better (of course the sizes are smaller than 3.5"). You will need a 3.5" to 2.5" adaptor.
- heat: it appears that the Sigma chip gets quite hot (more or less normal) and, since the enclosure is very small and there's no fan, it's likely that some heat gets transfered to the harddisk. Something to consider, i.e. disk lifespan might be reduced.
- An alternative to an internal harddisk could be an external one, connected via USB 2.0. However, it seems that there are some problems with lockups when playing via USB. Looks like it occurs more often when playing DVD-VIDEO ISOs, not so much with other types of files. The bug has been acknowledged but is taking some time to be solved.
- DTS: only performs DTS passthrough. If you don't have a DTS decoder, you'll get no sound. An alternative, would be to reencode the sound, e.g. to AC3, on files with DTS sound. Some (all?) of the alternatives Hi-Jack listed do seem to perform DTS downmix, therefore will always give you sound on DTS.
@Hi-Jack
Sorry, didn't understand what you mean with:
"These are the best in calles currently beside the TViX M-6500/7000".
"in calles"?
This message was edited at: 08-05-2008 12:49
From what I'm reading, there's no apparent harddrive size limit, e.g. I remember reading someone who inserted a 750GB one. I'm reading some reports that WD disks are not very easy to insert, because the IDE connection, on the disk, is slightly shifted and there's trouble using it with the PH. Samsung and Seagate should not be a problem.
In the meantime, a few warnings:
- if you are concerned with noise, maybe a 2.5" HD will be better (of course the sizes are smaller than 3.5"). You will need a 3.5" to 2.5" adaptor.
- heat: it appears that the Sigma chip gets quite hot (more or less normal) and, since the enclosure is very small and there's no fan, it's likely that some heat gets transfered to the harddisk. Something to consider, i.e. disk lifespan might be reduced.
- An alternative to an internal harddisk could be an external one, connected via USB 2.0. However, it seems that there are some problems with lockups when playing via USB. Looks like it occurs more often when playing DVD-VIDEO ISOs, not so much with other types of files. The bug has been acknowledged but is taking some time to be solved.
- DTS: only performs DTS passthrough. If you don't have a DTS decoder, you'll get no sound. An alternative, would be to reencode the sound, e.g. to AC3, on files with DTS sound. Some (all?) of the alternatives Hi-Jack listed do seem to perform DTS downmix, therefore will always give you sound on DTS.
@Hi-Jack
Sorry, didn't understand what you mean with:
"These are the best in calles currently beside the TViX M-6500/7000".
"in calles"?
This message was edited at: 08-05-2008 12:49
Posted by dorman (guest) on Thursday 08 May 2008 15:15
Ah MKV support, a paradise for pirates. 
The unit is HDMI 1.1. yikes.
MKV delivers less quality then blu-ray and with no lossless audio. Many times a 1080p rip is downsize to 720p and hidef audio stripped to DD or DTS cores only. No use for me. 
The unit is HDMI 1.1. yikes.
MKV delivers less quality then blu-ray and with no lossless audio. Many times a 1080p rip is downsize to 720p and hidef audio stripped to DD or DTS cores only. No use for me.
Posted by DukeNukem on Thursday 08 May 2008 15:49
@ johnzap
Thanks for the info. I just wish they sold them at my local computer store. Why sell only on-line?
Thanks for the info. I just wish they sold them at my local computer store. Why sell only on-line?
Posted by Hi-Jack (guest) on Monday 12 May 2008 17:42
I mend "best in class" of media players :-)
In the mean time a new beta update is provided which supports the Atheros powered USB sticks. PoPCorn will release one because none are available "marketing move) and these should be available in two weeks togther with an update on the players.
Notes: 20Mbps support limit (could change in future FW)
Costs 37$
Reported it as news 2 days ago but guess it was deemed not good enough or something...
Enjoy
In the mean time a new beta update is provided which supports the Atheros powered USB sticks. PoPCorn will release one because none are available "marketing move) and these should be available in two weeks togther with an update on the players.
Notes: 20Mbps support limit (could change in future FW)
Costs 37$
Reported it as news 2 days ago but guess it was deemed not good enough or something...
Enjoy
Posted by Hi-Jack (guest) on Monday 12 May 2008 17:44
I mend "best in class" of media players :-)
In the mean time a new beta update is provided which supports the Atheros powered USB sticks with Wireless N. PoPCorn will release one because none are available (marketing move) and these should be available in two weeks together with an update on the players for the WLAN support.
Notes: 20Mbps support limit (could change in future FW)
Costs 37$
Reported it as news 2 days ago but guess it was deemed not good enough or something as it did not make the release...
Enjoy
In the mean time a new beta update is provided which supports the Atheros powered USB sticks with Wireless N. PoPCorn will release one because none are available (marketing move) and these should be available in two weeks together with an update on the players for the WLAN support.
Notes: 20Mbps support limit (could change in future FW)
Costs 37$
Reported it as news 2 days ago but guess it was deemed not good enough or something as it did not make the release...
Enjoy
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