[advid]

...I've just returned (to QVC) a Philips 500g Multimedia player... I thought it would do what I wanted - but NO !

I just wanted an easy to use device to transfer files from my PC to my TV ...

It 'says on the tin' both stated on QVC and on the Philips box that it supports MP4 - I've just purchased a Samsung VP-HMX 20c HiDEf video camera and the Philips doesn't even recognise MP4 files... (both in HD and standard SD format) - they just don't show up on the menu (?)

My camera (Casio Exilim) saves in AVI format and although the Philips sees them on its menu it doesnt play them (screen goes blank the back to menu) ?

What a load of @(>'$%!...

I can play Divx - AVI - MPEG - MP4 - and loads more video and audio formats on my PC with no problems - is there some sort of HD/Multimedia device that will do what I want...

(I'm hard wired with 2 PC's linked in my back (work) room) _ I don't really want to go wireless..so don't suggest transmitter/sender device)

Surely there must a reliable easy to 'plug in and play' box that will play all formats that are playable on a PC and allow me just to plug into my TV and view ???

..Any advice or help most welcome !

[sancheeez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by advid

Surely there must a reliable easy to 'plug in and play' box that will play all formats that are playable on a PC and allow me just to plug into my TV and view ???

Yes .... it's called a laptop.

The problem with video/media files on computers is there are tons of little variations from the standard file formats. They are also constantly evolving, new versions appear, old ones get dropped .... etc etc

A standalone will NEVER be able to reliably play everything. It would require a firmware update every 10 minutes to keep up.

You can probably find one that will play a good proportion of stuff but if you want 100% coverage, the won't be out of date in two months, you need a computer or something that strams from a computer but lets the computer do the actual playing of the files.

HD files, at the moment, will give you even more problems with standalones.

Oh .... and AVI isn't a format, it's a container. There could be anything in there ....

[niall campbell]

a NAS hard drive

or a decent multi media player

http://www.netgear.co.uk/digital_med...er_eva8000.php

[sancheeez]

That EVA8000 actually looks pretty decent.

But .... it's a standalone. From what I could see about it, it looks like it will play more formats than most. Probably just about anything as things standa at the moment. (Although there will be a few wierdly encoded files it won't play .... I can guarantee you that)

Which is fine.

Your probems will doubtless start 6+ months down the line as CODEC's evolve, new versions appear etc etc.

Then you hit the problem you'll have with any standalone, not just this one ..... you're at the mercy of the manufacturer to release new firmware to keep up with developments in the CODEC's used. They may release something quickly, they may never update it to cope .... thats the problem.

The beauty of a laptop is you just update it yourself as and when you need to.

More expensive at the outset yes, but more durable in the long run? Definitely.

[advid]

... "IF" - i brought a laptop with an HDMI output (I rather fancy a Samsung R700 'cause it's not too pricey) and played back my Samsung HMX 20 video cam MP4 HD files plugged via hdmi into my LCD TV would it give me a resolution of 1280x1080
as the Samsungs R700's own screen only says its capable of 1440 x 900...

Therefor (in theory) output to the TV should give a better more detailed picture than from the laptop - am I right ??

[sancheeez]

Maybe.

Depends what the laptop in question is able to output to an external screen. You'd need to check the specs of the individual laptop in question to determine that.

Also, you need to make sure you get a laptop with enough power to actually play everything you want it to play. No problem for music, photos and SD video but HD video requires a bit more grunt .... especially once you get up to 1080p files.

[clockworks999]

An alternative to a laptop is a Mac Mini. Small, very quiet, reliable, reasonably priced.

I've got an early Mini, with a 1.5Ghz Core Solo and 512mb RAM. It's a little bit underpowered for playing 1080 wmv, but it's fine with DVD rips, etc. The latest models are higher specced, and should handle just about anything.
I've got mine connected using DVI-HDMI - works perfectly.
Also has an optical output for audio.

If you don't like the idea of using OS X, you can run Win XP instead.

[sancheeez]

^^^

Indeed.

Or you could probably build an HTPC to a higher spec for less money.

[clockworks999]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sancheeez

^^^

Indeed.

Or you could probably build an HTPC to a higher spec for less money.

But would it be as small and as quiet?
Another thing with Macs is they hold their price. A 2 1/2 year old Intel Mini is still worth half of the new price on eBay.