The forthcoming codenamed Apple iTV is a device that will connect your TV to your Mac and also to the internet, hooking you up with the iTunes movie store and all the video stored on your Mac.
However, this device is not something you can put on your Christmas list since it won't be released for some time. But if you really want a device that can hook your TV up to your PC and don't want to wait then here are some devices already available.
Available now:
ADS Media Link ($90) – This media server hooks your TV up to your PC and the internet. It can show videos, images and music from your PCs hard drive on your television. All in all it's not too bad but does not support playback for WMV files and is not great when it comes to playing music on your TV. The internet browser is also a bit slow. It supports both SD and HD. For the $90 price tag it is a good budget model.
D-Link MediaLounge DSM-520 ($200) – Againlike the ADS Media Link, this media server can play MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 video files but not WMV files. IUnfortunately it does not have internet browsing support. However, it does have good support for music files and you can even use AOL's ShoutCast radio service. It has also been reported that it sometimes has trouble with non D-Link routers. Personally I don't think it is worth the $200 price tag.
Actiontec Wireless Digital Media Player ($150) – This device is very similar in functionality to the ADS Media Link, but costing about $60 more. It supports SD and HD video, and has internet browsing capabilities, although they aren't great. It has a variety of digital video and audio connections too.
Prismiq MediaPlayer ($150) – This has support for a nice number of video formats including MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4/DivX, and VOB but unfortunately not WMV. The Prismiq MediaPlayer was one of the first digital media hubs and it still looks good today. Like most it has difficulty with web browsing.
Netgear EVA700 ($230) – Netgear have done a very good job with this streaming machine. The EVA700 is well designed, has a nice looking user interface for the TV and even supports WPA.
When it comes to video and audio it supports a whole range of formats including WMV up to 1080p, xVid and AVI formats. You can even plug in PMPs to the USB port and play video directly from them. For both video streaming and audio streaming this product does the job well.
The only downside to this media extender is it lacks an internet browser, otherwise it's great.- Zensonic Z500 ($330) – I'm going to keep this short, it's pretty much like the Netgear EVA700 plus a few dollars and minus a few features.
Pegasus Cynalynx ($400) – The Cynalynx looks like a very high end media server doing everything that the EVA700 can and more. In addition it has support for WPA2 and can even stream DVDs as they are played from the PC.
However, if you did want one you'd find yourself a bit stuck, I couldn't find anywhere to buy this product. Apparently some units have been shipped to Europe and Aisa but PC Magazine said it was unsure if Pegasus could ship the Cynalynx in volume.
LinkSys WMCE54AG Media Extender ($240) – This device is specifically for use with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with the ability to bring most of the MCE capabilities to your TV including watching videos, viewing pictures and PVR functionality.
It also features some extra features such as MSN Messenger, video downloads from MovieLink and CinemaNow, and music from MSN Music, AOL Music, and Napster.
Xbox 360 ($300 core $400 platinum) – A media server, DVD player, and Games console in one. The Xbox handles media from most portable devices pretty well and can stream WMA files using the Xbox Media Center with a PC running Windows MCE.
There is even rudimentary internet browsing plus a video download service. Compared to other media servers its not the best but you do get a whole gaming console too.
Use a Mac ($300 approx.) – Why let Apple do it for you when you can do it yourself. Ryan Faas of Informit.com has a brilliant guide on how to make your own iTV with a MAC. If you want to keep it all Apple then this is the way to go.
Media Center PC ($235 upwards) - If you make a media center PC and connect it to your network you have yourself a media extender with all the features you could ask for. But not only do you have a media extender you have a media center PC too and you can get a new set up for as little as $235.
Akimbo RCA Player ($200) – It's not exactly a media center but worth mentioning because it does one thing that the Apple iTV will be good for, buying videos on demand. The Akimbo RCA Player will download (for a price) TV shows, videos and movies from online sources. However, it will not hook up with your PC and does not allow you to browse the internet and it does cost $9.99 a month just to keep using it.
I'm sure I've missed a few media extenders out that are available now, if so just post a comment to let me know.
1. I have been using the Buffalo LinkTheater for last 2 years and it has a pretty comprehensive support for various video formats.
http://www.buffalotech.com/products/product-detail.php?productid=96&categoryid=18
Posted at 10:01PM on Nov 30th 2006 by vinkap