ASUS O!Play media players

[johnsonx42]

Anyone know anything about these new ASUS media players?
http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=aLsLIiFYl0Jw0H9Q

Patriot also has a similar sort of device called the BoxOffice: http://www.patriotmem.com/products/detai...95&type=20

I saw yet another one that looked just like the Patriot unit, but I've forgotten what it was called or who made it (oh, here it is, the Hornettek Phantom http://www.hornettek.com/index.php/hdd-m...ta/phantom). I suspect these are all the same basic unit being customized by these various vendors.

Anyone know anything about any of these?

I'm assuming they're not NMT's, but I wonder if they could become extenders for NPVR one day?

[mvallevand]

There are already a few threads on the O!Play, (forum search "asus o!play"), the PBO and other Realtek players, I've found about 100 different Realtek players which use the same core SDK based UI and functionality. You want one with regular firmware updates and the newer Realtek chip (if you want proper high-end BluRay audio)

I have had no luck getting info from any of these companies on getting the SDK under an NDA etc so no NPVR/GBPVR UI, no comskip, no resume, no live tv, but they won't be bad mpeg-ts players. The PCH A110 refurbs at $105 or new EGreat's at $140 are certainly worth a little more IMO to get this and a player generally considered to be a better extender.

Martin

[johnsonx42]

I guess I should have searched... I thought I read the forum often enough I would know if these had been discussed before.

The #1 neat-o thing about the ones I listed as opposed to any NMT, is I can get all of those at my local Fry's Electronics (nerd heaven); that means I can buy one on a whim, play with it, and return it easily if it doesn't enhance my life in magical ways. Plus, Fry's sometimes has them on sale... they had the O!Play Air for $70 after rebate a week or two ago, but were out of stock by the time I got there.

I think what I really need to find is a box that will play mpeg-ts recordings from NPVR, and also do Netflix over the internet. It seems the netflix boxes (Roku?) don't play media files, and the media file players don't do Netflix.

[johnsonx42]

oh, apparently I want the WD TV Live Plus: http://www.wdtvlive.com/products/which

[mvallevand]

Yes if Netflix is a stronger consideration than NPVR that is a good choice. If you want both (and Hulu CBS etc) apparently the first generation NMT's support the pay service PlayOn http://www.playon.tv/playon but I can't confirm this

Martin

[johnsonx42]

Thanks for putting me on to that; according to the supported devices page here: http://www.playon.tv/playon/supported-devices?loc=pl1 they directly support the WD TV Live, and also support the A100/A110 as a DLNA device.

Cool.