Netgear's
Digital Entertainer media streamers have always been
well-admired as capable and flexible home theater units, and it sounds like the new Digital Entertainer Live will keep that trend alive while bringing prices down -- the $150 box will play back just about any format you throw at it from just about any source, while offering YouTube, pay-per-view CinemaNow movies and VuNow and PlayOn support in the bargain. Seems like a pretty decent piece of kit, no outrageous claims here -- oh, except for this line about the Live's new video search tool that can "locate videos on the entire worldwide web" by searching "more than hundred thousand websites." That sounds... ominous. Way to go, guys -- first you add MKV support, then you try to blackmail the entire world. We always knew this would happen.
Update: We just spoke with Netgear and learned a couple interesting tidbits. First, although remote bears a resemblance to the one used with the Western Digital WD TV HD, that's all -- the actual box itself is completely different hardware, and the remote has a totally different layout. Second, PlayOn will be offered at a 25 percent discount to DE Live buyers, making the whole thing seem like even more of a bargain.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TheSkinsfan1 @ Sep 8th 2009 4:46PM
WIFI sold separately? No gig-ethernet?
fail.
kingu @ Sep 8th 2009 5:05PM
No stated linux support, but it can connect to ReadyNAS, which runs linux. Emmmm, no thanks. Netgear will have to get more details on the table.
GaryMc @ Sep 8th 2009 4:56PM
Too bad it's not a media extender.....
nrb @ Sep 8th 2009 5:02PM
It's a step in the right direction, but I'm gonna hold out a bit longer.
Agree with Skinsfan about the WIFI, but at least it's an option. Gig-E doesn't really matter for pulling a 2MB stream.
Would like to see HULU and Netflix, but M$ is managing to lock people out of those. Yea, I know PlayOn will do it, but it's not the same as native support.
Aaron @ Sep 8th 2009 5:09PM
Sigh. I could care less about YouTube on my TV. Partner with Hulu and I'll get interested.
PlayOn's on-the-fly transcoding really takes a toll on image quality, so the door's wide open for someone to do it the right way.
DanITman @ Sep 8th 2009 5:14PM
No mention of what resolutions it supports??
Does it do 1080p?
Gig Ethernet is necessary, 100mb is just fine for streaming 1080p content.
DanITman @ Sep 9th 2009 6:31AM
I meant to say that Gig Ethernet isn't necessary.
Sorry
realvrz @ Sep 8th 2009 7:19PM
The web site does say that it supports HULU...
But it doesnt mention DTS!! I guess I am sticking with my A-110..
realvrz @ Sep 8th 2009 7:21PM
Oh.. Its not native HULU... its with PlayOn... then its Fail
Leo @ Sep 9th 2009 1:16PM
Has anyone seen any reviews of the Popcorn Hour C-200? I would love to see some real world looks at that now that it is released.
dons @ Oct 14th 2009 11:36AM
I have this and have problems with playing back HD streamed from TVERSITY (PLAYON doesn't do HD streaming yet). I tried streaming LOCAL files and HD content from the web...both seem to saturate the NIC (I have 1GB on my server and hardwired to the 100MB on the Netgear EVA2000) If I PAUSE the video and wait it seems to buffer it up and it then plays ok. Not sure why a networking company wouldn't put a 1GB ethernet in this kind of device.