D-Link MediaLounge High-Definition Media Player (DSM-510) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off, I'd like to say that I firmly believe that digital media players similar to this one are the future of digital home entertainment. A simple and inexpensive device like that allows you to stream digital media to your home theater from your laptop, desktop or a dedicated media server located anywhere in your house. This is a great idea. This technology is here to stay. It's just a question of maturity. And, sorry to say, D-Link DSM-510 is not quite there yet.

I truly liked its design simplicity. There are no frills, but all essentials are there - WiFi, Ethernet, HDMI, optical audio and USB port. Exactly what I needed, no more and no less, in a small and neatly done package with clean and straightforward user interface.

However, the device is palgued by fimware bugs that eventually made me take it back to the store where I bought it.

First, the most obvious and the most stupid one is the absence of the on/off indicator. The blue light on the front panel goes on once the power adapter is connected and remanis lit whether the device is turned on or off. So you have to turn your TV on to tell whether it's on or off.

Second, there's no on/off or reset button on the front panel. Well... there's no buttons whatsoever, period. And boy, will you miss that reset button now and then. The only way to turn it on or off is by using remote control.

The most annoying thing is, the device's video output goes completely dark for no apparent reason once in a while and won't come back even if you power cycle it using remote. The device appears to be alive (you can ping it), but video output remains black no matter what you do. The only way to remedy from this is to physically disconnect power supply (there's no reset or power button, remember?)

I upgraded to the latest firmware version (1.01), but to no avail. By the way, firmware upgrade is done via Internet and went very smoothly, although at some point you're left wondering if it's hung up or what? Just be patient and wait for a couple of minutes for it to finish.

I'm really surprised and disappointed that D-Link's QA have not caught this nasty "black screen" problem. Hopefully, it can be fixed with a firmware patch. But until then, the DSM-510 goes back to the store shelf.

And D-Link, take note. If you want to enter consumer market, you have to change your attitude. Consumers are less forgiving than computer geeks you sell your networking stuff to. They won't tolerate bugs that require reaching behind the box and pulling the power cord.

Click Here to see more reviews about: D-Link MediaLounge High-Definition Media Player (DSM-510)

Product Description:
With the DSM-510 enjoy streaming digital media content over an existing network from a PC to a home entertainment center. Access music, photos, and videos stored on a PC and play them on your television. Listen to high-quality digital music on a stereo system, share digital photos with friends and family, and watch your favorite high-definition digital videos on a big screen HDTV. Experience digital media like never before.


Main Features
Manufacturer: D-Link Systems, Inc
Manufacturer Part Number: DSM-510
Manufacturer Website Address: www.dlink.com
Product Model: DSM-510
Product Type: Network Audio/Video Player
Media Support: Not Applicable
Formats Support: MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV, XviD, MP3, PCM, AVI, WMA, AIFF, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, JPEG2000, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, GIF
Network: Fast Ethernet , Wireless IEEE 802.11g
Interfaces/Ports: RJ-45 Network, USB 2.0 - USB, HDMI Stereo Audio Line-out, Composite Video Out, Toslink S/PDIF Out
Dimensions: 1.3" Height x 5.5" Width x 5.7" Depth
Weight: 0.6 lb
Standard Warranty: 1 Year(s) Limited

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Toshiba SDK1000 DVD Player with 1080p Upscaling (NEW Model) (Includes HDMI Cable) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This model number, SDK1000, appears to be a package specifically sold at Costco. It includes an HDMI cable, in addition to composite RCA cables. The DVD player itself is super-thin and slim and small and lightweight, yet it does a very good job at upscaling regular DVD images to 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p, as long as you use the HDMI cable. (In other words, upscaling is not available on RCA cables, composite or component.) Image quality and audio quality are both very good. I paid less than forty bucks at Costco for this, and I think it's a GREAT value.

The user's manual is hard to read, typical of electronics. The remote control is actually easy to use, once you get used to its layout, or just use a universal remote if you prefer.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba SDK1000 DVD Player with 1080p Upscaling (NEW Model) (Includes HDMI Cable)

Product Description:
The Toshiba SDK1000 is a competitively priced progressive scan DVD player offered by Toshiba which features 1080p upconversion. Although not true HD, the 1080p upconversion allows current DVDs to be viewed in near HD quality on HDTVs. It also is capable of playing many formats, including DVD-/+R, DVD-/+RW, VCD, SVCD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 & WMA playback. For enhanded DVD viewing, the ColorStream Pro progressive scan component video output gives enhanced color purity and image detail. There is a 192 khz, 24 bit D/A converter for audio, and is compatible for 3D surround, Dolby Digital and DTS output. There are HDMI, component, s-video and RCA video outputs with RCA and coaxial audio outputs. The HDMI output features "REGZA-LINK", which allows multiple components (that are REGZA-LINK compatible) to be controlled by one remote simply by connecting with the included HDMI cable, with no additional programming required.

The Toshiba SDK1000 also includes a JPEG Photo Viewer so you can view your photo CD's on your screen.

Region 1 (United States, Canada, U.S. Territories, Bermuda)

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