With many NMT’s that are available running on the same sys-tem software from Syabas, one might think these are all the same except for aesthetics. While once this was true, one vendor started adding a VGA, one used Coaxial instead of Optical, another had a power button and then one added DTS down mix. Differences applied up to now between the players was mainly in hardware, but… these hardware differences can be an advan-tage in both features and convenience. Hence, we just try to clear up the mess NMT’s create on the market using similar de-signs for older and newer models and offer almost the same features…

NetGear. We are familiar with the brand when network devices come to mind like routers, network cards, wireless sticks and so on… However for quite some time NetGear have also had a range of NAS servers. We remember the NetGear ReadyNAS NV+ and the recently released ReadyNAS DUO.

HDI’S DUNE awaits a difficult task as mainly MPC staff and I in particular are “against” the hype created by Blu-ray which is created by the fact PS3 consoles incorporate them. That’s however not the discussion we want to have today.

The unit comes packed with a power cable, manual, CD-ROM and 2 CAT 5e network cables. The body can hold up to 5 drives and for each drive, a drive cage is delivered.

Ziova is one of those brands we cannot classify under Asian manufacturers. Ziova is an Australian based company which first entered the market with the CS-505 and CS-510 networked media players. Initially the previous models gave good competition to the overload of Asian models back in the days. However due to a lack of Firmware updates and poor support from the company they were easily forgotten.

The Mvix MBOX is one of those affordable NAS servers that help people save money from investing in more advanced systems while half the features that come with it are unnecessary, but still paid for.

It took Promise a while to discover our little world at MPC but they made it and brought us the SmartStor NS2300N.

We all know the problems and issues with NMT Media players and their hard drives. Most do miss a USB slave connection that would enable us to copy content over fast. Some players found a solution while others are still pending “a golden tip” from someone who can explain to them how they can stop spending a whole day transferring data slowly. Well… this is that “golden tip” from us to you: Sharkoon SATA QuickPort Pro.

With all the NAS devices around, all kinds of consumers are served with solutions that have “reasonable” performance and storage capacity. Even so, the fact these are not really portable is killing convenience to take a NAS with you on the road. Now how about the fact you might need more performance and can’t live without a portable solution?

Just to compare with another popular player, all that the DViCo M-6500a should have been in aesthetics is what we get with the Markus 800. Our first impression is excellent and we don‟t even care the unit is fully plastic, so far… Aesthetically this has to be one of the most impressive looking media players that we have reviewed so far at MPC.

I don't want to start off saying the wrong things, but you know what I'm most happy about uncovering about the Conceptronic, without having even seen anything? It's not an NMT. Don't get me wrong, I like the NMTs very much but, as a reviewer we need some shifts and changes in reviews and reviewing players holding the same firmware can become dull.

Being a KiSS DP-558 user myself for over 3 ½ years now, I was looking around for some recorders to replace the old unit when it happens to break down (again). My eye fell on the good-looking Conceptronic. I didn‟t need much time to think about it, when Hi-Jack asked me if I was interested in reviewing it.

Packaged in its shiny substantial bright pink, (Yes Pink!) and black box, the Icy Box IB-NAS4220 looks like an item you would purchase from a boutique and give to your teenage daughter for her birthday. The last thing you would have suspected from its fun and spicy graphics, was that it housed a sleek, anadoised black drive caddy. The device pictures do however, hint that this packaging houses something quite different. The very informative rear of the box also tells you most things that you would like to know about the device, but were afraid to ask the store assistant - you know the one that tells you nothing about something and you walk away thinking to yourself, “How the hell did he (or she – let‟s not be sexist here) ever get a job selling IT products?”.

Two and a half weeks later…. No not the movie but the time it took me to get the D-Link DSM-330 HD Media Player setup to play the usual range of HD media. Was it worth it? The late night messages to DivX support, who I might say were excellent and very patient. The un-installing and reinstalling of codec packs, drivers and configuration files allowing me to reminisce on my early days with Windows Media Centre and my first HTPC. Well I have to say, yes! Yes it was, as the final result proved, it’s not all about the power of the on-board processor but all about allowing Joe Public freedom to develop the firmware and GUI in a way that the NMT manufacturers really have to start pressing Syabas to allow. Open Source is the key and it’s something that DivX have grasped quite well. On first impression the D-Link DivX Connected DSM-330 is presented well and the packaging looks professional and well put together, something that you would expect from a company like D-Link or DivX.

So far, 2008 can be seen as a year where progress is lacking on media players. Concentration is mainly surrounding firmware improvements while hardware wise we took a few steps back. So prove the many media players without web radio, no USB slave, no DVD drives integrated and then some more…

During the first half of 2008 we have seen many NMT based media players passing MPC review and conclude there are little differences between the, concerning hardware. By now, when a new NMT player pops up we ask ourselves if we need one more. All players use the same firmware and have the same functions after all. Differences apply in hardware mainly.

Ever since network media players came to market, people are running around like chickens finding solutions for bridging their network media players wireless to PC and NAS. Not so long ago, while the main target of media players was playing smaller DivX content and media files like MP3, power lines and some players supporting Wireless B/G was enough but times change and with today’s HD’s abilities of media players, both power lines and even Wireless N limits apply making these solutions maybe not the best of all available. There are many high speed Wireless N routers but not only the router and your PC must allow these high transfers, also your media player needs to have this and that’s where we see a gap in the market. Which media players support USB Wireless N and how many USB sticks are supported? (So far only 1 USB stick exists for the NMT and is capped at performing around 20Mbps, likely insufficient for the heavier HD files)

I remember times when media players were available from only a few brands. One of those brands at the time was MViX and it has passed MPC’s reviews before with some earlier models. Now we look at the MViX MX-780HD, the latest product in their line-up. I’m not sure how it and where exactly it will fit in as recently it feels as if there's been quite the outpouring of HD media streamers, but from the first looks of the specification, it does have stand a change fitting in just fine for some profiles.

The digital era continues with yet another NMT being launched into the world and while the heart of each unit pounds on the Syabas NMT firmware delivering the same abilities in media playback and features mostly, every new player launched somehow delivers something new.

NAS servers, we seen many of them and like any other hardware, progress is constantly made in rendering these units more convenient for daily use and add performance and features where possible. Also with the Synology DS508, progress is made and I’m glad to say it is not limited to Software only but also hardware as the DS508 is one massive attractive device compared to the other Synology range. We’ll go into more detail discussing that later.

With just over a week since Hi-Jack posted his article on the eGreat NMT player, we have another NMT player for review. This one supplied from a company called HD Digitech Co Ltd, the company has been in operation since 2006 and this is their first HD media player to market. Initial impressions and presentation of the HDX 900 unit are good, but do murky and muddy waters lie below the serene and beautiful facade?

Let's start of this review with crushing some dreams, the TViX M-6500A will not be the “perfect” answer for all consumers and not the “perfect” solution for all your media needs. It offers the basics and negates the advanced. The scene is still partially a “rush” to the market affair, with the inevitable consequences of constant firmware updates being necessary.

I always found it funny when people come up to me and state ‘Player A and Player B use the same firmware, so it doesn’t matter which one I choose, right?”. If only the world was that simple so we only had to look at the price and run home with the most affordable and most likable one.

NetGear has been a brand we always covered with pleasure as their products always lead to innovation. A good example is how different the EVA 8000 is vs. other players with abilities most expected impossible to support on the system. That part, it has to thank to acquiring SkipJam and combine both NetGear skills and SkipJam into a big pot from which to pour original and unique ideas.

Only 2 years ago we started receiving affordable NAS servers and choices have been limited. Since then, we have known hard drives drop in price so much, that a full NAS server with 4TB disk space only costs a fraction of what one had to pay 2 years ago, if even possible adding 4TB to the device. Today, we have come thus far 2TB is even below the €999 marker so it makes having a NAS server at home affordable and convenient.