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Home Page - Wireless Media Players - Product Reviews Wireless Digital
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Wireless Digital Media Players and the ever increasing list of internet-enabled digital video boxes, Blu-ray players, home theater systems, and HDTVs, can turn your wireless networking from a simple home-office to a fully integrated wireless home entertainment system. Today's wireless digital technology has made all this easily achievable. In this series of short reviews/product guides, we cover some of the best products available on the market that can help you take full advantage of this wireless home entertainment reality. |
A Complete Guide to Home Automation, Networking & Wireless Audio/Video distribution in the home.
by Duncan McClelland
More information HERE.
Last Update
6th
April 2009
Wireless Media Players and wireless internet-enabled gear: A new world of wireless home entertainment awaits you!
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Netgear Digital Entertainer Elite
Streams media direct from the Internet. |
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As expressed in our guide to wireless digital media players, today one can easily move music, video, and other digital media content around the house without wires.
Thanks to the development in software and wireless digital technology, today's wireless media players can enable even average home PC users to experience their entire digital collection in its full glory over a big screen TV and proper surround sound system without being tied to a PC.
In particular, wireless digital media players provide an affordable solution for ease of integration of digital content from a PC, a NAS, or any other device accessible through the home network, and the rest of your home entertainment system.
Priced at around three hundred dollars, these devices pull digital content through your home network, in order to play it anywhere in the house, say over an existing TV in the kids' room, a stereo speaker system in the garage, or a big screen in your dedicated home theater room.
Further more, the ever increasing array of wireless internet-enabled gear like the Samsung BD-P2500/BD-P2550 or the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, and the latest range of Panasonic Viera G10 series of plasma HDTVs, as well as the so-called 'instant' media players like the inexpensive Roku digital video player that can pull digital media content direct from the internet without the need for a PC, help make this whole wireless home entertainment integration a simple reality even for non-proficient PC users.
Yes... even non-proficient PC users can enjoy the latest in wireless home entertainment. You see, thanks to developments in wireless technology, installing a wireless digital media player or one of the latest 'instant' internet-enabled digital media boxes, is truly a simple straightforward process.
Digital Media Player Installation... a simple straightforward process
Wireless digital media players that pull content from your PC require the installation of the accompanying software that transforms your PC into a multi-media server. Such wireless media players include the D-Link DSM-520 MediaLounge Wireless HD Media Player.
Others like the Netgear Digital Entertainer Elite require the installation of a media utility driver to be installed on your computer. This will enable these wireless media players to play audio and video digital media content using your favorite media player application like Apple iTunes. Using a standard media player application would often represent a significant advantage since these would normally include a host of features that one gets used to and that are often missing from dedicated media server software that come with some wireless digital media players.
On the other hand, with the so called 'instant' media players and internet-enabled gear that do not pull content from your PC, you do not need to install anything on your computer. OK, not being capable of pulling content from your PC may be an issue with some but the fact that you can browse online content direct over your TV screen without any PC is surely appealing.
Part of the setup process of any networked wireless digital media player - like any other networked devices, requires you to configure the media player to join your home network. In most simple terms, all you need is to run the player set-up wizard and key in the wireless network name or SSID, the security type (WEP, WPA, or WPA2), and security key or passphrase when instructed so, to connect to your network.
Depending on your network security setup and the player in question, you may also need to open or unblock your firewall to allow the media player to connect to your PC, as well as configure additional network related information such as IP, channel number, and connection mode.
2009 is surely the year of internet-enabled wireless home entertainment. Never before we have seen such a range of products that offer not only the possibility to pull digital content from your PC, but equally appealing, direct from the internet without the need to switch on your computer!
Some of these boxes would even enable you to seriously consider cutting off that $100 TV subscription bill - thanks to tens of thousands of TV shows and movies available online via iTunes Store, Netflix, Amazon video-on-demand, as well as online portals such as Hulu and TV.com.
On our part, we have gone through what we consider to be the top wireless digital media players available on the market - in terms of features, performance, and affordability. We hope that our selection of digital media players and 'instant' digital video player boxes reviewed under this section would turn out to be of assistance to you in your selection process.
Reviewed
Wireless Digital Media Players:
Product Guide Index
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Apple TV
It still suffers from the same original restriction - namely it would not interface with a non-HDTV; but if this is not an issue, then the upgraded Apple is worth looking into as a wireless digital media player for your home entertainment. |
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D-Link MediaLounge DSM-520
But it is still capable of delivering solid streaming performance even with HD digital media content. And its present price tag makes this wireless digital media player even more affordable than most of the competition. |
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NETGEAR Digital Entertainer HD EVA8000
In reality, the Netgear digital media player can do a lot more than just play protected iTunes digital media. Overall, it is a capable and versatile wireless media player that supports a wide range of media file formats. It does not sports 802.11n wireless connectivity as some of the latest wireless digital media players, nor does it include a built-in hard drive as the Apple TV or the new Netgear EVA9150. But the latest reduced pricing we have seen online still makes this an interesting solution in wireless home entertainment integration. |
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NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Elite EVA9150
There are also a multitude of connectivity options including an HDMI port with HD upconversion to 1080p, and all sort of imaginable media file support. Interesting is that this Netgear wireless digital media player supports simultaneous 802.11n dual-band operation. This means that it can simultaneously transmit over both 2.4Ghz and 5.8GHz bands for maximum data throughput even over congested networks. And this apart from an interesting feature list that should prove extremely appealing to all those in the field of home entertainment. As expected, the Netgear does not come cheap but if its price tag is within your budget, then it surely represents the best that wireless digital media payer technology offers today. For our evaluation of the Netgear EVA9150, please click here... |
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Roku Wireless Digital Video Player
It is one of the latest inexpensive 'instant' media players that can stream Netflix and Amazon video-on-demand products direct from the internet without the need of a PC. It is no larger than a typical Cable TV modem and as your TV modem, it sits atop your TV - or HDTV - to provide you with direct access to digital media content over your wireless internet connection. It would not provide an exact replacement to your monthly TV subscription but with its Netflix/Amazon digital media content bundle, it does provide a lot more for your dollar than most TV subscriptions from network providers. More information on the Roku Digital Video player is available here... |
If you have not already done so, we suggest going through our Guide to Wireless Digital Media Players. This should give you a better insight as to what wireless entertainment is all about, as well as introduce you to the different wireless standards and related security issues.
Additional Related Articles
under the
Wireless Speakers Systems and
Wireless Home Entertainment Sections:
Wireless Home Theater Guides:
Basic Guide to Wireless Speaker Systems
Introduction to Wireless Home Entertainment Systems
Wireless Security Basics in Home Entertainment
Guide to Wireless Home Theater Systems
Wireless Speakers Installation Tips
Product Reviews:
Rocketfish RF-WHTIB Wireless Rear speaker Kit
Add-on wireless speakers for Surround and Multiroom Audio
Wireless HTiB Reviews: Sony BRAVIA DAV-HDX576WF vs. Panasonic SC-PT960 Home Theater Wireless System
Additional digital media player reviews are also available at the
Digital Media
Player Guide. There you will also get additional instructions on how to set
up your own home digital media network.
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Home Theater Guides: |
Related Technical Guides
Guide to Wireless Headphones and Dolby Headphone technology
Ever told to turn it down? Combine a set of wireless headphones and Dolby
Headphone technology for a great sound experience.
Surround Sound Formats
The never ending list of terms and brand names - Dolby, DTS, THX - associated
with surround systems is starting to get a bit too complicated...
Speaker Placement in Multi-channel
Audio
Correct home theater speaker placement plays a critical role towards achieving
that seamless ‘enveloping’ sound so important in the overall home theater
experience.
Home Theater Design:
A series of articles covering all aspects of home theater - from design to
implementation.
Set-up Discs and Video Calibration Solutions
Home theater setup DVDs and video calibration kits can help you squeeze a lot
more out of your system.
Equipment
Racks:
There is more to equipment racks than a storage space for your system
components. More in this informative home theater guide.
The HDMI Cable Guide
To many, HDMI is still an unfamiliar term. This easy-to follow home theater
guide explains all you need to know about HDMI.
TV Viewing Distance
Buying a big screen TV? Care should be taken as you may easily fall into the
trap of buying a too large TV for your room.
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Recommended Guides to Home Networking |
...and wireless AV distribution in the home
Coverings everything from terminology to wireless security and required products. An extremely informative book that can help you set up and run your own WiFi network.
A step-by-step guide to designing your network, from component selection, wiring installation, Internet and PC network connectivity, wireless security measures, to troubleshooting.
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Wireless Media Players & Wi-Fi enabled gear |
Featured digital media players, BD players & internet-enabled HDTVs
LG BD 370 Network Blu-ray Disc Player
The new LG BD player for 2009 comes at half the price of its previous model and feature enhanced online support to stream NetFlix videos and movies, NetCast for YouTube, and CinemaNow.
42-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P42G10 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
Panasonic most affordable 2009 THX-certified HDTV - featuring VieraCast internet connectivity to browse online content like YouTube videos, Amazon Video on demand, Picasa Web Albums, weather and stock information, etc, through a web interface build direct into the TV.
Panasonic SC-PT960 Deluxe 5 DVD Home Theater System
A 1250W, six-speaker wireless HTiB complete with 5 DVD/CD changer, 1080p upscaling capabilities, built-in iPod docking station, and wireless rear speakers with multi-room audio support using Panasonic Viera link technology.
For the full range of wireless media players available at amazon, please
More Wireless Media Player Reviews will follow soon.
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A Quick Guide to Home Theater Design Discover how to research, design, and build your Home Theater.
by Duncan McClelland
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