Hi Greg,

You've got a great product and I've had no problem streaming HD mpgs to my system.

However I've recently run into a snag and I've searched the thread looking for an answer with no success. Although MPGs output from Pinnacle studio 10.7 work fine, the MediaBridge can't seem to find the last couple I've rendered. The Mediashare applet sees the files in my video directory just fine but the MediaBridge doesn't show them. I've re-cycled power on the MediaBridge--still no joy.

Oddly for each of the MPGS that the MediaBridge does see, there's a weird looking filmstrip icon adjacent to a subdirectory in my video folder that I didn't create. My last two Pinnacle mpgs don't have an associated icon/subdirectory and don't play on the MediaBridge. Maybe there's a connection?

Any thoughts?

Many thanks in advance,

Mitch

Although MPGs output from Pinnacle studio 10.7 work fine, the MediaBridge can't seem to find the last couple I've rendered.
Mitch,

If the MediaBridge has been successfully decoding files from Studio until recently, that would suggest to me that something changed in the way Studio is producing output. However, I'm not too familiar with Studio so I can only make guesses -- I do see that the 10.7 update added a new codec and requires adidtional fee for some new HD output features. Something there maybe?

Oddly for each of the MPGS that the MediaBridge does see, there's a weird looking filmstrip icon adjacent to a subdirectory in my video folder that I didn't create.
The wierd looking filmstrip icon you're seeing -- is this on the MediaBridge UI or on your PC? If it's on the PC, then I really suspect that Studio is doing something new. The MediaBridge will not modify video files on the PC.

Greg

So I just purchased 3 more of the DMP3000's to go with the 1 I already
had. I noticed that the system stores photo slideshows locally, not on
the server. Does anyone know a way of getting them distributed
without having to set them up individually on each DMP3000?
Have I totally spaced out and missed something obvious?

I like these boxes, it's a shame they gave up on them, and won't
supply the source code so we can make enhancements ourselves.

thanks

buz

When I play DVDs on my DVD player, they stretch to 16:9 widescreen. When I rip to VOB and then stream them to my Mediabridge, they play as standard 4:3. How can I get stretch to 16:9 with the Mediabridge? Is this an option somewhere when I am ripping or is it a Mediabridge option somewhere?

Thanks.

How can I get stretch to 16:9 with the Mediabridge?
The MediaBridge will not change the aspect ratio of video (other than letter box or crop depending on your settings). You'll need to adjust the aspect ratio in the software you use to create your video.

Greg

Okay - I followed the link a couple pages back to the AR website. I entered my information for an order on the 14th of December. I received a receipt online. But I've heard nothing since; and I haven't received anything. It doesn't appear my credit card was charged.

When I visited the AR site, I can't find a live customer service number to confirm my order.

HELP!! I'd really like one these. Greg, any suggestions on what I can do?

When I ordered my mediabridge I had to place the order twice. The first time it was cancelled by RCA due to a lack of communication between their customer service agents. I confirmed my credit information with one of the agents, but the information never got where it needed to go and they cancelled my order. I never received notification of the cancellation, which kind of ticked me off. After about 10 days I finally found out what happened and placed my order again. That time everything went smoothly and I received the product without incident. The customer service number I used was (877) 326-6601. Hope that helps.

All that aside, I have to say that I am very happy with the product so far. I'd like to thank everyone who has posted to this thread and especially to Greg (MediaBridge). Without the information provided by this community, I never would have placed my order. Thanks!

Hello, I've been enjoying my MediaBridge for about a month now. I found my wireless net is just a tad too slow to stream DVDs smoohtly. I plan on running net cable to solve the problem.

Until then, I got a Western Digital ("My Book") 500 GB external hard drive. However, I can't get the MediaBridge to recognize it. No matter what order I plug things in and power them up, it never shows up on the MediaBridge.

The hard drive came formatted with FAT32...but I even tried reformatting to NTFS ...but it didn't make any difference. I also updated the MediaBridge software (via the in-app menu) but that didn't help either.

I then tried plugging in a 256 MB USB key-chain drive...and that worked fine. Is there a size limit on external hard drives with the MediaBridge? No message of any kind is displayed so I have no idea why it's not working.

Does anyone know anything I can try? Or, has anyone used a 500 GB (or bigger?) external hard drive?

Thanks for any info,
-Brian

Hello, I've been enjoying my MediaBridge for about a month now. I found my wireless net is just a tad too slow to stream DVDs smoohtly. I plan on running net cable to solve the problem.

Until then, I got a Western Digital ("My Book") 500 GB external hard drive. However, I can't get the MediaBridge to recognize it. No matter what order I plug things in and power them up, it never shows up on the MediaBridge.

The hard drive came formatted with FAT32...but I even tried reformatting to NTFS ...but it didn't make any difference. I also updated the MediaBridge software (via the in-app menu) but that didn't help either.

I then tried plugging in a 256 MB USB key-chain drive...and that worked fine. Is there a size limit on external hard drives with the MediaBridge? No message of any kind is displayed so I have no idea why it's not working.

Does anyone know anything I can try? Or, has anyone used a 500 GB (or bigger?) external hard drive?

Thanks for any info,
-Brian


I had the same problem. Unfortunately it is the USB control mechanism inside the My Book enclosure. It does not function as a typical External USB Enclosure. I had to pry apart the case and place the drive into a generic External USB Enclosure for SATA hard drives (the 500GB drive in the My Book is an SATA drive and not a PATA drive).

CompUSA has an SATA enclosure for $45 that works well (it will work with the 500GB drive even though it says it is good to 320GB) but I like the Vantec NexStar-3 eSATA External USB Enclosure the best. You can connect it to USB or eSATA port. It even comes with a PC bracket that will connect to an open SATA port on your motherboard. The transfer rate is much better than USB 2.0 so it is great for getting video from your PC to the external drive for the MediaBridge.

Also, you can connect a USB hub to the MediaBridge and use more than one USB hard drive. I connected a 500GB and 200Gb drive and it recognized both just fine. Just make sure you use a USB 2.0 hub or it takes forever to scan the drives.

I've had my MediaBridge for two months now and everything works great. I'm pretty happy with it, but after using it this amount of time I see the need for a universal remote that can do macros so I don't have to turn on the TV, MB, and Receiver separately (and turn them off the same way as well) :( .

Has anyone been able to achieve this goal with the MediaBridge?

If so what remote worked for you. I like the layout of some of the Harmony remotes (i.e. 670) that are priced around $100, but don't want to go much higher. I've read how they can be a hassle to set-up, so I wanted to see if someone has gone through the pain already but achieved this zen state of satisfaction. :cool:

Thanks in advance.

I'm having trouble with DTS audio. I simply get no sound when I choose the DTS track on DVDs that I am streaming from my PC. Video works fine. The PCM stereo track on the same disk will work fine. Likewise, DD tracks work fine. I've seen other folks in this thread indicate no problems with DTS.

Thanks for any advice!!

I had the same problem. Unfortunately it is the USB control mechanism inside the My Book enclosure. It does not function as a typical External USB Enclosure. I had to pry apart the case and place the drive into a generic External USB Enclosure for SATA hard drives (the 500GB drive in the My Book is an SATA drive and not a PATA drive).

...



Thanks for the info Judge (especially about the USB 2.0 hub). I borrowed a 250 gig external from work last week and it worked fine...so I figured it was something with the WD's auto on/off feature (which I thought would be nice so I could just leave the drive on all the time...oh well).
-Brian

I've had my MediaBridge for two months now and everything works great. I'm pretty happy with it, but after using it this amount of time I see the need for a universal remote that can do macros so I don't have to turn on the TV, MB, and Receiver separately (and turn them off the same way as well) :( .

Has anyone been able to achieve this goal with the MediaBridge?

If so what remote worked for you. I like the layout of some of the Harmony remotes (i.e. 670) that are priced around $100, but don't want to go much higher. I've read how they can be a hassle to set-up, so I wanted to see if someone has gone through the pain already but achieved this zen state of satisfaction. :cool:

Thanks in advance.

I've been using the Harmony 880 (it's a little pricier...around $170 on eBay) for a few months now and it works great for everything I own. It even knew about the MediaBridge so I didn't even need to "learn" any new commands. I've been so happy with the 880 that I bought another one for my theater room and my dad even asked for one for Xmas after seeing mine (so, I've purchased 3 so far) ...it's a great universal remote IMO.
-Brian

I've been using the Harmony 880 (it's a little pricier...around $170 on eBay) for a few months now and it works great for everything I own. It even knew about the MediaBridge so I didn't even need to "learn" any new commands. I've been so happy with the 880 that I bought another one for my theater room and my dad even asked for one for Xmas after seeing mine (so, I've purchased 3 so far) ...it's a great universal remote IMO.
-Brian

Brian,

Thanks for the info on the harmony remotes. Just knowing it works on the Harmony 880 pretty much guarantees it'll work for the other less expensive remotes. It's great to know that they have this item in their library of codes. :D It'll make this a much easier decision to get a harmony remote. Thanks again for the info. :cool:
Hector

I'm having trouble with DTS audio. I simply get no sound when I choose the DTS track on DVDs that I am streaming from my PC. Video works fine. The PCM stereo track on the same disk will work fine. Likewise, DD tracks work fine. I've seen other folks in this thread indicate no problems with DTS.

Thanks for any advice!!

Are you using either the Coaxial or Optical Audio Out port? You won't get any sound if you have a digitial source (such as a DVD) if you are only using the RCA Audio Out ports.

Thanks for the info Judge (especially about the USB 2.0 hub). I borrowed a 250 gig external from work last week and it worked fine...so I figured it was something with the WD's auto on/off feature (which I thought would be nice so I could just leave the drive on all the time...oh well).
-Brian


I was hoping for the same benefit of having the My Book drive turn on and off automatically but that "feature" is defintely preventing the MediaBridge from recognizing the drive. I am just plugging the drive into one of the switched AC outlets on my reciever so the drive is only on when my receiver is on. The two external enclosures (CompUSA and Vantec) I mentoned also have a power switch on them.

Are you using either the Coaxial or Optical Audio Out port? You won't get any sound if you have a digitial source (such as a DVD) if you are only using the RCA Audio Out ports.

Optical out.

Also, I ripped a few more DVDs with DTS tracks yesterday. At least one of them played the DTS track, but the sound "stuttered" constantly.

I'm on a wired 10/100 network.

I have read on here a couple of things about Album Art and viewed the brochure, which is not too clear.

Just to clarify, is it possible to view and select Music Files by Album Cover Art.

Also providing the File Structure is set up right, could you drill down from Artist Picture > Album Art>TRack text?

Regards

Alan

I recently purchased the Media Bridge. I really like it so far, but am having a problem. I record tv shows on the computer in MPEG format with Beyond TV. When I go to watch them on the Media Bridge, they play for while and then the screen goes black and makes a thumping sound. After a few seconds it goes back to the menu screen. I have a wireless G setup. The signal strength is around 50%. Is the wireless signal strong enough? Does anyone know why it is doing this? Thanx for the help.

Has anyone found an equivalent device to this? I've had mine for a month now and it died about a week ago. It's sad because it did everyting I needed it to do.

I recently purchased the Media Bridge. I really like it so far, but am having a problem. I record tv shows on the computer in MPEG format with Beyond TV. When I go to watch them on the Media Bridge, they play for while and then the screen goes black and makes a thumping sound. After a few seconds it goes back to the menu screen. I have a wireless G setup. The signal strength is around 50%. Is the wireless signal strong enough? Does anyone know why it is doing this? Thanx for the help.


It sounds like it could be signal strength and/or bandwidth (bandwidth decreases with signal quality). I have had a similar problem at times. I moved to an external USB hard drive instead of using the wireless and have had no issues since.

If you are using an 802.11g router, make sure you lock it in the "G" mode and make sure you don't have any 802.11b devices conected to it (they won't connect in the "G" mode). If you are only using an 802.11b router, that is not enough bandwidth and you should consider a wried connection or an external hard drive. You could also look at a PowerLine ethernet connection through your home's electrical system.

HELP!! I'd really like one these. Greg, any suggestions on what I can do?

Did you ever get your order to go through?

Greg (back from the holidays and the Las Vegas CE Show)

Just to clarify, is it possible to view and select Music Files by Album Cover Art.
Yes.

Also providing the File Structure is set up right, could you drill down from Artist Picture > Album Art>TRack text?
That's not quite right. There is no Artist Picture or Track Text information available since these aren't included in the music file (like Artist Name or Album Art is). If you were to select an album by a particular piece of cover art, you would be presented with a list of all available songs on that album.

Hope that helps,
Greg

While I was trying to get my first USB external hard drive to work (previous post, with problem figured out a few posts later) ...I had the MediaBridge hardware do an Internet update via the menus. I then went to the AR web site and clicked on the link to get the latest PC-side software.

However, now whenever I try to access my server PC, I get an error message in the MediaBridge that the versions don't match. Is there a private link to a newer PC installer available? What are the latest versions of each (and how do I view them on the PC?)

My non-Auto-On/Off external hard drive is now working great...but I'd still like to access my PC as well.

Thanks for any info.
-Brian

The signal strength is around 50%.

Judge is right on this one. Signal strength of 50% is just over the threshold necessary to keep bits flowing smoothly, so try to improve the signal strength if you can: more the antenna around, move the wireless access point closer, or perhaps consider a wired or USB connection.

You might also want to double check the integrity of your recorded video files. Play them back on the computer (using something other than Beyond TV) to make sure they are complete files.

Greg

Optical out.

Also, I ripped a few more DVDs with DTS tracks yesterday. At least one of them played the DTS track, but the sound "stuttered" constantly.

I'm on a wired 10/100 network.

The MediaBridge doesn't perform any processing on the multichannel audio signal. It's pulled straight from the video file and passed out the digital audio outputs untouched. Given that the Dolby stream plays fine, I'm suspicious of your ripper...

Greg

CompUSA has an SATA enclosure for $45 that works well (it will work with the 500GB drive even though it says it is good to 320GB) but I like the Vantec NexStar-3 eSATA External USB Enclosure the best. You can connect it to USB or eSATA port. It even comes with a PC bracket that will connect to an open SATA port on your motherboard. The transfer rate is much better than USB 2.0 so it is great for getting video from your PC to the external drive for the MediaBridge.

Also, you can connect a USB hub to the MediaBridge and use more than one USB hard drive. I connected a 500GB and 200Gb drive and it recognized both just fine. Just make sure you use a USB 2.0 hub or it takes forever to scan the drives.

I definitely recommend the Vantec NexStar-3 eSATA External USB Enclosure if you are going to build your own SATA Extrernal Hard Drive for the Media Bridge. I ran into a very bizarre problem with the CompUSA SATA Enclosure. I was having an issue with video stuttering (jerking and skipping) that I thought was related to my ripper or PC but after hours of painful troubleshooting, I found the issue was related the CompUSA SATA Enclosure.

When copying ripped DVD's from my PC to the CompUSA enclosure, I would get the video stuttering. When I copied them to the Vantec Enclosure, I had no issues. I actually swapped hard drives in the Enclsores to prove it was not actually a playback issue i.e. the issue stayed with the enclsoure and not the drive. It appears the files were somehow becomming corrupted when copying to the CompUSA Enclsoure. If I copied the ripped DVD's to the Vantec encloure, the playback was perfect. When I copied the same ripped DVD's to the CompUSA enclosure, the video would jerk and skip from time to time.

Anyway, I am not sure if it was one bad enclosure or something in the design of the CompuSA model but I wanted to save everyone else the pain I went through. The Vantec Vantec NexStar 3 NST-360SU-BK is the way to go.

The MediaBridge doesn't perform any processing on the multichannel audio signal. It's pulled straight from the video file and passed out the digital audio outputs untouched. Given that the Dolby stream plays fine, I'm suspicious of your ripper...

Greg
Greg. I have tried three different rippers (AnyDVD, CloneDVD, Nero Recode). All produce the same exact results. Some DVDs produce no sound if I select the DTS track. Some DVDs stutter like crazy on the DTS track. Stereo and DD tracks seem to work OK.

I hve tried both the coax and the optical output. Same results with both. I have also confirmed that DTS from the actual DVDs works fine.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

What are the latest versions of each (and how do I view them on the PC?)

Brian,

The latest version of the MediaShare software and the MediaBridge firmware are the same number: 01.04-193

The version number on the MediaShare app is shown in the lower left corner of the MediaShare application window. The link to get the latest software is here:
http://www.araccessories.com/msib21/Templates/mediabridge.html

The version number on the MediaBridge is reached from the main menu: Navigate left to "Help" and select "About". The version number will be at the top of the screen.

Greg

Greg. I have tried three different rippers (AnyDVD, CloneDVD, Nero Recode). All produce the same exact results. Some DVDs produce no sound if I select the DTS track. Some DVDs stutter like crazy on the DTS track. Stereo and DD tracks seem to work OK.

I hve tried both the coax and the optical output. Same results with both. I have also confirmed that DTS from the actual DVDs works fine.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

I really can't offer any guidance on the subject of DVD ripping.

Sorry,
Greg

I'm considering getting one of these via the "Web Special" closeout, which is apparently still active.

One thing though, is that I'd like to not have to use a computer. If I have a 750GB disk in a USB enclosure, can I connect that to the DMP3000 and play movies, music, and stills off of it?

Also, can someone explain how the photo (JPG) display works? The aspect ratio of most of my photos is 3:2 or 4:3, but my TV is 16:9. Are the images zoomed in a cropped, letterboxed, or stretched? What controls are available in slideshow mode? My TV is HiDef, so seeing the photos with as much resolution as the TV provides (720P) is important to me.

Also, has anyone compared the functionality of the DMP3000 to the Eureka LX351? I know that unit doesn't connect to a computer, but that's not important to me (I'd actually rather not do that since it means leaving the computer on all the time).

thanks in advance.

I purchased a MediaBridge through AR's web special. I was very pleased with how easy it was to set up and the music and photo functions have been working very well. The problem that I am having is related more to the video playback functionality of the system.

I bought the system with the intention of using it now, but being able to upgrade my home theater later without having to replace the media receiver. Currently, I am using the device with a Sony Wega standard TV (not HiDef) and an analog audio receiver.

Most of my video files are from DVD rips (of my own DVDs obviously). When I play these through the media receiver, the video looks excellent, but I get no sound. In reading through this forum and the user manual, I see that when playing back videos with multi-channel audio (as with DVDs), the audio is only ported through the digital outputs and not the analog RCA outputs. As my stereo only has the RCA inputs, this poses a bit of a problem for me.

Does anyone know any good work arounds for this? Are there any relatively inexpensive digital audio to analog audio converters out there? Does anyone know of a way to rip a DVD with just stereo (2-Chan) audio?

I experimented with converting my DVDs to DIVX format so that the audio would work (it did), but the video looks terrible.

Please help.

Thanks!

I really can't offer any guidance on the subject of DVD ripping.
So, are you saying that there are no other possible causes of this problem besides the ripping process? Why would three different ripping programs all produce the same reults?

Thanks.

I had the same problem. Unfortunately it is the USB control mechanism inside the My Book enclosure. It does not function as a typical External USB Enclosure. I had to pry apart the case and place the drive into a generic External USB Enclosure for SATA hard drives (the 500GB drive in the My Book is an SATA drive and not a PATA drive).

CompUSA has an SATA enclosure for $45 that works well (it will work with the 500GB drive even though it says it is good to 320GB) but I like the Vantec NexStar-3 eSATA External USB Enclosure the best. You can connect it to USB or eSATA port. It even comes with a PC bracket that will connect to an open SATA port on your motherboard. The transfer rate is much better than USB 2.0 so it is great for getting video from your PC to the external drive for the MediaBridge.

Also, you can connect a USB hub to the MediaBridge and use more than one USB hard drive. I connected a 500GB and 200Gb drive and it recognized both just fine. Just make sure you use a USB 2.0 hub or it takes forever to scan the drives.

Judge,
I just received a My Book 500gb drive today - unfortunately I received it before reading your posts (I was actually in the process of copying over my DVDs when I read your posts). If it doesn't work with my Media Bridge, then I'll probably return it before I mess around with taking it apart.

The USB hub that you mentioned won't allow me to directly hook up the un-modified My Book, will it?

Thanks

As expected, the My Book 500GB drive did not work with my Media Bridge.

Does anyone know if the Lacie 500gb drive will work? I don't want to buy another unit if I'm going to have the same problem...

http://www.buy.com/prod/LaCie_500GB_USB_2_0_External_Hard_Drive_Designed_By_F_A_Pors che_301103U/q/loc/101/202883565.html

Judge,
I just received a My Book 500gb drive today - unfortunately I received it before reading your posts (I was actually in the process of copying over my DVDs when I read your posts). If it doesn't work with my Media Bridge, then I'll probably return it before I mess around with taking it apart.

The USB hub that you mentioned won't allow me to directly hook up the un-modified My Book, will it?

Thanks

No.... unfortunatly the USB Hub won't fix the My Book problem. I tried that before tearing mine apart.

As expected, the My Book 500GB drive did not work with my Media Bridge.

Does anyone know if the Lacie 500gb drive will work? I don't want to buy another unit if I'm going to have the same problem...

http://www.buy.com/prod/LaCie_500GB_USB_2_0_External_Hard_Drive_Designed_By_F_A_Pors che_301103U/q/loc/101/202883565.html


I'm not sure if this drive will work or not. I would stick with a drive that simply has an On-Off Switch on the back of the unit or is powered on all the time.

If you want to be sure you get a large capacity drive that works with the Media Bridge, build you own. Buy the Hard Drive Enclosure below and the 500GB Western Digital SATA Hard Drive.


http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=370891


Best Buy has had this drive on sale twice in the past 4 or 5 weeks for $150.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7821967&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat107700050004&id=1142294266760

With the USB 2.0 hub I mentioned, you can build another external drive later and have 1TB of storage. That is much more cost effective right now than buying a 750GB or 1TG drive right now.

Does anyone know where I can download a VOB video clip with DTS sound?

As I noted earlier in this thread, I can't get DTS tacks to play on my MediaBridge. I'm trying to rule in or rule out my DVD rips as the source of the problem.

If I have a 750GB disk in a USB enclosure, can I connect that to the DMP3000 and play movies, music, and stills off of it?
Yes. But be warned that not all enclosures are the same. Judge has had luck with a Vantec enclosure (see his earlier post). I've never had a problem with Maxtor or Seagate external drives.

Are the images zoomed in a cropped, letterboxed, or stretched?
Pictures are letterboxed by default: the image is zoomed until the longest dimension hits the edge of the screen.

What controls are available in slideshow mode?
The slideshow controls are:
- Shuffle on/off
- View time (1-10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45 seconds, 1, 2, 5, 10 minutes)
- Transition speed (fast fade, slow fade, none)
- Repeat slide show on/off
- Pause, resume, previous image, next image
Plus you still have the zoom, pan, rotate, and delete commands. (Be VERY careful with delete -- it actually erases the image file, not just remove it from the slide show queue.)

My TV is HiDef, so seeing the photos with as much resolution as the TV provides (720P) is important to me.
The MediaBridge will render images to the maximum resolution of your TV. I think you'll be pleased with what you see.

Greg

So, are you saying that there are no other possible causes of this problem besides the ripping process? Why would three different ripping programs all produce the same reults?

Thanks.

eele532,

During our beta testing, users would submit files which wouldn't play correctly on their device. When we looked at the problematic video files we found that many didn't have valid headers, didn't have properly formed I and P frames, didn't have properly sync'd audio tracks, or otherwise didn't adhere to the particular video specification. In nearly all of those cases, the files turned out to originate from various video rippers. For better or for worse, the MediaBridge only plays video files which rigidly adhere to the MPEG, WMV, and DV specifications.

Greg

Thanks for this info Greg. I hadn't noticed this previsusly, but I now see that when I try to stream a file (or play directly for a USB HDD) using the DTS track, the video is playing too fast. This is even the case with a DVD where I simply copied all of the files onto my PC... in other words, no ripper was involved.

Any other thoughts? Thanks.

Thanks for this info Greg. I hadn't noticed this previsusly, but I now see that when I try to stream a file (or play directly for a USB HDD) using the DTS track, the video is playing too fast. This is even the case with a DVD where I simply copied all of the files onto my PC... in other words, no ripper was involved.


Hmmm....that does sound odd.

I don't have any non-CSS-encrypted DVDs with DTS tracks in my test library -- so I don't know how to test what you're doing. Can you refer me to some source material?

Thanks,
Greg

Hmmm....that does sound odd.

I don't have any non-CSS-encrypted DVDs with DTS tracks in my test library -- so I don't know how to test what you're doing. Can you refer me to some source material?

Thanks,
Greg
The only DVD that I found that I could simply copy the files directly to my hard drive and then play is "Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere..."

Thanks.

The only DVD that I found that I could simply copy the files directly to my hard drive and then play is "Porcupine Tree - Arriving Somewhere..."


Which disc are you using: "Deadwing" or "In Absentia"? I ask because they handle DTS differently: Deadwing contains three differently mixed versions of the album, and In Absentia is a DTS DVD-A.

Thanks,
Greg

Which disc are you using

This one here:

http://www.amazon.com/Arriving-Somewhere-Porcupine-Tree/dp/B000I2IT44/sr=8-1/qid=1170655776/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5118850-1564103?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

Has anyone recently tried to buy another Mediabridge? I can no longer find it on their website and I fear they may be sold out. I was hoping to buy another one.

http://www.araccessories.com/msib21/Templates/mediabridge.html


Can anyone recommend a comparable unit. The Z500 seems to be the closest in comparison of features, etc.

Has anyone recently tried to buy another Mediabridge? I can no longer find it on their website and I fear they may be sold out. I was hoping to buy another one.
I may have one for sale very soon. :-)

Has anyone recently tried to buy another Mediabridge? I can no longer find it on their website and I fear they may be sold out. I was hoping to buy another one.

I'm checking on the remaining inventory and the ordering link...

Greg

Greg, am I correct in understanding that there is no return/exchange/repair policy on these units? I think mine is about a month old.

Also, can you tell me if there is anything special that I need to do to a complete reset of the unit? I tried the reset switch on the back, but it didn't seem to do anything other than cycle the power.

Thanks.

Greg, am I correct in understanding that there is no return/exchange/repair policy on these units?
Correct. If it's working except for the DTS issues you're having, you could always unload it on Ebay...

Also, can you tell me if there is anything special that I need to do to a complete reset of the unit?
Disconnect the power plug for about 15 seconds. Then power the unit back up & select the option to restore default settings from the "Settings" menu.

Greg

I can no longer find it on their website and I fear they may be sold out. I was hoping to buy another one.
Judge,

Here's an update:

There are still MediaBridge units in the warehouse, but the inventory is being transferred to a new distributor. As a result, they won't be available again until the transfer is made -- probably 2-3 weeks.

(This is related to the sale of a product division from Thomson to Audiovox -- a large part of the reason the MediaBridge is being discontinued.)

I don't expect price or terms of sale to change when they become available again. They difference should simply be who is selling them -- and I'll still be around to answer questions.

I'll post the link to where they can be purchased as soon as I know it.

Thanks for your patience,
Greg

Judge,

Here's an update:

There are still MediaBridge units in the warehouse, but the inventory is being transferred to a new distributor. As a result, they won't be available again until the transfer is made -- probably 2-3 weeks.

(This is related to the sale of a product division from Thomson to Audiovox -- a large part of the reason the MediaBridge is being discontinued.)

I don't expect price or terms of sale to change when they become available again. They difference should simply be who is selling them -- and I'll still be around to answer questions.

I'll post the link to where they can be purchased as soon as I know it.

Thanks for your patience,
Greg


Thanks again for all your help.... as always Greg!!!!

--- Judge

Just an update - I returned the My Book 500gig hard drive as the Media Bridge didn't recognize it. Then I ordered a 500 gig Lacie (which has an on/off switch on the back) and the Media Bridge doesn't recognize that either.

I have a 3-4 year old 160gb Maxtor drive that I hooked up just to see if it would work and the Media Bridge began scanning the files, but would shut off after a few minutes. Anyone have any ideas what's going on here?

Kind of frustrating...

Just an update - I returned the My Book 500gig hard drive as the Media Bridge didn't recognize it. Then I ordered a 500 gig Lacie (which has an on/off switch on the back) and the Media Bridge doesn't recognize that either.

I have a 3-4 year old 160gb Maxtor drive that I hooked up just to see if it would work and the Media Bridge began scanning the files, but would shut off after a few minutes. Anyone have any ideas what's going on here?

Kind of frustrating...

The MediaBridge needs to see a simple removable mass storage device. Unfortunately, there are several newer external drives on the market now that do more than just act as a removable mass storage device i.e. they have backup software built into the device, they report disk space usage on the enclosure, etc. These bells and whistles seem to create an issue with the MediaBridge recognizing the drive as a simple removable mass storage device.

I posted a guranteed method for adding a large external USB hard drive to the MediaBridge. I'll be happy to provide it again for everyone...

I definitely recommend the Vantec NexStar-3 eSATA External USB Enclosure (p/n NST-360SU-BK or NST-360SU-BL) in order to build your own SATA Extrernal Hard Drive for the MediaBridge. It offers both USB 2.0 and e-SATA connections to your computer. The e-SATA is a nice option if your motherboard supports SATA because it allows you to transfer files at SATA transfer rates to the external hard drive but the USB options works fine as well. This enclosure comes with both USB and e-SATA cables and a PC bracket and connector to use the e-SATA option if your PC motherboard does support SATA.

You can get this enclosure here (one is black and one is blue; the blue one is $2 cheaper for some reason)...

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=370891

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=370895


I have chosen the Western Digital 500GB SATA model as the drive inside this enclosure. I bought it at Best Buy on sale for $150 w/ no rebates in early January. Best Buy currently has this drive for $170 (see the link below) but I have seen it on sale there for $150 twice since the first of the year if you want to wait a bit....

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7821967&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat107700050004&id=1142294266760

Any SATA hard drive should work just fine. I chose Western Digital because of the price but the next drive I add to my MediaBridge may be a Seagate because they now offer a 5-year warranty on all their drives.

Also, you can connect a USB hub to the MediaBridge and use more than one USB hard drive. I connected the 500GB and a 200GB drive to the MediaBridge and it recognized both drives just fine. Just make sure you use a USB 2.0 hub or it takes forever to scan the drives for the media content.

I hope this helps and alleviates the pain for selecting an external hard drive for some of you.

Judge

Thanks for the info. Judge - I'm probably going to give this a shot.

Quick question, does the hard drive just slide in to the enclosure and screw in or something like that? Is there any formatting or anything else involved, or do I just slide/screw it in, and turn it on and go?

Thanks,
kgt12

Also,
I found a WD 500GB at TigerDirect for $149. Any reason to believe this drive will not work with the Vantec or MB? And does the Vantec come with any necessary hardware, or is there none involved?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2368647&CatId=139

Thanks again

Thanks for the info. Judge - I'm probably going to give this a shot.

Quick question, does the hard drive just slide in to the enclosure and screw in or something like that? Is there any formatting or anything else involved, or do I just slide/screw it in, and turn it on and go?

Thanks,
kgt12

It is fairly easy to install the drive in the enclosure. The enclosure separates and the drive plugs into one end of it and is held in the enclosure by four screws. Four more screws hold the enclosure together after you install the drive.

Most drives come unformatted so when you connect it to your PC it is likely you will need to format it as follows:

- Right-click on My Computer
- Select Manage
- Go to Disk Management under Storage
- Right-click on your new drive and create a partition, format it and give it a drive letter for your computer

Hope this helps!

Judge

Also,
I found a WD 500GB at TigerDirect for $149. Any reason to believe this drive will not work with the Vantec or MB? And does the Vantec come with any necessary hardware, or is there none involved?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2368647&CatId=139

Thanks again

This drive is basically the same one I am using so I feel confident it should work just fine for you. The difference is that this one is an OEM drive (it doesn't come in the pretty retail store black box that says Western Digital on it and it won't come with the four machine screws used to mount the drive or the SATA cable if you were to use it in your PC).

The Vantec enclosure comes with everything you need including the SATA enclosure, power supply, USB cable, e-SATA cable and e-SATA bracket for use with an SATA motherboard (completely optional; the USB 2.0 cable works just fine with a PC that support USB 2.0).

You will probably have to come up with at least one or two screws to mount the drive in the enclosure since they won't come with the OEM drive but I would say you could actually get away without them. The drive fits in the enclosure like a hand in a glove.

Judge

Any reason to believe this drive will not work with the Vantec or MB?
The actual hard drives are not the issue, it's the enclosures that cause the incompatibility. Bare drives from any major manufacturer should all work fine.

Greg

Well at this point I have bought and returned 3 hard drives (2 different models) because they didn't work with the MB.

Thank you Judge for the advice on how to get an external drive up and running.

At this point, for some crazy reason, I have decided that I only want to pursue this if I can get the parts from Costco. They have an unconditional return policy that can't be beaten. So I think I'm just going to order another external drive and cross my fingers. MediaBridge said that he never had problems with Maxtor or Seagate external drives so I'm going to order this one from costco.com (Seagate 650gb):
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11184492&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&N=4013468&Mo=27&pos=1&No=11&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=31023&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&Sp=C&ec=&topnav=

With my luck, it probably won't work, but what do I have to lose....

Well at this point I have bought and returned 3 hard drives (2 different models) because they didn't work with the MB.

Thank you Judge for the advice on how to get an external drive up and running.

At this point, for some crazy reason, I have decided that I only want to pursue this if I can get the parts from Costco. They have an unconditional return policy that can't be beaten. So I think I'm just going to order another external drive and cross my fingers. MediaBridge said that he never had problems with Maxtor or Seagate external drives so I'm going to order this one from costco.com (Seagate 650gb):
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11184492&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&N=4013468&Mo=27&pos=1&No=11&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=31023&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&Sp=C&ec=&topnav=

With my luck, it probably won't work, but what do I have to lose....

Good luck kgt12....

I have also had luck with Maxtor external drives. When I built my 500GB External Drive, I added a USB 2.0 hub and plugged in a 200Gb Maxtor and the MediaBridge recognized boh without any issues.

Well I guess 'you snooze, you lose.' That HD is not available at costco anymore. I'll just wait for something else to pop up. I really don't want to deal with building my own and then something not working and then possibly not being able to return the items...

Well I guess 'you snooze, you lose.' That HD is not available at costco anymore. I'll just wait for something else to pop up. I really don't want to deal with building my own and then something not working and then possibly not being able to return the items...

kgt12....

Best Buy had this 500GB Maxtor external drive on sale last week for $200...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8200877&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat107700050005&id=1165610071684

I can't give you a 100% gurantee but this is the same Maxtor case that I have with a 200GB drive in it and the MediaBridge recognized it ok and I believe this one will also work fine with the MediaBridge.

If you decide to go with a Maxtor external drive (I do like them myself), I would stay away from the "One Touch" models as they are similar to the Western Digital My Book models. External drives that can perform automatic backups, auto power on/off, etc. likely won't work.

You want to stick with the low-end Maxtor external drives that either have no on-off switch or only an on-off switch and are strickly USB 2.0 only with no other bells and whistles. I believe they are designated as "Maxtor Basics Personal Storage" external hard drives.

Good luck!!!

Thanks for looking out Judge.

I just ordered the Maxtor Basics 500GB from compusa.com for $199.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=SEARCH&Ntt=maxtor+basics&N=0&Dx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&D=maxtor+basics&Ntk=All&product_code=52105417&Pn=Basics_Personal_Storage_3200_500GB_Hard_Drive

Let's hope the 4th time's a charm.

Thanks again for the recommendation.

The other Maxtor Drive that I tried with the MB was a 160GB One Touch that was a few years old. The MB recognized it at first and would begin to scan the files, but it never finished...something was causing it to fail.

Let's hope this 'Basics' model is a different story.

Cheers.

Looks like we finally have a winner - the Maxtor Basics 500 works perfectly with the MB.

Judge, thanks again for the recommendations.

Cheers.

Looks like we finally have a winner - the Maxtor Basics 500 works perfectly with the MB.

Judge, thanks again for the recommendations.

Cheers.

Outstanding kgt12!!!!! :)

I am glad you finally have one that works!!! Hopefully all of your efforts and mine will help anyone else in the Forum looking to go with a USB solution for the MB. Certainly the out-of-the-box Maxtor 500GB solution is the easiest way to go and the price is attrative at $200 when they are on sale.

When you fill up that 500GB some day, you can add a USB 2.0 hub and add another one!!!!

Judge, I agree - if you don't want to mess with building your own drive/enclosure combo, then the Maxtor Basics seems to be the easiest route.

Now I have a new problem, though...I bought a Belkin USB hub a few weeks ago : http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11152320&search=usb%20hub&Sp=S&Mo=2&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=usb%20hub&Ntt=usb%20hub&No=2&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

The Maxtor works when hooked into the hub but my old harddrive (a Western Digital portable USB 160gb HD) does not!! It worked when plugged directly into the MB and I was looking forward to combining it with the Maxtor but it appears I cannot. Though the power light on the Western Digital is on when hooked up to the Belkin, the MB does not seem to 'see' this drive...it only 'sees' the Maxtor. Note the WD gets it's power strictly from the USB connection to the MB (or computer, in other applications).

The fight continues...

Cheers.

I found it on the RCA website. No problems lads.

ttp://download<dot>rca<dot>com/download/Setup.exe

------------------

I just purchased the MediaBridge at incredible price, but is doesn't come with the CD software required to stream content to the device.

Would someone be so kind as to upload the software or point me to a location that would have it?

Looking through the AR website, it looks like SW has been completely removed.

Thanks!

Now I have a new problem, though...I bought a Belkin USB hub a few weeks ago : http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11152320&search=usb%20hub&Sp=S&Mo=2&cm_re=1-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&N=0&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=usb%20hub&Ntt=usb%20hub&No=2&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

The Maxtor works when hooked into the hub but my old harddrive (a Western Digital portable USB 160gb HD) does not!! It worked when plugged directly into the MB and I was looking forward to combining it with the Maxtor but it appears I cannot. Though the power light on the Western Digital is on when hooked up to the Belkin, the MB does not seem to 'see' this drive...it only 'sees' the Maxtor. Note the WD gets it's power strictly from the USB connection to the MB (or computer, in other applications).

The fight continues...

Cheers.

Wow.... that's surprising. I had an old USB 1.0 hub and it worked fine with a 500GB and 200GB drive. It was just too slow scanning 500GB of media. I then bought this cheap IOGEAR USB 2.0 Hub for $12.99 and it works just fine with two drives installed. I haven't tried more than two drives but so far so good.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=256116

You have been "fighting the good fight" for sure kgt12...... :eek:

Here's an update:

There are still MediaBridge units in the warehouse, but the inventory is being transferred to a new distributor. As a result, they won't be available again until the transfer is made -- probably 2-3 weeks.


I'll post the link to where they can be purchased as soon as I know it.

Thanks for your patience,
Greg

Hi Greg:

The message quoted above was posted in early Feb, so it's been about 6-7 weeks. Any update on availability?

Thanks,

Kwad

So is this dead...?

Kwad

Boy, for a thread with lots of interest just a couple of months ago, this sure had died fast...

Kwad

I still want to keep this thread going. I am still interested as well if the MediaBridge is avaialble again for purchase. I am debating about buying a second one.

I have been following this thread for the past 6 months (at least) and even purchased one DMP3000... and I want one or two more but can't find them anywhere (of course they are no longer being made). I have tried substitutions from Dlink and Buffalo but neither is as good as the Mediabridge. Plus, one device interface would be helpful to my wife and kids as they view their digital material throughout the house...

I sent a message to Greg but he hasn't replied...

Any suggestions?

I am desperately trying to find one of these, in any condition as long as it works... and they are NO WHERE to be found. What a terrible waste for these to be discontinued. Anyone have one for sale or know where to find one?

"I am desperately trying to find one of these..."


Please PM me to discuss.

Mitch

I am desperately trying to find one of these, in any condition as long as it works... and they are NO WHERE to be found. What a terrible waste for these to be discontinued. Anyone have one for sale or know where to find one?

I might be willing to sell mine. It is in perfect condition. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

My PC has WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER and i want to know would the OS be compatible since it supports WINDOWS XP and I want to know how good is the DMP3000 when it comes to wireless streaming for videos files??

My PC has WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER and i want to know would the OS be compatible since it supports WINDOWS XP and I want to know how good is the DMP3000 when it comes to wireless streaming for videos files??

I can't answer the first question about XP Media Center (I'm guessing it would work). As for streaming, I found that it would stream audio files just fine over my .g wireless but my home videos would stutter occasionally (enough to be a problem).

I was going to try setting up a wired connection but I ended up just using an external hard drive and have been happy with that for now.
-Brian

My PC has WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER and i want to know would the OS be compatible since it supports WINDOWS XP and I want to know how good is the DMP3000 when it comes to wireless streaming for videos files??

The OS is compatible with the DMP3000 Server Software that allows you to stream from your PC; however, the DMP3000 will not play video files which were recorded using MEDIA CENTER (which is too bad). You will need to convert them to another format that is compatible with the DMP3000.

Ok, I'm back (finally). However, I'm afraid I can offer little information about availability.

The remaining MediaBridge inventory was transferred to Audiovox in Feb/March as part of the sale of Thomson's Accessories group to Audiovox. However, I've changed jobs and relocated over the last 90 days, so I have no visibility into the product anymore. Last I knew, the inventory was to be sold through Buy.com, but I've never seen it show up...

Again, in the interest of full disclosure, this means I'm also no longer the product manager for the MediaBridge. But I'm still happy to offer suggestions and answer whatever questions I can.

...and just wait 'till you see what's coming out next!

(Judge, kgt12: thanks for keeping the thread alive!)

Greg

Thanks for the update Greg!!!

I am looking for a device that is similar to the dmp3000, mainly for streaming video, is there any device out there that comes close to matching what the dmp3000 does?

...and just wait 'till you see what's coming out next!

Greg

Greg,

Glad you landed on your feet. Any hints relative to the above statement?

Shoot. I go searching for a decent media streamer and when I find one, it's no longer made. I repeat what siccs7 said above. I thought the d-link MediaLounge DSM-320/320RD was okay, but then saw too many rags on it. Oh, well. Back to Google.

Greg,

Glad you landed on your feet. Any hints relative to the above statement?

Unfortunately, I can't share any details until the patents are all filed...

Greg

If anyone's interested, I'm selling my DMP3000. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=886355

I'm picking up one of these tomorrow...NEW in box!

If it doesn't work with Vista or doesn't impress me....

I might be willing to sell

Will keep you informed....

I'm picking up one of these tomorrow...NEW in box!

If it doesn't work with Vista or doesn't impress me....

I might be willing to sell

Will keep you informed....

The server software will work with Vista... and you will be impressed!!!!

DMP3000 for sale.
It's a mint condition.
The price is $175 o.b.o.

Please PM me if interested.

So I just got my hands on one of these and it didn't come with the remote. I'm thinking of buying a nice universal remote anyway, but will need the IR code ro make it work. I can't find it anywhere. Any ideas????

So I just got my hands on one of these and it didn't come with the remote. I'm thinking of buying a nice universal remote anyway, but will need the IR code ro make it work. I can't find it anywhere. Any ideas????

RemoteCentral.Com is a good place to start. Depending on the remote you might find the codes there. Also a lot of the Web config remotes are likely to have it, you should be able to check their database before you buy.

Thingfling.com (http://www.thingfling.com/forum/yaf_postst3431_Acoustic-Research-Media-BridgeHighDefinition-Digital-Media.aspx) just had them listed at $59.99 with free shipping.

The page said they had "a few left". Now they're on to a new item.

But they tend to rotate products.. it might come up again.

Or maybe other liquidators like Woot.com (http://www.woot.com) will end up with some.

BK

I wanted to go RF anyway, so I bought the Harmony 890. Works on the MediaBridge like a champ. Thanks for all the help!

Looks like there might a good deal to be had on my for sale MediaBridge (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=110310421645).

Not sure if anyone has looked at this thread in awhile but worth a shot -

I have the AR Mediabridge and can't locate the software anywhere (in my house or online) I wondered if anyone here might have a link or could point me in the right direction?

Thanks.

Welcome to the forums. I have looked for this software myself and have not found a reliable source for the drivers and the software for talking with the mediabridge.
I have sent a private mesage to you for possible solutions.

If anyone would like to sell one of these, I would like a private message. A friend is looking for one after seeing mine.

I've got a copy of the original discs and just checked and the link for the updated drivers (in case you upgraded the firmware) is still active. And if anyone is looking to offload a few of these, I'd be interested.

I have 2 units available with discs if anyone is interested. Both units in excellent condition with remotes. I've replaced these units with a PS3 and FiOS Home Media DVR. So, shoot me an offer, they're available for cheap!