Hi !

So, as of now, what is available that plays H264 files (other than an HTPC) ?

And, yes I've done a search (but only in Thread Titles).

PS3

iPod video

iPod Video (and AppleTV) only playback low-bitrate h.264 files. I don't think it can crunch the 10gb 720p movie files one comes across. We have a similar thread here. (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=837382)

Basically there isn't any cheapo box that can do it, but someone comes asking this question once a week so I hope it'll come soon.

I think the Xbox360 is being expanded to handle high bitrate (15 Mbps) which from what I gather the PS3 is currently limited to medium bitrate although with the PS3 it's important to note that there is no network streaming and everything has to be placed on a USB drive (not a fanboy, the inability to stream is ludicrous and the medium bitrate limit was something I read a few weeks ago). Here's a piece here on the 5/7 expansion: http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/xbox-360-now-with-h-264-mpeg-4-playsforsure/.

Once again, I'm not an H264 expert but from what I gather 15 MBps is sufficient to contain good 1080p under that codec.

The PS3 supports high bitrates for video playback. For instance, the LittleBigPlanet trailer that you can download from the PS3 store is 581 mb for 4:04 minutes of 720p video that GSpot reports as 19973 kbps.

The PS3 does need support for video streaming but it also offers a web browser with flash support so Google Video and YouTube-like sites are playable from the couch.

Here's a post from a Microsoft employee on their AVC playback (http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=992104&postcount=175):
Amir is a bit optimistic on what the decoder can handle. Technically HD-DVD is limited to 30Mbps for everything, so if you have PiP the main video bitrate is lower.

The Dash has slightly different display code than the HD-DVD player - but that should not be a big deal. Also reading from DVD-R has its limitations on the bitrate. Anyway 10Mbps is a low "safe" number.

I thought the Tvix M-4100SH is going to do this. Supposed to be available soon.

Looks awesome, thanks!

Microsoft is breaking the blade right off in Sonys back. If the support is half decent I'm getting a 360.

Microsoft is breaking the blade right off in Sonys back. If the support is half decent I'm getting a 360.

When it comes to multimedia both MSFT and Sony seem hell bent on screwing it up. A year or so ago I'd bother getting excited. Now I'll be stunned if it isn't somehow fubared and then after everyone else troubleshoots it and finds whatever limitations it has (likely something dumb like 2 channel sound only on all resolutions over 480p) then I'll start considering moving in that direction. For all the promises made by both consoles pre-release, from my point of view it's been a monster bust that may or may not get overhauled to the point of offering some marginally redeeming value down the road. (and yeah, deep down I hope I'm wrong and I'd love to see something great but the track record for this is dirt to me)

i think at the end of the day..XBOX 360 and PS3 are fundamentally games consoles and thats their main function and what the guys at Microsoft and Sony are trying to concern themselves with is that..

people are being a tad too fussy i think..

if u want a device that can play all ur media then get a digital jukebox such as the new TVIX M4100SH which should serve anyones needs for digital media streaming right now...

at the end of the day..u would be silly for using all ur PS3's harddisk for media files anyway when its better for game saves etc...dont forget the ps3's functionality as a blu-ray player, web browser and HDMI 1.3 support...so its never completely limited!!

The TVIX M4100SH does look nice and I'm seriously thinking of getting one for Xvid playback and because it hopefully be compatible with the AVC files I've done for the PS3.

As for the PS3, it's has had high def, high bitrate AVC playback since launch (plus mpeg2). The Xbox had a go at VC-1 but maybe it didn't work out. Competition is nice.

The big hit for MS is they have been trying to secure things and be "content friendly". In three years that has done the proverbial SFA for them and stalled the media center platform. Opening it up to play back to world+dog formats would make the digital home more enticing. They can't sell the wanna-be-Tivio MCE as no-one really wants it and the video quality is not so hot. The direct service providers PVR is usually a simpler, cheaper, and looks better. They can't sell the Media Center part of MCE as it can't play anything back other then WMV. Yes you can install codecs yourself, and it does not handle them half as well as it should (not to mention how messed up extenders are).

MS is not a content provider and they will never get into this market, both Sony and Apple are content providers for big chunk of the media pie. I say MS reverses it's logic on this and embraces open codecs (what customers want and ask for), till studios and service providers want talk about how to GET media into MCE securely. Playing "we have secure platform why not use it" has done nothing, I think "give me a reason to close my platform" is much better approach. There is no law against MPEG4 playback and there never SHOULD be, but US law is so stupid now you never know.....

Alliance For Open Video Distribution promotes new closed standard to ensure only video of a higher moral standard is distributed in ...... closing codecs will secure the web ....... safety of our children ......

or

Uncontrolled video codecs found to cause seizures in your children and certain adults raising serious safety concerns..... Young girl dies by bludgeoning herself to death with remote control......

The new Buffalo A&G LinkTheater does! I can't post a link because I'm new but check out Buffalo Techs website for the specs.

TVIX M4100SH. close but no cigar.

No mkv container. No VC1 support.

Some oddities with high-bitrate playback.

The HD-playback crowd is still waiting for the real King to emerge.

TVIX M4100SH. close but no cigar.

No mkv container. No VC1 support.

Some oddities with high-bitrate playback.

The HD-playback crowd is still waiting for the real King to emerge.


Hi

Do you own a M4100SH? I am still contemplating on getting one...

Anything new in the last month ??

Check out the Tomacro limHD200i thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=852855)... the limHD200i is a Chinese media player similar to the Tvix 4100SH (based on the same Sigma processor). So far it seems to have a slight edge over the Tvix box in that it is fanless and might be able to play some media files more smoothly than the 4100SH. The hands-on reports are only just now starting to trickle in.

H.264 test results posted in the LimHD thread

Kevin