Hi all, newb here

I've been using tversity thru my PS3 to watch my divx/xvid files on
my TV, and its getting old.

I've been searching for a while now, looking at all the options for
Divx Hard Drive Enclosures. I've looked at everything from the
cheapo chinese players to the uber expensive ones.

All I need is something that will have the most compatibilty with
DIVX 6/xvid. I would like both component and composite video
outputs, HDMI would be nice but not necesarry. Don;t need ethernet
or anything like that.

I just recently found this site and all the firmware support for the
MG-35, which I like.

$150-200 is the most I want to spend. I like the popcorn hour but
don't want to wait 2 months to get one.

What are your guy's suggestions?

If it's just Xvid/DivX you want, then I suggest getting an XBOX on eBay for about $50-70ish and do a soft-mod to install XBMC. You'll fall in love with just the GUI itself, it's a wonderful piece of software.

Not sure if you heard, but DivX partnered with D-Link to make it's own box now... called DivX Connected. It supports DivX, Xvid, AVI, WMV, and with a plugin-hack, streams just about everything else. Just check out DivX's main site, or there's a user group started up a connunity.com by a bunch of beta users, if you want to ask current users any questions.

I have two DIVX "boxes"

The Galaxy TVisto is a good solution, it has the occasional problem with unsupported audio codecs (I'm not sure which ones) and it sometimes locks up (about 1% of the time), but it's pretty cheap. There's a kit for component out for $30 more, but it does have digital sound out by default.

The Buffalo LinkTheater PC-P3LWG/DVD is my other device. As a DVD player it sucks (for me) as a wireless device it works well unless there's any disturbance in the signal, but as a Divx player, it works like a champ. I've never had a divx/xvid it couldn't play, including HD. It has a USB connection so it can read from a FAT32 formatted drive. I would recommend it.

i dont feel like having another console sitting around so no xbox,

Has divx released the connect yet? I was looking but i didn't notice if it used a hard drive or was just a streamer.

I need a hard drive enclosure.


I might just hold out till sony releases the divx update for the ps, but i still want the portability of a stand alone player

ps3 is getting divx support sometime soon. hang in there a bit, you're not alone :)

Hi all, newb here
I just recently found this site and all the firmware support for the MG-35, which I like.

$150-200 is the most I want to spend. I like the popcorn hour but don't want to wait 2 months to get one.

What are your guy's suggestions?
I have one MG-35 and two MG350. I have bought them at eBay. The last one I bought was an MG350 with 500GB and paid $310 including shipping, taxes and the hard-drive. I am obviously very happy with these units, else would have three of them. I recommend the MG350 instead of the MG-35. It handles a wider resolution set of Divx files, has ftp server, internet radio, etc.: much more than the MG-35... Al

I suspect that the Popcornhour has better files type support and HDMI. Yeah the 2 month wait is a bummer. I was told last week end of feb 2008

How about this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822173056

INOi MH720-00500 500GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache USB 2.0 HDD Digital Media Player (720p)
The MH720 is a powerful multimedia-optimized external hard drive. Not only does it store and retrieve, backup and restore data for your computer, but it also allows you to play digital media files through your Home Theater, TV or stereo, without using a computer. You get brilliant high definition video and digital sound quality (720p, 1080i), full DVD menu functionality, and high-resolution photo viewing, complete with thumbnail previews. The MH720 offers computer-less playback of MP3, JPEG, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VOB, Xvid, and Divx 3.11/4.x/5.x files, including subtitles.

Tomorrows update for the PS3 will include native Divx\Xvid support. With this update you will not have to use tversity to re-encode files on the fly. You will be able to use any of the media sharing servers that exist to serve up files to the PS3. I believe the PS3 will also support files burned on to a CD/DVD as a data disc. While it’s not a great choice it will be an improvement over what you are doing now.

Popcorn hour is a good choice since it is cheap and does a good job at playing most Divx\Xvid files. But you are correct that it will most likely be in limited supply for the next couple of months.

The TVIX 4100 is my current favorite since it works much better then the popcorn hour. Unfortunately it cost almost 2x as much as the popcorn hour.

If you have no need for HD playback then look at the TVIX 4000. TVIX is not updating it's firmware any more but it's Divx\Xvid and DVD playback capabilities are still some of the best available. It's readily available and is being sold for around $200. Most likely this unit will soon be discontinued with the new units coming out in a couple of months.

agree with nitemage, im using the 4100 as well
if u aint playing hd files, get the previous version or this ps3 update will be sufficient

http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2007_1218_08393f1bd8e91589c95837142caf0a58/PS3UPDAT.PUP

its available for ps3 aredi

If you have no need for HD playback then look at the TVIX 4000.

I am confused about this statement. I am under the impression that the Tvix 4000 can play back 720p or 1080i, but not 1080p. Is this what you mean?

I am confused about this statement. I am under the impression that the Tvix 4000 can play back 720p or 1080i, but not 1080p. Is this what you mean?

He means that the Tvix 4000 can only play SD content. For HD you have to go to 4100 / 5100 or later..

i think 4000 can play HD contents, but limited to those avi and wmv

4100 has H 264 as well as mkv playability

As for the mediagate mg-35 or the mg-350. I really don't see the need in my case for the wireless and high def features.

I already upgraded the ps3 and have been using the divx/xvid featyres which i like. But, the ps3 isn't my idea or portability.

As far as the player posted above from newegg. the only thing i dont like about players like them, is there is no support as far as firmware updates like you do with PCH or the MG series.

i'll prolly be looking to pick something up around next week. so far its looking like the mg-35.

i have two of them, and i just bought a mg350. we use this box all the time at home to watch dvix tv content and it works awesome. we also take it on the road on vacation, and connect it to the hotel tv. i bought a vhf modulator (converts composite video + stereo rca to f connector) for those motels with cheap tv. had to use this a few times. there is nothing like having all your own content vs whatever cable has.
you can probably find a used mg-35 for less then 100$. stay away from the generic chinese boxes that retail for ~50. i can almost guarantee you'll be disappointed. i bought a device to convert an ordinary external HD to a mediagate type device for 23$ from dealextreme and i could have just bought 23 lottery tickets instead! you get what you pay for. but the mediagate i will give a 9 out of 10 on dvix box features/performance.
oh, and by the way, the pioneer dv400 plays dvix dvds and CDs, and has a usb host mode for external drives and flash/jump drives as well, it upconverts to 1080p, so this is another possibility/option worth exploring. its about $100 or so.

goodluck.

At CES, DivX and D-Link announced first-half of '08 availability of the DivX Connected DSM-330 in the U.S. It's been in Europe for a few months now, and supports HD. The box's hardware decodes DivX/Xvid, WMV is transcoded real-time at the PC, and users already posted the hacks to transcode other containers/codecs. Gotta say that it serves HD really fast! Lots of online video demos and reviews are out there... just google around.

Mediagate is releasing their updates to the MG-35 and 350, not sure what the model number replacement for the MG-35 is, but the higher end one is the MG-450HD. Basically adds SATA support plus HDMI. The rest of the features, including the same Sigma chipset remains the same it appears.

Well I settled on the MG-35. It has done everything I've asked it. Only come across 1 video out of the 130 i have on there so far that hasn't played. The only thing I don't like is having to move it into my computer room everytime i need to copy to it. I could setup a wireless bridge but its not worth it for the speeds people are reporting...around 1mbs....to slow

So I'm happy