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Which UPnP Player

post #1 of 14
12/21/06 at 11:36am
Thread Starter 
I want to purchase a UPnP based media player. I want something that will play VOB's with the menu's. I would prefer cover art for videos but it's not necessary. Wired is fine since I have a port behind the TV. I have tried the D-Link 520. Liked the interface but the lack of IFO support killed it. I currently have the MediaGate MG-35. It works great but the interface is never going to work for Grandma and the kids. CompUSA now sells the AVEL Linkplayer2. That could be my next step. Any suggestions???
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post #2 of 14
12/21/06 at 3:11pm
"CompUSA now sells the AVEL Linkplayer2. That could be my next step."
No.No.No.No.No Stay Away-Far Away from the iodata and buffalo, neither will do what you want. Maybe look at the Tvix 4000 or 5000. I have 2 5000's and planning on getting a 4000 for my 720p RP LCD TV. Plays IFO's either off the internal hard drive or network (bith file mode or ISO). Also plays HD ts's/
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post #3 of 14
12/21/06 at 4:08pm
Thread Starter 
Are the Tvix UPnP? So far, I like the way the DLink worked better than the MediaGate. It was more Grandma and Kid friendly. What about the Tvix?
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post #4 of 14
12/21/06 at 4:56pm
Tvix don't do UPnp.
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post #5 of 14
12/22/06 at 4:08am
Thread Starter 
In looking around in these forums, the best thing I've seen so far is the AR Mediabridge. The only problem with that is that it seems they don't make it any more. Is there anything out there like it?
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post #6 of 14
12/22/06 at 6:07am
Have you looked at the Zensonic Z500 yet ($299)? http://www.z500series.com

Supports UPnP and SMB, wired 10/100, 802.11g (no WPA though), and from what I've read, most (all?) DVD menus work with the latest firmware(s), which added ISO/IFO support. I don't have one, so I don't personally know with any certainty.

Our primary use will be audio, so the built in drive is a big plus. Unlike a lot of the others, you can play music without the TV/display on, since the built in text LCD display functions so well. The GUI is also skinable, and I believe this is the only player with a recovery method for failed firmware flashes. It's apparently well built... I just wish it wasn't silver.

I intend to order one soon after Christmas, unless something changes my mind before then.
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post #7 of 14
12/22/06 at 6:28am
Why do you NEED Upnp? Why not just use standard network file sharing like NFS/SMB?
What does upnp give you? Personally I store library on NAS's and share using NFS to the tvix's. The iodata/buffalo/zensonic navigation through upnp is painfull, and slow, to say the least and you dont have the cover art navigation option like you do with the tvix.

From what I recall, the zensonic has been very buggy, like the iodata & buffalo, but they may have improved the firmware?

The AR is no longer avaliable and only offered 720 playback, and unbeleivably no 1080 output??? Looked cool but it and the i/b/z all seem to rely on server software, which I hate personally.

Good luck. Hm... think I'm gonna watch King Kong tonight in HD.
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post #8 of 14
12/22/06 at 7:18am
Thread Starter 
So far, I have only experienced the DLink 520 and the MediaGate MG35. The DLink was UPnP and the whole experience was great. You picked movies and the list of movies came up and you picked the one to play and life was grand. The only problem was the lack of IFO support. It would play one VOB and then stop. The MediaGate is SMB/NFS. You pick network or local, then you pick movies, then you pick the computer, then you pick the share, then you pick the movie name, then you pick the VIDEO_TS folder, then you pick the IFO then you hit play. After all of that life is great. It's like using a DVD player. I'm fine with it but grandma and the kids hate it and its mainly for the kids movies. Now, if the Tvix front end is better then the MediaGate's then I would consider it. Do you have any screen shots? The Zensonic supports both UPnP and SMB it could be the best of both worlds. I will have to research the Zensonic. Let me know if the Tvix is a better overall experience.
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post #9 of 14
12/22/06 at 9:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by qz3fwd View Post

Why do you NEED Upnp? Why not just use standard network file sharing like NFS/SMB?

So you just need to have your network connected uPnP box turned on to access the content and the computer stays turned off.

peter
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post #10 of 14
12/22/06 at 1:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by plumeria View Post

So you just need to have your network connected uPnP box turned on to access the content and the computer stays turned off.

peter


That has nothing to do with uPNP....

The data has to live somwhere NAS, PC, etc....

I stream mine of a NAS with SMB....

no PC is needed and no uPNP is needed...

IMO uPNP just overly complicated the situation....

Sean
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post #11 of 14
12/22/06 at 2:04pm
Thread Starter 
Really, the only reason I picked UPnP was because the Share base MG-35 was not very user friendly. I've looked at the Zensonic and the Tvix and they looked much more user friendly. I just need it to be Grandma friendly. She isn't exactly computer literate. I really like the cover art features that I've seen. That's just about perfect. I wish I could see each screen, from logon to watching the movie. That's really the deciding factor.
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post #12 of 14
12/22/06 at 7:07pm
Personally I store everything on 2 Infrant ReadyNAS NV's which all devices pull from. The tvix's point to these NAS's and use simple networking protocols to access the data. No upnp, no central server with crappy server software, just NFS. This works extremely well, especially for playback of high bitrate HD transport streams. No blue screens of death, no viruses, no 1kw PSU sucking down power 24/7, minimal noise, uptime 24/7. A MG-35, Buffalo, and IoData also connect to these devices with the former 2 having to use Upnp which is a pain.

It is the best solution I have found and unfortunately I have wasted a lot of money on other products (mediagate, buffalo=iodata=zensonic).

Good luck. You have to choose what is best for yourself.
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post #13 of 14
3/14/07 at 3:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sean_w_smith View Post

...I stream mine of a NAS with SMB....

IMO uPNP just overly complicated the situation....

In a more recent thread you said you prefered uPnP over SMB. Have you changed your mind?
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post #14 of 14
3/17/07 at 6:41pm
Well, I've just bought myself a Thecus N2100, which has the Mediabolic UPnP AV server built-in and am streaming video to a Helios X5000 and audio to a couple of Pinnacle (previously Roku) M1001's - one connected to the hifi in the living room and one in the kitchen. It all works like a dream!

I also heard good reports about the QNAP TS-101 and TS-201, which have the TwonkyMedia UPnP AV server built-in.
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