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I am about to buy my first media streamer and I'm hesitating between the following units:
I have tried to compile a comparison of these players.
Important: all players are compared to the DUNE SMART H1.
Hence only points in which they are *different* are emphasized (i.e. they're "identical" except for the points addressed)
My main question is---is the extra price of the Dune Base 3.0 really worth it?
HDI DUNE SMART H1
+ modular concept, can buy additional Smart modules later
+ user can add own internal HDD (up to 2TB)
+ eSATA, SD card reader
+ can read commercial DVDs from external player/drive
+ can read DRM-free BDs from external player/drive
+ Dune allows hardware upgrade to new chipset
+ cheapest 4th generation Dune player but still more expensive than non-Dune players
+ plays "every" file format you throw at it
+ supports all current HD audio standards
+ HDMI 1.4
+ "RealD" for side-by-side 3D support (though not *full* 3D)
+ excellent (for a media player) video scaling
+ extensively customizable GUI (with Zappiti, YaDIS, MyMovies...)
+ WiFi capable (optional dongle required)
+ can read BD-ISO with full menu support
+ IPTV, Internet radio and b!tt0rrent support
+ A/V Streaming via UPNP (supports PlayOn, TVersity...)
+ very active user base, Dune asks for requests to implement in next firmware
- no internal PSU. Does the external PSU support both 110/220V?
- no front display
- no coaxial SPDIF out
- no analog 7.1 outputs
- cannot read commercial BDs from external drive (except using BE extension module of course)
- "funky" appearance for a home theater component (users complain it's too narrow)
- hardware upgrade to new chipset is rather expensive ($150)
- additional Smart modules require own power supply
- no web browser, no internet streaming from youtube etc. on its own
- no automatic switching of video resolution output (annoying if you have an external high-quality scaler)
HDI DUNE SMART D1
+ front display (but except for looking nice, I'm not sure how useful it really is!)
- user cannot add own internal HDD without breaking the warranty (must order with HDD initially)
- no HDD rack (can't hotswap)
- $20 more expensive
HDI DUNE BASE 3.0
+ coaxial SPDIF out
+ analog 7.1 out
+ internal PSU
+ standard home theater component size
+ supports Gigabit LAN
- most expensive player in this list
- "older" unit (released in 2009)
- no hardware upgrade offered
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- Gigabit LAN is a joke, no real advantage over 10/100 ethernet
MEDE8ER MED500X (DD+)
+ much cheaper than Dune players
+ controls on unit
+ coaxial SPDIF out
+ boots faster than Dune (~20 seconds)
- Realtek 1073DD+ based (Consensus is that Sigma chipsets are a bit better)
- quality of video scaler is not as good as Dune
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- limited Dolby Digital Plus support (only passthrough 5.1 = no downmix to stereo, no 7.1)
- no support for commercial DVDs through external drive
- only Lite menu support for BD-ISO
- USB ports only on the side, not on front/back
- no HDD rack (can't hotswap)
- no eSATA
- "older" unit (released in 2009)
- no IPTV, no b!tt0rrent
- GUI not as customizable (partially supports YAMJ but only for one image per video file - no indexing)
ACRYAN PLAYON!HD+
+ cheapest player in this list
+ coaxial SPDIF out
+ boots faster than Dune (~20 seconds)
- Realtek 1073DD+ based (Consensus is that Sigma chipsets are a bit better)
- quality of video scaler is not as good as Dune
- not as mature as MEDE8ER
- limited Dolby Digital Plus support (only passthrough 5.1 = no downmix to stereo, no 7.1)
- only Lite menu support for BD-ISO
- no support for commercial DVDs through external drive
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- no HDD rack (can't hotswap)
- no eSATA
- no IPTV
- "older" unit (released in 2009)
- "clunky" Realtek interface (not as well tweaked as MEDE8ER)
NETGEAR NEO TV 550
(Take the following with a grain of salt, the final player has not been released yet!!)
+ web services (Youtube, Flickr, RSS...)
+ automatic firmware update
+ comes with advanced GUI pre-installed (including indexing)
- no internal HDD
- limited Dolby Digital Plus support (no 7.1)
- external BD not supported. External DVD unknown.
- unclear whether full BD menus as opposed to Lite menus are really supported.
- no b!tt0rrent
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- just-about-to-be-released new player, so expect bugs
Comments, corrections and recommendations are very welcome!
(edited to reflect comments)
- Dune HD Smart H1
- Dune HD Smart D1
- Dune HD Base 3.0
- Mede8er MED500X
- ACRyan PlayOnHD+
- Netgear NeoTV 550
I have tried to compile a comparison of these players.
Important: all players are compared to the DUNE SMART H1.
Hence only points in which they are *different* are emphasized (i.e. they're "identical" except for the points addressed)
My main question is---is the extra price of the Dune Base 3.0 really worth it?
HDI DUNE SMART H1
+ modular concept, can buy additional Smart modules later
+ user can add own internal HDD (up to 2TB)
+ eSATA, SD card reader
+ can read commercial DVDs from external player/drive
+ can read DRM-free BDs from external player/drive
+ Dune allows hardware upgrade to new chipset
+ cheapest 4th generation Dune player but still more expensive than non-Dune players
+ plays "every" file format you throw at it
+ supports all current HD audio standards
+ HDMI 1.4
+ "RealD" for side-by-side 3D support (though not *full* 3D)
+ excellent (for a media player) video scaling
+ extensively customizable GUI (with Zappiti, YaDIS, MyMovies...)
+ WiFi capable (optional dongle required)
+ can read BD-ISO with full menu support
+ IPTV, Internet radio and b!tt0rrent support
+ A/V Streaming via UPNP (supports PlayOn, TVersity...)
+ very active user base, Dune asks for requests to implement in next firmware
- no internal PSU. Does the external PSU support both 110/220V?
- no front display
- no coaxial SPDIF out
- no analog 7.1 outputs
- cannot read commercial BDs from external drive (except using BE extension module of course)
- "funky" appearance for a home theater component (users complain it's too narrow)
- hardware upgrade to new chipset is rather expensive ($150)
- additional Smart modules require own power supply
- no web browser, no internet streaming from youtube etc. on its own
- no automatic switching of video resolution output (annoying if you have an external high-quality scaler)
HDI DUNE SMART D1
+ front display (but except for looking nice, I'm not sure how useful it really is!)
- user cannot add own internal HDD without breaking the warranty (must order with HDD initially)
- no HDD rack (can't hotswap)
- $20 more expensive
HDI DUNE BASE 3.0
+ coaxial SPDIF out
+ analog 7.1 out
+ internal PSU
+ standard home theater component size
+ supports Gigabit LAN
- most expensive player in this list
- "older" unit (released in 2009)
- no hardware upgrade offered
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- Gigabit LAN is a joke, no real advantage over 10/100 ethernet
MEDE8ER MED500X (DD+)
+ much cheaper than Dune players
+ controls on unit
+ coaxial SPDIF out
+ boots faster than Dune (~20 seconds)
- Realtek 1073DD+ based (Consensus is that Sigma chipsets are a bit better)
- quality of video scaler is not as good as Dune
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- limited Dolby Digital Plus support (only passthrough 5.1 = no downmix to stereo, no 7.1)
- no support for commercial DVDs through external drive
- only Lite menu support for BD-ISO
- USB ports only on the side, not on front/back
- no HDD rack (can't hotswap)
- no eSATA
- "older" unit (released in 2009)
- no IPTV, no b!tt0rrent
- GUI not as customizable (partially supports YAMJ but only for one image per video file - no indexing)
ACRYAN PLAYON!HD+
+ cheapest player in this list
+ coaxial SPDIF out
+ boots faster than Dune (~20 seconds)
- Realtek 1073DD+ based (Consensus is that Sigma chipsets are a bit better)
- quality of video scaler is not as good as Dune
- not as mature as MEDE8ER
- limited Dolby Digital Plus support (only passthrough 5.1 = no downmix to stereo, no 7.1)
- only Lite menu support for BD-ISO
- no support for commercial DVDs through external drive
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- no HDD rack (can't hotswap)
- no eSATA
- no IPTV
- "older" unit (released in 2009)
- "clunky" Realtek interface (not as well tweaked as MEDE8ER)
NETGEAR NEO TV 550
(Take the following with a grain of salt, the final player has not been released yet!!)
+ web services (Youtube, Flickr, RSS...)
+ automatic firmware update
+ comes with advanced GUI pre-installed (including indexing)
- no internal HDD
- limited Dolby Digital Plus support (no 7.1)
- external BD not supported. External DVD unknown.
- unclear whether full BD menus as opposed to Lite menus are really supported.
- no b!tt0rrent
- HDMI 1.3
- no 3D support
- just-about-to-be-released new player, so expect bugs
Comments, corrections and recommendations are very welcome!
(edited to reflect comments)