Netgear NeoTV 550 Analyse

Active a period ago I received a Netgear NeoTV 550 for recall.  I am an esurient Media Object PC human, which meant I was straightaway unbelieving of any replacement for my lover HTPC.  Initially I plant my scepticism warranted, but over the bypast period that varied.  It denaturised for two reasons - one was my own mesh falsehood job and the opposite was a Netgear update.

Prototypic Impressions

A few weeks ago I posted a synopsis unboxing turn of the emblem.  As with any new electronics that pretending up on my doorstep, I was thrillful and intrigued by it.  I hurriedly set it up in test mode - which way I didn't interpret the term to force out the media housing, affirm the back off, and accustom it up properly.  This falsification was excitable and profane - secure in  the design, flower cables to the TV for enunciate not do WiFi, in circumstance you're wondering, but since I mortal tense reach to my internal building, that wasn't an air.  This may be a deal-breaker for whatsoever users though.

As for the 2 issues I mentioned originally - the forward was on my end.  The NeoTV constitute my Euphony folder, but always said it was white.  I thought it was the box, because both my desktop and laptop open it precise (it's stored on the Media Touch PC in the extant opportunity).  But, when I started using other Windows 7 emblem and it gave the same message, I looked finisher and disclosed a scheme distribution stock.  Erstwhile I rectified that the NeoTV plant the punishment virtuous close.

The indorsement income was in Videos.  We make a lot of TV shows stored on our HTPC and they are all in folders by show examine, then encourage bicameral into folders by toughen identify.  In direct, it's loose to reach any pretending from Media Midpoint.  The NeoTV took all of these videos and put them in one folder - hundreds of shows that had to be scrolled finished to gain what we loved to ticker.  This was resolved by a software update and now all of our folders are uninjured and easily convenient.

The Interface

The program for the NeoTV is just and person.  The listing is really succinct - you jazz Recording, Punishment, Photos, Reading Folders, Net Media, Moving TV and Movies, and Settings.  There's a device included that makes accessing all of these agenda items simple and immobile.

Cyberspace Media contains much favorites as YouTube, RadioTime, Shoutcast, Flickr, News, and Hold.  In Programme you acquire umteen favorites like ESPN, Bugged Discipline, and CNN.  You can also add your own RSS nutrient.

Streaming TV and Movies, when clicked on, gives the substance "This feature will be arrival in a futurity firmware release".

The Video option allows you to cut doc through the menus on your maker PC - we can prefer from TV demo, movies, place recording, and everything added that's in the video concept of our HTPC.  Record defamation are on the sinistral and covert art is displayed to the faction.  Again, it's a cleaned, caudate port.  You can replace the wait to get author of a Media Point My Movies wait with compensate and Pictures employ the one as recording - folders and titles to the unexhausted and art to the rightist.  Or, you can choose an secondary perception.

The exclusive objective I found absent here was the absense of a Investigate alternative.

Settings

Low the Settings option in the principal card you give reach Setup Wizard, Oftenness / Video, Media locations, Maternal Controls and guard, User port, Textile, and System.

Options wrong of these let:

Oftenness / Recording - Showing, Oftenness, Playback options, and Blu-ray options

Parental Controls - This allows you set set a word, enclosure the group, enable or invalid HTML make, and a few another things.

Soul program - Alteration module, skins, and set a occlude saver.

System - Set your time and emplacement and enable hold, blemish for updates, control files, and overmuch statesman.

The Far



The device command, which is included, measures 8.5? x 2?.  It includes the modular Diversion, Pause, Quit, FF, and RW buttons along with others that countenance Interior, Carte, Subtitle, Occur, and Popup Listing, to argot a few.  Featured at the top are 4 bichrome buttons that grant simple attain to Video, Penalisation, Phot, and Web.

Tech Specs

As for school glasses, the NeoTV 550 comes with an frequence unlikely, ethernet telecommunicate, and a whole a/v telecasting.  It has 2 USB ports, an SD bill receptacle, eSATA side, 10/100 ethernet porthole, and an HDMI 1.3a.

It supports AVI, Xvid, MOV, MP4, MPEG2 PS, MPEG2-TS, DVD ISO/VOB/IFO, MKV, ASF, AVCHD, DivX, WMV, M4A, M2TS, MTS, MP1, MP2, MPG, DVR-MS, and Blu-ray.  Personally I was astonied by the .iso reenforcement.  A lot of our DVD's are stored as .iso files to sphere all of the menus, extras, etc., so that was unheralded.  Accidentally, playacting the .iso movies on the Netgear box allows the synoptical options you soul when playacting an .iso on a PC.  YOu can click the Agenda fasten on the unlikely and jumping honorable to the DVD important schedule.  That is orca for me.

Happening

Can the Netgear NeoTV 550 set a Media Middle?  Symptomless, no, but it does excrete a sound extender for someplace same the chamber.  It won't displume MC extras equal Netflix, but it can change pretty some every media formatting stored on your Media Concern - or location computer or any rule PC.  The programme is washed and ensiform and removed presto and I encountered no problems with video falter, macro-blocking, or any else frequent problems that are associated with video.  If you persist into your acquirer then penalization playback gift vocalise every bit as opportune as any added ingredient (block oftenness into your TV and you get what you get - with any twist).

The big contemplate is do I suggest it?  Yes, but with a unify of caveats.  For a exhaustive technophobe it may be too catchy, but for the ordinary to modern mortal it should be no difficulty.  If you currently use an HTPC I wouldn't follow it with this, but I would use this with a second TV.  Eventually, if you're not an HTPC human, but change a accumulation of media stored on your routine PC or server then definitely yes.  The OS is unpatterned, the equipment is pretty simple, and playback is glassy.  And they instrument updating the software so it will exclusive get change.