Been hunting around for reviews and so on and I think I'm going to get one of these soon.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Mvix-500GB-DVI-Wireless-Media-DivX-Hard-Drive-Player_W0QQitemZ380035844414QQihZ025QQcategoryZ111503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemThis is prob the most comprehensive review and it was inline with everything else I read about the unit.
Seems the only real issue is streaming large files and trying to play files over 4gig which won't really be an issue for me. Now to get enough cash
After having a 760 for several months, I wanted to share a few of my experiences and frustrations about this unit.
I bought the 760 to stream captured OTA HD files across my home wired network. My objective is to store one copy of an HD file, somewhere on the network, which would be playable in HD on any display. The network is connected through a no frills router. The network configuration is an XP Pro PC connected to 32” LCD via HDMI ; an XP MC PC connected to Panasonic 53” RPTV via HDMI ; the 760 connected to a Toshiba 40” RPTV via component. There are no DVI or HDMI inputs on the Toshiba. Any type of file can be streamed between the PCs problem free. Streaming through the 760 is a different story.
CON:
The 760 will not completely play ANY transport or program stream file larger than 4 gigs. Playback abruptly ends and the file begins to replay from the start. Due to the inherent size of HD transport/program streams, when the 760 is advertised as being able to stream HD .ts and mpeg II files, it is fair to assume a larger sized file limit or no limit at all.
WORKAROUND:
Re-editing the original >4 gig file into multiple files <4 gig. ( part 01, part 02 etc) The brief pause between files reminds me of my laser disc days. Not terrible for episode TV shows but kills the flow of large movie files which may have 3 or 4 parts.
PRO:
The quality of the original source files vary but overall the 760s 1080i output over component is very good.
CON: The 760 cannot consistently stream HD transport streams or HD program streams error free .
Many ABC 720p captures will stream both video and AC3 audio problem free.
FOX 720p captures will stream video ok but the AC3 audio either doesn’t play or plays briefly then stops
The biggest problem is with 1080i sources. All NBC, CBS, CW captures never stream audio and the video playback is a mixed bag.
WORKAROUND:
Install internal HDD and connect 2 external USB HDDs to the 760 and store duplicate copies of the original files and play them from the 760. The 760 will only display two USB drives even if multiple HDDs are connected via a USB powered hub to one of the USB ports on the rear of the 760. By using the USB hub like an old style telephone operator, you can connect external HDDs on the fly by plugging and unplugging USB cables. (Think Lilly Tomlin.)
The original file is checked for errors and saved to one of the three drives connected to the 760. With firmware 1.27, a file can be outputted over the network to the 760s internal HDD. To output a file to either of the USB HDDs, the drive needs to be disconnected from the 760 and connected to a PC. .
PRO:
As stated before, files stored on the 760 internal HDD or connected to the USB ports, play very well and look excellent over component.
The Mvix 760HD I purchased boasted the ability to play HD transport streams over a network. It was the reason I bought the unit. I read many reviews that stated playback over a wired network was good. I have not found this to be the case. I have begun to experiment converting HD streams with AUTO GK to 1.5 gig XVID .avi files of very good quality and retaining the AC3 audio. Results have been encouraging but the conversion process of an average 42 minute 1080i HD transport/program stream to an XVID .avi is between 4—5 hours. 720 p streams take about half that time.
The XVID files stream well. The video is noise free on my relatively small displays, retaining much of the detail of the original. I hear no difference in the audio. Instead of a 500 gig HDD being able to hold 120 4 gig files, it can now hold over 300 1.5 gig files. I find this to be a fair trade-off because I am not limited to where on the network I can store the XVID files.
I want to love the 760 so badly but in the end it is a sad disappointment. If the possibility to correct these issues with a firmware update is feasible, that firmware update should have been released by now. It seems as if releasing firmware 1.27, enabling NDAS, Mvix may be thinking their obligation to this model has ended, and that would be a shame. This box has much potential.
Of course, everything contained in this post is only my opinion from my experiences.
