High Def Media Player suggestion

[hoozdapimp]

I am looking to get a standalone media center type player that I can use to stream files from my computer. Currently, I archive a lot of stuff in xvid (movies I leave at 720x480), and HDTV streams, I use a tool called theeo to archive to 960x544 xvid (700mb per hour show), and more recently, I have been archiving to 1280x720 xvid (1400mb per show [3 episodes on a DVDR]). I also just recently bought a Sony HDR-HC1 High Def camcorder that is stored on a DV tape in high def mpeg 2.

Now my problem is that I’ve been waiting for a HD-xvid capable dvd player to come out, but the more I think about it, it’s silly to wait, since I would still have to burn all of my stuff if I ever want to watch it. So I was thinking about getting one of these media players that can stream stuff from my pc.

Now my question, is which one do you suggest for my needs? I was thinking about a few, but I’m not sure if they are capable of playing the files that I have. Furthermore, when TV starts again next season, I might start archiving to H.264 (if I ever get a new computer that can actually playback those files).

What do you guys suggest? I don’t really want to build a HTPC since Windows looks like crap on my HDTV (Toshiba rear projection hdtv).

Thanks in advance!

[SeeMoreDigital]

There are plenty of stand-alone hardware devices capable of playing high-def MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 (XviD, DivX, 3vix, etc) sources...

To start... have a look here (needs up-dating though): -

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=646040#post646040


Cheers

[hoozdapimp]

Yeah I was looking there...trying to gather info on all of the options seems crazy.

I think I want a device with the Sigma EM8622L chipset, but I don't know which players are available with those...

Also, for my above mentioned files, some of the 1280x720p XviD files are at over 4Mbit/sec, and I wasn't sure which players could cope with that.

Can anyone shed some light on a player that might be good for me? Looking at AVSForum is frustrating, because most of the threads for the individual players have thousands of replies and trying to find info in the threads is cumbersome.

[laserfan]

...I want a device with the Sigma EM8622L chipset...the threads for the individual players have thousands of replies...But... there are no players yet that use the 8622!!!???

I think that only you can do your own research for a player with the features you want, and then buy from a dealer that has a liberal return policy, in case your Xvids don't play satisfactorily for you.

I have a Pinnacle SC200 that I am happy with--does HD Xvids of >4Mbps, but who knows whether it will play your files--they could be encoded with features the Pinnacle doesn't like. :scared:

[SeeMoreDigital]

Indeed, there are currently no stand-alone devices fitted with Sigma's EM8622L chip-set...

Any device fitted with Sigma's EM8620L chip-set should be capable of decoding 1280x720 MPEG-4 SP/ASP (aka: MPEG-4 Part2) sources generated using XviD, DivX, 3ivx etc... provided such encodes do not contain 3-warp-point GMC.

My Zensonic Z500 certainly can!


Cheers

[Episodio1]

* Through which connectors the player outputs HD content ?

* Can my graphics card output HD content through S-VIDEO?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Through which connectors the player outputs HD content ?Well my Z500 offers component and HDMI for this...

Can my graphics card output HD content through S-VIDEO?No not really...

When the S-video connection was concieved there was no such thing as HDTV, all we had were std-def "interlaced" TV images. In order to get the most from your HDTV images, you need to connect either via component or DVI/HDMI. Both of which are able to display progressive images.


Cheers

[scottegos2]

I've been happy with my Buffalo Linktheater. It has both s-video and component video outputs and, with the current beta-level firmware, it upconverts video (and DVD) over component video. I play my DiVX and so on all the time with it.