Pinnacle Systems Unveils ShowCenter 200...

[SeeMoreDigital]

...Including high-def/res photo and video support.


For more information, look here: -

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/docloader_n.asp?templ=10&doclink=/WebVideo/showcenter200/English(US)/doc/Us_showcenter200_specifications.html&Product_ID=2656&Langue_ID=7&loc=spec&division_id=

http://img223.echo.cx/img223/2549/pinnacleshowcenter2005eu.jpg

Presumably it's based around Sigma's EM8620 chip-set


Cheers

EDIT: Updated information link and image added

[DoctorRad]

Hmmm... I wonder if they'll have a part-exchange deal for us early adopters of their original ShowCenter?

[musicnyman]

i posted that same question on the pinnacle forum and no answer yet :( but i highly doubt it... plus, i haven't been overly happy with pinnacle , the showcenter and their support, so i'm going to try something else like the buffalo linktheater.

[guada 2]

It is surely about this chip because it is the only one to offer this double compatibility WMV9 et HD.

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by guada 2
It is surely about this chip because it is the only one to offer this double compatibility WMV9 et HD. It's a good, strong chip-set in the ShowCenter 200 for sure. But if you don't get the support/feedback from the device manufacturer, your initial excitement quickly diminishes and annoyance takes over :eek:

A few people have sent me emails suggesting, Pinnacle are not listening to their bug-fix requests for the original (std-def) ShowCenter (fitted with Sigma's EM 8551 chip-set). The biggest grievance seems to be it can't handle Mpeg4 bit-rates above 3500-4000Kbps!

By contrast, the ADS Media-Link (MXL-581) uses the same chip-set but can cope with bit-rates as high as 6000Kbps.... However, it would seem ADS are pretty "lack luster" when it comes to customer support too... I've sent them several e-mails, asking them whom I should contact regarding "product/software bugs and suggestions" but all I ever receive is an standard e-mail reply :(

Buffalo LinkTheater users on the other-hand, appear to have a very active support contact going by the name of BrianV (over on the AVS forum (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=495915))... Which is very reassuring :)


Cheers

[musicnyman]

yeah, i sent an email to tech support to pinnacle about 2 weeks ago and nothing back at all. pinnacle posts a reply to "some" posts every month or so, and that's about it... the forum is only active pinnacle users right now.

i sent an email to buffalo tech and got an answer back in 2 hours...

and yes, there's something in pinnacle's software that's not playing nicely with the sigma 8551 chip because i've heard the same thing where the same chip plays these high bandwidth mpeg4 files fine on other boxes. so even with pinnacle upgrades their chip in showcenter 200, i don't trust them anymore. i'm probably going the buffalo route from now on...

[guada 2]

SDM and musicnyman,

Sorry and thank you for this clarification. :)

[musicnyman]

since i've moved away from pinnacle and bought the LT with the same chip inside basically, i'm curious to see what people who have bought this (pinnacle 200) think of this product. it's always sold out on buy.com, so i guess it's popular.

thanks,

[musicnyman]

just found out that pinnacle will never support nero digital or be nero digital certified. they're also not going to divx certify the 200 either.

nero digital is a must for me.. so i'm glad i stuck with LT :)

[SeeMoreDigital]

Bummer!

How short sighted is this decision by Pinnacle :eek:


Cheers