http://www.audioholics.comWhere audio and video equipment undergoes rigorous objective and subjective tests by our staff, ensuring that marketing slogans aren't the only guidelines for your home theater choices.Fri, 03 May 2013 08:25:00 -0000http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/plair-streaming-solution-previewThe PLAiR streaming stick can receive video and audio content from your PC, Mac, Android, or iOS device with a push of a button. It will allow you to view nearly any Internet video source (sans Netflix and Hulu) on your big screen. For those that watch network shows on the network websites but hate doing it on their PC, the PLAiR is a godsend. At $99 it won't break the bank. But you are taking a $99 gamble. If the networks find a way to block the PLAiR solution (and you can bet they are trying to right now), you may have paid $99 for a device that will no longer do most of what you bought it for. Is it worth the risk? Only you can make that decision. Fri, 03 May 2013 08:25:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/plair-streaming-solution-previewDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/roku-3-streaming-player-4200rLooking like a squared-off hockey puck and featuring a completely upgraded interface, has the new Roku 3 finally hit its peak? The all-new Roku interface lets you glide through menu screens, quickly accessing channels like Angry Birds Space, Netflix, HBO Go, NHL, Disney, NBC, Crackle and more... And when we say more, Roku is now up to around 750 channels. Of course, one of the best features of Roku is that you can control it from your iPhone or Android smart phone. The Roku app lets you begin a show, replay a favorite movie moment, or add new Channels to your line-up from the Channel Store.Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:15:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/roku-3-streaming-player-4200rDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/yamaha-cd-n500-previewYamaha is continuing to expand its line of retro styled HiFi gear with the release of the CD-N500 Network CD Player. This is the first CD/network player combo that Yamaha has released in their HiFi lineup, and we think it fills a nice gap. The front panel is constructed of aluminum and has a USB input for direct connection to an iOS device or other USB storage device. The back of the unit has stereo RCA analog outputs, optical, and digital coax. In order to guarantee the best sound quality possible, Yamaha employed a 192KHz/32-bit Burr-Brown DAC and left-right symmetrical audio circuitry. It also has two independent power supplies, one for the Network/USB circuity, and one for the CD/DAC/display components. Vibrations are eliminated by using two different vibration damper pads that keep the CD mechanism decoupled from the chassis. It's a cool product, but at $799 it's not for the budget minded audiophile. But, then again, it's much less than some of the competition, which can cost well over $2,000 without a DAC.Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:20:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/yamaha-cd-n500-previewDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/krell-connect-streaming-playerKrell Industries showed off its new Connect high-resolution audio streaming technology. The Connect plays back FLAC to WAV, MP3 and WMA at up to 192kHz/24-bit audio, plus it does Internet radio. The Wi-Fi-equipped Connect is available in two models: as a digital only solution, or with a built-in Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) module. The DAC-equipped Connect has a 32-bit ESS Sabre chipset with discrete, direct-coupled analog circuitry outputting via RCA or balanced audio outputs. The digital-only version has both coax and Toslink optical outputs.Wed, 09 Jan 2013 04:10:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/krell-connect-streaming-playerDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/slingbox-my-media-companionSling Media updated its Slingbox platform for those using its Slingbox 500 and Slingbox 350 placeshifting devices. The two technologies are dubbed "My Media" and "Slingbox Companion". My Media features SlingSync which makes it easy for customers to sync photos and videos to a Slingbox 500 with a connected USB drive and view them on the TV. My Media is part of the company’s digital media framework. Now Slingbox 500 customers can transfer and enjoy personal photos and videos from a USB hard drive attached to the Slingbox 500. Customers can also play back any personal content stored on the USB drive directly on their TV screen using the Slingbox 500’s remote control. Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:25:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/slingbox-my-media-companionDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-sling-hopper-dvrDISH introduced their latest whole-home DVR, the Hopper with Sling. This is the second generation of its brand new HD DVR system released, in our opinion, even before that new car smell, has worn off the existing Hopper/Joey system. The new Hopper with Sling delivers several capabilities that improve the DISH experience at home and on the go by allowing customers to watch live and recorded television anywhere on Internet-connected tablets, smartphones and PCs or even move recorded television to an iPad for viewing without an Internet connection using the free Hopper Transfers app.Tue, 08 Jan 2013 03:30:43 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-sling-hopper-dvrDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-explorer-second-screen-app-ipadDISH introduced something new to complement its new Hopper and Joey whole home DVR system—the DISH Explorer app for iPad. This is an intuitive "second-screen" app that lets you find programs, engage social media and also perform remote-control functions. While customers are already using tablets while watching TV, the Explorer app melds the two experiences into one seamless event. The app will be available for FREE from the Apple store starting tomorrow (January 7th). DISH Explorer expands the functionality of the Hopper by allowing customers to discover popular and trending shows, engage with fans via Twitter and Facebook, control the Hopper, and search live TV, DVR and on-demand programs—all from the iPad's keyboard.Mon, 07 Jan 2013 03:00:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-explorer-second-screen-app-ipadDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/vidabox-liivnas-media-nas-preIf you think 10 streams of HD video is overkill, the Vidabox LiivNAS isn't for you. Honestly, if you are no working with a custom installer, you probably don't need this product. But for those with complicated installs that want a central place for both storing and streaming media, the LiivNAS has a lot going for it. The price is very good for this market ($1349 base), Control4 and SONOS compatibility a must, and near unlimited storage means just about any install can be serviced. We're guessing custom installers are going to be flocking to the new Vidabox LiivNAS.Wed, 17 Oct 2012 11:15:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/vidabox-liivnas-media-nas-preDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-hopper-joey-12-room-videoEarlier this year we reviewed the DISH Hopper & Joey System. Then, you could connect up to three Joeys to a single Hopper system for a total of 4 rooms of entertainment. Well, now DISH has figured out how to supply up to 12 rooms of entertainment. Basically what they've done is network the Hoppers with two zones, and two hoppers per zone, with two Joeys per zone. So that makes for 12 rooms of television.Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:35:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-hopper-joey-12-room-videoDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/google-nexus-qIt's been (semi)widely known that Google was getting into the media streaming box business. This week they leaked a page on their Google Play website for the Google Nexus Q streaming media device. The Google Nexus Q is a $299 is a 'social streaming media player' that streams movies and music directly from the cloud to your living room. It runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and comes with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of local storage. It's a lot bigger than it looks in the photos (4.6" in diameter) but is still relatively small. With the Google Play and YouTube apps on your Android phone or tablet, you can use the Nexus Q to send high definition content to your television and home theater speakers. Since everything is cloud-based, the Nexus Q promises no downloads waits or syncing - everything is instant. Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:45:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/google-nexus-qDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/vizio-co-star-preVIZIO seems to have really thought about what a customer might want/need with the Co-Star Stream Player. Placing itself between your cable/satellite box and display, you can access your favorite streaming service or just browse the web all while watching TV picture-in-picture. Their Bluetooth remote includes a touchpad and a full QWERTY keyboard for easy browsing. Add to that all the apps available in the Google Play store, USB and DNLA streaming, and a ton of other features and VIZIO seems to have a winner on their hands. With a street price of $99.99 (introductory free shipping) and a release date of July, we can't wait to get our hands on one of these.Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:00:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/vizio-co-star-preDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-hopper-joey-dvr-videoWhether you use DISH's Hopper and Joey for satellite TV, or you use cable—the traditional way you consume live and recorded television content is by utilizing a DVR or set-top box in every room where you want to watch TV. And, typically, those separate boxes don't talk to each other. But what if you just had one DVR? A big one. And it allowed you to watch anything you recorded anywhere in the house? That's the basic premise behind DISH's new Hopper & Joey Whole Home DVR System. We've reviewed lots of DISH DVRs in the past, from the well-regarded ViP 722, to the redesigned, Sling-integrated ViP 922. But the Hopper & Joey is a complete redesign of the way you'll record video and watch TV.Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:30:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-hopper-joey-dvr-videoDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/sony-nsz-gt1-googletv-blu-ray-videoWhen we reviewed the Sony NSZ-GT1 - which sounds more like a Japanese sports car more than an Internet TV Blu-ray Player - there's a lot to caveat. I mean, are we reviewing the hardware? Yes. Are we reviewing GoogleTV? Yes. Are we reviewing the Sony layer that sits on top of it all and puts everything together? Yes. GoogleTV. It was probably the most overhyped product in the past two years, and for good reason. It promises a lot. And, like Sony's Playstation3, it's set up to improve with time.Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/sony-nsz-gt1-googletv-blu-ray-videoDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/griffin-twenty-preWe really wish we knew how much the Griffin Twenty was going to cost. A single unit, very compact solution for streaming music to your old speakers you now longer have a use for we think will be an attractive prospect for many consumers. But with the price of AirPlay-enabled receivers constantly coming down, the Griffin is going to have to have a very competitive price. The subwoofer output should give the Griffin Twenty the flexibility (and bass) serious music lovers demand though the hardwired crossover at 80Hz and subwoofer auto-sensing limit the control they may want. Overall, the Griffin Twenty looks to be a very interesting product. If it can be used as a standalone amp with an optical input, it may be the go-to office solution for those looking for a way of utilizing old gear.Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:25:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/griffin-twenty-preDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/vizio-googletv-vap430-stream-playerGoogleTV is apparently not dead. Today at CES, Vizio and Google jointly announced the introduction of the Vizio VAP430 Stream Player, an innovative stream player that turns any HDTV into an enhanced Vizio Internet Apps Plus (V.I.A. Plus) smart TV that incorporates the latest Google TV. The Stream Player lets consumers access tons of entertainment content and online services with web access through a fully capable Chrome browser. You can also stream photos, music and video stored on any computer, hard drive or smart phone connected to a local network and/or the cloud. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:05:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/vizio-googletv-vap430-stream-playerDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/moon-180-mind-musicSimaudio showed off more than just their Moon phono preamplifier, they also introduced the Moon 180 MiND Music Streamer. MiND, an acronym for Moon intelligent Network Device, streams digitally stored music from a computer, Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, the internet, subscriber-based music services or a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) enabled device to your audio system. Ultimately, MiND provides a simple means for efficient access to large collections of music, as well as the ability to organize the music to your own preferences. And, the included control software app works with the Apple iPhone, iTouch, iPad or any Android-powered device.Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:00:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/moon-180-mind-musicDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/lacie-2big-esata-thunderboltLaCie used the 2012 CES to announce some new Thunderbolt-driven drives. The new 2big Thunderbolt Series delivers speed, flexibility and capacity, while the eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series allows users to connect external eSATA drives to Mac computers. LaCie's had a bunch of success with its Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series drives and he new drives look to deliver speeds and product enhancements to Mac computers that have been unavailable until recently. In particular, eSATA support has been completely lacking, though it exists as a compatible technology on the Intel-based boards used in iMac, MacBook Pro and PowerMac computers. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:45:30 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/lacie-2big-esata-thunderboltDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-hopper-joey-dvrDISH Network is completely changing the way it does DVR - particularly as it has to do with a whole-home setup. And this really makes sense, considering that right now you need a DVR in each room in order to record your favorite shows - and those shows can't be shared from one room to the next. Now they can. DISH is introducing Hopper and Joey, a whole-home high definition DVR entertainment system. The Hopper HD DVR and accompanying small Joey set-top boxes create a whole-home HD DVR entertainment system that lets DISH customers easily record, pause, and play back shows from any room in the home. While most whole-home DVRs do not have the same DVR functionality on every TV, the Hopper and Joey whole-home system offers the exact same DVR functionality on every TV, letting customers pause, play and rewind both live and recorded HD programs in up to four rooms. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:47:47 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-hopper-joey-dvrDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/acer-s5-timeline-ultrabooksAcer is attempting to claim the title of thinnest PC notebook in the world with the unveiling of its two new ultrabooks at the 2012 CES. While the full specifications of the Aspire S5 and Timeline ultrabooks are still being released and solidified (at least to the press) the S5 is being billed as the thinnest ultrabook to date at only 15mm thick. For reference, the current MacBook Air is 17mm in thickness. Weighing in at less than 3 pounds, the S5 features a 13.3" LED backlit LCD screen and an unusual motorized "Magicflip" panel that opens to reveal the included HDMI, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports. This is the first notebook we've heard of to-date that features Thunderbolt aside from Apple products, though we imagine this will be more commonplace at CES this year.Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:12:41 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/acer-s5-timeline-ultrabooksDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/vizio-notebooks-laptops-pcsVizio announced a complete line of notebooks/laptops and an all-in-one PC that appears to be taking on the design trends of Apple Computer directly. Built with a stylish aluminum frame design, the new PCs look to be incredibly stunning visually and are extremely light and thin in all dimensions. The new Windows 7-based PCs are going to launch in spring 2012 and includes 2 All-in-One computers, 2 thin + light notebooks and one netbook. The notebooks in particular look to be directly aimed at Apple's MacBook Pro line and the smaller Netbook is reminiscent of the MacBook Air. This may not be enough to drive sales away from Apple, but it's great to see other companies taking such a design-focus on their products. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:40:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/vizio-notebooks-laptops-pcsDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/iocell-netdisk-351uneMy past experience with network attached storage (NAS) was years ago, we called it the toaster and it held two drives with built-in redundancy; RAID 1. Mirrored drives gave my home network nicely backed-up storage via Ethernet. After assigning it an IP and mapping a drive letter to my PC I had access to Ethernet stored files. The NAS drive was great for backing up family pictures and an MP3 library. But did it stream? Forget about it! To any audio/video enthusiast affordable NAS was a major fail. The devices were expensive, complicated and slow. But that was almost ten years ago, surely the situation has improved since then – and it has. Nowadays there are several options including NetDisk proprietary NDAS system aimed at the small, consumer-grade home network admin.Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:45:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/iocell-netdisk-351uneDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/russound-dms-3.1-streamerRussound debuted their new DMS-3.1 Digital Media Streamer, which is part of their C-Series line of multiroom audio products. It's not inexpensive, coming in at around $2,100 (MAP). The new media server will deliver up to 3 digital audio streams for whole home audio systems and installations. The sources for these three audio signals may be from the Internet or from music files on connected storage devices. A fourth simultaneous signal is available from the DMS-3.1’s built-in AM/FM stereo tuner. The server is one rack unit (1U) tall and features three pairs of stereo audio output jacks for each of the audio streams plus another pair for the tuner. A Source ID Switch lets each stream identify itself easily within the system. The new DMS-3.1 is designed to work with Russound C-Series controllers and multiroom audio systems. The DMS-3.1 connects to the controller via an Ethernet LAN (wired RJ45) home network connection. The DMS-3.1 can also play back audio files on LAN-connected DLNA devices, such as network drives, which may be located in various rooms throughout the home. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:30:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/russound-dms-3.1-streamerDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/denon-dnp-720ae-preWho is the target audience for the Denon DNP-720AE Networkd Audio Player? Obviously custom installers but we think there are quite a few others that will be interested. With Apple's AirPlay on board, you have just about all the advanced network features available on the market without having to upgrade your receiver. Of course, for a couple hundred over the $500 price point of the DNP-720AE, you could upgrade your receiver. But if you really love your current equipment but want to add networking, the DNP-720AE could be the box for you.Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:35:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/denon-dnp-720ae-preDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/sony-smp-n200-streaming-playerAt CEDIA 2011 this year, we got a glimpse of Sony Electronics' new SMP-N200 Streaming Player. What sets this apart is that it adds 3D streaming capability (for compatible movies) in addition to streaming content from Netflix, YouTube, Amazon on Demand, Pandora, Hulu Plus, Video Unlimited, VUDU and more. You can connect the box to your television via HDMI or component and, if you are living in the stone ages: composite. The SMP-N200 includes 802.11n WiFi, so you don't have to rush out and buy a new TV just to get the latest streaming media sources - just connect this to your existing set. Best yet, the SMP-N200 hits the shelves in the U.S. in October for around $99.99. It's only problem is that the latest Roku is smaller and less expensive. Sony is banking that advertising 3D - and supporting the latest streaming movies services (nearly all of them, in fact) will save the day.Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:40:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/sony-smp-n200-streaming-playerDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-tailgater-portable-satelliteDISH Network had their new Tailgater on-hand, which is essentially a VuCube (but far cheaper) that is designed to seamlessly and easily integrate with the DISH ViP211k satellite receiver. In this way you can have a very portable, very lightweight and compact system for tailgating parties or whatever outdoor television watching needs you might have. The Tailgater automatically locates DISH Network's satellites and connects quickly to a TV and the ViP 211k set-top box. DISH also provides a pay-as-you-go programming plan, so you can really get a lot of use out of this system without having to already be a DISH subscriber - it really works well for anybody.Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:22:48 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-tailgater-portable-satelliteDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/nad-c-446-preThe NAD C 446 looks to pick up the streaming ball dropped by some of their recent receiver offerings. With on board FM/AM tuner (with optimized performance and transcoding to optical digital output), UPnP and DLNA compatibility, Last.fm and vTuner support, the C 446 is a good start. Unfortunately, that's all it has. With manufacturers offering receivers at around the same price as the NAD C 446 ($800 MSRP) with better streaming options and a full receiver to boot, it's hard to see how consumers are supposed to get excited by this offering. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:50:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/nad-c-446-preDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-o2m-flAs we said, the only thing the Olive O2M is missing is speakers and an amp. We can easily picture this unit in an office, bedroom, games room, or dining room flanked by a couple of decent bookshelf speakers and a small tube amp. While $600 certainly isn't cheap, we applaud Olive for allowing the O2M to be used without another one of Olive's media players in the mix. Wired or wireless, this is a great solution for those that want an elegant interface to their networked music and access to Internet radio. With the ability to use up to 15 of these at the same time, you are only limited by the number of rooms and your budget. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:25:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-o2m-flDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-06hd-music-server-first-lookNo expense was spared on the Olive 06HD so you shouldn't be surprised at the $5000 price tag. Olive is currently taking pre-orders on their website. While the 06HD is surely a niche product for those that are concerned by the minutia of high fidelity without being deluded that vinyl was somehow the pinnacle and want to have all their content in once place, it is surely a showpiece. With all the ways to control it including an iPod app and a 10.1" touch screen installed in the top, it's surely a unique device. Add to that an absolute focus on audio fidelity incorporating some of the best components on the market, and you can see where all your money is going. Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:10:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-06hd-music-server-first-lookDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/hai-hi-fi-music-gateway-iphone-appHAI announced today that they will be showcasing a standalone audio package at the Consumer Electronics Show. This package allows HAI's iPhone app to connect directly to the Hi-Fi 2 and Music Gateway systems without requiring a home control system. The all-new Hi-Fi 2 by HAI is a powerful distributed audio system with both local and remote inputs for increased ease of installation. The Music Gateway stores and serves thousands of songs to HAI's Hi-Fi 2.Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:32:59 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/hai-hi-fi-music-gateway-iphone-appDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-03hd-flLooking to consolidate your entire CD collection? Look no further than the Olive 03HD Music Server. The Olive 03HD music server features their own Music Engine which seamlessly integrates innovative touch-screen technology with intelligent software designed for people who collect music and care to hear it in original quality. Simply insert your CD, and the O3HD automatically recognizes, labels and imports your music at the touch of a button and categorizes it by genre, artist, album and track. The 03HD sports premium 192kHz/24bit DAC's for high resolution audio recording. Purists need not worry as the 03HD is built with a very quite Teac transport and the HD is cushioned into 4 layers of padding to drop the mechanical noise and the unit is passively cooled with no internal noisy fans. Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:15:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-03hd-flDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/logitech-revue-googletvI can't remember a time when a product had more hype (or potential) than when Google announced GoogleTV. The trouble was, the leaked video and descriptions were somewhat vague and nobody truly had a real grasp on what the technology would hold. We, of course, wanted to get our grubby little hands on it as soon as earthly possible - and that was facilitated by our relationship with DISH, who sent us a Logitech Revue as soon as they had one in-hand. For anyone truly looking to unlock the full power of GoogleTV, realize that DISH is the first (currently only, as far as we know) to fully integrate their DVRs with GoogleTV without the use of IR emitters or a convoluted interface. With most DVRs, there would be no way to access recorded material, or even program new recordings from the guide via IR, due to the complexity of the tasks involved - at least not without a really manual, unimpressive process. While the newer DVRs and set-top boxes have the potential to integrate well, DISH jumped all over it and we're able to review the Logitech Revue with full DVR integration with a VIP 722 HD DVR.Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:20:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/logitech-revue-googletvDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-vip-922-sling-dvrWe've been fans and clients of DISH for some time, and have been following their ViP®922 DVR with great interest for nearly two years. When it was finally released, we jumped all over it and quickly requested one to integrate into our system. Somehow, and we're almost embarrassed to say this, we missed out on the Sling phenomenon, so it was with great enthusiasm that we were determined to try out all of the great networking features included in this fully SlingLoaded High Definition Satellite DVR. After all, Echostar, sister company to DISH, acquired Sling back in 2007 - and this is their first product to integrate both technologies into one box. Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:25:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-vip-922-sling-dvrDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/bryston-bdp-1Bryston introduced a new product category with their new BDP-1 high resolution digital music player which focuses on performance and ease of use. he Bryston BDP-1’s sole function is to give music aficionados the ability to enjoy their library of high-resolution digital music files (resolutions of up to 24-bit/192kHz are supported) residing on a USB storage device, which in turn is directly connected via standard USB cable or thumb drive to the BDP-1 digital music player. Optionally, the BDP-1 can be connected to a home network using a router and Ethernet connection solely to enhance operability via network-enabled devices such as a computer, Apple® iPhone™ or iPad™, which can then provide access to playlists, album artwork, etc. Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:15:15 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/bryston-bdp-1Digital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/zaggbox-media-server-previewWhat is the ZAGGbox? While it hasn't been released yet and details are a little sketchy, it looks to be a recording device with universal remote and streaming capabilities. With a terabyte of storage, 4 USB ports for more, 3 HD and 2 SD inputs, and the ability to stream to your phone, it's got a lot of people talking. But will it have a lot a people buying? For us the real problem is the complete lack of HDMI inputs - likely due to the limitations of HDCP copy protection. Without them, the ZAGGbox can never receive HD audio and most Blu-ray players don't upconvert over component. If the ZAGGbox doesn't have a guide (and we don't think it will), then how interested is the public going to be in having both a DVR and a ZAGGbox? We're not sure.Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:35:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/zaggbox-media-server-previewDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-opus-4hd-music-server-first-lookThe Olive Opus 4HD is the top of the line offering from Olive. This product is encased in a stylish aluminum case with a slated front in either black or silver. With Texas Instruments' 192khz/24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1792A DACs and 2TB of storage - it has everything you need. It seems that every new device on the market either has an Ethernet port or has wireless connectivity. This is bringing services like Netflix and Amazon OnDemand into the living room. It is also allowing streaming from networked computers. Newer receiver and display products are coming with this and more.But do you need it?Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:45:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/olive-opus-4hd-music-server-first-lookDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-network-cablecard-usb-microsoftWe don't have a ton of info on this, but DISH Network was demoing a cool new technology that made use of Windows 7 Media Center and integrates Dual HD Tuners via USB. What's so interesting about this is that it bypasses the ridiculous CableCARD format in favor of using the existing USB standard. What? Bypass an all-but-failed CableCARD format for a standard already used and which takes up less space and can be more easily integrated into existing equipment? That's preposterous. Apparently, someone over at DISH Network (and Microsoft) are putting on their thinking caps and doing some real innovation in terms of bringing DISH to Windows Media Center.Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:49:34 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-network-cablecard-usb-microsoftDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/yamaha-musiccast2The new MusicCAST2 introduces a completely new MusicCAST system redesigned from the ground up. The system consists of three different products, the MCX-RC100 Network Music Commander remote, the MCX-P200 Pre-amp Network Music Player, and the MCX-A300 Amplified Network Music Player. It gives you access to Rhapsody, Internet radio, or tracks stored on your computer (up to 16 on a network), USB sticks, and Bluetooth devices (with additional BlueTooth receiver). iTunes is supported as well as MP3, WMA (no lossless or PRO), AAC (no Apple lossless or FairPlay DRM), FLAC and WAV audio files.Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:20:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/yamaha-musiccast2Digital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/linksys-cisco-premier-kit-wirelessCisco seems to understand the need to expand and grow. Needs change; we are not the same person we were 10 years ago, or even last year. If I want a house be full of music one day, and the next, I just want to listen to music on my headphones, then so be it. That progressive adaptability is what the Linksys Wireless Music System provides. Linksys takes some of the latest wireless technology, asks you where you want music, and then responds, "I can do that."Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:56:28 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/linksys-cisco-premier-kit-wirelessDigital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-network-vip-722-dvr-1DISH Network brings an interesting take on the DVR with the ViP 722 satellite receiver. This DVR is a dual-tuner, two-TV receiver that allows 55 hours of high definition record time, or 350 hours of standard definition (or a combination of both). What's helpful about this receiver is that it comes with an RF remote control that enables non-line-of-sight control of the unit from other rooms. This means that while the HD tuner is used in one room, the system can be controlled elsewhere - like in a bedroom.Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:20:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/dish-network-vip-722-dvr-1Digital Media ServersAV Reviewshttp://www.audioholics.com/reviews/digital-media-servers/vtech-is9181VTech's new IS9181 is attempting to hit the market as a "high end audio solution" for less than $200. The device also serves as a music hub and enables consumers to play Internet radio selections, stream music libraries stored on their computers (PC/Mac-compatible) and connect any digital audio player using the line-in cord provided.Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:50:00 -0000/reviews/digital-media-servers/vtech-is9181Digital Media ServersAV Reviews