Netgear Digital Entertainer

Last updated
NETGEAR Digital Entertainer 8000 HD Netgear Digital Entertainer 8000 HD.jpg
NETGEAR Digital Entertainer 8000 HD

Netgear's Digital Entertainer line of products are digital media players that can pull multimedia content from home computers to the typical audio/video entertainment center. There are three products in the line, the EVA700, the HD EVA8000 and the current EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite. All support high definition video, the EVA700 via component output up to 1080i and the EVA8000/EVA9000 up to 1080p with both component and HDMI connectors. All models support audio, video, image and streaming audio and video formats and can be networked via wired and wireless Ethernet. The EVA700 is Intel Viiv certified.

Contents

Description

Common features of both EVA models include being able to access digital media files on a network attached home computer running Windows XP, stream audio and video from the PC, and stream Internet radio (streaming MP3). USB storage devices such as iPods, thumb drives, and some digital cameras with USB interfaces can be attached directly to the units for playback of media on those USB devices.

As the Digital Entertainer products are Intel Viiv compliant, setup and media access with an Intel Viiv PC is more automated than without such a PC. However, an Intel Viiv PC is not required in order to operate an EVA unit.

The systems come with a remote control with which to manipulate the on-screen display on your television along with a large selection of suitable connecting cables.

Inputs/Outputs: At a minimum, EVAs have RCA connectors for composite video output, as well as for component video output, S-Video output, a digital S/PDIF audio output, stereo RCA audio outputs, at least 1 USB 2.0 port and 1 8P8C 10/100 Ethernet port.

History: MP101 and MP115

NETGEAR started off in the media streamer arena with the MP101, an audio-only small form factor media streamer. It had a four-line fluorescent display with line stereo RCA and 3.5" headphone outputs. Connectivity provided by built-in Ethernet and 802.11b wireless with WEP support. Controlled by a remote control, it had no external buttons at all, not even a power button. The unit could play MP3 and WMA files, along with PLS and M3U playlists. Rhapsody streaming radio was built in, and the unit could also play any MP3 streams through playlists.

The MP115 was a technology trial, and only 600 were made. It used the same small form-factor as the MP101 but without the display. This unit was probably what could be considered the beginnings of the Digital Entertainer line as it supported XviD and MPEG1 and MPEG2 playback and had composite, S-Video and SCART output for connection to a TV, along with line stereo RCA. Audio was still supported along the same lines as the MP101. Again, no external buttons and all control from the remote. Dual-antenna 802.11g wireless was on board with wired Ethernet port.

EVA700 Digital Entertainer

Features:

EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD

Apart from adding high definition video support over HDMI, the EVA8000 also adds a number of other features over the EVA700. Starting with HD support, it plays Windows Media Video (WMV) 9, and MPEG-4 formats up to 1080p. As it supports Windows Media DRM (WMDRM10), it can play protected downloaded content from online services like Yahoo Music. If the PC has a TV tuner card, then the EVA8000 can be used as a pseudo-DVR, although it does not store any content on its own. By using 2 or more EVA8000s, music can be synchronized throughout a home (party mode) and there is also a "follow me" feature that lets you pick up where you left off on a program on another unit. The EVA8000 also comes with the ability to allow you to view and control your PC applications on your TV. Noticeable is the difference in the user interface between the 2 units.

Additional features over the EVA700:

EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite

This unit is essentially an updated EVA8000. No big new file format support is added or needed, but the main addition is an internal 500GB hard disk allowing for playback of content without the need for a computer, NAS or attached USB hard drive. At least one of these is required for the EVA700 and EVA8000 to play back content other than live over the internet. The internal hard drive also buffers streaming content if desired.

Other additions include an ultra-low power standby mode, updated chassis, onboard dual-band (i.e.: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) WiFi-N (a.k.a. 802.11n) wireless network with internal antenna, and a hard power switch.

Reviews

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AirPort</span> Discontinued line of products by Apple Inc.

AirPort is a discontinued line of wireless routers and network cards developed by Apple Inc. using Wi-Fi protocols. In Japan, the line of products was marketed under the brand AirMac due to previous registration by I-O Data.

A DVD player is a device that plays DVDs produced under both the DVD-Video and DVD-Audio technical standards, two different and incompatible standards. Some DVD players will also play audio CDs. DVD players are connected to a television to watch the DVD content, which could be a movie, a recorded TV show, or other content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HDMI</span> Proprietary interface for transmitting digital audio and video data

High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is a proprietary audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a display controller, to a compatible computer monitor, video projector, digital television, or digital audio device. HDMI is a digital replacement for analog video standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AirPort Express</span> Wi-Fi base station by Apple

The AirPort Express is a Wi-Fi base station product from Apple Inc., part of the AirPort product line. While more compact and in some ways simpler than another Apple Wi-Fi base station, the AirPort Extreme, the Express offers audio output capability the Extreme lacks. The AirPort Express was the first AirPlay device to receive streamed audio from a computer running iTunes on the local network. AirPort Express outperforms the stringent requirements of the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Small Network Equipment (SNE) Version 1.0.

Neuros Technology was a Chicago, Illinois–based company that produced a number of audio and video devices under the brand name Neuros. Founded by Joe Born in 2001 as a division of Digital Innovations, it previously operated under the name Neuros Audio. Like Digital Innovations, Neuros distinguished itself by its use of open-innovation and crowdsourcing techniques to bring products to market, as well as by its prominent use of open-source software and open-source hardware. In its development model, end users were involved throughout the product development process from reviewing initial concepts to beta testing initial product releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreambox</span>

Dreambox is a series of Linux-powered DVB satellite, terrestrial and cable digital television receivers, produced by German multimedia vendor Dream Multimedia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squeezebox (network music player)</span>

Squeezebox is a family of network music players. The original device was the SliMP3, introduced in 2001 by Slim Devices. It had an Ethernet interface and played MP3 music files from a media server. The first Squeezebox was released two years later and was followed by several more models. Slim Devices was acquired by Logitech in 2006.

The Hauppauge MediaMVP is a network media player. It consists of a hardware unit with remote control, along with software for a Windows PC. Out of the box, it is capable of playing video and audio, displaying pictures, and "tuning in" to Internet radio stations. Alternative software is also available to extend its capabilities. It can be used as a front-end for various PVR projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Ericsson K800i</span> Cell phone model

The Sony Ericsson K800i, and its variant, the Sony Ericsson K790, are mobile phone handsets manufactured by Sony Ericsson. Launched in July 2006, the phones are the successor to the Sony Ericsson K750i. Both of the phones feature a 3.2-megapixel digital camera complete with a xenon flash, a protective lens cover, and a new "BestPic" bracketing feature, and are the first to be tagged with the Sony Cyber-shot branding. The new "BestPic" feature takes 9 full quality snapshots of a subject in quick succession, allowing the user to choose the best shots from them. On the entertainment front, the phones have a media player supporting MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+ and WMA music files and 3GP/MPEG-4 video files. The phones also feature a RDS FM radio, and a Memory Stick Micro (M2) slot for expandable solid state memory. The K790/K800 models are also the first Sony Ericsson mobile phones to use ATI's Imageon 2192 graphics engine, which delivers a full 3D gaming graphics for Java and full support for its 3.2-megapixel camera. It is the phone used by James Bond in the 2006 Casino Royale film and trailers.

TiVo digital video recorders encompass a number of digital video recorder (DVR) models that TiVo Corporation designed. Features may vary, but a common feature is that all of the units listed here require TiVo service and use its operating system.

mylo (Sony) Redirecting to VTech MobiGo 2

My Life Online (Mylo) was a device created and marketed by Sony for portable instant messaging and other Internet-based communications, browsing Internet web sites using the Opera web browser and playback and sharing of media files. The pocket-sized, tablet-shaped handheld device, which debuted in 2006, had a screen which slid up to reveal a QWERTY keyboard. The brand name 'Mylo' means My Life Online. Using Wi-Fi instead of cellular networks, the Mylo was targeted to the 18–24 age group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HP Compaq tc1100</span> 2004 tablet computer by Hewlett-Packard

The HP Compaq TC1100 is a tablet PC sold by Hewlett-Packard that was the follow-up to the Compaq TC1000. The TC1100 had either an Intel Celeron or an Intel Pentium M chip set and could be upgraded up to 2 gigabytes of memory. The switch from Transmeta Crusoe processors to the Pentium M and the ability to add memory was welcomed after numerous complaints about the poor performance of the TC1000. The TC1100 was the last version from HP in this style of tablet. It was replaced by the HP Compaq TC4200, which featured a more traditional one-piece design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pico-ITX</span>

In computer design, Pico-ITX is a PC motherboard form factor announced by VIA Technologies in January 2007 and demonstrated later the same year at CeBIT. The formfactor was transferred over to SFF-SIG in 2008. The Pico-ITX form factor specifications call for the board to be 10 × 7.2 cm (3.9 × 2.8 in), which is half the area of Nano-ITX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archos Gmini series</span>

The Gmini is a series of portable audio and video players released by Archos in 2004 and 2005.

The Nokia 3600 slide is a mobile phone by Nokia that was released in August 2008. The phone runs the Series 40 3rd Edition platform. This is classed as the 'low end version' of the Nokia 6600 slide, its major difference being the lack of 3G support.

Audio connectors and video connectors are electrical or optical connectors for carrying audio or video signals. Audio interfaces or video interfaces define physical parameters and interpretation of signals. For digital audio and digital video, this can be thought of as defining the physical layer, data link layer, and most or all of the application layer. For analog audio and analog video these functions are all represented in a single signal specification like NTSC or the direct speaker-driving signal of analog audio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dingoo</span> Handheld game console

The Dingoo is a handheld gaming console that supports music and video playback and open game development. The system features an on-board radio and recording program. It was sold to consumers in three colors: white, black, and pink. It was released in February 2009 and has since sold over 1 million units.

The WD TV is a consumer device that was produced by Western Digital which plays videos, images, and music from USB drives or network locations. The device was introduced in 2008 and played high-definition video through an HDMI port, and standard video through composite video cables. The device had support for most common video and audio formats. The WD TV was discontinued as of August 2016.

The PAC-PAD 1 is the first version of an Android tablet computer developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra in collaboration with Hong Kong based INNAVTEK International. A succeeding model is being developed with cell phone network data connectivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banana Pi</span>

Banana Pi is a line of single-board computers produced by the Chinese company Shenzhen SINOVOIP Co., Ltd., its spin-off Guangdong BiPai Technology Co., Ltd. and supported by Hon Hai Technology (Foxconn).