Best place to pcik up Media Players/Media Extenders?

[helrazr]

I notice Calgary has a poor selection of Set top media players/extenders.

As Nice as the WD player is and available frickin everywhere, I need component out for 1080i as the older Toshiba in the living room doesn't have an HDMI connector and I have tons of vids that while 480p looks ok the upscaled videos look just sooo much better. Oh and the Colorstream/Component inputs on the Toshiba suppport 1080i but not 720p :(

Anyway, outside of Memory Express/BB/FS anyone know if there are any local retailers that sell:

-Popcorn Hour Media Tanks with or without HDD?
-HP x280n Medismart Connect player?
-Iomega Screenplay TV Link?

Essentially anything with a wide range of playable movie formats, the ability to plug in USB storage devices and 1080i output over component cables would do. Like I said I'd love one of those WD Media players but no component output on 'em. :/

[eblend]

why not use xbox 360 or something? I acutally use 2 around the house for my media extenders (for actual windows media player). They play back xvid (no direct mkv yet :() and a bunch of other formats, and it actually is a real extender. I watch live TV through my xbox with PVR functionality....can't beat that

[im2fst4u]

I would not even consider anything other than the Popcorn Hour A110. I have been through so many different media extenders, network media players etc and I will guarantee you than once you try the Popcorn Hour you will be completely satisfied. Problem is like you said, no local availability besides a used unit (good luck finding one as people that have them are not likely to sell). It only takes a week or so for a PCH to arrive but the wait is worth it.

[Boost Infested]

I am picking up this one...

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX23455(ME).aspx

[helrazr]

Originally posted by eblend
why not use xbox 360 or something? I acutally use 2 around the house for my media extenders (for actual windows media player). They play back xvid (no direct mkv yet :() and a bunch of other formats, and it actually is a real extender. I watch live TV through my xbox with PVR functionality....can't beat that

No XBOX and the ps3 is downstairs.

[helrazr]

Originally posted by Boost Infested
I am picking up this one...

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX23455(ME).aspx

I like that one but as I mentioned in the original post it has no component out which I need. :/

[helrazr]

Originally posted by im2fst4u
I would not even consider anything other than the Popcorn Hour A110. I have been through so many different media extenders, network media players etc and I will guarantee you than once you try the Popcorn Hour you will be completely satisfied. Problem is like you said, no local availability besides a used unit (good luck finding one as people that have them are not likely to sell). It only takes a week or so for a PCH to arrive but the wait is worth it.

I've hear that about the Popcorn Hour. I wouldn't mind trying one of the HP units, over the last couple years I've managed to collect a few of the HP Pocket Media drives that slide right into the sucker, but by the sounds of it , not available anywhere and not much chance of firmware updates from HP to allow more media formats.

[beecue]

Grab the Popcorn Hour while it's in stock from ncix. I finally ordered one on the 11th after using the PS3 for about a year. Mine was just shipped today, ncix also has the best price in Canada.

[yohan4ws]

What? Nobody likes Xbox Media Center anymore?

[beecue]

Um it can't play HD otherwise it was very good. I got my PCH a couple of days ago, haven't played around with it much yet. Onlybestrated has it cheaper than ncix now .. http://www.onlybestrated.com/popcorn-hour-mediatank-a110-p-200.html

[yohan4ws]

Agreed with xbox and lackluster HD ability, im contemplating making a switch also.

Does anybody know if the popcorn will downsample Hd content to 1080i ? My TV only does 540p and 1080i ...

not quite true HD.

[clem24]

Or .. dig up an old computer, add an HD accelerated vid card from Nvidia (8500GT or above) and get this...

http://xbmc.org/

Or is this what yohan4ws was trying to point out... :dunno:

You don't even need a hard disk.

[yohan4ws]

Nice, glad to see that they finally released an official liveCD, i'm going to try this out today.

I have an extra Asus Am2-vm-hdmi motherboard with the component breakout cable, just need a cpu and ram so if this works.. booya!

[saltyvinegar]

The Iomega Screenplay TV Link can be found here:

http://www.onhop.ca/Product/Search/?keyword=Iomega+Screenplay&by=default&Submit=Go

http://ncix.com/search/?categoryid=0&q=Iomega+Screenplay

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=Iomega+Screenplay&image12.x=16&image12.y=16

Popcorn Hour here:

http://ncix.com/search/?categoryid=0&q=Popcorn