Mvix versus Iomega versus WD versus...

U

um_ah

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2006
Messages
102
Reaction score
0
Hi,

I need some help here as i am considering a media centre. Basically would LOVE a simple plug-and-play option (Iomega Screenplay TV LInk) where i use the device as an interface between my tv and my hard drive.

I have ripped all my dvd movies and series onto my hard drive for portability. Now cannot decide which device would suit me best.

The Iomega looks ideal = plug and play, but the reviews online have slated it saying it does not play most files very well if at all. Its cheapr but i guess you get what you pay for. What attracts me to this is that i wont have to copy my media over to a media centre.

My point: i ALREADY have an HD (1.5 TB in fact), why do i want to buy another one to simply copy and paste. Kinda like going to the video store to get a dvd, having to compressit, connect up your centre, download....etc when all i really want ti s put the dvd in and watch.

On this last point, the following options are available:
1) Western Digital HD: I know they make good (?) hard drives maybe in the same league as seagate (? bear with me, i am not a tech junkie)

2) Mvix - these look great except for the fact that i would have to transfer my stuff onto these. Mvix PVR is touted as the best of the Mvix series, but i already own both PVR (SD and HD - horror story of note, but for another article) so this might be overkill.


My needs: HDMI output, upscaling. I own both a full HD 1080p (NOT1080i - which most people dont know are not the same) and a sony wega standard 74cm. Most of my content is in mpeg format or divx and the occasional in .mov format (ie. trailers downloaded from legal sites)

Any input much appreciated before i buy cheap and nasty or blow the budget on a 'ferrari when i only need 4-wheels-and-an-engine'

:):confused:
 
If you can afford it get one of these.... (thanks Merc)

Popcorn Hour A-110. Look no further. Plays everything.
www.popcornhour.com
www.compafrica.co.za
www.mediasupply.co.za

otherwise go for the MviX... you won't be disappointed.

I just run a long USB cable to my MviX and keep it updated like that.

I choose those two because of the stability and versatility. The MviX is a solid unit. But the Popcorn plays more.
 
marine1 said:
Wait there is a new one coming soon........cheaper and better ;)
Just remember MVIX dont play MKV, H264
Click to expand...

Thats true! But all you need is .avi or .vob. Thats why you have programs where you can convert from one format to another.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys! Got a friend going to UK soon, will ask him to bring one back for me.

Any Mvix specifically?

Now finally, the family and friends can sit down together and watch a movie together instead of it sitting on my hard drive not being viewed :)

Do any of these do upscaling? That would be great as most of my films / tv series are standard dvd res and will be watching on HD tv.

I have looked at the popcorn hour and leaning strongly towards that (but, yeah, would LOVE if it did upscaling) - any one know?
 
Last edited:
dude, unless you get the mvix pvr, stay away. the other mvix ones are crap. get a popcorn hr 110
 
um_ah said:
Now finally, the family and friends can sit down together and watch a movie together instead of it sitting on my hard drive not being viewed :)
Click to expand...

why not just pop in the original DVD then? :rolleyes:
 
Marine1

Which mvix have you got?

mvix pvr stats say "• Supports MKV & H264 (via FTS up to 720p) •"

http://www.mvix.co.za/Mvix_PVR_Page1.htm

I'm looking at getting one of these, although I see it seems to be limited to 720p output whereas the popcorn hour a110 has 1080p output and the hdx1080 http://www.hdx1080.com/ also looks really nice

Anyone else with some advice?

I have a Hd-PVR already but the gf records so much that hdd is almost always full so more storage space wont be a waste. Also have an xbox I can play media through(with 2.5" hdd into USB port - have tried wireless streaming with tversity but couldnt get past firewall so abandoned that) but I'd prefer not to use the xbox too much for non-gaming related purposes as I already had a hardware failure on that after only 6 mths.

At the moment I usually just use the pc input on my tv and play media on my laptop.
 
Last edited:
Yes it does say that, it is the only one they have that claim to have ability to play MKV, however that being said, it is the old chipset, Sigma have a new one 8635.

And the Mvix PVR is freaking expensive.
We are testing a unit that will be cheaper than the MVIX and will have the new 8635 chipset.
 
dotVIBE said:
dude, unless you get the mvix pvr, stay away. the other mvix ones are crap. get a popcorn hr 110
Click to expand...

Rubbish! If you can afford the popcorn hour then by all means... but ALL of the Mvix machines are great! I have owned and sold many of them. They are all solid machines with excellent software and support.

The Mvix 780HD is a sweet little machine... but no mkv support (although it is in the works - right now it only plays the audio).

They are far from crap. Right now I can get you the Mvix 780HD with a terabyte hard drive for R3100.00 - the price of the popcorn hour WITHOUT a hard drive.
 
Mate of mine has one of the abigs machines www.saortech.com and swears by it.

Apparently not too pricey either. He got it off ebay and the shipping to SA was free.

www.avforums.com is sayign that popcorn is announcing a new player today which plays BD iso's so maybe one should hold on just a little.

The mvix players dont go above 720p whereas the a110 supports that
 
Gary I would respectfully disagree with you. Mvix is shocking, They claim to have a HD player - implying it can play HD but it doesnt.
I had one sitting here for 4 months unable to play MKV/H264 content.
I dont know anyone who uses MKV audio.
I was in touch as you may remember with guys from all over the planet regarding this.
The chipset is too old.
They are 3 generations ahead now.
Mvix has missed the boat IMO, yes maybe the PVR is ok but look at the price. :eek:
After researching this for some time, the only chipset worth anything is the 8635, the 8623L is ok but still very choppy with BD and MKV, also cannot handle large files very well.
 
marine1 said:
Gary I would respectfully disagree with you. Mvix is shocking, They claim to have a HD player - implying it can play HD but it doesnt.
I had one sitting here for 4 months unable to play MKV/H264 content.
I dont know anyone who uses MKV audio.
I was in touch as you may remember with guys from all over the planet regarding this.
The chipset is too old.
They are 3 generations ahead now.
Mvix has missed the boat IMO, yes maybe the PVR is ok but look at the price. :eek:
After researching this for some time, the only chipset worth anything is the 8635, the 8623L is ok but still very choppy with BD and MKV, also cannot handle large files very well.
Click to expand...

Ja, no... I agree. But if you are fine with plain Xvid as I am (I don't have an HD display unit yet) then they are great little machines for their price. I agree that they are using the older chipsets, but they work fine for someone just wanting to play plain AVI Xvid files. There are still many guys around who want and need that on a budget.

Having said that though... my next unit will probably not be an Mvix based on what you guys are recommending.
 
marine1 said:
Fair enough, How much would their cheapest unit be that plays Xvid?
Without a HDD
Click to expand...

If you can still find stock of the 6000 series, they are R1500 or cheaper.

The 780HD I got last week was priced at R2029, but as I say I got it with a terabyte hard drive for R3100.00
 
Ok so for the same unit as the 6000, would R800 not be better? With a mem stick slot as well on the side?
Full LCD colour display on the unit.

:D:D
;)
To me, the 780 is a waste, I would rather pay R400 more and get a unit that plays MKV
 
marine1 said:
Ok so for the same unit as the 6000, would R800 not be better? With a mem stick slot as well on the side?
Full LCD colour display on the unit.

:D:D
;)
To me, the 780 is a waste, I would rather pay R400 more and get a unit that plays MKV
Click to expand...

what can you get that is comparable to the 6000? for that price? and where? :eek:

Ja, I don't think I will get the 780 for myself. I am saving up for something better.

Have you had chance to look at the Mvix software though? not that I know many others (except the crappy DVD divx player interfaces), but the mvix software really is nice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X