Media player with record review. Choose a universal media player to connect to the TV. Which stationary media player to buy
Recently, the TV has evolved from a simple “box” for watching analog TV programs into a high-tech device that can be compared with a computer in its functionality. Modern models can be included in a home local area network. Some people use them to surf the web, chat with friends via Skype, and play games. Of course, the hardware of the TV will not pull powerful 3D shooters, but you will definitely leave Angry Birds.
But here's the catch: only SmartTVs have all of the above functionality, the price of which often exceeds the cost of a regular TV and a powerful computer combined. Of course, many consumers have very serious doubts about the need for such a purchase. It is correct, since the media player for the TV will turn the old LCD model into a good analogue of the “smart”, and for all the pleasures you are unlikely to pay more than five to six thousand rubles.
What it is?
It would be foolish to continue talking about such devices without digressing and describing this concept in some more detail. So, what is a media player for a TV?
If you are a user of gadgets on the Android mobile OS, then you can imagine a kind of mini-computer under its own control. Have you heard of the Raspberry Pi? So, the media player is the same "Blackberry" based on an ARM processor. Unlike the mentioned mini-computers, it already has a proprietary shell from the manufacturer, usually based on Android with the addition of some specific services and programs.
Roughly speaking, this is such a miniature for which your TV acts as a monitor.
Advantages
In principle, you can easily guess about the positive aspects of this kind of technology yourself. Having bought a media player for a TV for only four to five thousand rubles, you will make a modern entertainment center even out of outdated technology.
Given the speed of Android development, you don't have to worry about the lack of any applications: players for video and audio files, browsers, programs for We have already said that there is even Skype! Of course, in this case, you will need to purchase an additional webcam, but it also does not cost too much.
In addition, portable devices with the ability to launch torrent clients can be connected to such devices, which makes any media player for TV a real treasure for connoisseurs of watching movies.
Easy setup and security
If you somehow follow the news of IT technologies, then you have probably heard about the scandal that erupted around SmartTV from LG. Recall that at that time users caught too smart technology in espionage. Not only was it very difficult to refuse targeted advertising in the settings (the option was hidden far away), but even after the corresponding check-box was removed, user information continued to be sent to the company's servers.
Of course, the Android OS is far from perfect in this regard. Currently, there are hundreds of thousands of malicious programs for it that can be dangerous to your personal data. But there are also important differences.
Firstly, there are many effective antivirus programs for Android. Secondly, if you have not so deep knowledge in the subject, you can install not only a different firmware on stationary media players, but even a new operating system! In any case, instructions for installing special ARM builds of Debian and Ubunu are found on the net without any problems.
As you can understand, no such fundamental feature is provided in SmartTV. Moreover, even with updating its firmware, problems may arise, since not everyone has a normal wired Internet, and such a technique is simply not able to recognize a USB modem.
Where can content be played from?
Unlike Smart TV or any other, it will easily “pick up” a movie or a musical composition from a home local network, from an external hard drive or NAS server, which are currently insanely popular. Some of them have a built-in hard drive to which you can download music and video, and nobody canceled playback from a flash drive.
Keep in mind that a portable media player with a supply of movies will fit into your pocket, becoming a faithful and indispensable companion on a business trip or travel.
LAN settings
Unlike the aforementioned "smart TVs", you are unlikely to encounter problems. The most commonly used Wi-Fi network. As a rule, the device will immediately "hook" to the home wireless network, requiring only a password to enter.
If you want to connect the gadget via a wired connection, there may be more difficulties. So, for sure, you will need to enter the IP address of the set-top box itself, and other attributes. When setting up a digital media player, you will have to contact the manufacturer, study the procedure for setting up connected devices on their website.
Formats and other "buns"
As for the number of supported photos and videos, in this case, these devices are beyond any competition. In addition, the media player will be indispensable for those who have an HD video camera at home. Why? Judge for yourself:
- Write to disk? Expensive, tedious, and the optical drives themselves are already gradually becoming a thing of the past.
- It is simply inconvenient to watch from the small display of the camera itself.
- Of course, you can use a computer monitor for the same purpose, but professional videos will look much more colorful on a widescreen TV.
- In the end, you can connect a system unit or laptop to a TV, but not everyone can handle the settings.
Media players are different...
In order to choose the best media player, it is highly advisable to follow some of the guidelines below. First, the appearance and dimensions of the device must be in harmony with the appearance of all your equipment. It may seem absurd, but if the gadget stands out against your plasma panel, it will catch the eye even when watching a movie.
However, the technical characteristics of the player are much more important, which must include the following parameters:
- The more supported formats, the better. The MKV codec in their list is required. Ideal for imitation - software media player "classic".
- It is highly desirable that only the most efficient chips are used (like Sigma Designs 8634/8642).
- It would be nice if the player supports playback of Blu-Ray disc images.
- If you are a beginner, you should be interested in the option to automatically scan your home network for public folders.
- Is it possible to watch IPTV? It is perfectly!
- For the same beginners, it will be much better if the technique itself sets the mode for displaying the image on the TV screen.
- In the case when the buyer classifies himself as a connoisseur of music, it is highly desirable to have HD-audio (DD TrueHD/Master Audio) decoders.
Some disadvantages
Of course, nothing is perfect in the world. Media players are no exception. What are the shortcomings of the technique we are considering? How serious are they and interfere with watching movies and listening to music?
You need to start with the fact that the Android platform without a stable and fast Internet is of little use. Of course, you can try to watch a movie on a device you just bought, but no one can guarantee that there will be the necessary codec or a sufficiently "omnivorous" player.
Everything needs to be downloaded from the network, so you won't envy the proud owners of a GPRS/EDGE channel in this situation. In their case, nevertheless, the best solution would be to connect a laptop or computer to a TV, since they will certainly be able to cope with the image output setting, but it is unlikely to do without a normal Internet. In a word, a network media player that is completely dependent on the availability of an Internet connection is definitely not suitable for us.
The convenience of use
If possible, be sure to turn on the device while still in the store, try to cope with its management. Often there are cases when the media player itself is quite good, but its menu and navigation through it are so terrible that it is impossible to use the device normally.
The same item should also include the size and ergonomics of the console. Today on the shelves you can find a lot of such devices, in which the remotes are more like a horseshoe for a flea in size. It is not known what designers are guided by, but in the dark you definitely do not get to the right button.
Avoid remotes that have only a couple of buttons: they look nice, but it's much more convenient to launch many functions with a single press, rather than circling through several menus. If possible, you should purchase a universal control device that includes the functions of a mouse and keyboard.
Please note that the keyboard, mouse and webcam in most cases will have to be purchased separately. The cost of specialized devices (a special camera for the player) is often much higher than that of their conventional counterparts.
Don't forget the platform too. ARM processors are not very productive devices, so films at maximum resolution can noticeably slow down. However, this statement is far from being true for all devices: almost any Sony media player is almost certainly deprived of this drawback.
Studying various media techniques, we rarely return to almost the same device. But rare circumstances, such as the long and steady popularity of the product and its development, make it necessary to do so. This review is dedicated to such a case: we have already considered the Rombica Cinema 4K media player, however, major updates that have appeared, backed up by the reputation and long recognition of the product, oblige us to resume studying the player. However, given the absence of cardinal changes in the design of the set-top box (there is nothing to improve here), we will focus on software changes, as well as conduct new tests using, accordingly, new tools. What if the results show something that we didn’t even know about before?
Completeness, design
For those who do not want to open a second tab in their browser, we will briefly list the main design features of the player.
The device comes in a rather voluminous box, on which information about its technical characteristics, interfaces, functions and pre-installed services is printed.
Completeness remained the same, all the main necessary accessories are included in it. Too bad there's no free hard drive here. However, the current cost of these media can at times cover the price of even an expensive player.
- mains power adapter
- infrared remote control
- HDMI cable
- composite audio/video cable
- USB 3.0 cable
- detailed user manual in Russian
There is a window on the front panel, behind which there is an infrared sensor that picks up signals from the remote control, a little to the side there is a power button with a two-color LED indicator. Pressing the button causes the machine to turn on or off with complete boot or system shutdown cycles.
But what should be abandoned when releasing the next version of the device is the glossy cover of the case. Dust, fingerprints, easily formed scratches - this is the list of the nearest visitors to the player, unless, of course, it is hidden in some kind of protective niche.
However, it is quite possible to hide this particular player. Usually, media equipment is not recommended to be installed in close proximity to a wall or shelf. And even more so, it is not recommended to cover the case with anything. Simply put, air access must be free so that critical overheating does not occur. However, our player is unlikely to be afraid of high temperatures. Thanks to a well-thought-out ventilation system, the device can work even in a limited space that is not well ventilated. So, after five hours of continuous playback of “heavy” 4K content, individual parts of the player heat up to only 32 °C. The following thermal images were taken at room temperature around 25 °C.
| View from above | Bottom view | Back view |
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It should be noted that the playback was carried out from a hard disk installed in the player with a capacity of one terabyte, old and high-speed (7200 rpm). If the player is equipped with a colder and quieter disk, then, most likely, the temperatures will be even lower than in our pictures.
Speaking of disks. The new version of the device's firmware has made it possible to support almost all existing file systems, including even disks with HFS + (fans of Apple products will surely appreciate this). By the way, the card reader available in the player supports SD memory cards of absolutely all varieties of this format that exist today, including SDXC Class10 U3 with a capacity of 256 GB, we specifically checked this using .
The right side of the case contains the mentioned slot for an MMC, SD / SDHC / SDXC memory card, two USB 2.0 ports for connecting external drives or peripherals, including control, and one USB 3.0 port for connecting high-speed USB drives.
On the rear panel of the player, the service connectors are located in the following order:
- S/PDIF digital audio output (optical)
- USB 3.0 port for connecting to a PC as an external USB storage device
- LAN port
- HDMI input
- analog composite audio/video output (four-pin 3.5 mm jack)
- HDMI output
- power adapter connector
- exhaust fan
- swivel wifi antenna
On the left side of the case is a removable cover, fixed with a latch. Hidden under this cover is a SATA 3.5″ hard drive slot. There is an ejection spring inside the socket, and the disc is inserted without much effort and is fixed with an internal latch.
There are no additional fasteners for the disk, and there is no need for them - the HDD is held quite rigidly inside the case. The absence of additional metal parts of the case that could touch each other eliminates vibration and chatter during the operation of the hard drive.
In addition to the Realtek RTD1195 processor covered with a radiator, the following electronic components can be seen on the main board:
- GL850G USB controller manufactured by Genesys Logic
- two 4GB DDR3 Nanya NT5CB256M16CP memory chips
- WiFi/Bluetooth module Realtek RTL8723BS
The included remote control is lightweight and miniature, and its rubber buttons give a distinct yet silent response when pressed. At the top of the remote control there is a block of learning buttons, on which you can “hang” the commands of absolutely any household appliance that perceives infrared commands, from a TV and an audio receiver to an air humidifier or air conditioner. A few more buttons are programmed to quickly launch YouTube, Kodi, UltraHD player, music player, SourceIn, and the settings menu. An additional button switches the remote control to mouse mode, while a cursor appears on the screen, which can be moved using the joystick-shaped block of arrow buttons on the remote control.
| CPU | Realtek RTD1195 |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| ROM memory | 8 GB |
| Operating system | Android 4.4.4 |
| Interfaces | |
| Video inputs |
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| Video outputs |
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| Audio outputs |
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| Net |
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| Other |
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| Data sources |
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| Other characteristics | |
| User interface |
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| Embedded Internet Services | Nemo TV, Ivi, Megogo, TVZavr, Youtube, etc. |
| Support |
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| Display | no, only the operating mode indicator |
| Cooling | active, built-in fan |
| Power Supply | external |
| Price | |
| average price | T-12824250 |
| Retail offers | L-12824250-10 |
Settings, performance, operation
Information about the composition and characteristics of the player remains the same, despite the updated firmware. Even the display size is the same, uncorrected. Asserts that the screen resolution of this device is 1280×720.
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Why, the player does not have any display! More precisely, there is no permanent, and cannot be. What you connect to the video output - this resolution will be. That's just in order to prevent collisions, the developers go to the trick, forcibly introducing information about a certain virtual display into the firmware of the device. This information, often untrue, does not affect the performance of the device. Perhaps, only in one case, the numbers indicated by the developer somehow manifest themselves: when testing with the help of test applications. Which run a particular task, based on system information. For example, the 3D accelerator testing package activates the test with a resolution of exactly 1280x720, and not with the one connected to the player's TV. Otherwise, this technical information will not be relevant to the operation of the player.
Checking the speed of network connections did not bring any new results - only the previous ones obtained during the study of the same player, albeit with an earlier firmware version, were fully confirmed. This means that the firmware does not play a role in the operation of network adapters, from which, apparently, all the available potential is squeezed out. It also means (to the great joy of the author) that no negative changes have occurred in his local network since then. It remains only to give the speed values that are obtained when copying from the HDD player to the network storage and vice versa.
And just like before, the player plays back 100-megabit videos from network drives shot with 4K camcorders and cameras, including those with the HEVC codec, without much difficulty.
Now let's touch on the issue of playback more closely, but this time let's take a closer look at the formats. There is a well-known Antutu test suite known as a universal test app for Android devices. For some time now, a branch of this package has appeared - a program designed to test support for video formats. Wise, right, it's time! Of course, this program was immediately installed on our player and a video playback test, simply called: Video Test, was launched.
According to the test results, the program issued the following verdict:
It follows from it that the player fully supports 24 formats, partially coped with four formats and two formats turned out to be too tough for the player.
Here you need to digress a bit in order to broaden your horizons. So, using the word "format", we mean a combination of several parameters of a video file: container + video codec + audio codec. Anyone with imagination can easily guess how many "formats" can be obtained by mixing these three main factors in their various variations. More precisely, this way: he will guess that it is impossible to calculate the exact number of combinations. After all, there are dozens and dozens of containers and codecs alone. The Antutu developers thought about the same, limiting themselves to a set of 22 options, which they consider to be the most common codecs and containers.
A relatively detailed breakdown of the formats for which the player was tested for the ability to play is given in separate plates:
| Full Support | Partial Support | Lack of support |
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For convenience and clarity, we list these problematic formats, for the playback of which the player received an average and unsatisfactory rating. Partially supported formats that are played with some deviations from the norm (no picture or smooth playback) are the following:
One could agree with all this if one is used to blindly trusting what has an official appearance. However, trust - but verify. Here we will check.
First of all, the same test files were found, with the help of which the application makes its measurements - they are stored in the working folder of the program, in the player's memory. These videos are short segments from the cartoon, not very suitable, in our opinion, for determining the "smoothness" of playback. Based on the parameters of these files, we made our own test files, which repeat the desired combinations of containers and codecs. It remains only to start playing the resulting set and try to fix the shortcomings with your own eyes.
Well, it worked! It turned out to fix that the last two formats, with which the player could not cope at all, also turned out to be inedible for him. He simply failed to open them, which was briefly reported on the screen. But with the first four formats that allegedly played poorly, it's a big question. We didn't see any shortcomings. Moreover, when playing a TS-file, the picture was quite present, as well as the sound.
Well, let the final results remain on the conscience of the inspection program. In any case, the player in question scored enough conditional points to get close to the top ten - as many as 737 "parrots"!
For what else, besides playing an existing video, you may need a media player? Why is it called universal? Yes, if only because the hard drive that is installed in the device can - and should - be used not only to store the media library. But also to replenish it. No matter how outraged the holders of countless copyrights, but you can not prohibit the very possibility of quickly obtaining the desired content. This, of course, is about the notorious torrents. The torrent application built into the firmware is not much different from a regular PC client. Here, in the same way, it is allowed to manage downloads remotely, and the exchange speed not only surprised - it amazed. In fact, at the limit of the channel that the provider provides.
The content obtained in this way is automatically indexed and subsequently displayed in the built-in file browser. Which, it should be noted, constantly but imperceptibly scans available drives for the presence of media content, after which the selected content opens in the built-in player or graphical viewer.
Of course, there is one more way to brighten up leisure and keep the player busy. These are streaming Internet media resources. Probably, first of all, Internet TV should be attributed to those. Broadcasting of such television is carried out in different ways, some TV channels even release their own applications that allow you to watch live broadcasts. A large part of TV applications is paid or shareware. The most preferred option for watching TV seems to be a method based on the same technologies as the torrent client. Here, in the Peers.TV application pre-installed on the player, the user will find an almost unlimited list of TV channels for every taste.
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But torrents and watching video/TV is trite. But, for example, such a task, which usually requires expensive specialized equipment - video surveillance. Those who are "in the know" probably know the secret of how an ordinary smartphone can be turned into a DVR with a camera. However, a smartphone is not a very reliable device; you cannot entrust it with round-the-clock work with recording and, moreover, continuous broadcasting of a video stream. Unlike a smartphone, an Android-based media player is much more successful in this task. Especially if you have a capacious - up to 8 TB - hard drive and without the risk of overheating. You just need to connect any webcam to the player and install one of the many applications that help you realize the task of video surveillance. True, not every program / service is free and sufficiently reliable or skillful. In contrast to the unpretentious in appearance, but powerful in functionality, the free program of the domestic developer IP Webcam.
| General settings with camera selection | Recording settings | Active mode |
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Perhaps the most important feature of this application is the ability to work in the background, almost imperceptibly to the user.
Finally, such a hardware-based feature as the creation of a constantly working Wi-Fi access point in the presence of a wired network will allow you to create a second Wi-Fi network in the place where the player is installed. A great chance to expand the area of Wi-Fi coverage in a multi-room apartment.
However, a significant part of users can go much further in their fantasies. What is remarkable is that only their own laziness can interfere with the implementation of their tricks. Well, in extreme cases, the lack of need for a particular technology or function. For example, if there is no more than one TV in a house or apartment, then a DLNA server is not needed at all. If there is a second or more TV with the Smart function, on which you also sometimes need to view local content, then it is not at all necessary to buy an additional player for each TV. It is enough to install a simple application on an existing Android set-top box that implements a technology that allows you to transmit and receive various media content over a local network, displaying it in real time.
One of the simplest such applications is My DLNA server. There are no settings in it as a class - this is so as not to be afraid. And three huge buttons - so as not to miss, respectively.
As soon as you press the main Start button, the application will start indexing any media content available within local reach (internal memory, connected disk, and other media), and when selecting a source, the Smart TV will see our player under the modest name Local Media. By selecting this source, the user will see the contents of the player on the TV screen and will be able to view any supported content.
Of course, there are more advanced applications for such tasks, where you can not only set a different name for the DLNA server, but also select folders for indexing or set fine network settings.
In the same way, it is allowed to install a SAMBA server to “share” all the contents of the player and media connected to it over the local network, as a result of which the player becomes a regular network storage accessible from any computer. If you want to remotely access the player's files and folders, you can use an FTP server that will work no less successfully than the network add-ons listed above.
Finally, the universal player in question can perform another function, which is usually implemented by special gadgets, USB dongles, which are connected directly to the HDMI input of the TV. We are talking about technology (in our case, EzCast), which is based on a direct Wi-Fi connection between two devices, such as a player and a smartphone. Obviously, an intermediate link in the form of a router with its Wi-Fi point is superfluous here, since communication is carried out directly between devices. This connection allows you to transfer from one device to another any multimedia signal in real time. To implement this function, you will need to install the EzCast application of the same name on your smartphone, and then launch the EzCast Screen application installed on the player. Connecting two devices is extremely easy - just one touch on your smartphone.
After the instant connection of the devices, the TV to which the player is connected will duplicate the display of the smartphone, displaying everything that is displayed on it. Thus, being in the company of friends, you can show on the big screen the content stored in the smartphone - photos, videos, etc. without tedious preliminary copying or wired connection. If you think about it, this wireless video transmission can be used for more specific purposes, even for work. For example, to display presentation slides, diagrams, drawings and graphs on a large TV screen. And this technology looks absolutely invaluable if the mobile device does not have a video output, but there is a vital need to transfer live video from the smartphone display to a large screen or capture card. For example, from a thermal imager connected to a smartphone.
To view in a larger size, click the button Original size
Perhaps, one could give a dozen more examples of using a universal stationary Android set-top box, but the imagination of millions of users will surely turn out to be richer.
conclusions
Of the minuses of the design, one can only recall an obsessive quibble regarding the glossy design of the lid. More to complain about, alas, nothing. All other features, with all the desire, cannot be called shortcomings - these are obvious pluses:
- hardware decoding of all common formats, including Ultra HD 4K HEVC (H.265)
- 3D video support in Side-by-side, Top-to-bottom, MVC (BD 3D ISO) formats
- automatic frame rate switching when playing various video content
- Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby True HD, DTS HD multi-channel audio output
- gigabit ethernet
- USB 3.0 ports supporting storage drives and various peripherals
- support for hard drives up to 8 TB with any file systems
- programmable remote control
- good cooling system
The cost of the device is not negligible, but it is strictly proportional to its functionality, and you will hardly find a cheaper offer among devices of a similar class. The considered media player has been popular for a long time quite deservedly, because it was developed with a serious functional reserve. Thanks to this stock, the player is destined to constantly evolve along with the Android application market. And only a probable, but very slow obsolescence of the version of the operating system on which the set-top box is running, can stop this development.
In the early 21st century, watching quality movies on TV required a DVD player. Then, plasma models began to equip their creations with USB connectors, allowing you to watch your favorite movie masterpieces from flash drives. But even after that, the development of multimedia technologies continued. The result of this development was the emergence of special media players, thanks to which the TV can be turned into almost a full-fledged personal computer. What models of such devices are best to buy? This review of the TOP 3 best media players of 2017 will help you find the answer to this question.
Media player Rombica Cinema 4K
This model is considered one of the best representatives of its class of technology. It has the widest range of functions, easy operation, convenient size and reasonable price. Let's study its characteristics in more detail.
- Delivery set, external version. This device is sold inside a black cardboard box. In addition to the media player itself, the package includes an AV cord, a USB 3.0 cable, a power supply, a remote control (though without batteries). The model is made of black plastic with a glossy surface. This decision of engineers has its pros and cons. On the one hand, the appearance of the player turned out to be attractive and modern, but on the other hand, the glossy coating quickly becomes covered with scratches and traces of touches. The top of the device is completely clean (no inscriptions, no design highlights). As for the front, it contains an inscription, thanks to which the name of the manufacturer becomes clear. Also, the front panel is equipped with an on / off button and an IR sensor that picks up the signal from the remote control. The bottom of Rombica Cinema 4K is equipped with four rubberized legs and special holes through which air is ventilated. The left side has a compartment designed to install an additional hard drive with a capacity of up to 3 TB. The right side of the model is dotted with special connectors, the purpose of which we will talk about a little later. There are also several functional sockets on the back panel.
- Ports and connectors. As mentioned above, all functional ports are located on the right and back side of the device. So, on the right there are 3 USB inputs at once, and one socket is intended for version 3.0. The first two inputs can be used to connect a keyboard and mouse (this will make controlling the media player even easier). Port 3.0 will allow you to connect a flash drive containing your favorite movies, music or family photos. The rear panel was equipped with an audio output, another USB 3.0 jack, a wired Internet input, an HDMI output, and a power supply socket. In addition, Rombica Cinema 4K is equipped with a Wi-Fi antenna for wireless networking.
- This element contains all the important buttons that will allow you to control the device quickly and without problems. The remote control will provide switching channels, launching the necessary applications, exiting them, setting user settings. In addition, this control module can be used as a mouse, although the presence of this function is difficult to explain. The cursor will move around the screen as if fidgeting with a mouse, but at this time the user will simply click on the arrow buttons.
- interface and software. The developers equipped the considered model of the media player with two interface options at once. The first option is called Nova Launcher. In fact, it is an adapted copy of the Android operating system. The menu design is quite convenient and colorful. There will be no difficulties in choosing the necessary option. However, Android itself is already rather boring, as it is used in almost all mobile devices. Therefore, most likely, the future owner will be more interested in the second version of the interface - the proprietary Rombica menu. This type of design is also quite colorful, but most importantly, it contains all the applications with which you can launch the main functions of the media player. By the way, the number of pre-installed programs is small, but this is more of a plus than a minus. The memory of the device is not clogged with "junk" programs that a person will never use anyway. There are definitely applications for playing music and video files. If the owner wants to expand the program list, the Play Market will be available to him. The only flaw in the software is an error when launching the YouTube application. However, there is hope that this bug will be fixed when a software update is released (yes, there are updates too).
- Technical filling and functionality. The "brain" of the device is a processor called Cortex-A. It is equipped with two cores, each of which operates at a frequency of 1100 MHz. The performance of graphic functions will be provided by the Mali-400MP video card. In order for the device to work without "brakes", it was equipped with 1 GB of RAM. Data storage will provide a built-in drive of 8 GB. Of course, this is catastrophically insufficient for storing movies, but we must not forget that Rombica Cinema 4K contains a niche in which you can put an additional 3 TB hard drive. By the name of the model, it is clear that its main function is to play videos in Ultra HD (or 4K) format. Initially, the media player has pre-installed programs that allow you to open files of this type. What's more, Rombica Cinema 4K will open up other varieties of video, from regular AVI to Blu-Ray.
Dune HD Solo 4K media player
This is another high-quality variety of a multimedia set-top box for TV that can turn watching your favorite movies into a real pleasure. It contains a solid "iron" and an impressive set of functions, giving the owner a lot of opportunities.
- Delivery set and appearance. The device is sold in a white cardboard box. Inside the package, the user will find the media player itself, a remote control, an HDMI cable, a power supply and several attachments for it (so that the owner can connect the set-top box to the network through any outlet), two Wi-Fi antennas, a separate IR sensor, an analog video / audio cord , special brackets that allow you to mount the player on the wall. In addition, the standard set includes an instruction manual. The exact dimensions of this technical product are unknown, but it looks like a stack of 3-4 computer disks. The body is made of black plastic. The top of the considered model has a matte surface. Also, the upper part is decorated with the company logo of the brand-manufacturer. The sides of the media player are glossy, which makes them look quite elegant. Functional connectors are present only in front and behind. The back of the device is equipped with protrusions necessary for mounting Wi-Fi antennas. At the bottom there are 4 rubberized feet that protect the device from slipping. There is also a cover, opening which, the user will find a niche for installing an additional drive.
- Ports and connectors. The front panel is equipped with an output for USB 2.0. At the back there is a DVB-T / T2 antenna jack, HDMI type 1.4b output, an IR sensor port, a gigabit Internet connector, a USB 2.0 jack, and a power cord input. Above the last port is a button to enable / disable the device.
- Remote control. This element of the kit has a compact design, so it can be used with one hand. The control module does not slip out of the hands and lies in them extremely securely. Almost all buttons are painted black. Also, there is one key each in red, green, yellow and blue. Button travel is very good. A signal that the key is pressed properly is the corresponding clatter. Buttons that are similar in functionality are located side by side.
- Technical completeness. The speed of the device provides a 2-core processor called ARM Cortex A9. The operating frequency of its cores is 1.2 GHz. The video functions are provided by the Mali-400 MP4 board. The amount of RAM is 1 GB. Memory for physical data storage is represented by only 4 gigabytes (however, this drawback is corrected by installing an additional hard drive). There is also an active cooling system inside the case. There are no significant flaws in this system; it perfectly performs its main tasks and at the same time works almost silently.
- Menu. The interface of the considered model of the media player is represented by a horizontal ribbon, which includes 10 main points. One of several themes is provided, among which the highlight is the theme called Silver (this is one of the cosmetic innovations added by the developers). Scrolling through the menu, the owner will be able to find applications that launch TV, radio, music player. Also, the menu contains icons, by clicking on which, a person will find out the weather, open social networks, enter the search engine, go to the settings to optimize the player. Naturally, the Dune HD Solo 4K has players that open all kinds of video file formats. But, judging by the name of the model, the most important format for which this device needs to be bought is 4K Ultra HD.
- Evaluation of work. In principle, the device plays 4K movies quite well. However, the frame rate is far from high. This model will play a video file at a maximum of 30 fps. Of course, more is not needed yet, but over time, Ultra HD resolution will become very popular, and there will be films that need to be played at a speed of up to 60 frames per second. When that happens, the Dune HD Solo 4K will go out of style. As for other movie formats, there are no complaints here. The device equally well reproduces both standard AVI and high-quality MKV.
Media player Rombica Ultimate v02
This model will definitely appeal to all admirers of high-quality video content. It has a nice design, compact dimensions, good technical components.
- Delivery set, appearance. The device is sold in a cardboard box, on which the characteristics of the product are briefly described. Inside the box, the user will find the media player itself, a power supply from it, a remote control, batteries for the remote, an RCA cord, an instruction manual, and a warranty receipt. We can say that the equipment is almost complete. The only negative is that there is no HDMI cable (you will have to spend money on it separately). Almost the entire body (with the exception of the front side) is made of black matte plastic. The front panel is also plastic, but its surface is already glossy. Under the "gloss" hides an IR sensor that responds to commands given from the remote control. Functional connectors are located on two sides: on the right and on the rear panel.
- Ports and nests. The right side of the device contains a pair of USB jacks. In addition, this part of the player has a slot for a microSD flash drive. The back side of the described model is equipped with an input for the power supply, an AV output, an HDMI connector, a network port, an optical audio output of the SPDIF type.
- Technical completeness. The 4-core chip called Cortex A53 is responsible for the speed of the device. The clock frequency of its cores is quite solid - 2000 MHz. The Mali 450 board will provide graphics operations. The integrated processor supports two types of hardware decoding: H.264 and 265. The amount of RAM is 1 GB. 8 GB of space will be allocated for storing files. You can increase the player's memory using an additional card.
- Software and practical possibilities. Rombica Ultimate v02 interface can be of two types: standard - launcher, and branded - Rombica. Type 2 is considered more convenient. Already upon purchase, the player model will contain all the necessary applications for watching videos and listening to audio recordings. The number of applications can be increased using Google Play. Rombica Ultimate v02 is capable of playing movies of any quality, but its main highlight is the ability to play Ultra HD format. The playback process itself goes quite smoothly. A characteristic feature of this media player is that it can deliver all 60 fps in 4K resolution.
Our review of the TOP 3 best media players of 2017 is over. We hope that the information provided will help you choose the right set-top box model that will give you hundreds of hours of exciting movie shows.
Not all television devices can be called "smart". Smart TV technology is gaining popularity, but what about those with older TVs? Fortunately, it is not necessary to spend money on a modern model - there are special consoles. With the help of this article, you will be able to choose the best media player for your TV. With such a set-top box, the possibilities of Smart TV no longer seem so far away.
NVIDIA SHIELD + Okko
- good speed
- powerful tv box
- opportunity to play computer games
- regular updates
- truncated play market
The advantage of this device is an incredible level of detail when watching movies and TV shows. Sports matches are played in such a way that a sense of presence is created. Support for 4K with HDR. Included is a six-month subscription that provides access to OKKO cinema films.
Dune HD Pro 4K Plus
- metal case
- support for all popular video formats
- smartphone control
- one pair of batteries included
- HDMI cable quality
- overpriced
Technical testing of Dune HD Neo 4K was successful. In general, this model has few flaws, but they can be explained by the features of the Realtek platform and firmware flaws. Suitable for connoisseurs of the tandem "home server and normal content" as well as for "dune fans". At the moment, the Dune HD system is much more powerful than the competition. Because the price is quite high.
Selenga A4
- 3 USB 2.0 ports
- support for popular formats
- light prefix
- convenient remote control
- not identified
This smart box from Android 7.1.2 contains 16 GB of internal memory, as well as 2 GB of RAM. With the excellent Selenga multimedia center, TVs, monitors or projectors turn into full-fledged computers. It is possible to install applications, watch movies and TV online. Opens access to games and various widgets.
On other OS
Apple TV 4K 32GB
- the ability to install software from the App Store
- design
- quality
- comfort
- can play with joystick
- defective remote control
- few applications
The Apple TV 4K is billed as a mini PC. After all, the powerful A10X Fusion processor and 32 GB of memory are no joke. Movies and series are streamed with the latest 4K HDR special effects. High Dynamic Range is a technology that provides the most realistic reproduction of color and fine details. You can use Apple TV 4K as a universal media player, with the ability to install applications from the App Store. Various iOS devices are able to "befriend" the prefix. For example, with a slight movement of the fingers, the iPhone turns into a remote control.
MiraScreen G2 WiFi Display Dongle
- convenient
- powerful
- sometimes the signal goes off
- requires reboot
Individual interesting design Dongle MiraScreen G2 will distract from everyday life. Suitable for use at home or on the go. The features of the player are: high-definition image, wide compatibility with various operating systems, as well as easy connection. The switch button changes Airplay modes to Miracast.
AnyCast M4 Plus
- simple connection
- hanging video
- maximum - 1080p
Miracast (Anycast) M4 is a wireless device that allows you to play content from your smartphone or tablet on your TV. Connects via HDMI connector, as well as via WiFi. Suitable only for broadcasting static images, the video hangs on it.
Inexpensive models (up to 3000 rubles)
Google Chromecast 2013
- quality
- speed
- ease of use
- business interruptions occur
- small set of supported services
There were no comments on the design and hardware configuration of the player. The device quickly responds to user actions. The real picture quality is expressed by limiting the format to 720p. Therefore, on a monitor with a large diagonal, it is not necessary to count on greater clarity. The sound is stereo only. Live streaming of content from a smartphone is not possible.
What are media players? Why are they needed at all? What they can do, how to use them and why they are MORE CONVENIENT and BETTER than everything else (BluRay, DVD, CD). - Read more about it. Media player is a player for videos, music and photo albums (photos).
Media player is playing files that contain videos, music, or photos. The better the player, the more different file formats it supports. Using the best models, you can forget about the word “format” altogether: just select and launch movies, music, photo albums with standard buttons on the remote - just like on the old familiar BluRay, DVD, and CD players.
Why do you need a media player?
Because it's much more CONVENIENT than everything else that came before it - CD players, DVD players and BluRay players.
What exactly is more convenient? Here's what:
1) It is much easier, faster and cheaper to replenish your media collection - a library of movies, music and digital photos.
2) Cataloging and searching for media collection works becomes much more convenient. One or two HDDs with files are much more compact than racks and shelves. Finding and launching the desired file is much easier and faster than going through a disk archive for a long time. In addition, you can organize information according to any principle convenient for you.
3) Storage of information in the form of files is more reliable than on discs (BluRay/DVD/CD).
4) Compared to the similar launch of files on a computer, using a media player is much more comfortable! You use it like a traditional record player - sitting on the couch in front of a big TV. Agree, it’s just MORE USUAL AND CONVENIENT to watch a movie than at a desktop in front of a small monitor, holding the mouse, or than watching from a computer on a large TV, each time approaching the keyboard with a mouse to control it.
In addition, the player compared to the computer:
- quiet,
- more compact
- has fewer wires
- turns on faster
- Easily operated with just one remote control
- hangs less often
- has a user-friendly interface like a familiar player, and not like a computer - both a small child and an elderly person who grew up in the pre-computer era can easily learn how to use it.
How to use the media player
It depends on the class (features) of the media player you are using. From the whole set that is now on the market, we can conditionally distinguish four classes of media players.
1) Players with USB port, no hard disk drive (HDD), no LAN connection (no network port).
This is the class of the simplest and most inexpensive models. However, they can work perfectly at the level for which they are intended.
Usage
The player is connected to the TV, media files are written to a USB flash drive (or USB disk), which is then inserted into the USB port on the player. We take the player's remote control, find the necessary files on the flash drive, run it. We look, we listen - that's actually all! Simple and convenient. The Jacktop Mini player belongs to this category of models.
2) Players with the ability to embed a hard disk drive (HDD), without connecting to a local network (without a network port).
These models are slightly more expensive than the previous diskless ones. They are convenient because you can record and store files on the HDD built into them. If the capacity of the HDD allows, you can copy your entire old DVD collection, all music / movies / photos from your computer to it and use only the player. A DVD player with disc racks can be immediately sent to the country: where there is a media player, you will no longer need all this!
Usage
To record movies/music/photo albums on the player's HDD, it is enough to connect the player to the computer as a regular external USB drive and copy the necessary files. Then the player can be connected to TV - watch movies, listen to music, flip through photo albums.
In addition, these players, like the previous class of players, are equipped with an external USB port for connecting external USB hard drives and flash drives to them, from which the players can play files. Many models have a background music function, i.e. when viewing photos can be accompanied by music. The most advanced models of this class can perform operations with folders and files, as on a computer - copy, move, delete, rename, create new folders - and all this is easy with a single remote control.
Note
These players (described in points 1 and 2) can play both SD-video (cheap models) and SD- and HD-video (more expensive models). However, almost all new SD models are equipped with an HDMI output, and are capable of outputting HD signal on the component and HDMI outputs, upscaling the SD picture to HD.
All media players of the following two classes (points 3 and 4) support real (720p, 1080i/p) HD video.
3) Players with the ability to connect to a local network (network port), but without Internet access - both disk and diskless models.
The advantage of these players is that in addition to everything that the models of the two previous classes can, they can connect to a local network and play files from all available network sources - computers, network drives (NAS, Network Access Storage), other network players ( in which the HDD is built in).
Usage
The player is connected with a network cable to the router (network router), video-audio outputs - to the TV. Next, you need to go to the player's settings (setup) in the network settings section and set the parameters corresponding to your local network. In most cases, the factory settings allow the player to automatically log on to the network immediately when turned on. Next, those disks / folders on computers and network drives (NAS) where the media files we need are located need to be assigned network access so that they can be “visible” from any other network device, for example, from a media player. After that, the media player will "see" all network drives / folders and will be able to play the files recorded in them, and not just files from its local HDD or USB drives. The obvious advantages of such a connection are that, firstly, the player has access to many more places where files are located, and, secondly, it is not necessary to copy files to the player (or connect external USB devices to it) - the entire media collection can be stored distributed on several network devices (or on a single network server with a large capacity). For example, if there are several rooms in an apartment or cottage, each of which is equipped with a TV and an audio system, it is enough to have only ONE network media server where all movies, TV programs (recorded by a TV receiver), music and a collection of photos will be stored. Each room can use its own network media player and watch something different - from the server over the network, without the need to first copy the files.
4) Players with the ability to connect to a local network (network port), Internet access and the ability to remote control (from a remote computer) - both disk and diskless.
This is the most advanced category of media players. They have many options for use, depending on the wishes of the user, the technology available to him and (often) the degree of familiarity with the topics "media players / computers / computer networks / Internet", since a number of initial settings still suggest some immersion in computer topics. But after the settings are made, anyone can use the player, regardless of the amount of knowledge and age. Dr.HD MX80, XF100, XS50 media players belong to this class of devices. What these players can do (in the most general terms):
- play files of almost any format (naturally heavy HD-video files of tens of gigabytes);
- play files - from the internal HDD (if any), from external USB sources (disks, flash drives), from external eSATA drives (some models), network drives (within the same local network), from remote Web servers (via the Internet );
- download files (movies, music, photos) from the Internet (using the BitTorrent protocol);
- play IPTV and Internet TV channels;
- play the content of popular Web media resources (YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, Yahoo Weather, etc., up to viewing email boxes);
- perform file operations (copying, moving, deleting, etc.);
- have the ability to remotely control (over the network and via the Internet): control settings, playback of files (file selection, remote start, stop playback), turn on / off, download new files from the Internet, etc .;
- make it possible to install new software, including alternative software, which significantly expands the range of player capabilities.
If there are several rooms (not necessarily adjacent), each of which is equipped with a TV with a media player and Internet access, then you can either run the media player autonomously in each room, or control the entire system of media players from one computer. This computer can be either on the same local network with the players, or remote and connect to each player via the Internet (see the figure below). Even a pocket communicator, such as an iPhone, is suitable as a computer. The players themselves can be either on the same local network or outside of a single network.
From a remote computer, you can launch files on each player, stop playback, change settings, turn the player on / off, etc. For example, you have a player at home (it is turned on and connected to the Internet), you are visiting, and your friends also there is a similar player (also with Internet access). You want to watch a movie or photo album, or listen to music that is recorded in your home. What is needed for this? Just connect to your home player and play files from it as from a remote web resource. You can thus easily exchange files with other owners of the players, without rewriting files - just keep the players online (and know their IP addresses, of course).
How can I add content to my home media library? Here are some of the fastest, easiest and most common ways.
1) Many ISPs have one or more FTP servers, which contains thousands of video and music files. It is enough to download everything you need with your computer and dump it on the player's disk (if the player has a built-in disk), or to a network folder on your computer, or to a separate network drive. Such downloading is free, traffic within the provider's network is usually not charged.
2) Go to any of the Torrent trackers and just download what you are interested in. And completely free! Torrent tracker– Web portal containing an extensive catalog of films/music/photos/software/games/etc., from where special<*.torren t> files, which in turn, when opened by the program torrent client, allow you to easily and quickly download the necessary media files - movies / music / photos / games / software / etc. Popular torrent trackers contain a truly huge database - you can find and download almost any movie (from Hollywood novelties to classics and "art- hausa") or music. The most popular torrent trackers: thepiratebay.org, torrents.ru, tfile.ru, nnm-club.me, rutor.org, etc.
The most advanced players (the category described in point 4) usually have a built-in torrent client. Can run<*.torrent>file directly on the player, and the player will start downloading on its own, without the help of a computer (naturally, the player must be connected to a working router, and the router must be connected to the Internet).
3) Go to any movie or music Web resource that offers a download service (free or paid); files on such resources are often stored on the well-known rapidshare.com file storage (or similar ones) - from there you can download using the links indicated on the resource pages. If the download is paid, it is proposed to pay via SMS. The amounts are usually ridiculous.
The colossal convenience of media players, their capabilities and flexibility of settings are worthy of several separate articles. A short use of such a device is enough to understand that DVD and BluRay players are already far from yesterday, if not the day before yesterday, and by and large they are not needed. What you REALLY NEED to have at home is the following:
- HD TV (display, projector) + separate audio system (stereo or 5.1);
- local network connected by a router with Internet access;
- at least one computer connected to the local network (for recording new media files);
- network disk drive (NAS) for storing the entire collection of media files (the role of NAS can be performed by the same computer or another computer);
- media player (disk or diskless); if it is with the function of connecting to a local network, then there are much more opportunities;
- if you watch TV, then you will also need a PVR receiver (satellite, cable or terrestrial, depending on which channels you want to watch), preferably connected to a local network.
On the media player, you watch movies and photos, listen to music, watch IPTV and Internet TV channels, YouTube videos, etc. On the receiver, you watch TV channels coming from satellites, by cable or from the air, if necessary, record your favorite TV shows and movies, replenishing media collection of files.
And this is, in principle, a complete (well, or almost complete) list of what is needed for complete happiness. If it's a pity to throw away BluRay and DVD players, you can connect them to the additional inputs of the TV and audio system and sometimes watch / listen to discs in the old fashioned way.