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Lightning Review: Linksys 2200 HD Media Center Extender
Posted by Jason Chen at 4:01 PM on January 7, 2008
The Gadget: Linksys' slightly fancier Windows Media Center Extender, which streams the Windows Vista/XP Media Center interface over the network so you can watch live or recorded TV and downloaded files on TV in HD.
The Price: $US299
The Performance: Fantastic. We were able to stream live 1080i over-the-air (OTA) HDTV with no glitches for the most part, and whatever glitches we did see were due to the fact that OTA reception in our area isn't great and we had a small antenna. But when we watched pre-recorded content in both 720p and 1080p, there were zero glitches or dropouts. We tested this both with the wired internet and the Wireless 802.11N network via Linksys's WRT600N Router, and it was super smooth even over Wi-Fi.
Its DVD playback was fine, and is convenient if you want to use this in a spare guest room or a bedroom to stream HDTV off off without hooking up HDTV connections or getting another DVR. The DVD is just a bonus. Also, this extender handles XviD files (but not DivX), meaning you can grab TV shows you missed off of BitTorrent and watch them as well, without having to transcode anything.
The Verdict: Did the extender do everything it promised to do and do it well? Definitely. Streaming perfect HD over 802.11n Wi-Fi isn't a small feat, and doing so when supporting XviD and DVD playback is impressive as well. But is it worth $299 when you can get an Xbox 360 that does pretty much the same thing for the same price? Yes, if you want 802.11n Wi-Fi streaming and XviD playback inside the Media Center interface. If not, then you're better off getting an Xbox 360 and getting gaming out of the deal as well.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Team_Scream
Posted 1:27 AM 6/1/08
Yeah well have you ever tried to watch a movie using an Xbox 360 as an extender? the thing is so loud it makes watching a movie in your bedroom useless at best.
At $299.00 maybe a bit steep but if it is quiet? im in.
Team_Scream
mmartin
Posted 1:24 AM 6/1/08
Is it fanless (unlike the Xbox)? You don't want something that's going to make noise.
mmartin
UofITom
Posted 12:51 AM 6/1/08
Needs to stream DVDs from the host machine before I'll consider it.
UofITom
jpmarth
Posted 12:42 AM 6/1/08
I'm with "The Verdict" and would choose another Xbox 360 over this item. They need to bring the price down to attract a large enough market to get this mainstream. Though I do like the inclusion of HDMI.
jpmarth
badbob001
Posted 12:29 AM 6/1/08
How about taking out 802.11n and the dvd and selling this for $100 - $150? Wireless will not for everyone and all locations and DVD is so standard-def and so not worth it when you can get a standalone for less than $50.
badbob001
tehronin
Posted 12:46 AM 7/1/08
PS. When is the 360 slated to recieve the h.264 codec update?
tehronin
tehronin
Posted 12:43 AM 7/1/08
HP had the best idea, intergrate the media center software into the TV itself. Add wireless and forget about another attachment. Brilliant idea for a TV with a lackluster image. Until the other manufacturers follow suit I'll be using the 360 no matter how much it sounds like an A-10.
tehronin
aphex242
Posted 2:14 AM 7/1/08
@tehronin: It has it, but it only supports it in .avi format and not in an .mkv container, which people actually, like, use.
So technically your question SHOULD be "When is the 360 slated to receive the .mkv container support update?" and the sad answer is:
They haven't even said they're adding it, much less when. :/
aphex242
x23
Posted 8:01 AM 7/1/08
@aphex242: i've seen about 9,000,000 times as many .avi files in my life being used than .mkv files. what kind of weird parallel universe do you live in? let me guess... *everyone* uses Ogg Vorbis there as well?
x23
LoopTrack
Posted 8:24 AM 7/1/08
@tehronin: I have my whole film collection in h.264 in an external 500gb hooked up to the XBOX360. I also have jpg thumbnails of the movie posters in the folder with the videos, so the XBOX menu will display the posters when scrolling through. XBOX360 has had the h.264 since Spring 2007. [www.xbox.com]
LoopTrack
Johnny Chimpo
Posted 9:40 AM 7/1/08
How is it from a noise standpoint? My 360 makes a bunch on noise even when just playing back video off the network.
Johnny Chimpo
master_of_fm
Posted 11:17 AM 7/1/08
@badbob001
there is a 2100 that is the same minus the DVD play that you can pickup for about $250
@johnny chimpo
this thing is silent
master_of_fm
whootowl
Posted 1:14 PM 7/1/08
Will a third of these suffer catistrophic failure (ala "red ring of death")?
whootowl
master_of_fm
Posted 1:12 PM 7/1/08
@scarbrtj
it will not recognize .VOB files, but if you rip the movie to a single VOB file and rename it .MPG it will play. standard DVD playback is from outside the extender UI, there is no support for menus and such built-in to the extender software.
also you can set it to output @ 1080p, but the performance of the UI suffers
master_of_fm
scarbrtj
Posted 12:04 PM 7/1/08
we need to know if this will stream DVDs (.vob's, etc.) from a server or PC before any review on this is useful... plus this "only" allows 1080i whereas the Niveus extender I think is the only one to do 1080p...
scarbrtj
tehronin
Posted 8:07 PM 7/1/08
@LoopTrack: h.264 wrapped in .mkv?
tehronin
aphex242
Posted 10:53 PM 7/1/08
@tehronin: He can't, because those don't work, as I said.
@x23: .avi is a common wrapper, but not for h.264 formatted video. .mkv is far more prevalent a wrapper for h.264 video.
I've seen 900,000 times more avi than mkv files, but not when it comes to h.264 and that's precisely what we're discussing here.
aphex242