If you judge products by their spec sheet alone, then DViCo’s latest PVR is one of the most attractive home entertainment devices ever released. But it’s still a long way from perfect.
The M-6600N offers 1080p output via HDMI 1.3, has 802.11n wireless built-in, UPnP support for accessing content on your network, replaceable 1TB HDD, twin HD tuners with 7-day EPG, support for a huge raft of video and audio formats, and access to internet channels like YouTube and Picasa. The UI looks clean and fairly simple to navigate.
But there’s no advanced PVR functions, like series linking or program recommendations. It also boasts a Freeview badge, which presumably means there’s no ad-skipping. The Bittorrent client that was in previous versions also seems to have been disabled.
But having said all of that, the thing costs $699 with a 1TB drive. As a digital hub, that’s entirely reasonable.
DViCO introduces fifth generation TViX PVR and multimedia player
…Also Technology to Distribute M-6600N Exclusively in Australia…
DViCO today announced the Australian launch of one of the most advanced high definition (HD) jukeboxes on the planet, the TViX M-6600N Personal Video Recorder (PVR). The TViX M-6600N is the only PVR to offer full 1080P HD and HDMI 1.3 out. It’s also the world’s first PVR to include built-in 802.11n wireless capability which allows streaming of audio and video content from any PC on the home network. The TViX M-6600N will be distributed exclusively in Australia by Also Technology.According to Steve Xiao, Managing Director, Also Technology, this fifth generation TViX effectively replaces five devices with one.
“The TViX M-6600N combines an extraordinary range of features into a very small sleek unit. It’s a premium media box, premium PVR, universal jukebox, music server and photo server all in one. We believe it will become the fifth essential element in home entertainment alongside your screen, digital receiver, speakers and games console,” said Mr Xiao.
With its built-in 802.11n wireless LAN and network support, the M-6600N’s capabilities extend across a user’s home network enabling them to easily play various multimedia files on their network and also stream them from Internet Media Services including YouTube, Picasa, Internet News and Weather. The wireless network connection is enabled easily with uPnP support, so users can enjoy all the video, music and photos on their PC or NAS storage using their wireless connection.
While the TViX M-6600N will ship with a 1TB drive as standard, users can easily replace the existing drive without needing any technical skills or knowledge. The drive is accessed via a HDD cover on the side of the unit and the thanks to the innovative design of the HDD bracket, a new drive can be inserted into the PVR in just minutes with one single screw.
The TViX M-6600N allows users to copy, delete and move files through an external USB or the network. In addition, through a Media Card Reader card reader installed on a side of the TVIX, users can play, copy, move and delete images or footage taken on digital cameras and camcorders. Digital pictures can be searched as thumbnails and viewed as a slideshow.
Hailed as a universal jukebox that supports most of the current media formats, including the superb H264 video compression & MKV container formats, users can now enjoy full HD videos. In addition to this, oncoming HD media backup files as well as DVD backup files are supported. The M-6600N’s HDMI 1.3 support allows users to receive video and audio signals conveniently with just one cable.
The M-6600N is available in Australia immediately through IT resellers. Retail partners will be announced shortly. The M-6600N has an RRP of AU$699 for the PVR including Twin HD Tuner and 1TB drive. Resellers also have the option of purchasing the M-6600N without the drive, allowing them to tailor the drive to specific customer requirements. The RRP without the 1TB drive is $499.