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GADGET
GIZMO SPECIAL 5 ways media players can make your life easier
If
you love watching movies at home, a media player should be on your
must-have list. Not only is it far more convenient than watching movies on
a laptop, it can also add a lot of new Internet and streaming features to
your aging television
Play any audio/video format
Even if your TV or DVD player already has a USB port for multimedia
playback, chances are that it’s not very good at playing back all types of
files. Since a media player is built specifically to handle multimedia, it
almost always does a better job: it’s faster to load files, can improve the
quality of low resolution files (by upscaling), plays without any
stuttering or jitter and supports every format and file size.
Smarten up your TV
It’s better to have smart features outside your TV – this way you can
just upgrade the smart box to get new features rather than changing the
whole TV. Many media players now include internet connectivity and apps so
that you can access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube (and more) on your TV. With
Android-based players you can add apps from the Play Store like you do on
an Android device.
Cheap and convenient
Unlike a computer which runs a complex operating system, media players
have a basic interface that starts up quickly and is not susceptible to
viruses or hacking. They are purpose-built with very few components, and
consume a fraction of the power that a full computer uses. A typical media
player will probably consume about 5 watts while a computer will consume
upwards of 100 watts.
Wireless video streaming
If you get a connected media player, chances are it will support
streaming standards like DLNA and Miracast. DLNA or Digital Living Network
Alliance defines a set of standards that allows wireless devices to ‘talk’
to each other. With DLNA, photographs and videos stored on your portable
device or computer can instantly be streamed to a large screen – the only
requirement is that your device and the media player need to be connected
to the same WiFi. Miracast (not supported by all portable devices yet) provides
screen mirroring.
A small footprint but still expandable
Unlike a full computer, a small media player doesn’t take up much
space. If it has a RF remote, you can even hide it away behind the TV. At
the same time, all storage is external so you can connect multiple hard
drives or flash drives to it.
The devices you need
WD TV Live Hub
The WD TV Live Hub is unique
because it has a 1 terabyte hard drive built in. It also has built-in Wi-Fi
and supports playback of almost every audio/video format from a connected
flash drive or portable hard drive. The interface is customisable, easy to
see from a distance and includes smart features such as YouTube support,
games, social network support and streaming video from a PC on the local
network. It connects with any TV or projector since it includes all the
possible video outputs: HDMI, composite and component. It also offers
Ethernet connectivity and has optical audio so that you can directly
connect it to external speakers or an amplifier. 10,999
Amkette EVO TV MC
The new EvoTV MC (Media Center)
is Amkette’s fresh take on the powerful, connected Android powered media
player. The new EvoView interface is easier to use than before with a set
of large tiles that quickly get you started with the function you need. It
includes built-in WiFi, four USB ports and an SD card slot for memory
expansion. The radio frequency remote has its own rechargeable battery and
does not need line of sight with the unit – therefore, the unit can also be
hidden away behind a TV or attached to a projector. As a bonus, it also
supports most 3G USB dongles so you can have internet connectivity even on
the move. As usual with EvoTV, you have access to the Google Play store so
that you can install your own apps. Using the motion control remote, you
can also use it to play games. 5,500
Google Chromecast
Google’s media-streaming device
is about the size of a USB flash drive, connects directly to your TV’s HDMI
port and is powered using a USB port. The set-up is simple: you only need
to connect the Chromecast to your Wi-Fi network. Then you can use your existing
smartphone/tablet to wirelessly stream audio/video from the device to your
large screen using a free app. A number of compatible third party apps and
games are also available. 3,500
Smart Blu-Ray players
A smart, internet-connected
Blu-Ray player is another way to get smart TV features on older TVs. Brands
like LG, Philips, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony all make smart Blu-Ray
players with built in Internet connectivity (Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi). Using
the built-in apps and a tiled interface, you can access social networks,
news, weather and RSS feeds and make video calls using Skype (a camera
accessory is required). 5,000 onwards
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