Media players - why are they convenient and how to choose the best model. Choosing a universal media player to connect to a TV Overview of multimedia players

Do you want to play films of various formats, photos, listen to music on the TV screen? Are you ripe to convert your favorite DVD library into images on your hard drive? Are you looking to create a modern home theater based audio / video amplifier with HDMI interfaces? Then you need a modern media player capable of performing the above and many other functions. In our article, we will provide recommendations for different price categories.

But first, let me discuss the various characteristics that will help you decide on the right model for 2014. In our article, we will offer only the very best multimedia players for our money, all of which have been tested in.

TV, amplifier and home theater connection interfaces

Almost all players support connecting old CRT TVs via analog interfaces. Below we have provided a list of popular interfaces from least quality to highest quality.

• Composite (yellow "tulip" in the photo). The lowest quality analog interface, all signals are transmitted over one line. It is only recommended to use it if there is nothing else.
• S-Video. Better interface than composite due to separate transmission of luminance and chrominance signals. The quality is higher than that of the composite interface, but still poor. It is rare.
• Comb SCART or Peritel. Can combine various video output formats such as composite, S-Video, component. It is rare.
• Component (three "tulips" in the top row in the photo). Highest quality analog interface, suitable for high definition video transmission.

Of all these connectors, only the component output is suitable for high definition video transmission. Modern players offer one or two analog interfaces for compatibility with old TVs. If you plan to connect a CRT TV, then we recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the interfaces available on it. If you have a modern flat-panel TV, then nothing but a universal HDMI interface is required.

And we move on to the main interface: HDMI. It is digital and transmits high definition video and sound to modern flat panel TVs or AV receivers. All media players listed in our recommendation are equipped with this interface. Therefore, everything is simple here: any recommended player will be suitable for connecting a flat-panel TV. You will also use HDMI to connect a modern AV receiver / amplifier in your home theater system.

If the TV is old, make sure the player has compatible analog outputs. If the TV is modern (flat), then the HDMI output is enough, which all the players in our article have.

Sound: stereo, multichannel, bitstream

Since DVD movies, film studios have begun to release sound in multi-channel encoded format. The Dolby Digital soundtrack has become the standard, followed by DTS tracks from a rival company. Later they were expanded from 5.1 to 6.1 and 7.1 systems (DTS-ES and Dolby Digital EX). Along with high-definition Blu-ray films, HD soundtracks were also announced: Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS High Definition Audio, DTS Master Audio. Today, encoded audio tracks are found not only in DVD and Blu-ray images, but also in .MKV files. Therefore, it is important that the selected player supports playback of all tracks.

If you connect a TV to the player, the media player will decode the multichannel track and output the sound in stereo. I.e audio tracks will be decoded on the player... And on the TV they will be issued already decoded (LPCM) in stereo. As you understand, in this case it is important that the player is able to decode audio tracks of all formats. And most of the players presented in the recommendations meet this criterion. The player can transmit the decoded audio track to a modern TV set via HDMI (along with video), or via an analog output (two "tulips" - red and white) if the TV does not have HDMI. The latter option is relevant for old TVs.

The second option for sound output is relevant if you are using a home theater system with multi-channel speakers and an audio / video amplifier (receiver). Players can decode audio tracks on their own, and then feed them in decoded form (LPCM) to an amplifier via HDMI. Or the player can transmit the track encoded to an amplifier (bitstream), after which decoding will be done on the amplifier... This option is preferred by many moviegoers, as it provides maximum quality, relying on the amplifier electronics. The encoded audio (bitstream) is transmitted to the receiver in a 1: 1 digital format, so no quality loss occurs. Naturally, your receiver should be able to decode audio tracks.

All modern receivers are able to receive digital sound through the HDMI interface. Older receivers can receive digital multichannel audio through an optical or coaxial input, but please be aware that high definition (HD) soundtracks are not supported by this interface due to limited bandwidth.

To send encoded High Definition (HD) audio to this receiver, HDMI 1.3 or higher is required. All recommended players have this support.

What to look for when choosing a media player? If you will connect the player to a TV, make sure that it can decode all audio formats. If the TV is old, make sure there is an analog audio output (two "tulips"). If you are going to connect the player to a modern audio / video receiver, then check the ability to transmit sound in encoded format (bitstream). Alternatively, check if the amplifier is old enough to output multi-channel decoded audio (optical or coaxial digital audio output connection).

Blu-ray 3D support

Films in stereoscopic 3D have become quite popular today, although not everyone likes them. However, TV makers and film studios have gained another marketing trump card. What is required if you want to watch 3D movies at home?

You need a 3D capable TV or projector (and compatible glasses). Also required content: Blu-ray 3D images. Finally, the player must be 3D capable, which means it must play Blu-ray 3D over HDMI 1.4.

What to look for when choosing a media player? Supports Blu-ray 3D and HDMI 1.4.

Support for playback formats

All modern multimedia players support all standard definition formats MPEG1 / 2 (DVD), Xvid and Divx, H.264. Attention should be paid to proper DVD support: does the player support the DVD menu, does it understand the structure of the DVD (so that the search does not display a mess of .VOB files). Can the player switch audio tracks? Is it displaying subtitles correctly? Does the player support national encodings in file names (Russian, Ukrainian and so on). We check all this in the Chekanov Laboratory tests, and all the recommended players can play DVDs with a full range of functions and in full quality.

In terms of high definition, modern players support all HD video codecs that encode Blu-ray movies. Recall that these are AVC / H.264, VC1, MPEG2. You can watch these movies in standard definition (on older TVs) with reduced quality or in high definition (on newer TVs, when streaming video via component analog output or digital HDMI).

Another hot issue is support for playing Blu-ray images. Modern players have learned to recognize the structure of Blu-ray discs, they start playing the main track. Many players even support Blu-ray menus (BDMV, not Java), allowing you to select scenes or additional content.

As for music and photos, there are no problems here. But we still checked the playback of MP3 music and JPEG photos during our tests.

What to look for when choosing a media player? Does the player support all popular formats? Only players that have fully passed our compatibility tests are included in the recommendations of Chekanov's Laboratory. Therefore, you can safely buy all the recommended players.

Network support

Many users neglect network support when choosing a multimedia player. In vain! If the player supports a network, then you can play files from computers on your network or network storage, or even from the Internet. It is much more convenient than transferring movies to the player's hard disk or flash drive every time.

In addition, support for a wireless WiFi network does not hurt. The usual 802.11g standard is enough for watching standard definition movies over the network, but for high definition it is worth taking a player with support for 802.11n. If the player has a wireless network, you no longer need to pull the LAN cable. Of course, you need a WiFi hotspot on your home network, but it's not that expensive. And the WiFi access point will be very useful, for example, for connecting to a laptop's home network.

Modern players also offer a large number of Internet services: Internet radio, Internet TV, news, and so on. The range of functions provided depends on the manufacturer, so we recommend that you read the overview of each player individually.

What to look for when choosing a media player? Does the player support wired LAN? Is there wireless network support? It is best to take the player with the latest WiFi 802.11n standard, as you will get the best performance. Take a look at the set of Internet functions offered by the player.

Built-in hard drive

Many players allow you to install a hard drive inside. This feature is useful if you plan to store your DVD or Blu-ray library, as well as other movies, on the player. Indeed, on a 2TB hard drive, you can burn about 400 DVD movies, freeing up the shelves. All recommended players support DVD menus, and the choice of the desired movie is instant.

Plus, a hard drive player often includes a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 connection to a PC, so you can quickly download the movies you want to the player.

Finally, hard disk players support NAS and torrent client modes, so you can distribute movies to other computers on your network.

The only obstacle is that players with the ability to install a hard disk are a little more expensive, and even larger in size.

What to look for when choosing a media player? Is it possible to install a SATA hard drive? Is it possible to connect to a computer via USB 3.0? Are there NAS and torrent functions?

Is there a player on the TV?

Many TVs come with built-in media players, but remember that they are often a generation or two behind stationary media players. In many cases, built-in players do not support all formats and functions. And for network support and Internet functions, you will have to pay an impressive amount. Not to mention the ability to install inside a hard drive, work in NAS mode and a torrent client.

In addition, you buy a TV for ten years or more, and players become obsolete in two years. Upgrading an external player is much less expensive than upgrading your TV.

Android strengthens its position

The Android operating system is conquering the consumer device market, including set-top boxes and media players. What advantages does it provide? You can install programs as you like, which expands the player's capabilities almost indefinitely.

Are there any disadvantages? Android OS is not yet well suited for player-specific functions such as HD audio output in encoded bitstream format, so many players support Android in "dual boot" mode in addition to the traditional player firmware.

In recent years, the situation with Android support has changed markedly, this operating system and applications "matured", and we have already received a more complete set of media player functions. In any case, for now, you have to choose between no Android, Android dual boot support, and native Android players. The price of players on Android has dropped significantly, now you do not need to overpay for them.

Media players have moved to the new Android 4.0 OS, and in 2014 it will dominate You will get a more modern interface as well as a higher level of performance.

What to look for when choosing a media player? Media players on Android are good for connecting your TV to stereo. If you need multichannel sound to connect an amplifier or receiver, then it is better to take a player based on the Realtek hardware chipset (including dual boot in Android).

Choose according to your taste

Above, we have listed the main criteria that you should pay attention to when choosing a multimedia player. In our tests, we check the operation of all the main functions of the players, so you can use our articles to make a purchasing decision.

I would like to give one last piece of advice: update your player's firmware regularly. The new firmware contains bug fixes, support for new codecs and functions. It is the firmware that separates the models of famous manufacturers from many unnamed players, so do not neglect to update the firmware.

Media player for 1,400 rubles: IconBit MovieHD T2

A compact player that provides a good set of features for a minimum of money. If you do not need network support and built-in hard drive, then IconBit MovieHD T2 can be taken without hesitation. Moreover, you get support for DVB-T2 digital television.

Player	IconBit MovieHD T2
Chipset
	HDMI 1.3
	Composite, component
	Yes (except Ultra HD, 2K / 4K, WebM codec, rare formats)
	No
DVD and Blu-ray support	DVD - no menu, main movie is played
Blu-ray 3D support	No
Network support	No
	No
Built-in hard drive	No
TV reception support	DVB-T2
Android support	No

The IconBIT MovieHD T2 multimedia player will rather be interesting as a DVB-T / T2 digital television set-top box, rather than a player due to the lack of built-in memory and hard drive bay. Instead, a power supply is integrated into the player.

Even the USB connector for connecting a drive is brought to the front panel: the manufacturer does not assume that the player will work with a permanently connected USB drive. Otherwise, it would have brought the connector to the rear panel or installed two USB ports on the front and back. But such an arrangement of the USB port in front makes it easy and simple to connect drives to it.

Due to the low price, support for video file standards is inferior to top-end players. But the player coped with all the stated formats successfully. Also, the TV picture is not very high quality. But for a "budget" model it is forgivable. As a rule, such players are used to connect to inexpensive TVs of small diagonals, where small picture defects are hardly noticeable, and artifacts will not be seen at all on a CRT TV.

If you want to get along with an inexpensive player also a bay for a 2.5 "hard drive, we recommend purchasing a slightly more expensive one. Also, pay attention to the set-top box, which is also equipped with an additional satellite DVB-S / S2 tuner.

Media player for 2 800 rubles: Asus O! Play Mini

A compact player based on the Realtek 1055 chipset that provides an excellent set of features for the minimum money. If you do not need network support and built-in hard drive, then Asus O! Play Mini can be taken without hesitation.

Player	Asus O! Play Mini
Chipset	Realtek 1055
Interfaces for connecting modern flat-panel TVs	HDMI 1.3
Interfaces for connecting old CRT TVs	Composite
Understands all popular HD and SD movie formats
Decoding audio tracks	Standard Definition, High Definition except Dolby TrueHD
Transfer of audio tracks to an external audio / video amplifier in encoded format	Standard Resolution
DVD and Blu-ray support	Blu-ray - no menu, main movie plays
Blu-ray 3D support	No
Network support	No
Supports NAS mode	No
Built-in hard drive	No
Android support	No

The Asus O! Play Mini player is very compact, 151 x 106 x 29 mm and weighs 175 g. Installation inside a hard drive is not provided, you can only connect an external hard drive through a single USB 2.0 port. On the front panel there is a dull blue power indicator, the mentioned USB 2.0 port and an SD / MMC / MS / xD "card reader". The right and left panels are blank. All other interfaces are located on the rear panel (from left to right): power jack, composite video output and stereo analog audio outputs (RCA), HDMI 1.3 output, optical digital audio output, reset key.

The player allows you to connect modern flat-panel TVs via HDMI, while for older analog TVs, only composite output is available. That is, you can only get the full picture quality on a modern LCD TV. And if you have a decent analog model, then you will have to be content with the composite output - the lowest quality. It is a pity that the manufacturer did not provide the ability to connect via the component output or, at least, via SCART or S-Video, since the Realtek chipset has such capabilities. However, you shouldn't expect such features from the Mini player.

Media player for 3 200 rubles: IconBit Toucan Smart 3D

You will get an inexpensive Android player that is rich in features. Support for video formats is quite wide, and you can also run familiar Android applications.

Player	IconBIT Toucan Smart 3D
Chipset	ARM Cortex-A8 1.2GHz, GPU Mali-400 MP
Interfaces for connecting modern flat-panel TVs	HDMI 1.4
Interfaces for connecting old CRT TVs	D-Sub composite
Understands all popular HD and SD movie formats
Decoding audio tracks	Dolby Digital, DTS, High Definition Tracks
Transfer of audio tracks to an external audio / video amplifier in encoded format	No
DVD and Blu-ray support	DVD - no menu Blu-ray - no menu
Blu-ray 3D support	Yes
Network support	Yes, wired 10/100 Mbps, wireless 802.11b / g / n
3G support
Supports NAS mode	Yes
Built-in hard drive	Yes
Android support	Yes (native mode)

Compared to the first version we tested a year ago, the design of the new player has changed slightly, and the hardware has also undergone minimal revision. Although the price has decreased significantly, which is good news. For its price, iconBIT Toucan Smart 3D is an excellent choice if you need a media player that can not only play all common movie formats, including 3D, but also delight with additional functions - a browser, Skype, TV series subscriptions, IPTV, Android applications and games ...

Toucan Smart 3D is capable of playing not only 3D movies, but also quite heavy Ultra HD videos, so as an iconBIT player, Toucan Smart 3D does its job perfectly. Since the player is built on Android OS, you can easily expand the functionality of the player by installing the appropriate applications, and by purchasing a mouse, keyboard and webcam, turn Toucan Smart 3D into a mini-PC.

The player is inexpensive, so you get a platform with a 1-core processor. The player copes confidently with video playback and the main tasks of Android. In design, iconBIT took a step in the right direction, restraint and elegance, many like more brightness and originality. This trend is observed not only among players, but also cases for desktops or among ultrabooks, for example. The set of interfaces is wide, in addition to HDMI, the manufacturer offers alternatives in the form of D-Sub and composite video output. Yes, and Go-Flex, we think, many will appreciate - you can easily connect a 2.5 "hard drive by inserting it into the snap.

You will receive the Android 4.0 operating system, in which iconBIT has tweaked the settings menu and file manager to make it easier for inexperienced users to manage the player. There are few pre-installed apps, but enough to handle the basic functions.

Overall, iconBIT Toucan Smart 3D can be called a good product, although the player looks more like an update to the first generation Toucan Smart than a new model. Nevertheless, the modernization was successful. There are disadvantages, of course, too, but they are not so significant compared to the advantages. And everything is outweighed by the excellent price from 3.2 thousand rubles in Russia. If you are looking for better performance in Android applications, then we recommend.

Media player for 3,500 rubles: Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Wi-Fi

A compact player based on the Sigma 8670 chipset that provides an excellent set of features for the minimum money. It can be considered as an alternative to the model on the Realtek 1055 chipset, presented below. The "omnivorous" player is worse, but many will like the interface, as well as the rich set of Internet services and the ability to remotely control the player from a smartphone or tablet.

Player	Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Wi-Fi
Chipset	Sigma 8670
Interfaces for connecting modern flat-panel TVs	HDMI 1.3
Interfaces for connecting old CRT TVs	Composite
Understands all popular HD and SD movie formats	Yes (except flash animation and video. FLV, Real Media, Ultra HD, 2K / 4K)
Decoding audio tracks
Transfer of audio tracks to an external audio / video amplifier in encoded format	Standard Definition, High Definition (Dolby TrueHD)
DVD and Blu-ray support	Blu-ray - no menu, main movie plays
Blu-ray 3D support	No
Network support	Yes, wired 100Mbps and wireless 802.11b / g / n
Supports NAS mode	Yes
Built-in hard drive	No
Android support	No

The WD TV Live player in the third generation model remains a compact "brick" of black and gray plastic with dimensions of 100 x 125 x 30 mm. The top panel is glossy black, the rest of the body is gray matte, except that on the front panel there is a glossy black window with the manufacturer's logo and an IR receiver.

The compact size is good, but installation inside the hard drive is not provided. In this respect, we again get similarities with. The Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Wi-Fi player is equipped with two USB 2.0 ports that allow you to connect external drives (hard drives, flash drives, NTFS is supported). One port is in the front, the other in the back. It is a pity that WD did not provide a "card reader", it would allow viewing photos from a camera memory card or video directly from a recorder card.

To connect to a network, the player supports a 10/100 Mbps LAN port, but it also has built-in support for a wireless 802.11 b / g / n network. The LAN port, of course, I would like to have a gigabit one, but the bandwidth of 100 Mbps (about 10-12 Mb / s in practice) should be enough to play Blu-ray images and large MKV containers. In our tests, the player confidently played movies of any size over a wired or wireless network.

Since there is no built-in hard drive, the Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Wi-Fi player cannot be used for storing files, although the network storage (NAS) mode is supported - you can access drives connected to the player via USB over the network. The player can also work with network resources and servers (including Windows and Linux shared directories). You can play files both over the network and from connected storage devices (via USB). Modern flat-panel TVs can be connected to the player via HDMI, and old analog TVs can be connected via composite output. Due to the lack of space on the rear panel, it is implemented via an adapter (stereo audio + composite video). There is no component output. Sound can also be output from the digital optical port.

Media player for 3 700 rubles: Asus O! Play Mini Plus

The player is distinguished by its compact size, "omnivorousness" and support for wired 1 Gb / s and wireless 802.11b / g / n. There is also a set of internet functions. Installation inside the hard drive is not provided, but the player is fine with format support. The Asus O! Play Mini Plus offers eSATA support, but does not natively support NAS and torrent.

Player	Asus O! Play Mini Plus
Chipset	Realtek 1055
Interfaces for connecting modern flat-panel TVs	HDMI 1.3
Interfaces for connecting old CRT TVs	Composite
Understands all popular HD and SD movie formats	Yes (except flash animation, Ultra HD, 2K / 4K)
Decoding audio tracks	Standard and high definition
Transfer of audio tracks to an external audio / video amplifier in encoded format	Standard Resolution
DVD and Blu-ray support	Blu-ray - no menu, main movie plays
Blu-ray 3D support	No
Network support
Supports NAS mode	No
Built-in hard drive	No
Android support	No

The upper panel of the player is grooved with a patterned pattern of rhombuses. At the front we get the same USB 2.0 port and 4-in-1 SD / MS / xD / MMC card reader as the Mini. To be honest, we would have preferred the USB 3.0 interface, which provides faster data transfer rates, especially since there are already enough corresponding rigs on the market. On the other hand, the actual bandwidth of up to 35 MB / s for USB 2.0 is sufficient for smooth video playback of any format. Also on the front panel there is a blue power indicator and an IR receiver window.

It is not visible from the outside, but the player also supports a wireless network, moreover, the modern 802.11n standard, which is also pleasantly pleasing. The player is also compatible with the previous 802.11b / g standards.

The player allows you to connect modern flat-panel TVs via HDMI, while for older analog TVs, only composite output is available. That is, you can only get the full picture quality on a modern LCD TV. And if you have a decent analog model, then you will have to be content with the composite output - the lowest quality. It is a pity that the manufacturer did not provide the ability to connect via the component output or, at least, via SCART or S-Video, since the Realtek chipset has such capabilities. However, you shouldn't expect such features from the compact Mini Plus player.

Media player for 4 300 rubles: iconBIT Toucan Stick G4

You get a powerful 4-core Android player that is compact and rich in features. Support for video formats is quite wide, and you can also run familiar Android applications.

Player	iconBIT Toucan Stick G4
Chipset	Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A9 1.6GHz, GPU Mali-400 MP
Interfaces for connecting modern flat-panel TVs	HDMI 1.4
Interfaces for connecting old CRT TVs	No
Understands all popular HD and SD movie formats	Most (installation of third-party players is allowed to improve compatibility)
Decoding audio tracks	Dolby Digital
Transfer of audio tracks to an external audio / video amplifier in encoded format	No
DVD and Blu-ray support	DVD - with menu Blu-ray - no menu
Blu-ray 3D support	Yes
Network support	Yes, wireless 802.11b / g / n
3G support	Yes, via USB adapter (sold separately)
Supports NAS mode	Yes
Built-in hard drive	No
Android support	Yes (native mode)

What makes iconBIT Toucan G4 happy? First of all, high performance, which allows you to play most "heavy" games on Android. With the Toucan series, iconBIT has taken a big step forward by dramatically increasing the performance of its pocket mini PCs. Toucan Stick G4 is suitable not only for games and heavy applications, but also for web surfing, as it showed high results in network and web performance tests.

The compact size allows the player to easily fit into any bag, so you can easily take it to the dacha or on a trip. As for the package contents, iconBIT upset us a little by not attaching a USB hub, as in. For such a powerful mini PC, a large number of USB ports are a must. However, in the standard configuration you will receive two ports, the USB hub can be purchased separately.

We would call the playback of films good. Despite the powerful hardware, the Stick G4 did not play Ultra HD and 1080p 60 Hz, but the player coped with popular formats and most rare formats without problems. We didn't get any surprises in terms of sound either. The player was able to decode standard-definition tracks Dolby Digital without any problems, but DTS turned out to be blocked, which was somewhat upsetting.

On the software side, we got some cuts. Firstly, initially there were practically no preinstalled applications on the player, so you will first have to spend time installing applications for yourself. Secondly, for some reason it is impossible to launch several applications at once, when trying to enter the "Applications" item, the Toucan Stick G4 transfers the user to a running application. We hope this will be fixed in the next firmware versions.

The main advantage of the iconBIT Toucan Stick was its performance, which wiped its nose not only for media players and Android PCs, but also for powerful gaming tablets. Hardly any game will fail to run smoothly on the Toucan Stick G4. Rather, this is the main argument in favor of buying a powerful mini PC from iconBIT. By the way, the price does not bite either and starts from 4300 rubles.

Therefore, if you love Android games and would like to play them on your big screen TV, the iconBIT Toucan Stick G4 would be a great buy. We also recommend purchasing our own control panels for iconBIT media players: iconBIT G-Control and iconBIT XPAD.

Media player for 7,000 rubles: IconBit Movie3D Pro Deluxe

Top-end multimedia player with the widest range of features on the market. Supports Blu-ray 3D and Android dual boot. Buy if you want the maximum set of features provided by the 6th generation of Realtek 1186 chipsets.

Player	IconBit Movie3D Pro Deluxe
Chipset	Realtek 1186DD
Interfaces for connecting modern flat-panel TVs	HDMI 1.4
Interfaces for connecting old CRT TVs	Composite, component
Understands all popular HD and SD movie formats	Yes (except Ultra HD, 2K / 4K, WebM codec)
Decoding audio tracks	Standard and high definition
Transfer of audio tracks to an external audio / video amplifier in encoded format	Standard and high definition
DVD and Blu-ray support	Blu-ray - yes
Blu-ray 3D support	Yes
Network support	Yes, wired 1Gbps and wireless 802.11b / g / n
Supports NAS mode	Yes
Built-in hard drive	Yes
TV reception support	DVB-T2
Android support

The IconBIT movie3D Pro Deluxe player left a positive impression. This model is perfectly capable of becoming a home theater center. Nice and stylish body in black and gray color fits well the interior of the living room. Wide possibilities of communication and storage of files allow with one device to provide both viewing of digital television and the creation of a home photo and video archive.

The IconBIT movie3D Pro Deluxe player did an excellent job of playing our test suite of videos (up to 1080p), music and photos. Most popular formats are supported, such as DivX, XVID, H.264 / AVC, VC-1, MPEG1 / 2/4, Real Media, Flash Video, M-JPEG.

The player successfully copes with playing a DVD from a hard disk image (including ISO). You will be able to fully use the menu, select chapters, additional materials, and so on. Supported decoding of soundtracks of standard definition Dolby Digital and DTS, as well as high definition Dolby True-HD, DTS HD Master Audio. The output of audio tracks in encoded bitstream format to an external receiver is also supported.

The player plays Blu-ray 3D discs. You can enjoy 3D movies with an appropriate HDMI 1.4 3D TV.

IconBIT movie3D Pro Deluxe also supports wired LAN (1Gbps) and is equipped with Wi-Fi b / g / n (up to 150Mbps). It can act as a NAS, providing access to the integrated hard drive and attached storage. There is also a torrent client, which is controlled via a web interface.

Media player for 10,000 rubles and above: HTPC

If you need an omnivorous and versatile media player, you can purchase an x86 model and then install the standard Windows 8 Media Center or Linux alternatives. You will get the widest range of options, including multi-channel audio output to an external receiver, but you will have to pay more. Below we provide links to HTPCs tested in Chekanov's Laboratory in 2013.

We get to know Rombica products often and a lot. There is a reason for this: this company is not lazy in the development and release of more and more new models of equipment. In particular, media players. Probably, the idea is correct: to cover the market as fully as possible, giving potential owners wide freedom of choice. Looking for a miniature all-format device? Please - for direct connection to TV. Looking for a full-size stationary hard drive player with a wide variety of interfaces? No problem, here is one that will satisfy the vast majority of requests. But the examples given refer to extremes, and what can the manufacturer offer in the middle range - both in price and in operational and functional? Here, it turns out, the choice is much wider. Today we will study a novelty that stands out from the mass of similar devices.

Looking ahead, let's define the player as a compromise option that combines the features of a fully functional stationary and a miniature unassuming device. And, of course, where without an intriguing note: the player is unique in that it makes it possible to change the firmware with a radical transformation of functionality. Does anyone else remember the classic Linux media player interfaces without a hint of Android presence? We'll have to remember. Details, as usual, are below.

Completeness, design

The device in question is miniature, this can be judged even by its packaging, which, however, contains comprehensive information about the main functions of the player.

The player comes with the minimum required set of accessories:

• power adapter
• infrared remote control with batteries
• composite audio / video cable
• detailed user manual in Russian

The body of the device consists of two halves of irregular shape. On the front panel there is a window, behind which is an infrared sensor that picks up signals from the remote control, as well as a dim LED that displays the current operating mode.

There are no mechanical buttons on the body, all control is carried out only from the remote control or through the peripherals connected to the player's USB ports. You can also enable wireless LAN control with mobile devices using the universal app (), but it only works under the Kodi shell.

Interface connectors are located on the right side of the case and on the back side:

• microSD card slot
• two USB 2.0 ports for connecting peripherals, including drives
• connector for a 5-volt mains adapter
• digital HDMI output version (attention!) 2.0
• analog composite audio / video output (4-pin 3.5 mm jack)
• s / PDIF digital audio output (coaxial)

The device can be easily divided into two plastic parts - the body and the lid. The entire electronics is located on one printed circuit board, which is bolted to the bottom half. A metal plate attached to the bottom acts as an additional heat dissipator, which is transferred from the heatsink glued to the main chip. Excess heat, in turn, escapes through the ventilation slots.

In addition to the SoC Amlogic (Cortex A53-ARM8) covered with a heatsink, you can see some electronic components on the board:

• Samsung 8GB Flash KLM8G1WEPD-B031
• two Micron D9SHD memory chips
• WLAN controller Realtek 8189ETV

All this filling gives a rather modest heating in operation. We photographed a working set-top box with a thermal imager, which had been busy for several hours with continuous playback of 4K movies in H.265 format. Testing was carried out indoors at a room temperature of about 25 ° C. You can see that one of the sections of the case only warmed up to 38 ° C. It is not hard to guess what this site is.

You can safely ignore such heating; most of today's electronic gadgets get much hotter, up to an emergency shutdown or even failure.

The supplied remote has smooth rubber buttons and a clearly visible LED that blinks when pressed. In the upper part there is a block of programmable buttons, which can be assigned to control any household appliances - TV, receiver, etc.

The main technical characteristics of the device are shown in the following table:

CPU	4 cores ARM Cortex-A53 2.0 GHz (Amlogic S905x)
GPU	5 cores ARM Mali-450
RAM	1 GB
ROM memory	8 GB
operating system	Android 6.0 Marshmallow / Rombica TV OS
Interfaces
Video outputs	HDMI 2.0 up to Ultra HD 4K (3840x2160) 24-60Hz analog CVBS
Audio outputs	HDMI 2.0 analog stereo output digital S / PDIF coaxial
Net	Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n (2.4 GHz) Ethernet (RJ45) 10/100 Mbps
Other	USB 2.0 (2 pcs.) For connecting storage devices and peripherals microSD / SDHC / SDXC card slot
Data sources	the Internet the local network uSB 2.0 drives microSD / SDHC / SDXC memory cards
Other characteristics
Operating systems / interface	standard Android / Kodi (Linux) Rombica TV OS
Built-in internet services	Ivi, Megogo, TVZavr, YouTube, Peers TV, etc.
Support	high dynamic range video HDR 10 bit ultra HD 4K hardware decoder with H.264 and H.265 codecs, including HEVC with 10bit profile and up to 60p at 4K built-in video codecs: MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, Xvid, WMV9, VC-1, DV, DVPRO, MJPEG, RealVideo, THEORA, WEBM (VP8, VP9), H.263, H.264, H.265 containers: MKV, AVI, MOV, MP4, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, M2TS, MTS, VOB, ASF, WMV 3D video: Side-by-side, Top-to-bottom maximum video resolution: 576i / 720p (THEORA, VP9, \u200b\u200bProRes LT), Full HD 1080p (RealVideo, VC-1, MJPEG, VP6, VP8, MPEG2, MPEG4, XVID), ULTRA HD 4K (4096 × 2160 30p, H. 264, H.265) audio formats: LPCM, MP3 / MPA, M4A, AAC, WMA, APE, FLAC, WAV Pack (WV), OGG, WAV subtitles: SRT (external), text (MKV), VobSub (MP4, MKV), PGS (Blu-ray, TS, MKV) image formats: JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF file systems: EXT3, EXT4, FAT, FAT32, exFAT (FAT64), NTFS, HFS + cloud services: Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, Yandex Disk and others automatic switching of output frequencies: 24 Hz, 50 Hz, 60 Hz network protocols: SMB client, NFS client, FTP client, UPnP client, IPTV
Display	no, only operating mode indicator
Cooling	passive
Power Supply	external
Dimensions, weight	92 x 89 x 15 mm, 115 g
The cost
average price	T-1717668019
Retail offers	L-1717668019-10

Settings, performance, operation

Loading the operating system takes several tens of seconds, standard for Android. The shell in this player is the most ordinary one, familiar to every owner of an Android smartphone or tablet. We note, no less habitually, that such an interface is not very suitable for use in a gadget that does not have a touchscreen display. You either need to connect a mouse or use a special button on the remote control. This button activates a cursor crawling across the screen, which can be controlled from the same remote control by pressing the arrow buttons. Slow and inconvenient, but as a hot replacement for a missing mouse, it works well.

Initially, we studied the player provided for testing, which ran on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system. Here, as part of the standard Android, there is a proprietary multimedia shell Rombica. It has been talked about many times in previous reviews of the company's products. It should be noted that with its help, player control becomes much easier. But, of course, only in terms of playing videos and other content.

Despite the presence of such a wrapper, the standard Android remains under it. Some of its settings contain items that it makes sense to pay attention to in the article. Because they directly affect the player's hardware.

First, the screen settings. In addition to the typical parameters regarding the choice of resolution or rotation, there is an item here that activates the signal output in HDR format. Of course, in order to see any differences between an HDR signal and a “normal” signal, you need not only an appropriate TV or monitor, but also content in the same format. And this is a tremendous rarity today. In addition to the listed tools, the user will need a fierce desire and ability to see and feel these differences. Which is very difficult when watching a movie, and not special test files with 10-bit gradient fills.

It should be noted that when configuring the player, only those frame sizes and frequencies that are supported by the currently connected TV or other display / capture device will be displayed in the list of available video output resolutions. The capture device we use can work with a maximum of Full HD source, therefore, the screenshots above do not include 4K and other modes with frame sizes larger than 1920 × 1080. But we'll definitely see these missing modes when we connect the player to a 4K TV. But in any case, it is recommended to leave activated the first item, which uses the EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) standard, when the playback device receives information about its characteristics from the TV and automatically switches its video output to the optimal mode.

Now the audio settings. The player is able to output multi-channel Dolby and DTS sound. Here, specifically for the S / PDIF-out, there is a DRC mode setting: RF or Line. As far as you can understand, DRC is dynamic range compression, and RF and Line parameters are decoding methods. Presumably, in RF mode, stereo sound is output to the specified interface, and in Line mode, multichannel sound is received.

A separate item is responsible for the method of outputting sound to digital interfaces. Digital Sounds... Here, the best solution would be to leave the very first Auto Detection item active. In this case, the player will always switch to the highest possible mode. For example, if you have connected to an audio receiver with the ability to decode multichannel audio, the player will enable the HDMI Passthrough option for audio streaming.

It may be useful to have a settings item that activates automatic switching of the frame rate at the video output according to the frame rate in the video being played (HDMI self-adaption). Also worthy of mention is the point of changing the function of the power button on the remote control: by pressing it, you can "put to sleep" the player (analogous to the usual display blocking in mobile devices), or turn it off completely.

Let's move on to standard hardware testing, but before that let's look at the composition of the electronic components on which the device operates. Depending on the source of information, the information about the components may differ, so here are the screenshots obtained in different programs.

The stock is not bad, but how this inventory is used by the Android system is another matter. As a rule, it is not used effectively enough. It is known that Android, due to the incredible number of gadgets running on this OS, in each device is a pile of patches glued to one another. To bring the software component to mind is serious work; not every brand can carry out such activities. However, a good example is somewhere near, in this article. But later. For now, let's check the speed of the network interfaces available in the player.

It's a shame, but the device in question lacks a gigabit Ethernet adapter and dual-band Wi-Fi. The speed of wireless interfaces is limited to 10/100 Mbps LAN, and Wi-Fi supports versions of 802.11b / g / n (2.4 GHz). Let's not be smart, we will measure the speeds in the most common practical way - by copying the same file from the network storage (Synology DS212j connected to the local network via the D-Link DGS-1008D gigabit switch) to the player's memory and back.

The speeds obtained can be called more than modest. Probably, this was not without the influence of the infrastructure in which the speeds were measured. But another version looks much more plausible, which was mentioned a little higher: the notorious patches.

We will also study how these speed limitations of network interfaces affect video playback from network drives. Namely, by playing test videos with different bit rates. The peculiarity of these videos is that they are encoded with a constant bit rate, and not with a variable one, as in ordinary films. In order not to torment the viewer, we will cite only two recent attempts to play files: with a bitrate of 30 and 35 Mbps.

If the playback of a 30-megabit video is successful, then when the bit rate increases by 5 Mbps, the consequences of a lack of network speed begin: the picture freezes to fill the buffer. Roughly the same picture is observed when playing content from network drives with Wi-Fi connection, because the speeds of both interfaces, wired and wireless, are almost the same.

In addition to the rather slow network interfaces, the player is equipped with the previous version of USB 2.0. Why not USB 3.0? Most likely, such an increase in performance is possible only with the use of new expensive components. Hence the increase in the price of the product. Perhaps a multiple. However, due to the lack of a local storage device of serious capacity in the player, there is no hard need for USB 3.0, because the existing USB 2.0 is successfully enough to play any standard video content from connected USB drives - for example, a USB HDD. To verify this, we recorded special files on the USB hard drive. The files had to be created from scratch, in the future they will definitely be required: this is a 4K video with a constant bitrate and compressed with the HEVC codec (H.265). The bitrate level in each file is different, from 20 to 100 Mbps in 10 Mbps steps.

So, let's play the specified files from a USB disk.

To view at a larger size, click the Original Size button

That was exactly what had to be proved: even a 100-megabit video can be played quite successfully via the USB 2.0 bus, therefore, there is no need for a faster interface. However, finding content with a bitrate of 100 Mbps now is not an easy task. The 4K HEVC standard assumes an average bit rate of 50 Mbps. Let's clarify: we are now talking about content prepared and intended solely for viewing - such as 4K Blu-ray Disc and "rips" from it. Of course, there are exceptions in the world: "raw" files captured by various gadgets - cameras, camcorders, even smartphones. They are not limited by the standard and can have a much higher bit rate, because the purpose of camcorder video is mandatory editing with subsequent transcoding into standard formats.

For the sake of order and for the sake of tradition, we have conducted standard testing in some standard test packages. Some tests are not supported by the device, which was notified by the corresponding programs. Most of the failure occurred when trying to test a 3D engine. The results of the successful tests are shown in the table.

PCMark Work 2.0, points	2313
PCMark Computer Vision, points	1219
GFXBench OpenGL T-Rex, fps	11
AnTuTu 3D Bench, points	34221
GeekBench Single-Core, points	605
GeekBench Multi-Core Points	1704

And these results, as you can see, are rather mediocre when compared with expensive products of well-known brands. But we are not surprised at this for a long time: not only are expensive components used in the grants, but also their software strapping is done with no less care. Accordingly, the purpose of the devices turns out to be different: if players like this one specialize in video playback and sometimes simple web surfing, then expensive consoles can be used, among other things, for serious 3D games using joysticks and other peripherals.

It is known that due to lack of processor power or for other reasons, many players during video playback can duplicate or drop some frames. As a result, the picture on the screen constantly twitches or freezes. Yes, not every user will be able to see with their eyes clear signs of duplication or dropped frames. However, a conventional camera is able to capture every such incident. And the next test is one of the clearest, where no "synthetics" are involved, and the results do not contain nameless meaningless parrots. We need special files in which the arrow makes one revolution per second, and the camera needs to be switched to the shutter priority mode, setting the exposure time equal to one second, and directed to the TV screen. If the player plays the video without discarding or duplication, that is, each frame of the video stream is honestly decoded and sent to the TV, then the illuminated prints of the arrow running in a circle will have the same brightness in the picture, and there will be no gaps and empty areas. Important: before experimenting, you need to turn off any video signal processing by the TV's processor by switching the HDMI input used to PC mode.

Obviously, there are no even hints of frame skipping. And this despite the fact that the test files are encoded in HEVC (H.265). It follows from this that the player is equipped with a hardware decoder that allows you to process video compressed in H.265 at 60 frames per second. Incidentally, this is an extremely rare case today. The vast majority of video playback hardware supports H.265-compressed video playback up to and including 30p.

Indeed, the very first "release" found on the Web, having similar characteristics, clearly overestimated relative to the standard, confirmed the guess - the device in question easily decodes 4K HEVC at 60p. Moreover, the video can be encoded with a 10-bit profile (HDR is actively promoted now), this does not affect playback at all. The parameters of such a file (obviously self-made, obtained by capturing a digital stream, but not the essence) are as follows:

To view such a stream on a computer, you need a fairly powerful processor. For example, our computers running on AMD Phenom II X6 1090T and Intel Pentium G3220 were not able to play this video properly. Only a PC equipped with Intel i7-3970 coped with playing the file without noticeable "brakes" (though the load of all twelve cores during playback reached 70%). Despite such high requirements to the hardware, this video can be played easily by our player.

To view at a larger size, click the Original Size button

True, the sound during fast rewinding appears only after a few seconds, but this, most likely, is a feature of the audio receiver, through which the signal was passed through before getting into our capture device. By the way, the video here seems faded and discolored precisely because it is 10-bit and to view it (in the original) an appropriate TV is required.

By default, the player's firmware contains a small number of pre-installed applications. Quite standard, which, nevertheless, quite fully reveal the potential and functionality of the hardware filling. An example is Miracast or its related EZCast Screen. These programs use the built-in wireless network adapter, organizing direct Wi-Fi communication (Wi-Fi Direct), making it possible to broadcast "over the air" to the TV screen everything that is displayed on the display of a smartphone or tablet.

Another service worthy of mention is called Peers.TV. Without any preliminary preparation, without concluding agreements with TV providers, any user with access to the Internet can watch the live broadcast of a large number of TV channels.

To view at a larger size, click the Original Size button

Finally, another service is Kodi. On the basis of this multimedia shell, the so-called HTPC (home theater on a PC) are created. Convenient navigation with the help of the remote control is realized here, it is also possible to install interactive add-ons.

When choosing third-party services, the user, being the master of the situation, is free to install any program or software package offered by online stores or found in other ways. But there is only one way to radically change the player's functionality: by completely changing the firmware to another. At the time of writing this article, such a firmware had already been developed by Rombica specialists and was being tweaked in strict secrecy. Thus, we had a chance to participate in a kind of beta testing of new software. It is called uncomplicated:

Rombica TV OS

Let's start with the procedure for installing this firmware. At the time of the run-in, the operating system was installed on a regular microSD memory card with a minimum capacity of 8 GB. An extremely convenient way to evaluate the performance of the software: when a memory card is inserted into the slot, the player boots with the Rombica TV OS operating system. But if you remove the card and turn on the player, the usual Android 6.0 will load. In the coming weeks, the developer plans to implement the second method of flashing directly into the player's memory. Of course, after such an execution, Android will simply disappear from the device, so the user will have to carefully weigh the "risks" and make a choice between a media player and an Android set-top box. But let's get down to business.

Launching a new OS after turning on the player takes a ludicrous few seconds. Tellingly, the class of the memory card, which determines the read / write speed, does not play a noticeable role - to check this, we specially installed the firmware on several different cards, from fast to slow.

After loading, the user will see a rather familiar interface that resembles ... What should it resemble? Perhaps the Kodi multimedia shell mentioned in the previous chapter? Of course it is. However, the fundamental difference is that Kodi running on Android is very different from its adapted version running on "pure" Linux. The ported version of Kodi to Android has to put up with restrictions. Such as the lack of direct access to hardware, or working in a virtual environment through a Java machine. Bringing Kodi back to native Linux gives direct access to electronic components, does not require the background execution of many Android modules, which ultimately frees up a significant amount of resources.

First of all, these freed up resources manifest themselves in the smoothness of the interface, in the speed of creating miniature posters, in the absence of even a faint hint of slowdown and freezing, which are so typical for Android. It is impossible to resist showing this smooth shell work.

To view at a larger size, click the Original Size button

Of course, in a short video you will not show all the settings and functions of the OS, but the general impression, we hope, the reader has already received. It remains to add a little useful information: all this firmware was made practically from scratch, based on Linux and source codes from the processor manufacturer, in order to fully reveal the capabilities of the SoC. At the same time, of course, the functionality of the hardware decoders was preserved.

But it's not just about decoders. Since the firmware was initially adapted for a specific hardware, the developer managed to remove many Android restrictions. We saw them a little earlier when we tried to play content from a network storage: the player was unable to adequately reproduce a video with a bitrate higher than 30 Mbps. Now, having changed the firmware, let's try to repeat our experiment. To get started, let's play video with different bit rates via a wired connection. And let's start right away with a video with a bitrate of 70 Mbps.

To view at a larger size, click the Original Size button

What is it ?! In fact, the speed of the player's network interface after upgrading to a new firmware almost triples! No miracles, it's just the work of other drivers plus the freed up RAM.

During playback, one could observe how the buffer is being replenished and how the player's slider is trying to catch up and get ahead of the buffer filling progress. And only when playing a 90-megabit video does it finally manage to overtake the process of filling the buffer with content. Thus, now it becomes possible to play any high-bitrate video from the network storage. Even a hundred megabit. Why? The answer is on the surface: our test files are encoded, as mentioned, at a constant bitrate. While any content intended for viewing has a variable bitrate, the level of which differs from frame to frame, depending on the amount of movement and color. The file characteristics usually indicate the maximum bitrate level, while the average bitrate may be several times lower. And thanks to the constantly filling buffer, the player is able to compensate for peak bitrate values. If, of course, they have a short duration.

Let's repeat the experiment, but with a wireless connection. It is interesting to know the level of adaptation of the drivers in the new firmware.

To view at a larger size, click the Original Size button

But with Wi-Fi the picture comes out more severe - "only" 60 Mbps is the limit level, which makes it difficult to view such content. However, again, we must not forget about the difference between constant bitrate and variable.

Thus, "pulling an owl on the globe", we can assume that a player with the new firmware is theoretically capable of playing 90-megabit video over a wired network, and up to 60 Mbps through a Wi-Fi connection. But, we emphasize, viewing with such levels is work on the verge of a foul, because everything depends on the nature of the video, on the level of its average bitrate.

Any user can get acquainted with the main features of Rombica TV OS - just install Kodi, since this software can run on Android, Windows and even Mac OS. True, the interface will be slightly different, this is due to the fact that the design in Rombica TV has been changed for the sake of greater convenience in searching and viewing files, and some settings items have been added or changed related to the specific hardware of the set-top box. Here are some typical screenshots of the interface with a brief description of them.

The system greets the user with a setup wizard screen. If you do not ignore it and go through these few simple steps, then you will hardly need to return to debugging later. Unless the user is fussy or wants to install some additional modules that are standard for the Kodi shell.

The number of subtle screen settings cannot be compared with the Android settings item of a similar purpose. Here it is possible to force the desired frequency and calibrate the display.

Even more serious instruments are present in the sound settings. Here you can not only select the source or the number of channels, but even enable passthrough for each audio format separately.

In addition to these standard functions for a high-quality media player, in the settings you will find a special section dedicated to USB peripherals. In particular, controllers. There is a list of officially supported joysticks, but the system can easily recognize other hardware that is not on the list. So, the Defender Cobra M5 joystick connected to the console (unfortunately, the author does not have other game controllers at hand).

Now the question is: what, in fact, can you need these controllers? But for what:

By pressing the power button in the interface of the main window, the system will display a dialog list of five items. Among them is the item Gameswhich reboots the OS into game console mode.

In this mode, the set-top box can emulate different types of Sony PS1 and Nintendo consoles. In this case, games can be uploaded to the memory of the console over the network; access to this memory is open by default.

The operation of the set-top box as a media player is extremely simple. To play video, audio or graphics, you first need to add to the list of sources the resource where this content is located. Adding is done using the built-in browser that supports a lot of protocols.

The fastest of them is, of course, NFS (by the way, it was through this protocol that the NAS was connected at the time we were measuring network speeds). However, the good old Samba does not interfere with fast and smooth, without slowdown, surfing through network folders.

The content of each content source added to the player's list can be indexed according to certain rules. To do this, in the source settings, you can select the scan options, the preferred network database, and the language for displaying content information. The process of scanning the added source does not take long and practically does not load the network storage disk.

At the end of the scan, the new list of content sources displays not only the file names, but all the information found about the movie.

The appearance of the created library changes in accordance with the user's preferences, and you can also change the method of sorting content by genre, year of release, category, and other characteristics.

The video playback process was demonstrated above, it remains only to note that during playback, full information about the film and the technical properties of the file can be displayed on the screen. Also, directly during viewing, you can select a different audio track, quickly switch the method of sound output.

By the way, about the sound. DTS Master Audio cannot be output directly during Android playback. But the player running Rombica TV OS is free from Android prejudices, this operating system has a direct connection with electronic components, without an intermediary in the form of a Java machine. As a result, there is absolutely no problem with multi-channel or HD audio output. Below are screenshots of the player's screen with information supplement from the audio receiver, which provides information about the format of the incoming sound.

In conclusion, we add that Rombica TV OS is not limited to content playback and emulation of game consoles. All the services that are available in Kodi are available here. Including even the services needed to connect IPTV, OTT, Internet TV, Torrent TV, Torrent and external USB TV tuners (DVB-T2 and DVB-S2).

Needless to say, Rombica TV OS allows the installation of all Kodi add-ons that extend the functionality of the multimedia system.

The developer plans to release two versions of the Rombica TV OS system: for powerful players with 4K connectivity, as well as for players with simpler hardware and, accordingly, with Full HD resolution.

conclusions

It seems that two different devices were described in one article. However, it is a fact: software replacement is fundamentally transforming the behavior and functionality of the same device. The speed of operation of network interfaces increases dramatically, restrictions on the format of the output sound are removed, and it becomes possible to conveniently control it using only the remote control. Simply put, the full potential is revealed. Which, we have to admit, is not so high: the absence of gigabit Ethernet still introduces a note of incompleteness, some kind of imperfection. However, a practical audit showed that the existing 100-megabit adapter is successfully enough to play almost any modern video content over the network. Especially with the new firmware lacking a hint of Android. And this is true, since this mobile OS is primarily focused on infotainment services. While the multimedia Rombica TV, running under Linux, was originally built to seamlessly play content of any format from any media.

Currently, similar Linux firmwares for other Rombica players are undergoing pre-release testing, including for the younger generation Rombica Smart Box v002 and. Thus, soon the owners of these devices will be able to acquire a new product for free, actually a different device, but in the same guise. With performance exceedingly similar to that of a well-known media player brand, whose name should not be mentioned in vain as it is already well known. Even too good.

It should be recognized that such a transformation, albeit a software one, requires some effort on the part of the developer. And, what is there to hide, against the general background of stagnation of ideas, this is actually an innovation. And we are used to celebrating any innovation with well-deserved awards. We hope this badge of honor for developing a standalone Rombica TV OS has been issued impartially and fairly.

For other models, similar firmware is also being prepared for release.

Many modern TV models already have built-in devices for playing multimedia content, but their functionality may be lower than that of a separately installed media player for a TV. By connecting additional equipment, you can significantly expand the capabilities of your TV, get access to social networks and various Internet services, even from the screens of the simplest models. Therefore, many users are thinking about buying an additional TV set-top box.

Modern multimedia TV-boxes have replaced VCRs and DVD / CD-players. Today they:

• read almost any video and audio format;
• able to open any images;
• reproduce information from a variety of sources (portable portable storage devices, mobile gadgets, etc.);
• broadcast streaming video;
• provide an opportunity for users to access the Internet through a browser, use a large number of entertainment services;
• support uTorrent, 3D, Wi-Fi and gaming functions.

Specific functionality may vary depending on the model.

In appearance, these are small devices with different ports and a control panel. The latest versions may have a lcd display, user touch operation tool. Connection to the TV is made via HDMI cable, wireless connection or component jack.

Some devices fit and to old CRT TV types... In this case, information transfer occurs via S-Video or composite slot. It should be understood that the functionality of such a pair will be limited. Since if the media player has any capabilities, then such a TV will not be able to reproduce, for example, FullHD or 3D format. Of course, users of modern models have more options.

Composite video output RCA and S-Video

Is it worth buying a media player for TV if you have a computer

At first glance, it may seem that such a device is a waste of money when you have a PC or laptop. After all, the computer just performs these functions. But not every electronic computing device is capable of transmitting high quality picture and soundas a widescreen LED TV will do, especially in high definition HD and FullHD, as well as Blue Ray.

You can either use the system unit via an HDMI cable, but this is not always convenient. In addition, you often have to smash your head over setting up device synchronization, especially for streaming video playback or recording TV broadcasts to your computer's hard drive.

Another plus in favor of a separate TV box is silent work... Since the computer is equipped with a cooling device, it generates some noise during operation. The advantages are obvious, so for connoisseurs of excellent video playback quality, it is worth considering how to choose a media player for your TV.

Connecting the computer system unit to the TV

What criteria should you pay attention to when choosing a modern TV set-top box

Today the market is represented by a wide range of digital TV players. To decide on the choice of the most suitable device model for yourself, you should pay attention to the following criteria:

• media player interface;
• possible playback formats;
• control system;
• sources and carriers of content (support for Internet services);
• additional functionality.

Media player interface

Even before sending to the store for a new device for your TV, you need to find out the presence of ports and connectors that are available in television equipment. This information is important for choosing how to connect the set-top box. The most optimal and popular option today isHDMI-cable, this connection will provide high quality video and multi-channel audio transmission. This digital connector allows you to reproduce HD and FullHD resolutions available for modern LED TV models from LG, Samsung, Sony and other manufacturers.

In the case of earlier TV models, the set-top box may need to support the following types of connectors.

1. Component output... Many famous "tulips" are used for synchronization. A feature of such a connection is the transmission of individual video signal components over several cables, at the end of which there are three RCA connectors. In this case, only the image is transmitted, sound in stereo is connected separately.

1. Composite output... The principle of video signal transmission is similar to the previous one, but the image quality is worse. If possible, it is better to use an analog interface.
2. S— Video... Such a connector is rarely found even on CRT TVs, but in some models it is still present. The design feature and quality of video signal transmission are slightly better than composite. It is based on two dividing lines that are used to transmit luminance and chroma signals in an image.

In addition to ports for connecting a media player to a TV, it must support and additional set of interfaces... Modern models, in addition to the obligatory HDMI and USB, may have an optical or card reader for connecting other storage media. Not all devices provide for a built-in HDD, but most of them do (two USB connectors are required for high-quality work).

It is important not only to think over the way to connect the set-top box to the TV, but also its synchronization with other devices. All necessary connectors must be present in the technical specifications of the device. Also, if necessary, you should take care of purchasing additional adapters that are not included in the media player kit.

Possible playback formats

It is no exaggeration to say that modern multimedia TV-boxes reproduce almost all video and audio formats, as well as open any images. Even the most budget devices will play popular AVI, MKV, MP4. Therefore, through most consoles, you can watch movies in BDRip (-AVC) or DVDRip standards.

The entire list of readable formats is indicated in the technical specifications.

But many inexperienced users are mistaken, evaluating the device according to the list of supported formats, without considering the concept media containers and codecsby equating them. Simply put, if the set-top box supports playback of the mp4 container, this does not mean that all files with this extension will play well. They can open, for example, without sound or with noise, if the audio track is not supported. Since the concepts of media container and codec have different definitions. In the first case, this is the file format, in the second, the stream format in it.

For those who want to watch movies on their home theater in high quality or 3 formatD, it is worth choosing extended reading formats. For example, movies with 3D graphics often have an ISO extension or several folders with files of different formats. And support for the ISO BD3D extension is not present in all models.

3D Media Player 3Q F370HW

Control system

In addition to supporting standard multimedia formats and optimal loading times, the media player should have russian-language menu with easy control and navigation are fundamental factors in the analysis of this criterion. Users can control the set-top box both from the device itself and from the remote control or through a mobile gadget. There are also models that support QWERTY keyboard and computer wireless mouse. These accessories will come in handy when working with social networks or an Internet browser through a TV screen. For convenience, you can use that allows you to control both the set-top box and the TV at the same time.

Sources and carriers of content (support for Internet services)

The set-top box can play media content from a variety of media.

1. Built-in HDD. In this case, the size of the media will be important. A plus built-in hard drive - All multimedia content is stored in one place and is available at any time.
2. A portable storage device (USB flash drive, external hard drive) connected via a USB connector.
3. Memory cards for cameras, camcorders, mobile gadgets. Their connection is made either through a built-in or external card reader, or through a cable.
4. Hard disks of devices connected to Wi-Fi (if there is a wireless connection).
5. Online services such as You Tube, IVI, Google Video, Apple Trailers, Meta Cafe, etc. (if connected to the Internet).

The capabilities of media players are constantly expanding. Modern models allow you to read letters sent to your e-mail, play online games, find out news and weather forecasts, watch new films that have just appeared in wide distribution, etc.

Media Player Zappiti Player 4K

Additional functionality

More advanced devices provide users with more options. Therefore, if the purpose of the purchase is to make a Smart TV out of your Samsung or LG TV, it is better to give preference to set-top boxes with:

• opportunity home network connection (via wireless connection or Ethernet cable);
• internet accessto be able to use popular online services, social networks, IPTV;
• modern operating systemto be able to update it and install additional software.

The choice and purchase of a media player, even for modern TV models, will be very helpful. Especially for those users who appreciate high-quality picture and multi-channel sound. In addition, such a device can turn a simple TV into a Smart, and significantly expand its capabilities. After all, even an expensive home theater may not have all the necessary functionality, and a properly selected multimedia TV box can solve these problems.

03.12.2014 / 927

Watching movies is one of the most common leisure activities. How nice it is for the whole family to relax in front of the TV screen while watching TV programs, feature films, news. All the latest films are shown on this or that TV channel, you just need to carefully study the program schedule.

But there is one small but minus here. In modern dynamic life, it is quite difficult to adapt to television broadcasting. The film of interest can be shown when not everyone is at home yet or too late when it is time to rest. For this reason, VCRs were popular in the old days, later DVD-players, and now more and more movies are downloaded from the Internet and watched on a computer.

In an effort to improve leisure time, computers began to install a special connector for connecting to a TV, after all, its diagonal, as a rule, is much larger than that of a computer monitor, and it is usually more convenient for collective viewing.

What is a media player?

A media player is a device designed to view movies in digital format on a TV screen without using a personal computer. It is enough to copy the desired movie to a USB drive, which is connected to a special connector on the media player.

Technically, the media player looks almost like a DVD player, only much smaller in size. The front panel contains connectors for connecting USB drives and / or memory cards. On the back of the case, as a rule, there are connectors for connecting a media player to a TV.

Now in more detail. USB drives are different - flash drives of different sizes, as well as external hard drives. Modern player models support almost any type of storage, regardless of size. This was not always the case, though. If you come across a production model of 2010-2012, then it may easily lack support, for example, external hard drives or flash drives with a volume of 32-64 MB.

The fact is that volume drives require a sufficiently powerful power source, and the power supply unit of the media player itself may simply not be designed for such a load. And it will be normal that the hard disk freezes when connected to the player, is not detected, or even starts to click loudly, not even allowing the player to start. These are clear signs of incompatibility between these devices. In modern models of media players, such troubles practically do not occur.

Now about the connectors for connecting to the TV. Since the appearance of media players on the Russian market to this day, no common standard has existed, although attempts to simplify the life of the consumer are still being made.

In general, the following connectors are common:
RCA ("tulips") - the easiest way to connect, because there is such a connector on any, even the old, even the new TV. All three wires: video and stereo sound. As a rule, it is present in all models of media players.
SCART is a relatively rarely used connector, mainly due to its relatively large size, although it is found on almost all modern TV models.
HDMI is the preferred connection type. All new TVs have such a connector, it allows you to transmit both sound and video over one wire directly in digital form (unlike the previous versions). On models less than 3-4 years old, such a connector is required. It is this connection method that allows you to achieve the maximum image quality from the media player.

In management, any media player is no different from DVD players. The menus are almost the same: a list of files on the drive is displayed on the TV screen, and when you press the play button on the remote control, you start watching the movie. Nothing complicated, maximum simplicity and efficiency.

Features of modern media players

But, despite all the statements about the simplicity of media players, there are at least two or three dozen different models in various catalogs, which differ greatly from each other at more than twice the price. What's the matter?
The whole secret lies in the presence of additional functions in them that make this simple device a universal leisure center. So, for example, the most common such related features as

Supports LAN connection Ethernet or even Wi-Fi. Due to this function, the media player can easily connect to a home network or the Internet and play movies directly from a computer or online resources. Some models are able to independently download files from the Internet via torrents;
the ability to connect an internal storage on which you can store your entire home movie library. Some models are immediately sold with a 500-1000 GB hard drive connected, which is enough to satisfy most buyers. If the media player also supports connection to a local network, then it can be used as a shared storage for all types of files.

There are also differences in the software stuffing of media players. There are more than a dozen formats in which movie files are stored on the Internet and on a computer. For everyone, if they are reproduced on a computer, some kind of program is used, although, of course, there are also universal tools. The media player should have become such a universal, but not everything is so simple.

Many programs on the computer are regularly updated, including support for new formats is added, errors in old modules are corrected, due to which it is possible to "transparent" playback of any video, when the user does not even think about such details as the file format, but simply watching a movie.
The media player does not have the ability to update so regularly, so everyone can only use what is. And even a thorough analysis of the supported formats does not always give a result, there are so many of them that not every experienced computer scientist will figure out whether everything is listed or something important is not. There are, of course, models that are quite versatile, but they also have rare cases of incompatibility.

Pros and cons compared to a personal computer

Today there are lovers of computer viewing who quite authoritatively assert that the computer will forever remain the best way to watch movies, that it has a lot of obvious advantages, etc. But is it really so?
Of course, each solution has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, a computer has the following advantages:
almost absolute versatility, and when new video file formats appear, it is enough to install the program you need to play or update the already installed software.
the ability to watch movies online immediately, without waiting for their download to your computer's hard drive, you just need to connect the cable to the TV and expand the video to full screen to make it easier to watch
no USB drives are needed, especially since running flash drives have a very small volume (4-16 GB) for movies in good quality (for HD quality, you still have to buy an external hard drive, since video files take from 5 to 50 GB and even more).

In defense of media players, for each item, one can give quite weighty arguments and facts, for example:

The current Internet speeds allow you to quickly download a new file encoded in a different format if the media player does not understand the format of the old, already downloaded movie. New formats are less and less common, and they are not used very willingly either. for sites with films, it is necessary that the films were watched without any problems.
movies online are often played in disgusting quality, which more or less still looks on a small monitor, but on a large diagonal will look unusable. And when watching a movie on a computer, there will be no opportunity to do other things.
external hard drives are quite common today, their price is slightly higher than that of internal drives and it is often more profitable to buy it than a USB flash drive with a large capacity (32-64 GB, for example).

Of the obvious advantages of media players, one can note their complete noiselessness, which is impossible to achieve for a computer, even a laptop. Each media player comes with a remote control, which makes it easy to use. It is easy to entrust it even to a child, because nothing can be spoiled in it, unlike a computer.

In general, the media player is more suitable for family leisure, when some family members do not want to, for example, watch a movie or watch, but at the same time communicate on social networks. There are many situations, and they all speak for buying a media player at home.

Review of popular models of media players

All models of media players sold on the Russian market can be divided into a number of conditional categories, the simplest of which is the price range. The most popular models are always those that have a low price (budget models) or a relatively average cost with good performance.

IconBit Movie HD T2

A compact model that does not even require a separate space on the TV shelf. There is nothing superfluous in it, only playback of files from a USB drive.

TV connectors - HDMI, RCA ("tulips"), component;
support for all video formats, up to HD, except for rarely used ones like Ultra HD, as well as 3D files;
there is a built-in TV receiver in DVB-T2 format;
price - $ 28.58

Due to the presence of a receiver of the modern digital television standard, the model becomes essentially a universal "combine". The single USB port on the front suggests that the reading function is somewhat secondary.
An excellent option for those who prefer to use inexpensive, but sufficiently functional devices.

Asus O! Play Mini

Another compact member of the family of budget media players. Weighing only 175 grams, it can completely replace a full-featured computer.

The main characteristics of the player:
TV connectors - HDMI, composite (RCA is absent, which slightly reduces its compatibility with old TVs);
support for all video formats, up to HD, except for rarely used ones like Ultra HD, also does not play flash-animation;
price - $ 56.77

In addition to the standard USB connector for all, the front panel has a slot for SD / MMC / MS / xD memory cards, which allows you to quickly view videos taken with a photo or camcorder.
An excellent option for those who prefer to view footage on the camera without a PC, right on the big TV screen.

IconBit Toucan Smart 3D

A budget model that has received maximum features at a low price. And all this thanks to the support of the Android operating system with all its advantages.
The main characteristics of the player:
connectors for connecting to TV - HDMI, D-Sub, composite (RCA is absent, but it is possible to connect to a computer monitor);

price - $ 64.88.

The built-in Android system allows you to adapt the media player to almost any possible situation. It is enough to download the necessary program on the Internet and run it on this device. For example, you can watch movies in 3D quality on it, despite their rather large file size.
The model is perfect for those who need an inexpensive device with network support.

Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Wi-Fi

An interesting media combine with sufficiently developed network capabilities, for example, Internet services that are designed to watch movies online through the network.
The main characteristics of the player:

support for most formats, except for the less common and such as FLV, flash-animation, Ultra HD, etc .;
support for wired LAN and Wi-Fi;
price - $ 70.96

This model provides as many as two USB ports, which allows, for example, to permanently include an external hard drive and use the connector on the back of the player for this. And use the front connector for flash drives.
For its low price, the model is a good option for organizing a network drive (albeit due to a plug-in external hard drive and with some restrictions).

Asus O! Play Mini Plus

An omnivorous model that supports not only a gigabit wired network and Wi-Fi, but also external drives with an eSATA interface.

The main characteristics of the player:
TV connectors - HDMI, composite;
support for most formats, except for flash-animation, Ultra HD and other rarely used;
support for wired LAN and Wi-Fi;
price - $ 77.04
The front panel has a USB connector and a card reader, traditional for Asus players. In terms of functionality, this model is close to more expensive counterparts, which makes it interesting for those who like a large number of options for little money.

IconBit Toucan Stick G4

Quite a powerful multimedia computer based on a 4-core processor and Android system. Installation of third-party applications, including full-length games, is possible.
The main characteristics of the player:
TV connectors - HDMI (apparently, the model is designed only for modern TVs);
support for all formats, even rare ones, since installation of third-party players with improved compatibility is allowed;
Wi-Fi support;
price - $ 87.18
This model is a great option for lovers of exotic, because, despite its miniature size, it shows performance higher than many gaming tablets. True, for so many functional devices, two USB ports may be small, but if necessary, you can use a hub.