Legit Reviews

Posted: **Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:29 am**

For those who don't want to build a HTPC there is another option, the Zensonic Z500. I saw this on EP93 of DLTV they seem to like it.

http://www.z500series.com/

Specifications

1. Audio Formats Supported
* MPEG 1 Layers I,II and III
* WAV
* CD Audio (With FreeDB Support)
* OGG Vorbis
* FLAC
* WMA
* AAC
2. Video Formats Supported
* MPEG-1, MPEG-2 MP@HL, MPEG-4
* ASP@L5 (720p), WMV9 MP@ML (720p)
* XviD
* Nero Digital™
* QuickTime with MPEG4 encoding. .MP4 extension
* DVD ISO/IFO ***
3. Picture Formats Supported
* JPG/JPEG2000
* BMP
* GIF
* PNG
4. Playlist Supported
* M3U
* PLS
* ASX
5. Network Support
* Ethernet 10/100 Mbps
* Wireless 802.11b/g
* SMB support -- access Windows shares directly
6. USB 2 device Support
(if the device appears as a mass storage device)
* USB Thumb Drives
* USB HDD Drives
7. Internet Radio Support
* Integrated Internet Radio Player with preinstalled library of stations
* Stations streaming MP3 or ASX are supported
8. Media Streaming Software
* TwonkyVision 2.9 (Full Version)**, Windows Media Connect
* TwonkyVision supports Windows, MacOS X & Linux
* Share Pictures, Audio and Video Files
* UPnP enabled
9. DVD Player
* DVD-Video, SVCD, VCD 1.x and 2.0
* DVD-R/-RW/+R/+RW
* CD/-R/-RW
10. Extras
* Subtitle support - SRT, SMI, SSA formats
* Online Weather Panel
* HDCP support
* Digital Rights Management: Windows Media DRM 10 *
* EL backlit remote
* Multi-purpose joystick for quick and easy navigation
* ID3 Tag and display on VFD panel on player
* Incremental Pan and Zoom (fine grained control of zoom in .1 increments)
* Firmware updates from OSD. Check for new updates.
* WEP encryption support on Wireless 802.11g
11. I/O
* SCART output
* HDMI output
* S-Video output
* Composite Video output
* Component output
12. Audio
* Stereo output
* Coaxial output
* Optical output
* Analog 5.1 output
13. Connectors
* 10/100 Ethernet
* USB 2.0
* Wireless 802.11g
14. TV Types
* NTSC (480i / 480p)
* PAL (576i / 576p)
* HDTV (720p50 / 720p60 / 1080i50 / 1080i60)

* These features will be available in a firmware update.
** The bundled Twonkyvision software does not include free upgrades.
A discount voucher for upgrades is available.
*** Experimental feature

Posted: **Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:40 am**

$389.99 for a new one... Interesting

Posted: **Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:57 am**

so will you be able to save recorded material to HDD and share it over the network with this

Posted: **Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:41 pm**

from what I gather is, you can have a USB Drive, a NAS or another PC with video or MP3 or images and it will suck them across the network and play them. as well as play standard DVDs I dont see abything about the player storing anything on its self, just acts a portal to get the info and display it.

Posted: **Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:40 pm**

it will suck them across the network and play them.

The only sucking I see is it sucking money from your wallet....

Just kidding, it sounds pretty cool, albeit a bit pricey.....

Posted: **Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:41 pm**

Twonkyvision

I couldn't help but hear banjo's playing when I read that....

Posted: **Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:58 am**

Topher wrote:albeit a bit pricey.....

Any more I live by "If I have to ask, I can't aford it."

Posted: **Tue Sep 19, 2006 3:15 pm**

That's a very wise credo.

Posted: **Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:50 pm**

actually it s not that bad, if u think abou tit an HTPC will cost into the 800's for a good one.

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