0ur opinion:

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HP MediaSmart Connect x280n The HP MediaSmart Connect makes every TV a MediaSmart TV. lt connects to your HDTV and enables browsing of your entire library of digital photos, music, and HD video--even across multiple PCs. Play your music, photos, and video from any Windows-based PC in your house on your HDTV. Direct access to 0nLine Media Services. Unlike other receivers that allow you to access media from only one server at a time, HP MediaSmart Connect automatically aggregates and displays content from all connected-PCs or media servers in your home network.








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Buyer's feedback: - * Best Extender Yet ...
Can I tell you something? Don't even mess with a Linksys Media Center Extender. I had one and was terribly disappointed. Wireless N was awful. Since I read so many good things about this HP Media Smart Connect, I thought I'd give it a try. After hooking up my first one, it wasn't 48 hrs before I needed to add to my collection with a second. this thing works exactly as you'd expect right out of the box. Setup took all of about 3 minutes. Found a nice workaround for my DVD collection (Combine .vob's and rename to .mpg), so now all home video and movies are accessible. Some response lag with the buttons, nice 1st attempt with the universal remote too. (some features with universal remote do not work). So glad someone actually knows what they are doing with these extenders. Nice Job HP!!

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Buyer's feedback: - Great Interface
I think this is a great little thing, sits unobtrusively under the TV. Does everything it sets out to do. Has a beautiful and easy interface. Only down side was that I had to buy a new plasma as the old CRT could not handle the the component video out put. Once up and running was great. The only other niggly thing is that the interface is a little slow at times and delayed and it leaves the user unsure if the product responded to the commands of the remote. It does support uPnP which is good because if you buy a HDD case (mine is a QNAP TS-109) that has a NIC in it you don't have to install anything on any computer which means you can cut down on how many electrical devices are running at home, good for the green conscious, HDD only uses 14W a year. I am running on a Linksys WAG160N through the wireless NIC. And have had no buffer issues. All songs and movies ran seamlessly. Keep in mind that there are only 2 out puts, and that is component video and HDMI. Which is not an issue for new TVs, but for old TVs spells doom.

All in all I would buy it again. Is a simple GUI that even my missus can use. Plus it looks great, which again, pleases the missus.

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Buyer's feedback: - * slow, and flawed ...
This is my fourth media center, after a generic brand, a Logitech and a D-Link one. First of all, it doesn't work (out of box). I have a wirelesss-bridged network, and it looks like some firewall on the way blocked certain request, as I kept getting 'contents can not play' error from a Vista box. Secondly, the interface is extremely slow, and sometimes confusing. The unit often needs to be 'reset' while it wouldn't respond to the 'power' button on the remote once it stuck in a wrong mode, for example, busy going through a photo album that won't display.

The appearance is neat. The unit integrates with some online services. The connection is easy and clear. Unfortunately, these are just peripheral features and can't compensate for it's critical flaws.

By the way, I would like to be able to stream play DVD from a PC to the TV, and stream Netflix online movie (and other similar nature movie such as those from my local library site) to the TV. I would like to have it support my Linux laptop.

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Buyer's feedback: - Easy Setup and Wireless N
I've tried one other media streaming device to date. A Dlink DSM-750. I wouldn't recommend that product to anyone. I returned that device and purchased the HP MediaSmart Connect X280N.

I can recommend this device to anyone if they want something that works out of the box and doesn't require alot of tweaking. In my experience, it is pretty much plug and play. The UI is a bit slow and clunky, but it works and does exactly what it is intended to do without any problems. For me I wanted a few things (in no particular order)...

1) Netflix, Hulu, and some other Internet Streaming (via PlayOn and other Media Servers)
2) Windows XP and WMP11 compatibility (i.e. for media on my computers).
3) Media Center Extender capability (I do have one Vista machine dedicated to that).
4) Plug and Play (my time is precious and I'd rather be doing other things).
5) Handle all the formats/codecs for *my* media and the media I want to watch
6) At least 720p...sorry, guys, I can't really tell too much of a difference between 1080 and 720p. Sure, there is a bit, but I grew up with VCR's, so 720p is pretty darn good for me.
7) WIRELESS N capability. I hate wires.

If you want all the above, with emphasis on Plug and Play and Wireless N. I would recommend the HP MediaSmart Connect. As a point of reference, I spent two days fumbling around with the DSM-750, I spent literally 10 minutes with the HP.

Regards....

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Buyer's feedback: - * excellent product ...
HP X280N MediaSmart Connect
Excellent product, easy to set up, easy to use. If you are using windows vista home premium or home ultimate this product is virtually self operating.I used a wired ethernet connection as opposed to a wireless set up for best connectivity.This really is the best product that I researched before purchase from the standpoint of home entertainment pcs. I really didn't want a whole other computer set up.I set out looking for something that had all the features I wanted from a home entertainment pc without having to buy the whole pc set up.So far I have not encountered anything mysterious about the media smart. Everything seems to have been developed with ease of set up and use in mind. Hopefully, gone are the days of needing a science degree to even understand the basic fundamentals of computer based technology.This was truly created with every person in mind, even if you don't poses great technical skill!