Hard drives could be the next video cassette, if Seagate’s new FreeAgent Theater HD media player takes off. The unit, which connects to a TV, accepts branded FreeAgent hard drives in a top-mounted slot.
Speaking at its UK launch last night, Jean-Frederic Bistagne, Seagate's Senior Director for Branded Solutions explained the introduction, saying: ‘what we want is for people to buy plenty of our FreeAgent portable drives, so we ship them in various colours so that users can theme them like tapes, perhaps using a red drive for digital images and black for videos.’ However, the market leader in storage was put on its back foot at the launch, defending the unit’s lack of HDMI connectivity and hi-def file support.
‘This is a very new market,’ argued Bistagne, ‘people are only just realizing that they don’t have to store their personal files on a PC. So it was more important for us to concentrate on developing an easy to use interface than offering HDMI. We don’t think it will be a problem. The FreeAgent sits on the top of the TV and delivers the kind of files most users would want to play.’
The media player offers legacy composite AV connections, coaxial digital and component outputs for a 1080i output. It ships with a Scart adaptor, but without hard drive, for approx. £89.
Seagate dismissed its main competitor, Western Digital's TV HD unit (which offers both an HDMI output and support for .mkv files), saying that it lacked DivX certification and hard drive integration. The FreeAgent Theatre's file support extends to MPEG-1,2 and 4, DivX, MP3, WMA, WAV and OGG (but not AAC). The player has no network connectivity, but a USB port on the front accepts thumbdrives and external hard drives.
An unique ability of the FreeAgent Theater is its ability to zoom into jpeg images with minimal distortion. The player rebuilds the pixel structure as it zooms, which keeps image integrity. The company also showed the player replicating the navigation of a ripped DVD.
Seagate will also be selling the FreeAgent HDD dock (pictured above), which syncs the content of a portable drive with any PC.
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited
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In the latest Home Cinema Choice:
Why on earth would anyone
Tuoyo (not verified) - 31 March 2009 - 2:24pmWhy on earth would anyone who does even the slightest bit of research pick this up over the Western Digital Media Player? I can't think of any valid reason, DIVX certification or not.
WTF?
Alan Smithee (not verified) - 31 March 2009 - 4:37pmI've got two words for you.
POPCORN HOUR.
Who wants to be the new VHS?
Alan Smithee (not verified) - 1 April 2009 - 9:57amThis is such a lame idea it must be an April Fool
Another shout for NMT
Dude Mc Dude (not verified) - 1 April 2009 - 1:13pmAnother shout for NMT (Network Media Tank e.g. Popcorn Hour)
Try taking a look at the likes of Syabas for innovation.
No HDMI is a rediculous thing. Taking aside high def and copy protection, HDMI is good at the very least from a convenience front, audio and video on one cable, great for the casual user who wishes to plug box into tv without the bulkiness of scart or component.
Seagate media player
DAVID JEVONS (not verified) - 2 April 2009 - 7:14pmCome on you must be having a laugh. No 1080p support, no MKV,no ts no HDMI, and no digital optical out!! and they dismiss the WD TV. I have a WD TV and it has replaced my very expensive media centre pc.
The WD TV is the best home cinema add on i have bought. Dont even consider the Seagate
Hi Guys, No 1080p support =
Techworx (not verified) - 19 April 2009 - 4:58amHi Guys,
No 1080p support = No go!!!
Not gonna be a seller Seagate.
Don't even bother to put it on the market.
My WDTV HD Media Player already leaves it for dead!!
Would'nt even buy it for $50 AUD. Forget it!!
Cheers :-)