D-Link MediaLounge DSM-320RD

Pros: Easy connections to home entertainment system; well-thought-out usability menu functions.

Cons: Difficult wireless setup; tricky Windows Media Connect setup;

Summary: DMS-320RD media player with DVD player and 5-way memory card reader was not a breeze to install. Overcoming the combined security features of Windows XP and the wireless router made the initial installation difficult. The DMS-320RD quickly detected the presence of the SSID of the home wireless network. Progress halted there for quite a while until I disabled the security of the wireless router (Linksys WRT54G), replacing it with an allowed wireless client MAC access list. Until I made this change, the DMS_320RD’s wireless connection request caused the Linksys to hang, requiring a router reboot. This would be quite annoying by itself, but it also caused my PC to lose its internet connection as well. Establishing wireless connection led to the next hurdle – establishing a server on the PC to provide media. D-Link provides its own Media server application, but it won’t serve WMA files with DRM (digital rights management) of the type you purchase and download from MSN, Wal-Mart, Napster, etc. To play those files, you must use Microsoft’s Windows Media Connect application. No problem since it’s a free download from Microsoft, and easy to install. Adding folders of music, photos and videos is easy and straightforward. Since I had already organized my 20GB of music into play lists via Windows Media Player10, I expected few problems. Unfortunately, each music download provider seems to put your purchased music into different folders, and I was not careful enough in combining them together. Therefore, I had to specify several music folders for sharing, and in the right order, before the DMS320RD and Windows Media Connect could play together. The tip-off is when Windows Media Connect shows a sharing status “Shared with errors” and the DMS-320RD reports "Unable to access this media.” You must clean up those sharing errors before the hardware and software will play together. After consulting Microsoft’s website of FAQ’s for help on Windows Media Connect, I was able to clear sharing errors to finally listen to some music. Sadly for me, at this point my television died, in a most unfortunate coincidence. It’s difficult to select music when you’re flying blind (since the DSM320RD’s menus appear on your television.) I connected another TV, and now life is good. I can listen to music, and view photo slideshows.
Other comments: the DSM320RD’s remote control has problems with button debounce- meaning that one button press sometimes appears as though you had pressed the button several times. This made menu navigation tedious.
The firmware upgrade took about 15 minutes.
Feature enhancements: display album cover artwork while playing music like WinMediaPlayer does; after all, the jpeg’s are sitting in the same folders with the music. It’s not that hard to find them. Enable the remote’s “Display” button for this feature.