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CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
OK
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 12/08/2008
- Released on: 02/15/2008
With the introduction of Windows Vista, Microsoft hopes to get consumers one step closer to having a dedicated "family room" PC. Included in nearly all versions of Vista is Windows Media Center, a sort of multimedia portal that can access and play all kinds of digital media stored on a computer. Perhaps what's most attractive about the software is the built-in network streaming capabilities that allow you to stream that media to compatible Media Center Extenders (MCE) as Microsoft likes to call them. That includes photos, audio, and video--as well as live and recorded TV (if you've got a TV tuner card in the source PC.)
The current batch of extenders comes from the usual list of networking and PC luminaries, including D-Link, Hewlett-Packard, and Linksys. But the 800-pound gorilla in the space is Microsoft itself: its Xbox 360 game consoles all double as a Media Center Extender, too.
Linksys offers two versions--the DMA2100 and the DMA2200 reviewed here. With the exception that the DMA2200 includes a built-in DVD player, they're effectively identical. In our testing, we had varied success while using the DMA2200. But we're beginning to think that's more a reflection of the increasingly bloated Media Center experience (as dictated by Microsoft). Unfortunately, the Linksys boxes offer no network streaming capabilities outside of its MCE functions. By comparison, the Xbox, D-Link DSM-750, and HP MediaSmart Connect x280n can all stream media outside of the Media Center "ecosystem," so they offer a degree of flexibility not found on the Linksys.
At 5 inches tall by 9 inches wide by 13 inches long, the Linksys DMA2200 is longer than it is wide--sort of a stretched-out DVD player. The front includes the disc tray, LCD readout, and some basic controls. The rear is bristling with three Wi-Fi antennas, an Ethernet jack, plus all of the AV connections. In that regard, you'll find everything you'd expect on a new DVD or Blu-ray player: composite, S-Video, component and HDMI video connections, along with analog stereo and digital coaxial and optical connections for audio.
The DMA2200's disc player plays CDs and DVDs, and upscales the DVDs to HD-friendly 720p, 1080i, and 1080p resolutions. The advantage here is that you can get rid of the DVD player that's already underneath your TV, saving on space, cable clutter, and TV inputs.
Setting up the DMA2200 was relatively easy. After navigating through the device's setup screens, we were able to connect to our 802.11n wireless network. The 2200 prefers N-networks in order to stream HD content more easily. The setup screen will display an eight-digit number that you'll need for your computer setup, so we moved to our Vista PC where we added an extender in Media Center. Once we launched the program, Media Center instantly detected the 2200 on the network and then automatically began handshaking with the device. After entering our eight-digit code, our extender was officially connected. You may need to reconnect the 2200 with your Vista PC in between sessions, as ours became unrecognizable to Media Center various times.
Even though both devices are connected to an N-network, we immediately noticed a definitive lag in navigating through the Media Center on the 2200. A hard-wired connection seemed to slightly improve the stutter, but nowhere to the point that we'd recommend switching over. Overall, we had a really frustrating time trying to search through our digital media and selecting files to play. If something was playing in the background, with the Media Center menu on overlay, the experience drew close to a crawl.
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Where to buy
Linksys Media Center Extender DMA2200 - DVD player / digital multimedia receiver:
$258.95
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