TViX M-6500A 300 Approx www.kjglobal.co.uk 65

Ultimate le-power

Steve May wonders if the TViX M-6500A is the perfect multimedia jukebox

Specifications

Hard disk: YES you decide the size Upscaling: YES to 1080p RGB Scart output: NO Composite output: YES Component output: YES HDMI output: YES v1.3a (TrueHD, DTS-HD MA support) Digital audio output: YES coaxial and Toslink optical Ethernet Lan: YES network capable USB ports: YES 2 x 2.0 Dimensions: 183(w) x 139(d) x 75(h)mm Weight: 1.3kg Features: Extensive file and codec compatibility (including IFO, ISO, m2ts, MPEG-1, -2, -4, AVI, XVID, WMV9, H.264, JPEG, MP3, WMA, AAC, Ogg, PCM and M4A (see website for full file listing); networkable via LAN; FTP support, backlit remote control
The M-6500A comes without a hard drive
he original TViX multimedia player earned my affection over the years, been home to a wide variety of video and audio that logistically I couldnt access via a network. A simple hard drive enclosure with a GUI, it allowed playback of an assortment of les which had been copied to it via a USB/PC hook-up. All in all, a handy, reliable piece of kit. DVico Corp has since updated the concept with the TViX HD M-6500A, an altogether more advanced HDD jukebox. Its le support is
extensive, playing everything from AVIs to HD formats such as MKV and AVCHD.
It can also playback DVD.ISO and.IFO formats, allowing access to the original menus and special features. The M-6500A is typically bought as an empty enclosure, allowing you to choose the size of the SATA drive required (up to 1TB). I slotted a 320GB into this review sample, which is more than enough to create a comprehensive jukebox. The unit itself is small and dumpy, with a large display and jog-wheelstyle control. Backside connections
are generous, with HDMI, component and legacy audio/video, plus coaxial and optical digital outputs. Theres also an Ethernet jack, two USB 2.0 host ports and a USB terminal. These allow the M-6500A to connect directly to a PC or additional HDD storage. Its also possible to access material on USB sticks. The key attraction for me with the M-6500A is not so much its HD le support (although I dare say in time this will become more relevant) but its networkability. You can connect either using Samba or NFS via a Windows client installed on the connected PCs. Its possible to establish four different connections (in a multiple PC environment) using a combination of both protocols. Its also possible to FTP into the box from the internet. Playback of video les from the HDD itself is silky smooth. No UPnP compatibility means that networking is not as intuitive as it should be, but overall the M-6500A is a very mature and exible multimedia playback device that I suspect will nd some fans
Product: Multimedia jukebox Position: High-end HD AV le playback device with LAN and USB Peers: Iomega Screenplay HD; TViX M-7000A

VERDICT

TViX HD M-6500A 300 Approx (without HDD) Price check: www.techradar.com/423344 Highs: Highly versatile; great file and codec support; networkable Lows: Network set-up may prove difficult; smells funny when warm Performance: Design: Features:

Overall:

OCTOBER 2008 HOME CINEMA CHOICE

HCC160.tvix 65

6/8/08 7:28:32 pm