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

MEDIA SERVERS

TVIX HD M6500A

VITAL STATS

Chipset.Sigma Designs SMP 8635 Video formats.MKV;.AVI;.WMV,.MPG,.ISO,.VOB,.IFO,.MP4,.ASF, TP,.TRP,.TS,.M2TS,.MOV Video resolution..Up to 1080p: 1920 x 1080. Audio formats..MP3,WMA, AAC, Ogg, PCM, M4A, AC3,FLAC,WAV Image formats..JPEG Hard drive..SATA Memory.256 MB main, 64 MB Flash Dimensions (WxDxH)..183 x 139 x 75 mm Weight..1,3 kg PRICE..RVERDICT A great way to deliver AV content from both internal and external storage sources. Video quality quite superb.Attractive user interface. Network setup a little clunky, however. SUPPLIED BY Korica Import & Export 021-949-1084 WEBSITE www.tvixbox.co.za

Boxing clever

've been a fan of the MVIX 760HD network media server for some time, and in fact run two of them on a CAT5-based home network, with great results. So I was intrigued to review this TViX HD M-6500A, which seems to have taken a similar approach, but with some significant differences. First of all, there's the form factor.The TViX is described as a media jukebox, and it has a chunky, compact, horizontally oriented shape. The front panel has a large display and a large rotary controller, while the rear is home to a versatile array of inputs and outputs. The casing hides a SATA hard drive (320 GB in this instance, but sizes up to 1 TB are available), together with some control and operating electronics. It's a small and lightweight beast, but with aesthetics that are pleasing in a clean, contemporary kind of way. The first real clues to the TViX's capabilities are to be found on the rear panel. Most notable is the presence of a HDMI 1.3-compliant connector, in addition to the component video, S-Video and composite video interfaces. For audio, there's an analogue stereo output set, together with a choice of coaxial and optical digital outputs, although HDMI will, of course, also carry uncompressed digital audio signals.
Data services include two USB host inputs, and a LAN socket, the latter allowing the TViX to be linked to a home network, from where it can link to a connected DSL line, as well as sourcing media material stored on any other devices on the network. Theoretically, the addition of a compatible HD Tuner card in the options port of the TViX could transform it into a clever, HD-capable PVR As our spec summary shows, there aren't too many audio or video file formats and codecs the TViX is not comfortable with. In fact, its makers have tried to make it as up to date and compatible as possible, with certifications for Dolby, DTS and MP3 as well. Thus, it is compatible with the H.264 high-definition video standard employed by Blu-ray players, and plays them back at resolutions of up to 1080p.The HDMI interface is the latest 1.3a version, which allows it to cope with the full spectrum of high-resolution audio and video material. AVC-HD video files, typically captured on new-generation HD camcorders, are compatible with the
TViX, while it can also play back lossless FLAC audio files without the need for any conversion process. The user interface via the obligatory onscreen display is slick, attractive and even customisable, while a remote control handset makes navigating through the set-up and options menus a simple affair. Generally, the interface is intuitive, and allows quick and easy access to the various source files and functions. Since I used the TViX on a home network, employing

A U D I O

V I D E O
the included NetShare software, I made no use of the USB connectivity on offer. But theoretically, this can be used to host additional USB drives, and also to link the TViX to a PC for file swap and file loading purposes. Network setup took some time, but once set up, it connected to my home network server, and easily read ISO movie files and MP3 and WMA audio files stored there. The Sigma Designs 8635 chip continues the company's track record for excellent video quality. I don't have a full HD, 1080p display facility at present, but even 1080i and 720p images were quite superb, with no movement-related artefacts, and excellent colour depth and saturation. I particularly liked its ability to produce deep, inky blacks and superior contrast levels, which allowed very realistic but finely graded colours, and excellent attention to detail.
I would imagine that 1080p images of Blu-ray would be even more impressive. Data transfer on my network was more than quick enough, and there was no sign of jittering or freezing frames during the test. You're limited to sharing four folders with the TViX, but that didn't prove to be much of a stumbling block. Linking the TViX to my home theatre system with HDMI was a pleasure, and there were no compatibility problems with my Yamaha RX-V2700 AV receiver: both audio and video signals were happily accommodated and played back. Having said that, the TViX also looks pretty good using the component video interface, especially when fed directly into the plasma and not via the receiver. Of course, that's a lot less convenient than the plug 'n play HDMI Talking of audio, the digital outputs provided

both DTS and Dolby Digital feeds to the receiver where applicable.The same went for HDMI while the unit was run using that interface. I particularly liked the TViX's compatibility with FLAC lossless music files. Its decoding of these files was also sonically satisfying, and I enjoyed using the TViX in a music-only jukebox role. All in all, this is a well-designed and effective multimedia jukebox with true HD capability and a superior user interface.Video quality is a highlight, as is the outright versatility across an exhaustive range of codecs and formats.And its particularly impressive in a network application. Right now, the pricing looks a little steep compared to its rivals. But thats just about the only, small, blot in the TViX M-6500A's otherwise impressive copybook.

Deon Schoeman

S E P T E M B E R