ASUS O!Play Media Player Review (B002MCZJ3C)
Like most people these days you likely have loads of videos stored on various devices, and in different formats too. The wonderful little Asus O!Play media player will allow you to access all of these videos (and music too) and bring it all to your TV.
This neat looking gadget will support HDMI (to 1080p) as well as standard data, and you can connect to a network to stream info. Apart from a LAN port its also got eSATA and USB, as well as composite (RCA) audio and video outputs to ensure compatibility with almost any setup. The HDP-R1 also features an optical digital audio output for lossless audio transfer to your receiver or TV.
Pros:
The one feature that makes the Asus outstanding is its video reproduction. Invariably the image produced is described as excellent. And the sound is pretty decent also. Some people go so far as to say that the Asus video quality is the best they have seen.
It is also stated that there is no lag in video either, even when a 8GB HD video in 1080i was played.
Many users admire that this product is simple and fast to setup and get started. According to users you just have to take it out of its box, connect the cables and a hard drive, and you will be able to watch videos right away.
Users document that the unit seems to be able to handle pretty much all file types. It’s not perfect, but it compares very well with most of the competition, and it is far cheaper than many others to purchase.
Cons:
Despite claims that the user interface is especially intuitive a lot of users have found that in practice it is just functional, but not awesome.
Analysis of comments by reviewers reveals that this Asus doesn't stream Netflix and Amazon Video. Also accessing movies that are shared on a folder on the network is a multi-click process of finding the workgroup, computer, and folder where your movies are. It’s not a simple process to navigate your home network and folders. This seriously slows things down, which can be frustrating.
Reviewers highlight that you may only manage your device using the remote control. The remote itself is criticised for its button layout as well as some cases of delay between pushing a button and getting a response. A few people point out that there is no MENU button for DVD's. Therefore you can't go back to the main selection menu once you start playing your movie unless you go through a lengthy process.
The player sometimes freezes while navigating around the folders or if you go online. Some users have had to unplug the power to reset the machine.
The O!Play from Asus will soon have you enjoying movies that have been stored and forgotten about on your various drives and folders. With a press of the remote you can choose a movie no matter where it’s stored, and even watch it in HD.