[This review originally appeared in the November 2011 issue of Gadgets Magazine]
By Roni Callanta
Hitting your local movie theater to catch a flick has become quite a task nowadays. There is lining up and/or booking reservations, and sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get to sit in front of that one kid who always seems to be kicking your seat from behind.
How would you want to enjoy high-definition entertainment that supports all major media formats without requiring any additional software right at the comfort of your own home?
The Asus O!Play Gallery HD media player does just that, enabling its users to enjoy HD entertainment on television, as well as a streaming function O!Direct exclusively from Asus.
At first, I did catch myself in a panic—seeing all of the wires and cables of the O!Play Gallery. They all looked like alien life forms to me but when I was able to figure it out, I ended up being cooped up in my room for a whole day.
The beauty of the O!Play is that it features updated specs and can stream all sorts of video and audio content in both wired and wireless modes.
Users can store all sorts of media content right on the player and another fun bonus is that apart from the high-speed USB 3.0 connection interface available, the O!Play can also be upgraded to feature a 3.5-inch hard drive via an internal SATA 6Gbps port.
The O!Play can playback content directly from memory cards and its software is built to work with online entertainment services such as YouTube, various online TV stations and radio streams, Flickr, Picasa and others—a home entertainment center that is perfect for video, photos and music.
Packing the latest USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s devices and support for 7.1-channel Dolby TrueHD audio, connectivity with the iPhone and iPod is made possible with the O!Play, which can be displayed in full HD on an HDTV. In addition, transferring files from a PC and /or laptop to the O!Play Gallery is made easier and faster.
The O!Play Gallery also has other features such as Full HD 1080p and Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel support via an HDMI connection, a Gracenote software interface (when an optional 3.5-inch hard disk is installed), compatibility with a wide range of media formats including ISO files and iPod/iPhone Full HD streaming support.
With the O!Play Gallery, I doubt one will hit the movie theaters anytime soon. HD entertainment at home is just too good.
SPECIFICATIONS
File Systems: FAT 16/32, NTFS, HFS/HFST, ext3, Power (DC) input, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB/eSATA combo, LAN port (10/100Mbps), HDMI
I/O Ports: Composite AV, Component, Optical digital (S/PDIF), Coaxial digital (S/PDIF), CF card reader, SD/MMC card reader, MS/MS-Duo card reader
Dimensions: 230.0mm x 178.0mm x 60.5mm
Weight: 720g
WHAT’S HOT:
Supports all major media formats including formats for iPhone and iPod
WHAT’S NOT:
Lags on command
BOTTOMLINE:
Impressive purchase for the HD entertainment junkie
BUY METER: 8.6