AVeL LinkPlayer can now be pre-ordered!

[electron]

I-O DATA was kind enough to let me know that they are accepting pre-orders for their AVeL LinkPlayer (AVLP2/DVDLA). Pre-orders will ship sometime in mid November. As a reminder, here are some of the specs again:

• High Definition" 1080i/720p Large Video Playback
• Networking" Easy to Pickup Anything Anywhere
• USB2.0 Reading!?" Your iPod will be Video/Photo Database Here
• Comfortable & Easiest" Multi Output Functions and Easy-to-Use
• Standard Certified" For All User's Peace of Mind
• DivX® HD and WMV9 (Windows Media Video®) are compatible

Read the announcement

 

[TechTooth]

I know it has been a while since you posted this article, but there are a few things I'd like to know about the AVLP2/DVDLA, and maybe by now you have had a chance to find out more about it or even test it yourself.

First thing is, do you know if it up-converts DVD-Video to Hi-Def standards (1080i/720p)?
I couldn't find any mention of this on the I-O Data specpage and I can't ask in a shop as I live in the UK and it hasn't been released here yet. I wrote to them about 3 weeks ago, but they haven't replied me.

Also, do you know where full-length DivX HD content can be found?
I've seen the trailers on divx.com and it looks pretty good, but I haven't been able to get hold of any full films as of yet.

As a final note, the specpage of this player mentions an inability to access iPod libraries through USB2 due to an in-built security system. Do you reckon this means we can't play music at all through USB2 w iPod?

 

[electron]

Those are some good questions, I will get in touch with my contact at I-O Data, and see if they can give me some answers. As for the Divx-HD question, I would assume that this would be mostly used to create DVD libraries from your DVD's (which is what I do now, but I keep them in ISO format).

 

[TechTooth]

Thanks for the quick reply, I'll look forward to what you can gather.

I'm not too sure if I really agree about DivX-HD being used for DVD backup.

Judging by the trailers, using about 73MB for 2.5 mins which means you could stick a good quality film on a DVD-5 if its under about 160mins (not including Special Features, alternative languages and subtitles). I have a feeling that this would not be enough of a reason to convert from the familiar and compatible VOB/IFOs, especially as the files used for my calcs were only encoded in stereo. Not too sure about the frame rate either.
Furthermore, it won't be using the full 720p capacity of DivX-HD as DVD is only 480p (NTSC).

If it's going to be used as backup, I think it would be more likely for other HD content, such as HD broadcasts if you have a HTPC or DVHS (if you can find a way of transfering the data over without it being too lossy). And of course Blu-Ray, EVD or whoever wins in the hi-def standard battle, once we have the protections cracked, which shouldn't take too long :blink:.
I'm still hoping to find downloadable full-length DivX-HD films soon, so if anyone finds some tell us where!

Anyway TRULY EXCELLENT SITE, I just joined today and will be back on a regular basis. Nice work electron and whoever else runs this place!

 

[electron]

Thanks for the compliment. You are right that DivX-HD is probably overkill when it comes to storing DVD's, but it would allow you to store DVD rips on the HD, using less space than just copying the VOB's or ISO's (which I do now so both of my HTPC's can access the library). As for the movies, I am not sure if this is going to take off, Microsoft has Windows Media HD, and it is very impressive. I believe Microsoft already signed some deals with hardware manufactures to support this format.

I can see how this is useful to store HDTV recordings, but it would have to be part of an onboard video processor, software decoders such as the ATI HDTV seem to be taking up 100% of the cpu on faster machines, based on some reports I have seen.

 

[smee]

I don't know for sure, but I think most questions about this device have probably come up (and may have been answered) in this discussion on AVSForum. Be prepared to wade through 1130 posts (at the time I posted this). There is a lot of information in there.

 

[TechTooth]

electron, I don't know much about Hard Disk Recorders as I have never used one, but after reading some of the threads on this site, I see your point.

smee, thanks for the info, I'll check it out now.

 

[TechTooth]

smee you were right, damn it there are a lot of posts!

anyway, I got an answer to one of my questions which in my view was the most important anyway, which was about up-conversion.

It does upconvert DVD-Video to both 720p and 1080i! Wahey

Damn it I love this player. I will blatently be getting one of these when it comes out in Europe, but I would recommend you guys to wait for the DVI/wireless version to come out before you get yours!

According to the guys on the site kindly linked to me by smee, who are throwing everything they can at it testing-wise, they're waiting to get their HDCP certification. Their current DVI/wireless version cannot play DVD-Video with CSS through DVI, big turn-off but that should be sorted before release in the US.

DVI/wireless version scheduled to be released in the US early 2005.

No mention about using ipod that I could find, but I couldn't be bothered to look through all the posts, there are just too many.

 

[dlgardne]

Guys,

Just had a communication for OI Data. Seems the wireless version with higher spec will not be out before H2 2005 in the US. They appearently are not happy with the HD performance over wireless.

Techtooth, They did send me this link about their server and at the end it mentions the iPod.

http://www.iodata.com/usa/products/AVLP2_Setup.php#WIFI

 

[leewatkinsjr]

It does upconvert DVD-Video to both 720p and 1080i! Wahey

TechTooth - the IOData website (product catalog page) for this thing claims that it DOESN'T upconvert--

*LinkPlayer doesn't have an upscaling function. The current market available DVD movie (480p SD) is by 480p out with no scaling even if LinkPlayer setting is 720p or 1080i HD mode. 720p DVD disc will come in a market, and it can be played by 720p output.

did you get info from the contrary from IOData personnel? I'm considering buying this player and upconversion would clinch the deal for me....

 

[TechTooth]

Interesting...

Seems IO-DATA have updated their page since I last went there. This was definitely not mentioned before!

leewatkinsjr - I didn't get the info from IO-DATA, although I did write to them, they've been ignoring me .

If you check out smee's link to the discussion on AVSforum, people who already have the player say that it upconverts. Not sure wether to beleive them now.

I'll check out the discussion again when I have time - it could also be possible that they were refering to the DVI/wireless version, which I'm going to wait for anyway.

It would be a pain if it doesn't upconvert though, so I'll definitely look into it again.
Thanks for the heads up.

 

[smee]

Another review (blog):
IOLink Review

 

[TechTooth]

Can't seem to open your link, smee, but I'll try it again later.

Anyway, have you got any views on this player?

Seems like you've been keeping yourself informed about it.

Any idea about it upconverting or not?

 

[smee]

Can't seem to open your link, smee, but I'll try it again later.

Anyway, have you got any views on this player?

Seems like you've been keeping yourself informed about it.

Any idea about it upconverting or not?

Link seems to work fine. Don't know why you are having problems.

I have followed a bit of the discussion, but I haven't really worried about upconverting. My old-fashioned 20" TV only has a composite input so it hasn't been much of an issue for me.
Sorry.

I'd like to buy one of these but I haven't yet. I already have several devices in my living room that will play media files over the network (Hauppauge MediaMVP, GoVideo 2730, PC). I haven't been able to rationalize the extra expense of buying another one).

 

[TechTooth]

Still can't get that link to work, must be something to do with my ISP here in Shanghai, they seem to block off sites at random. Doesn't matter though.

So, smee, you're not into HD yet? Fair enough.
If you do decide to go HD in the near future and are thinking about a good not-too-pricy HT projector, you should look into the Sanyo PLV-Z range, I got the Z2 a few months ago and it is v impressive. Electron just posted an article on the Z3 a couple of days ago, here is the link:
electron's article on the PLV-Z3

In fact, I only got interested in this player as I was researching upconverting DVD players for the Z2 as my parents are still watching DVD's with 480p, which does look good, but wait till they see 1080i...

Also, I only found this site while researching the LP2, so so far it has brought me luck !