Announced new model of network HD player Popcorn Hour A-200
On January 12, Syabas Technologies announced a new model of HD content network player Popcorn Hour A-200. The novelty is based on the powerful Sigma Designs SMP8643 666 Mhz chip and is equipped with 512 MB of DDR2 RAM and 256 MB of permanent SLC NAND memory.
Pre-orders will be accepted from January 18th. Preliminary cost - 179 US dollars (without delivery)
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The A-200 is built on the same chip as the C-200 player and has the same amount of memory.
A-200 hardware is practically no worse than C-200 and will probably be able to chew the most difficult rips, including the famous “birds” with maximum bitrates, which is confirmed by the list of supported video and audio formats. The lack of Full BD Navigation (i.e., normal menus on Blu-Ray images, instead, a simplified menu will be offered by the player itself) is obviously connected with the desire to make the device as cheap as possible, and therefore the BD-J technology was simply not licensed.
Recruitment of audio and video outputs is standard for all Popcorn. The device also has a USB 2.0 port for connecting flash drives and external hard drives (one port at the front and the back), in addition there is a USB 2.0 slave port at the back. Promise gigabit ethernet
Rear panel of the device (click to view higher resolution image):
A list of supported video containers, as well as video and audio codecs can be found on the official website page .
The advantages over the A-110, which frees up space for a beginner on the market, are obvious and follow from the transition to a new hardware platform (a more powerful chip and an increased amount of memory, coupled with gigabit Ethernet, simply leave the old 110th far behind in terms of playing HD content and working applications such as a torrent pump). However, it should be noted that a small fan (62 * 62 millimeters) was installed in the A-200, which spoils the impression of the device (my A-110 is now without a screw and therefore absolutely silent). Separately, I want to note the possibility of a complete shutdown of the device from the console (the burning red light Stand By of the regime on the 110th night for some reason irritates me greatly and I have to get up and go to click the toggle switch).
Photos of the viscera:
Compared with the C-200, we should note much smaller size and weight, the ability to install only 1 hard drive inside (the form factor is 2.5 'or 3.5' to choose from, while the C-200 is 2.5 'and 3.5' at the same time), no Blu-ray drive and the lack of LCD-screen, well, in general, much less brutal view. The power unit also, like the A-110, has an external, infrared remote control (although, in my opinion, the refusal of the radio remote is one of the most serious attacks on the A-200 position, because the radio control is very convenient. Although some users will not agree with me, because someone is glad that you can use a universal IR-remote, and someone RF-remote can not be used because of the layout of the house or all kinds of radio interference). Well, only for the C-200, a MiniPCI card is produced to work in 802.11n networks, the A-200 will have to be content with a Realtek USB-shny 802.11n card (if you believe the reports of individual testers, then the performance of this solution will be lower at about 1.5- 2 times). By the way, since the C-200 doesn’t have a fan, then at least without the installed discs you can try to remove the fan from the A-200.
The C-200 is focused on buying it, maybe it will install a Blu-ray drive and rack it with other AV equipment. The A-200 is more suitable for putting it in a bedroom or in the kitchen, for example, so that you can comfortably watch fresh House series (remember that it’s normal to downmix all kinds of DTSs in stereo only Popcorn can do in stereo).
What to prefer? Personally, I would now choose the A-200 instead of my current C-200: a smaller size that makes it easy to fit the box right next to the TV, a lower final cost.
I hope that Syabas will take into account the experience of C-200 pre-orders and that the receipt of the novelty by the suffering will not be delayed for long months.
If we consider that the cost of the C-200 with delivery to Russia is $ 375 ($ 299 + $ 76 shipping), and the A-110 cost $ 260 ($ 215 the device itself + $ 45 shipping), then the A-200 having a weight 1.6 kg and comparable with the A-110 size, it can be assumed that the delivery will cost no more than $ 60. This means that the price of the device in Russia will be 240 USD or 7 thousand rubles. Under such conditions, the purchase of an A-110 becomes an unprofitable business (from the popcornhour site you cannot buy them, only refubrished at a price of $ 100).
PS Order will begin to take January 18 at 10 am Moscow time on the site www.popcornhour.com
Pre-orders will be accepted from January 18th. Preliminary cost - 179 US dollars (without delivery)
')
The A-200 is built on the same chip as the C-200 player and has the same amount of memory.
A-200 hardware is practically no worse than C-200 and will probably be able to chew the most difficult rips, including the famous “birds” with maximum bitrates, which is confirmed by the list of supported video and audio formats. The lack of Full BD Navigation (i.e., normal menus on Blu-Ray images, instead, a simplified menu will be offered by the player itself) is obviously connected with the desire to make the device as cheap as possible, and therefore the BD-J technology was simply not licensed.
Recruitment of audio and video outputs is standard for all Popcorn. The device also has a USB 2.0 port for connecting flash drives and external hard drives (one port at the front and the back), in addition there is a USB 2.0 slave port at the back. Promise gigabit ethernet
Rear panel of the device (click to view higher resolution image):
A list of supported video containers, as well as video and audio codecs can be found on the official website page .
The advantages over the A-110, which frees up space for a beginner on the market, are obvious and follow from the transition to a new hardware platform (a more powerful chip and an increased amount of memory, coupled with gigabit Ethernet, simply leave the old 110th far behind in terms of playing HD content and working applications such as a torrent pump). However, it should be noted that a small fan (62 * 62 millimeters) was installed in the A-200, which spoils the impression of the device (my A-110 is now without a screw and therefore absolutely silent). Separately, I want to note the possibility of a complete shutdown of the device from the console (the burning red light Stand By of the regime on the 110th night for some reason irritates me greatly and I have to get up and go to click the toggle switch).
Photos of the viscera:
Compared with the C-200, we should note much smaller size and weight, the ability to install only 1 hard drive inside (the form factor is 2.5 'or 3.5' to choose from, while the C-200 is 2.5 'and 3.5' at the same time), no Blu-ray drive and the lack of LCD-screen, well, in general, much less brutal view. The power unit also, like the A-110, has an external, infrared remote control (although, in my opinion, the refusal of the radio remote is one of the most serious attacks on the A-200 position, because the radio control is very convenient. Although some users will not agree with me, because someone is glad that you can use a universal IR-remote, and someone RF-remote can not be used because of the layout of the house or all kinds of radio interference). Well, only for the C-200, a MiniPCI card is produced to work in 802.11n networks, the A-200 will have to be content with a Realtek USB-shny 802.11n card (if you believe the reports of individual testers, then the performance of this solution will be lower at about 1.5- 2 times). By the way, since the C-200 doesn’t have a fan, then at least without the installed discs you can try to remove the fan from the A-200.
The C-200 is focused on buying it, maybe it will install a Blu-ray drive and rack it with other AV equipment. The A-200 is more suitable for putting it in a bedroom or in the kitchen, for example, so that you can comfortably watch fresh House series (remember that it’s normal to downmix all kinds of DTSs in stereo only Popcorn can do in stereo).
What to prefer? Personally, I would now choose the A-200 instead of my current C-200: a smaller size that makes it easy to fit the box right next to the TV, a lower final cost.
I hope that Syabas will take into account the experience of C-200 pre-orders and that the receipt of the novelty by the suffering will not be delayed for long months.
If we consider that the cost of the C-200 with delivery to Russia is $ 375 ($ 299 + $ 76 shipping), and the A-110 cost $ 260 ($ 215 the device itself + $ 45 shipping), then the A-200 having a weight 1.6 kg and comparable with the A-110 size, it can be assumed that the delivery will cost no more than $ 60. This means that the price of the device in Russia will be 240 USD or 7 thousand rubles. Under such conditions, the purchase of an A-110 becomes an unprofitable business (from the popcornhour site you cannot buy them, only refubrished at a price of $ 100).
PS Order will begin to take January 18 at 10 am Moscow time on the site www.popcornhour.com
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/80785/
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