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Popcorn Hour A-210 Western Digital WD TV Live Hub
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Popcorn Hour A-210
Overview - Full review
Western Digital WD TV Live Hub
Overview - Full review
Price
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Popcorn Hour A-210
Western Digital WD TV Live Hub
Score
5/5
5/5
User Score
4/5 (2)
4/5 (8)
Specifications
Specifications
Connections (HDMI/composite/optical/coaxial)1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Hard drive bay (2.5''/3.5'')yes / yes
WiFiOptional USB adapter / N+G - 300 Mbit/s
Ethernet1 Gbit/s
DVB-T tunerno, N.A.
ChipSigma Designs SMP8643
Firmware02-04-101208-21-POP-411-000 - 17/12/2010
SD/HD video entriesno / no
Screen (type)no, N.A.
DVD / Blu-Rayno / no
SDHCno
USB Hostyes
Backlit remoteyes
Other
Dimensions270 x 132 x 32 mm
Specifications
Connections (HDMI/composite/optical/coaxial)1 / 1 / 1 / 0
Hard drive bay (2.5''/3.5'')yes / no
WiFiOptional USB adapter / N+G - 300 Mbit/s
Ethernet1 Gbit/s
DVB-T tunerno, N.A.
ChipSigma Designs SMP8654
Firmware2.02.16 - 29/10/2010
SD/HD video entriesno / no
Screen (type)no, N.A.
DVD / Blu-Rayno / no
SDHCno
USB Hostyes
Backlit remoteno
Other1 TB hard drive included
Dimensions198 x 154 x 32 mm
Conclusion
A high-performance, thorough and very well made media centre. We particularly like the various jukebox options, multimedia compatibility and networking features.
This is a media centre stuffed with features and with a particularly good interface. With just a little more work from Western when it brings out the updates, it will improve even further. In the meantime, the WD TV Live Hub has the merit of being easy to use and offering a high quality experience.
Pros

+

Excellent multimedia compatibility, including DTS and Dolby Digital

+

You can move audio tracks and subtitles around on the timeline

+

NMJ jukebox

+

High-end, backlit remote

+

Manufacturer support / possibilities extended with YAMJ

+

Good quality interface: customizable, technically and graphically a success

+

Easy to create a video or audio jukebox

+

Good quality Internet services

+

Multimedia compatability almost every format supported

+

Network connectivity well handled / Good quality build and design

Cons

-

Not always easy to access the available options

-

NMJ quite slow

-

Pretty, but restricted web applications

-

No SDHC reader

-

Costly

-

Video jukebox doesn't work for TV series

-

Audio tag retrieval from the Internet not working yet

-

No Picasa

-

External music album covers not recognised