Netgear Digital Entertainer

Netgear's Digital Entertainer line of products are digital media players that can pull multimedia content from home computers to the typical audio/video entertainment center. There are three products in the line, the EVA700, the HD EVA8000 and the current EVA9150 Digital Entertainer Elite. All support high definition video, the EVA700 via component output up to 1080i and the EVA8000/EVA9000 up to 1080p with both component and HDMI connectors. All models support audio, video, image and streaming audio and video formats and can be networked via wired and wireless Ethernet. The EVA700 is Intel Viiv certified.

Common features of both EVA models include being able to access digital media files on a network attached home computer running Windows XP, stream audio and video from the PC, and stream Internet radio (streaming MP3). USB storage devices such as iPods, thumb drives, and some digital cameras with USB interfaces can be attached directly to the units for playback of media on those USB devices.

As the Digital Entertainer products are Intel Viiv compliant, setup and media access with an Intel Viiv PC is more automated than without such a PC. However, an Intel Viiv PC is not required in order to operate an EVA unit.

The systems come with a remote control with which to manipulate the on-screen display on your television along with a large selection of suitable connecting cables.

Inputs/Outputs: At a minimum, EVAs have RCA connectors for composite video output, as well as for component video output, S-Video output, a digital S/PDIF audio output, stereo RCA audio outputs, at least 1 USB 2.0 port and 1 8P8C 10/100 Ethernet port.

NETGEAR started off in the media streamer arena with the MP101, an audio-only small form factor media streamer. It had a four-line fluorescent display with line stereo RCA and 3.5" headphone outputs. Connectivity provided by built-in Ethernet and 802.11b wireless with WEP support. Controlled by a remote control, it had no external buttons at all, not even a power button. The unit could play MP3 and WMA files, along with PLS and M3U playlists. Rhapsody streaming radio was built in, and the unit could also play any MP3 streams through playlists.

The MP115 was a technology trial, and only 600 were made. It used the same small form-factor as the MP101 but without the display. This unit was probably what could be considered the beginnings of the Digital Entertainer line as it supported XviD and MPEG1 and MPEG2 playback and had composite, S-Video and SCART output for connection to a TV, along with line stereo RCA. Audio was still supported along the same lines as the MP101. Again, no external buttons and all control from the remote. Dual-antenna 802.11g wireless was on board with wired Ethernet port.

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