Typical price: £175
What is it: DVD player with wireless and wired network capability
What we think: A botched experiment, the LinkTheater nonetheless has some interesting features for home network owners
What you need to know
Reviewed on: 3 October 2005
Tags: Buffalo Technology, Buffalo LinkTheater, analogue, Macintosh, DVDs
We like:
Wireless streaming; component video outputs; video upscaling
We don't like:
Difficult setup procedure; no Scart output; doesn't support DTS
You might also need:
Component cable, network cable
CNET UK judgement:
Buffalo's LinkTheater admirably tries to offer consumers a great deal of functionality for a reasonable price. The end result will please and infuriate in equal measure, both for the possibilities of wireless media streaming, and the lack of basic AV requirements such as Scart output and DTS support. If you have patience and that flat-screen TV hasn't left you enough cash to afford a Media Center PC, then the LinkTheater will fill the gap
Full review:
As the DVD player market continues to grow, manufacturers are looking to add more functionality to their disc spinners. From video upscaling machines to suit the latest flat-screen TVs, to DivX and JPEG playback, it seems that the latest craze in DVD fashions is going to be home network integration. It's a concept pioneered by Danish manufacturer KiSS, and now PC component manufacturer Buffalo wants a piece of the action. Continue Reading...
Buffalo LinkTheater History
9 Sep 2005 in Crave
LinkTheater DVD player: Buffalo's bison
On paper, Buffalo's LinkTheater is one of the most advanced DVD players ever made. Sure, it'll play your Police Academy DVDs like everything else, but it's also a quasi-media centre, with the ability to link wirelessly to your home network to play DivX movies, music and photos
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