TViX Slim S1 : Bidding Adieu to the Realtek RTD1283
by Ganesh T S on March 8, 2011 8:23 PM EST- Posted in
- Home Theater
- Media Streamer
- DVICO
- TVIX
DViCO is one of the leading multimedia product manufacturers in the European and Asia-Pacific markets. Their media streamer lineup comes under the TViX series. Historically, they have carried products based on both Realtek and Sigma chipsets, but, for 2010, they decided to go the Realtek-only route. For the non-US markets, PVR functionality is necessary, and the Realtek 1283 chipset provides support for a tuner and PVR combo. The TVIX PVR M-6640N Duo is the flagship 2010 PVR model with dual tuners and HD-PVR functionality. Note that the model which sells in the US has a ATSC tuner while the rest have a DVB-T one.
Today, however, we will be looking at the streamer-only model with the same industrial design, the TViX Slim S1.
The Slim S1 can be purchased in the US for around $199. For this price, you get a media streamer with the following features:
- Realtek RTD1283DD+ processor with a MIPS core running at 400 MHz.
- Slot for internal 3.5" hard drive (screwless installation supported)
- Wireless networking capable, but not bundled.
- Usage of unit as an external hard drive (USB 2.0 interface only), provided internal hard disk is installed.
There are a number of companies making Realtek 1283 based products and TViX is known pretty well for its custom firmware with good UI and ease of use. How much can TViX differentiate itself with the 1283 platform? We will try to find that out, but, first, let us take a look at the package contents and what is inside the Slim S1.
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Cullinaire - Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - link
Doesn't adieu mean to say goodbye? Seems odd to use it in the headline as is.ganeshts - Tuesday, March 8, 2011 - link
That was the intent :) This is the final 1283 based product that we review.From now on, it will be 1185 only..
Cullinaire - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
Now I understand :)MGSsancho - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
over all Ganesh, excellent review. the box on the stuff it does not support was mostly what I went directly to. I agree with your wish list in your conclusion. I noticed you didn't mention cheap. to be honest some of ups demand top features, quality and user interface. we recognize premium features come at a premium price. $100 or $150 would be ideal but I will pay $300 or even $500 for a perfect media streamer box. how ever i beleive these should be optional extras (tuners, hdds, ssds, wifi, etc.)you know if any of these devices come with a 3.5mm IR port on the back or those of us with more 'fun' setups? :-)
probedb - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
Thanks for the review again :)Why are streamers so bad at this stuff?
I see this one doesn't even pass the CUE test which has been known about and fixed in pretty much every DVD player for the last 5-10 years?
The deinterlacing stuff is particularly annoying and noticable on larger TVs.
Rainman200 - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
In a way yes, the media streamer market has been dragging it's feet for years servicing a niche user base.* Not considering the wider market or improving usability so horrible GUI's are all too common (realtek a major sinner here)
* Avoiding putting GPU's in their chipsets until forced to do so by competition.
* Not bothering implementing automatic media scraping until competition does so.
* Sticking to the outdated one folder per movie for metadata system.
None of the traditional media streamer companies are proactive, they're all reactive waiting until something threatens their business model to respond.
The one bright thing Sigma Designs did is porting XBMC to their chipsets, that will put a serious dent in most of the competition if XBMC players start shipping on the market.
RamarC - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
quite a few have DLNA support and many can play content from usb drives. So, to me, a $200 blu-ray is definitely an alternative to a streamer, but in what areas is it better than or worse than a steamer?reggiethealligator - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
Another great media player review! And i like that you are reviewing more than just the boxee and wd offerings which are more well known, but not always better in every situation. This and the Nixeus Fusion HD review gave me some more options to think about.jnmfox - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 - link
Any plans on reviewing the HD Theater 300 from SageTV? Works as a standalone media streamer and can be connected to a Sage Server for a more feature rich experience. If you are looking to integrate DVR/PRV functions with your media player WMC and SageTV seem to be the two best ways to go.User created plug-ins (apps) has also improved the functionality as well as the look and feel of the interface.
http://www.sagetv.com/hd_theater.html