Crystal Acoustics introduces its AppStreamer Gigabit media player
New from Crystal Acoustics is its AppStreamer Gigabit media player, available now for £90, making it a direct competitor to the likes of Apple TV.
Unlike the Apple device, it supports DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), so allows you to enjoy films, music and photos streamed from any DLNA-enabled smartphone, laptop or tablet to your TV, as well as from USB storage, the internet and a local network.
It handles high-definition video, and can be used with a wireless keyboard and mouse. There's an optional wireless dongle if you want to ocnnect via wi-fi rather than ethernet.
At its heart is a Realtek 1185 processor, capable of processing numerous audio, video and photo file formats. There's audio passthrough for DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital, and sockets for HDMI 1.3, composite video, coaxial digital, ethernet, two USB and stereo analogue phono outs.
You can connect to the web, listen to a wide variety of internet TV and radio services, and view popular video sites such as YouTube.
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Comments
flash video is dying, and I'm happy to see it go, provided it'll be replaced by open standards/royalty-free video and audio codecs.
the Sony PS3's web browser is, sadly, pathetic, based on a very old version of netfront. and there's no excuse considering that firefox is open source and free.
The AppStreamer doesn’t support BBC's iPlayer at present as it uses Flash Lite but Crystal Acoustics is considering the possibility of upgrading the AppStreamer with a full version of Flash, in a future firmware update.
Crystal Acoustics UK PR response.
Yes, it supports Flash according to tech specs:
http://www.crystalaudiovideo.com/ProductDetails/Appstreamer-UK.aspx
The PS3 has a web browser, but you can't access modern flash sites.
I've asked Crystal Acoustics' UK PR for clarification on BBC iPlayer compatibility.
I wouldn't "presume" things like that. The PS3 has a web browser, but you can't access modern flash sites.
It doesn't have iPlayer built-in AFAIK, but presumably you could access it through the web browser.
Forgive ignorance, but I assume that with an AppStreamer it's possible to watch BBC iPlayer HD programmes on a 50in TV? Ta.