Buffalo LinkTheater review

This media streamer is hampered by lack of an HDMI connection, and limited format support Tested at £100.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Lack of online content and copy-protected music are problems, but no HDMI is a major headache

Pros

  • +

    Decent price

  • +

    small, good-looking unit

  • +

    easy to set up and use

Cons

  • -

    No HDMI means images are weaker than rivals’

  • -

    limited format support

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

This is so much cheaper than many rival products you might think, “Where's the catch”? Answer: no HDMI.

That's right, this is one of the only media streamers we've seen recently that has Scart as the best-available connection. Otherwise, the LinkTheater is a tidy unit: it's much smaller than the Netgear EVA8000 and Linksys KiSS 1600, and though a bit light and plasticky, is perfectly well put together.

Once connected to the TV, using Scart or S-Video, we were impressed by the bright and sharp menus. However, once you've set up the player, you'll quickly wish you had a better connection. Noise and pixelation in the picture are annoying, and the colour palette isn't as varied as that provided by HDMI-equipped rivals.

The others here show what the Buffalo lacks
The lack of HDMI means HD content is a no-no, and it's also fussy playing larger AVI files, even though smaller ones play fine.

Compatibility with audio formats is a little better, though Apple Lossless and copy-protected music doesn't appear in the Link-Theater's folders. You also miss out on the online content that's available on the Netgear and Linksys.

Overall, it's a useful product, but you can certainly do better.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test