# USB Hard Drive Video Players **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [August 13, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041 "2010-08-13T06:50:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/1 "2010-08-13T06:50:18Z")
Anyone end up making a purchase of these? I remember a lot of talk about the Popcorn Hour and also saw some info about the WD TV Live. Popcorn hour seems a little pricy for something simple I need. Basically a 1080p device that can play media right off my hard drive and access the internet via WiFi for streaming, netflix, youtube, hulu, etc. Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![ProgRocker](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/progrocker/32/5434_2.png) [@ProgRocker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ProgRocker)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/2 "2010-08-13T06:53:34Z")
Check out this: [http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/network\_storage/home-network-storage/?intcmp=bac-en-us-home-h\_hero1-goflexhome](http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/network_storage/home-network-storage/?intcmp=bac-en-us-home-h_hero1-goflexhome) ---
**Author:** ![66impalass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/66impalass/32/7429_2.png) [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 6:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/3 "2010-08-13T06:55:34Z")
> **[LaCie](https://www.lacie.com/)** > > LaCie, the premium brand of Seagate technology - world-class storage solutions for photographers, videographers, audio professionals, and other power users. EDIT: I have the 1tb version, however I don’t really use it for more than storage since I got my mini ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 7:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/4 "2010-08-13T07:03:48Z")
Both look really cool. I have a Xbox 360 so I could stream to that. The Lacie products look pretty cool with the streaming, HDMI, and also storage. My big goal is to use my USB hard drive or cheap internal storage and play off that so I dont need my laptop hooked up to my TV by HDMI and it seems the Lacie really does that. ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 7:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/5 "2010-08-13T07:11:14Z")
I have been using my Gen I WD TV with no issues for over a a year or so now…I love it…i have been thinking about getting the live or getting a popcorn hour so i can stream…my friend jsut got a popcorn and he loves it…h replaced his Apple TV with it ---
**Author:** ![BuickGN](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/buickgn/32/7200_2.png) [@BuickGN](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BuickGN)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/6 "2010-08-13T11:42:09Z")
xbox cannot play mkv files without some work, and its garbage for streaming compared to the pch. if anything go for the popbox, its new and can pretty much play anything. ---
**Author:** ![evane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@evane](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/evane)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/7 "2010-08-13T15:17:57Z")
> [@BuickGN](#): > > xbox cannot play mkv files without some work, and its garbage for streaming compared to the pch. if anything go for the popbox, its new and can pretty much play anything. Popbox got rather crappy reviews. I would personally recommend a refurb A-110. I have been pining for one for sometime now. ---
**Author:** ![IanK](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/iank/32/5016_2.png) [@IanK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/IanK)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2010, 10:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/8 "2010-08-15T10:27:11Z")
Loving my WDTV Thus far. ---
**Author:** ![BuickGN](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/buickgn/32/7200_2.png) [@BuickGN](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BuickGN)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/9 "2010-08-16T12:14:42Z")
> [@evane](#): > > Popbox got rather crappy reviews. I would personally recommend a refurb A-110. I have been pining for one for sometime now. yeah i have a 110, love it. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/10 "2010-08-16T12:21:28Z")
I have a WDTV Live. It’s pretty good, handles everything I’ve thrown at it and is way more convenient than any PC setup. ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/11 "2010-08-16T13:20:43Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#): > > I have a WDTV Live. > > It’s pretty good, handles everything I’ve thrown at it and is way more convenient than any PC setup. Did you get the WiFi for it or have it plugged in to the LAN? Does it support any USB drive and can you navigate through folders right on it or does your drive need to be setup a certain way? ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/12 "2010-08-16T13:33:24Z")
> [@boxxa](#): > > Did you get the WiFi for it or have it plugged in to the LAN? > > Does it support any USB drive and can you navigate through folders right on it or does your drive need to be setup a certain way? Hard-wired I’ve only done the thumb-drive thing once, and it didn’t like playing off it. I think they were .avi files. I WAS able to play the same exact files off the network share though…go figure. I think I formatted the drive with FAT32. ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/13 "2010-08-16T13:37:55Z")
Sweet. As long as it can navigate through my drive without it being in a certain format I am happy. Just trying to find one with built in WiFi ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/14 "2010-08-16T13:40:45Z")
> [@boxxa](#): > > Sweet. As long as it can navigate through my drive without it being in a certain format I am happy. Just trying to find one with built in WiFi yeah, it displays whatever folders are there ---
**Author:** ![66impalass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/66impalass/32/7429_2.png) [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/15 "2010-08-17T07:26:30Z")
Seriously, with what you want why not just spend $200 on a mac mini? ---
**Author:** ![boxxa](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boxxa/32/5045_2.png) [@boxxa](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boxxa)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 7:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/16 "2010-08-17T07:38:05Z")
Mac Mini for 200? As long as its Intel based I would totally do it but I didnt see any for under 400. ---
**Author:** ![bracketracer](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bracketracer/32/15592_2.png) [@bracketracer](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bracketracer)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/17 "2010-08-17T08:47:37Z")
Ok, so I was one of the early adopters (read Alpha testers) of the Popbox. Really REALLY buggy out of the box, and over the first 2 weeks of ownership, I did at least 3, maybe 4 firmware updates. Right now, it does exactly what I want it to, but it’s definitely lacking quite a few features that were promised at the CES in January. I suppose the big one is Netflix. However, without getting too long-winded, it does exactly what I want it to. It can access my home server, and play anything I throw at it. BR rips, .mkv, VIDEO-TS, .avi, .mov, .iso…hell, anything. The UI isn’t perfect, really nothing about it is perfect, but for $130, I’m not complaining at all. Between this box, hacked Wii, Roku Soundbridge, and our cars having iPod compatibility, I no longer have any use for removable media, which is kinda nice. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 8:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/18 "2010-08-17T08:54:04Z")
Still rocking my $99 refurb A100 popcorn hour. Running the YAMJ interface with the popcorn hour hardwired on my network looking at about 3.5 TB of storage on my server. Mostly 720p and 1080p mkv’s but I’ve used it to play a ton of different formats as well. ---
**Author:** ![66impalass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/66impalass/32/7429_2.png) [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/19 "2010-08-17T09:52:39Z")
> [@boxxa](#): > > Mac Mini for 200? As long as its Intel based I would totally do it but I didnt see any for under 400. Sorry, for $300 get a mac mini, [http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Mac-Mini-1-83-Intel-Core-Duo-10-5-Leopard-/130420002439?pt=Apple\_Desktops](http://cgi.ebay.com/Apple-Mac-Mini-1-83-Intel-Core-Duo-10-5-Leopard-/130420002439?pt=Apple_Desktops) Get a 750gb hard drive, or just plug in your external. Have everything you want plus more like streaming from Hulu in 720p formant and the like. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2010, 10:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041/20 "2010-08-17T10:00:41Z")
$300 + the bluetooth keyboard/mouse + cables to interface to the TV + etc… OR $100 all-in-one that you don’t have to do shit to make it work. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/usb-hard-drive-video-players/159041.md?page=2)