If you own an HDX-BD1 and need help to set it up, please download and read the second half of the HDX-BD1 Information Pack (1.41MB).

Update on 2010-0820: The Information pack (rev 1.4.18.1) is now based on the 4.18.1 rev. firmware.

 

Introduction

HDX-BD1 is the next generation product of the award winning media streamer, HDX 1000. Like its predecessor, HDX-BD1 aims to provide an easy way to playback your digital content library on the big screen TV. With the upgraded hardware components, HDX-BD1 can now deal with Blue Ray movies, and provides faster user interface response and file navigation time. Additionally, HDX has made a bold move by developing its own system software: HDX Voir, instead of using the NMT software from Syabas like they did in the HDX 1000. There are good and bad qualities of this decision. We’ll discuss them in the later chapter.

 

Beyond the Specifications

As the specification suggests, HDX BD1 has the potential to become a great media player / streamer. Has HDX delivered a machine which can live up to its full potential? The answer is: it depends. Based on the way you use HDX-BD1, you might have different feelings about the product.

 

A perfect machine to playback the local stored contents:

If you plan to install an HDD inside the HDX-BD1 and aren’t against the concept of using the internal HDD as the intermediate content storing location, this is the right machine for you. Despite its somewhat trailing network capability, HDX-BD1 does a wonderful job for playback of the local stored contents. It supports a wide range of media format playback, including the most resource demanding .mkv HD content. It can output the HD audio and can do dts-downmixing well. Among all the current generation media players / streamers, HDX-BD1 users report the least amount of Audio / video sync issues. You just need to take time to ftp the contents in and out of the machine, or remove the HDD from HDX-BD1 and perform the file maintenance task externally.

 

Decent Network stream and playback result by using SAMBA:

With the latest released firmware (version 4.18.1), HDX-BD1 has finally become a decent network media player. Using the SAMBA which is often included in most Windows, Linux and Mac operation system, HDX-BD1 can now stream media files from computers on the network to itself and playback the files in different formats (including the .iso format) on the big screen TV. I still recommend installing an internal HDD on your HDX-BD1 especially when you want to playback Blu-ray movie backup. If you don’t know how to optimize the network performance, streaming the HD format file might become a challenge. However, there is no problem for the HDX-BD1 to playback your old DVD backup collection in the .iso format.

 

The best candidate to consider in building a Blur-ray movie jukebox:

With the retail price of the 2TB hard disk drive dropping to the $120 range, it is not an expensive dream anymore to put up a Blu-ray movie jukebox. By using HDX-BD1 with a 2TB internal HDD installed, you can build the Blu-ray movie juke box for under $400. You can put around fifty of your favorite Blu-ray movie backups in the HDX-BD1 and swap the movies between your computer and the HDX-BD1 at a later time using the ftp service. You can put even more movie backups into the HDX-BD1 if the movie source is in DVD format. 2TB HDD can hold up to around two hundred and eighty DVD .iso format movies!

 

A Bit torrent stand-alone download machine? Not quite ready yet…

The 4.18.1 version firmware has enabled the HDX-BD1 to handle the Bit torrent download / upload tasks. I’ve tried the function but it does not work for me. I can use the transmission GUI to start a BT task. However, the task always gets interrupted when the downloaded content size reached 120MB. On the HDX discussion forum, there are people who can make this to work. But, I don’t think the technical steps involved are easily re-producible by average users. Before the official firmware and its built-in CSI application pack can do the job smoothly, I don’t think they can declare the HDX-BD1 can work as a stand-alone BT download machine.

 

In conclusion, we know the HDX-BD1 is not prefect yet. However, with the latest 4.18.1 version firmware in place, I think the HDX-BD1 has finally evolved into a decent choice for this generation network media player.

 

Recommended System

 

Based on the findings in the previous chapter, I recommend having this system setup if you are considering using the HDX-BD1:

• HDX-BD1 (w firmware update to 4.18.1 version)
• Install an internal HDD onto the HDX-BD1. The Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB is a good candidate for the internal HDD for its good capacity to cost ratio, and less heat generation feature. The HDD needs to be partitioned into ext3 format to allow remote FTP access.
• A good FTP client software, such as Filezilla (free version), on your computer.
• (Optional) Install AnyDVD_HD on your computer to backup movies.

The recommended HDX-BD1 system at work

 

You think the HDX-BD1 is what you need? Be sure to check out the HDX-BD1 product page.