Digital Signage

Thinking that a trip back into computer-support-land would be a jolly change of pace from my normal work, I hapilly embarked on the simple task of setting up an MVIX 760hd hard-drive based, wireless, usb, remote controlled device to display marketing materials on a TV for the company.

Five and one half hours later I've gotten it to play one mp3, a few pictures of such quality to make youtube on a cell phone runing EDGE covered in vaseline look like Planet Earth in comparison. To do the world a service, I will translate the text from the product site.

Experience a hi-definition media file playback and take your audiovisual experience farther than ever before. 

Further, that is into blurrier and lower definition territory that you can imagine.

The Mvix™ Wireless High-Definition Multimedia Center (MX-760HD) provides an unprecedented file format support and literally puts life back in your digital media content.

This piece of plastic $&#! supports 240x320 mpegs only. However, after playing one a few times, you must reboot.

This hard drive-based multimedia center, built around linux-based architecture is a true home-theater PC offering endless possibilities.

Endless possibilities such as throwing it through your TV, punching it to oblivion, using it as a doorstop, feeding it to a sand worm, getting your blood pressure so high you need medication.

The Mvix™ Hi-Def 802.1G Multimedia Center links to your home network and plugs all your digital media content directly into your TV. You can now access all your multimedia files (music files, videos, and photos) and play it on your large-screen plasma or HDTV. It features the wireless 802.11g technology with WEP infrastructure to deliver maximum wireless signal rates (of up to 54 Mbps) for streaming digital media.

Windows only. Streams faster than a pony expressman's trip on a two legged dead horse across the Atlantic*. *Only applies when the Atlantic is more viscous than sub-zero honey.

The Mvix™ player supports over two dozen media formats, including high-definition video (WMV-9 or MPEG-4 format).

Supports Mpeg-4 Basic, 240x340 ONLY.

It provides an easy way of viewing your digital photo files or a slide show with background music. It is even programmed for automatic decoding and convenient bookmarking (playlist) of multiple files within a folder.

It has however, not yet received its obedience training, which was scheduled to take place in Sydney.

Installing and setting up the Mvix™ MX-760HD is a breeze. Simply pop-in a typical 3.5” hard drive (not included), transfer all your media content from you PC and you are good to go.

Simply shoot yourself with arsenic bullets dipped in hydrofluoric acid, while simultaneously shoving red-hot branding irons made of toxic uranium byproducts into your eyeballs.

The built-in Setup menu and a full-featured Remote offer optimal flexibility and control over the entire system. 

Setup menu only accessible on the miniscule 4-line text LCD screen. Eleven of the 47 remote buttons confirmed working (5 of which are direction pads, 2 volumes, and the power button).

Simple firmware upgrades keep this media center updated with support for latest file formats.

Firmware updates ceased upon release of the newer model, and will never include H.264 support.

The MX-760HD comes in a sleek metallic chassis with front-panel LCD. This stylish hard-disk based media center makes it a dream machine for multimedia aficionados.

Metal made of plastic. R2D2 is sleeker. Dream machine for a Will It Blend episode.

In summary, consider this a heartfelt plea to both make me see my doc about my now blood-boilingly high blood pressure and do not purchase this device.