DVICO TViX M3000U review

The TViX is a portable media player that's designed to let you take your digital pictures and music with you wherever you go.

Rather than having its own display, though, it connects to a TV. It has composite, S-video and component outputs so it should connect to any television set, although a SCART socket is notably absent.

The device also comes without a hard disk, so you'll have to add your own parallel ATA disk. We think this is a good idea, as lots of people have spare hard disks lying around. If you don't, you can buy an 80GB disk for as little as £35.

Getting media on to the TViX couldn't be easier. Windows automatically recognises it as an external storage device and its hard disk shows up in My Computer. You can drag and drop the files you want, and this process is fast thanks to the USB Hi-Speed connection.

The TViX is compatible with most audio and video files with the exception of WMV, though this is easily remedied with a software download from the TViX website. The TiVXManager scans your PC for compatible files, and can even convert certain incompatible video formats using an Xvid encoder.

The device includes native support for VOB files, but you must rip DVDs manually. Not all of them will play correctly; you may have to convert the files to MPEG2. The TViX isn't suitable for anyone who isn't comfortable converting file types.

The black and silver colour scheme will match many modern PCs. The plastic body is sturdy and should take a few knocks. As there is no display, you can control the TViX only when it's connected to a TV. The simple controls on the top of the box mean you can get by without a remote, but you shouldn't have to as there's one in the box.

Quality was fine across the board, and we were particularly pleased with the component output, which supports high-definition video. Provided your TV can display this, you'll be impressed with the results. The TViX can also output its menus in high definition, which makes them much easier to navigate. That said, the picture was also very good through the S-video outputs.

There's no need to worry about audio quality, either. Phono outputs enable you to connect the device directly to most stereos, which is great for playing digital music. Movie fans will appreciate the optical S/PDIF, which outputs Dolby Digital or DTS surround sound to a suitable amplifier.

The TiVX won't appeal to anyone who wants to stream audio and video from their PC to their living room. However, it's perfect for taking on holiday or on business trips, as you can get all your media on one portable box. It's a great product and works well, but avoid it if you're not comfortable with ripping video and converting file formats.