Philips SLM5500 review

Many of us have hard disks that are overflowing with media files we never look at - photos we didn't print, old home video clips and entire libraries of music.

The idea of squeezing the whole family round the PC to enjoy them is probably an uncomfortable prospect. If, however, you get a network media player like the Philips SLM5500, you'll be able to enjoy those files on your living room TV.

It's far smaller than some of the media players we've seen and is tastefully finished in silver and white plastic. It feels rather lightweight, but it's unlikely to take too many knocks sitting in the living room. The rear of the unit has an antenna for wireless networks, along with an Ethernet port for those wanting to use a wired connection. Network setup is straightforward, with an easy-to-use wizard guiding you through the process. Philips supplies server software with the device, but we recommend downloading Microsoft's simple Media Connect software instead, which also supports the playback of DRM-protected media files.

There's a choice of SCART or component video outputs on the rear of the device. The SCART gives good audio and image quality from a single connector, and a lead is provided in the box. Both 720p and 1080i high-definition (HD) files are supported via the component outputs for those with compatible TVs. Unfortunately, there's no dedicated analogue audio output, only digital, so if you need a phono output for TV or to connect to a hi-fi, you'll need an adapter for the SCART socket. These only cost around £3, but we felt that Philips should have included one in the box.

Once set up, the SLM5500 worked flawlessly and the menus are easy to navigate with the included remote. Audio files sounded good and were easy to browse and select. It also did a good job of scaling photos for our TV, plus you can browse thumbnails or watch a slideshow. Playback of compressed video formats like DivX and XviD was stutter-free over our network. You can play HD video too, but you'll need to use the faster wired connection to do this.