Asus launches wireless media player

Posted on 5 Jan 2010 at 10:37

Asus has just announced the O!Play Air HDP-R3, its latest media player for bringing viewing PC content on your living room TV. At first glance it looks very similar to the HDP-R1 media player we reviewed recently, but there are a couple of significant additions.

One is wireless networking, with support for the fastest 802.11n standard. Whether this will allow you to stream HD video content will depend on numerous factors, including your router, the distance between it and the HDP-R3, and the bit-rate of your video content. Another useful addition is the built-in card reader slots, allowing quick access to photos and videos stored on memory cards.

Like, its predecessor, the HDP-R3 supports all the expected audio, photo, and high-definition video formats. You can stream files from a PC or NAS, or connect USB or eSATA storage devices. The device will also automatically copy photo files from memory cards onto another storage device, so you don't need a PC to backup your images.

We really liked the HDP-R1 media player, as it was fairly easy to use and had full support for DVD menus. This updated version makes obvious improvements, but we're not yet sure what the final price will be. We'll bring you a full test as soon as we have a review sample. If you're looking for a media player, then also consider the Western Digital WD TV Live.

Author: Seth Barton

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