Digital Media Players – A New Category?

Digital media players, like Seagate’s FreeAgent Theater+ and our new GoFlex TV products, are really starting to attract some major attention for their ability to bring digital content from your computer to the TV.  This recent piece from USA Today is a great example how main stream media is sitting up and taking notice. I recently updated my FreeAgent Theater + with the new Netflix streaming capability. It’s a great way to augment your traditional Netflix functionality to rent DVD’s with VOD functionality.  I happen to run a Ethernet cable to my FreeAgent streamer and the quality of service is excellent. Another thing I’m investigating is the functionality to backup my DVD’s on my FreeAgent Theater+ which then has the ability to stream my DVD’s directly from the HDD.  I’ve grown frustrated by damaged discs that no longer play or by missing discs that someone in the family (to be left nameless) has either lent out or lost. If your interested in learning how to accomplish this, there is an excellent web site with some terrific how-to guides AfterDawn.com.

While I’m familiar with  some very handsome systems for cataloging your DVD collection on a hard drive based system, such as Kaleidescape, you can actually achieve a entry level type solution to this yourself using a hard drive enabled digital streaming device, like FreeAgent Theater+ or GoFlex TV.  Give it a try – it can make finding and playing movies a whole lot more convenient.