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D-Link DSM-520 Wireless HD Media Player

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Pros
Easy network setup
Great audio-streaming options
Cons
Blocky standard-definition video
Buggy video setup

$179.01 - $345.79
From 26 Merchants

PC World Editor's Review

by Lincoln Spector

The DSM-520 delivers great sound. Standard-definition video, however, was sometimes a little blocky.

D-Link's DSM-520 Wireless HD Player provides exceptionally beautiful sound. It also comes through with a wide selection of music-listening choices. Not only can it stream protected .wma files purchased from subscription services like Napster (using Windows Media Player 11), but it can transmit audio from sources such as AOL Live, Live365, Napster, Rhapsody, and vTuner. Free sample versions of both Live365 and vTuner are included with the player. The DSM-520 HD isn't able to play back AAC iTunes music, however, whether the files are protected or not.

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The D-Link's video capabilities, though, are less impressive. Standard-definition clips looked a bit blocky, while HD videos (which can include .wmv, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 files) came through somewhat better. The DSM-520 can output video at resolutions up to 1080i over HDMI.

The DSM-520 was the only player that gave me absolutely no Wi-Fi setup trouble. D-Link assured me that using the DSM-520 with a D-Link router provides no advantage. The player permits you to enter the password via a point-and-select screen or a remote-control phone pad. Or you can skip these two options and set up the network with a flash drive prepared in Windows' own Wireless Network Setup Wizard--an excellent method that no other player I looked at offered.

Setting up the DSM-520 to take full advantage of my TV was another matter. With my input choice (HDMI) selected, I couldn't alter the resolution at which it output video to my TV; the unit simply grayed out the option. To work around the difficulty, I changed the output to component, altered the resolution, and then changed the output back to HDMI--but having to go through that routine didn't inspire confidence. (D-Link is working on a fix.)

Once set up, the D-Link sports a promising, eye-pleasing menu system. But despite its large, colored buttons and comfortable fit in the hand, the remote seemed unresponsive. Sometimes I had to press <Enter> a second time because the first press accomplished nothing.

Besides supplying the unit's own server software, the D-Link CD contains an excellent 122-page .pdf manual with one of the best guides to cables I've run across.

Lincoln Spector

User Reviews for D-Link DSM-520 Wireless HD Media Player

Reviewed by: CaptainMonkeyPants

Duration of ownership: 2 Months

Strengths: Installed in 10 minutes, plays all my video & audio files seamlessly via 108mb wireless-g. So impressed I ordered a 2nd for another room. Using TVersity as a server - NOT the D-Link software.

Weaknesses: 1 sec or so delay on remote commands (expected since it has to talk to a server) No sorting of files - I'd be thrilled if it would simply directory-browse.

Overall Evaluation: All in all, it's great. Reasonable price with exceptional convenience & performance.
Reviewed by: gorillachicken

Duration of ownership: 5 Months

Strengths: No strengths. If you search DSM-520 and mediaservergui on google you will find a large number of people can't get it to work on their PC. The main reason I purchased it was to use it to watch recorded TV shows which requires you use 1.09 of their software..well this version constantly crashes with the error "mediaservergui application has encountered a problem and needs to close". I have tried it on several PC's with the same result. Tech support admits the version that works with .dvr-ms has a bug but can't tell me when and if they are going to fix it. So another weakness is bad tech support help.

Weaknesses: This will be a lousy product for most. I asked tech support when the bug would be fixed and they could not tell me....nor would they go find out when the next software release is. Tech support also kept telling me to go to menu items which did not exist which was frustrating. I felt Support wanted to get me off the phone not solve problems. The error "mediaservergui application has encountered a problem and needs to close". Will be a show stopper for those that get it....don't believe tech support when they say it's your PC's problem or you are the only one who gets it.

Overall Evaluation: If I were to make a random guess they probably compiled/tested it on a computer with some unique .dll's or libraries that most people don't have...and if your lucky to have those unique files it may work...problem is tech support has no idea what those requirements are. Again a guess is they did not test this on too many computers before shipping it out. I am making guesses because tech support had zero information on this error...hence this has led me to try a bunch of ideas and which led me to some guesses as what is going on. I tried this on a clean install of XP with SP2 and got the same error. I will be returning this product because I have no idea if they are going to fix this. If you get this error I suggest you return it too. Other companies have stopped selling and making media extenders so maybe the DSM-520 is going to be cancelled and that is why they won't fix this bug. Bottom line this bug prevents the product from working. Sincerely wish you luck, Logan

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