Top Picks Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous
	Dish Hopper HD DVR: $10/mo DVR fee If you love watching TV but hate commercials, Hopper is your DVR. It’s PrimeTime Anytime feature automatically records all primetime shows on ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC and stores them on a massive 2-terabyte drive for eight days so you can watch recorded shows without commercials with the Auto Hop feature. As reviewer Darryl Wilkinson put it, “This feature alone makes it worth getting the Hopper—even if you have no interest in any of the other features.” Speaking of other features, you can record up to six live HD channels simultaneously and set up a whole-house entertainment system by linking the DVR to as many as three Joey slave units. (September 2012, Read Full Review)
	Samsung Smart Hub Streaming Platform Samsung’s Smart Hub streaming platform found on the company's Smart TVs and top-line Blu-ray players is a robust media streamer that rivals the best standalone media players. It delivers trouble-free streaming, superior picture and sound quality, access to hundreds of apps, and a global search function that makes it easy to find content wherever it resides. Reviewer Barb Gonzalez wrote: “I streamed my go-to test video, Men in Black II from Vudu, with my Denon A/V receiver connected to the [TV]…and it resulted in the best surround sound and the clearest picture I’ve seen short of Blu-ray.” (January 2013 Read Full Review)
	Netgear NeoTV NTV200 Media Streamer: $50 This inexpensive media streamer is easy to set up and provides wired or wireless access to Web content from Netflix, Vudu, Pandora and dozens of other service providers. The device can stream high-def movies from Vudu and has an intuitive interface for creating your own channels. You can control the box using the supplied remote, or download a free app and use your smartphone or tablet. Reviewer Kim Wilson wrote: “The greatest asset to this player is Vudu...and an extensive array of fun, informative, and social content.” (May 2012, Read Full Review)
	Western Digital WD TV Live Media Streamer: $99 WD TV Live delivers solid video and audio performance and is equipped to play 1080p video with 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. It supports wired or wireless (via Wi-Fi) streaming and gives you access to streaming services Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Vudu as well as social media sites and more; it also plays just about any kind of photo, music, or video file. Reviewer Barb Gonzalez concluded: “WD TV Live is a great choice if you want to stream media both online and from your home network.” (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Roku 2 XS Media Streamer: $99 Comprehensive, Wi-Fi compatible, and easy to operate, the Roku 2 XS adds Internet streaming to any TV or home theater system from a box the size of a hockey puck and gives you direct access to the popular game, Angry Birds. Reviewer Barb Gonzalez wrote: "If you are looking for a good way to stream movies, TV, music, and other online content in an easy-to-use manner—or if you are truly addicted to Angry Birds—the Roku 2 XS is a solid choice." (April 2012, Read Full Review)
	Logitech Harmony Link Smartphone/Tablet Universal Remote App: $99 We’ve always liked the Harmony remote controls for their low cost and easy wizard-based in-the-cloud programming. The Link brings the Harmony activity-based one-touch control option to smartphones and tablets, adding features like an exclusive program guide for the iPad version. It’s a remarkable value for what amounts to a sophisticated touchscreen system controller that is intuitive and ultrasimple to operate. (May 2012, Read Full Review)
	Roku Stick Media Streamer: $100 Like it’s big brother, the 2 XS, the Roku Stick adds Internet streaming to a TV but this time from a thumb-drive-size device that plugs into the HDMI input on a Mobile High Definition Link (MHL)-enabled TV (MHL enables the Stick to get power through the HDMI connection). With the tiny stick in place, you can stream content from your home network and tap into more than 700 channels, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, and many other streaming services. Reviewer Barb Gonzalez was impressed with its performance and concluded: “If you can use a Roku Stick and like Roku’s offering, it’s definitely the way to go.” (May 2013, Read Full Review)
	Vizio Co-Star Streaming Player with Google TV: $100 The Co-Star lacks some of the features offered on Sony’s NSZ-GS7 player, but costs $100 less and supports 1080p resolution with Dolby Digital Plus pass-through and 3D playback. A slick Movies and TV app recommends movies and TV shows (based on ratings you've assigned to programs) and tells you where you can watch them, while the Bluetooth remote provides one-touch access to Netflix and Amazon Instant Video. Reviewer Barb Gonzalez wrote: “The Vizio is a good value and a good way to bring Google TV to your home theater.” (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Sony SMP-N200 Media Player: $100 The SMP-N200 comes highly recommended as a great way to bring trouble-free, high-quality audio and video streaming from Netflix, Hulu Plus and other popular sites to your home theater. It’s easy to set up and use, supports Dolby Digital surround sound, and plays a wide variety of file formats. In the words of reviewer Barb Gonzalez: “This is an awesome player that will do the job in 1080p full HD while delivering great value. Recommended.” (September 2012, Read Full Review)
	Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Headphones: $199 Don’t let the ATH-M50’s modest looks fool you (although you should check them out in white or red if style is important). They are solidly built by a company that’s been around since 1962, covered by a generous two-year warranty, and sport supremely comfortable oval cushions that produce a tight seal around your ears. Most important, they deliver open, easygoing sound with substantial—but not overdone—bass. Reviewer Steve Guttenberg wrote: “The uninhibited dynamic oomph on an action film like Avatar was impressive. After a few minutes, you forget you’re wearing headphones." (May 2013, Read Full Review)
	Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV: $200 The NSZ-GS7 turns any TV in to a Google TV and excels at cleaning up poor-quality video, making it presentable on a big screen. Apps such as Amazon Instant Video, YouTube, and Sony’s Video Unlimited come pre-loaded and many others are available through Google Play. Performance is glitch-free and you get an easy-to-use Bluetooth remote with backlit keys and a mini keyboard. Reviewer Barb Gonzalez concluded: “If you want a Google TV with a great Web browser, the NSZ-GS7 is a good choice.” (December 2012, Read Full Review)
	Sonos Multiroom Audio System: $299 & up We’ve reviewed the Sonos music system several times since its inception, and it continues to be added upon and improved. The original standalone controllers went from a clickwheel device to an elegant touchscreen controller, and now Sonos supplies an app for smartphones and tablets with the same functionality. In addition to the original mix of player modules, suitable for playback through an existing audio system or speakers, the company now sells two self-powered player/speaker systems and a powered subwoofer. Wireless connections to your home network’s music files and iTunes and the various rooms make it easy to install. (Read Full Review)
	Xbox 360 as Media Streamer: $300-$400 Everybody knows Xbox 360 is a top-ranked video-game console with state-of-the-art voice and gesture control as an option, but did you know it's also a media streamer with access to oodles of online content, including tons of live sports, and high-def performance almost as good as Blu-ray? Reviewer Barb Gonzalez called it her “go-to player,” providing easy access to her favorite streaming services and, with the optional Kinect module, letting her search for programs by voice without leaving the couch. (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Darbee Darblet Visual Presence Video Enhancer: $349 Reviewer Kris Deering was not a fan of image enhancers—until he met the Darbee Darblet, which he dubbed “the best video enhancement tool” he has ever used. It probably won’t win any awards for cosmetics but it will make the image on your screen “something to gasp at,” taking depth, definition, detail and contrast to another level—and without negative consequences. Deering was so impressed that he suggests trying the Darblet before upgrading to a new HDTV or projector. (January 2013, Read Full Review)
	NAD VISO 2 Wireless Music System: $600 Supercharge music from your Apple devices wirelessly (via Bluetooth aptX) or by simply placing your iPhone or iPod in the sturdily constructed dock attached to this cylindrical sound system. Reviewer Mark Fleischmann was so impressed with the system’s musicality and bass that he called it “the best one-piece docking system" he’s ever heard "[It’s] a step up from small iPod speakers and table radios for ad hoc music lovin’ in that great big world beyond the sweet spot.” (HomeTheater.com, Read Full Review)
	Autonomic MMS-2 Media Server: $1,995 The MMS-2 is a small, 7.5-inch-wide black box with a 500-gigabyte hard drive that serves up music in two listening zones. It’s easy to set up, has an intuitive interface and can play just about any audio format, including 96-kilohertz/24-bit files. You can stream content from your home network as well as Internet services like Pandora and sync your local library with music stored in the cloud (via MP3tunes). All this from, as reviewer Darryl Wilkinson put it, “one of the most feature-packed, dual-zone music servers you can buy.” (October 2011, Read Full Review)
	Kaleidescape 1U Server and M500 Player: $16,470 Make no mistake about it: The Kaleidescape server/player combo is expensive but it goes far beyond being just a movie server, providing best-in-class library management and organization, intuitive search and navigation and the ability to stream movies in all their high-def and lossless-audio glory throughout your house. Reviewer Shane Buettner wrote: It’s a different animal altogether. It’s a networked digital media distribution solution that dramatically changes the way you access and experience your content—for the better.” (October 2010, Read Full Review)