Small, easy to use media players for your living room have been showing up Left and Right lately. Ones that immediately come to mind are the ever popular WD TV HD and Popcorn Hour Media Tank players that I’ve reviewed. I love em both. But now Mvix is coming on the scene with the Ultio (MX-800HD). This bad boy can handle 1080p and just about any video format known to man. It’s currently available for pre-order, but will be selling for $169 with no hard drive (you can connect external USB drives to it) up to $308 with a 1.5TB drive. I can’t wait to see how this one stacks up to my two favorites.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
For the price $169 – this thing is insanely hot
* Built-in Torrent Client
* Samba Client
* Samba Server
* UPnP
WOW!
I admit this machine looks enticing. What DOESN’T it report to do?
Sounds great, but I’ll wait and see what the WDTV2 will be capable of doing before making another media player purchase. What I want to know is, can the HDD be home upgraded? That, and how many reference frames its hardware is physically capable of taking (that being the biggest drawback to watching 1080p h.264 on the WDTV).
Err, scratch the first poorly thought-out question…
@joshjoshlol The hard drive can be upgraded because you can buy one without a hard drive at all and add your own
Haha, yeah I realized that as soon as I posted. D’oh! Reading comprehension -1…
For folk with questions… their website has a pretty comprehensive list of supported file types and even the complete users manual of configuration options.
I can’t want to hear about a working unit. How many of the features are actually implemented and how many will come in a future software release. Looks realllly interesting.
MVIX.NET: * Mvix Ultio is UNAUTHORIZED, Not a Genuine Mvix Product *
I wouldn’t give my money to MvixUSA for the Ultio just yet.
This was posted this morning on the MVIX.net OFFICIAL Forums:
Unicorn Admin Group:
“Unfortunately MvixUSA – Unicorn partner in USA for the last few years has recently announced their new device – the so called “Mvix Ultio (MX-800HD)” This announcement is to clarify to all that device is not a Unicorn product, nor it will be supported by Unicorn now or in the future in anyway. According to initial Unicorn Investigations to the subject matter, the device is an independent unauthorized OEM initiative made by MVIXUSA and originated from other vendor. The use of the mvix name brand on any product or publication without the advance explicit authorization or permission of Unicorn Korea was reported to the legal department of the company with a clear instructions to take all necessary steps to protect Unicorn rights without delay. Please note : Any dealer or an e-tailer worldwide offering the sale or distribution of any Mvix devices without explicit authorization in advance from Unicorn Korea will be held liable for infringing Unicorn rights and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent allowed by the law. Mvix Korea Official site is http://www.mvix.net ”
Posted 06/26/2009
http://www.mvix.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1256&FID=8&PR=3
I agree with Mike. No matter how hot this player might look there is always a danger that in a few weeks-month there won’t be anyone to support it.
According to the USPTO, Mvix USA owns the trademark for the name “Mvix”, so Unicorn doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on. The USPTO database makes direct linking impossible, but if you go to this page: http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=login&p_lang=english&p_d=trmk and click on “New User Form Search” and search for “mvix”, you’ll see what I mean.
Unicorn is just grumpy because someone has managed to come out with a better and cheaper product than anything they offer. Mvix USA has nothing to worry about.
Please watch this device before: http://tvblobbox.com/ataglance.php
meh, $169. When can I get my hands on one?
They give away the source code for the box under GPL.
http://www.mvixusa.com/support/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=19
You could support it yourself if no one else is available…
I just received my Mvix Ultio package. It is almost similar to my old WDTV. But the cool part is that it can be hooked up to my wireless network, supports MKV and downloads videos via its built-in Bittorrent client faster than my PC! I don’t think I can still find anything cooler than that!
Mike is a shill for unicorn! I’ve seen his same comment about Mvix Ultio posted all over the net !
Compared to WDTV, my Mvix ultio can play 1080 videos in RM/RMVB formats and all codec I have. Yesterday we tried to play RM/RMVB with my friend’s WDTV but it just disappoints us. Also, we had trouble playing 1080p MKV files with higher bit rate due to screen artifacting and other visual problems. Moreover, WDTV will force you to buy HDMI cable where itself worth ranges from $10 – $50 depending where you puchase it. But Ultio package included HDMI cable with it.
Still waiting for some serious reviews… There are tons of not very well written bogus reactions/reviews on many websites (paid per message, from Pakistan and India or whatever).. Is this the way Mvix does its PR ???
On June 20th of this year I purched two of the new MVIX Ultio with 1.5 TB hard drives totaling over $800.00 including shipping and handling. The units worked find until one of them starting to overheat, freeze and finally show an IO error. I contacted MVIX support on Aug 21st informing them of the problem and opened a support ticked EWS-492125. After being informed to try a firm ware upgrade that didn’t work they finally issued me a RMA # R_MS08272009001 and returned the unit to them at my own expense. After which they informed me the unit needed a new cooling fan but there was nothing else wrong with it.
During the time the first unit was returned to MVIX I started using the second unit more often. Even know it does not over heat, the unit will freezes on me for no reason and will not shout down. You must unplug the unit from the wall. I contacted MVIX on Sept 25th and they issued anther RMA# R_MS09252009001 for this unit. During the week of Sept25th the first unit was returned to me and I tried it right away. The unit continues not to play, will not power off and freezes.
To this day Oct 10, 2009 MVIX has not answered any of my emails and my phone calls are placed on hold.
Late Saturday afternoon Oct 10, 2009 I checked my mail and my second unit was returned to me by MVIX, receiver refused delivery of unit.
Dear John
We sincerely apologize for the confusion and your situation.
As per our Support ticketing records, our support dept. has been replying to all your emails very promptly. The last communication is dated back to last week of Sept.2009 after which we have not received any information or reply to any of our Tickets.
We take customer service very seriously and abide by 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. As per our records, you were offered to return the units for a refund. We have not received any reply from your end regarding this refund.
Quite Evidently, you are having difficulty in getting in touch with our Support department or mismanagement of email ticketing system may have caused certain mis-communication. Pls. login to our support center and open a HIGH PRIORITY support ticket: http://www.mvixusa.com/support
We will like to make sure that your issue is resolved to the best of your satisfaction.
Thanks !
MvixUSA Customer Relations.
As for your comment about a refund, it has never been offerd to me!!
Copy of email sent to your MVIX RMA, in regards to your contact 11 Oct.
Sir,
As of Saturday Oct 10, 2009 the second unit was returned to me though the mail. It stated that the receiver at MVIX refused to except delivery of this unit. Also I was required to pay the returned postage and handling fee!!
So at this time I have two units that don’t work and am out the charge of shipping and handling (times 3).
Please do not tell me to remove the units hard drives again and redo the formatting then install the latest firm ware upgrade. I have done this to many times at your support request.
As for updates to my ticket I have emails to your company dating, Oct 6 (two emails sent), Oct 5, Sept 23 and Sept 21st all with no replies!!
What I want is someone to contact me personally at xx-xxx-xx-xxxx. Both units I would like replaced with new ones with 1.5tb hard drives and a refund on the return RMA that was refused by your company!!
V/R
MVIX Mail: Hi John,
I see no update on this ticket since September 25th. Have you installed the 1.3 firmware on your units?
Thank you for contacting MvixUSA Support!
We appreciate your interest in the MvixUSA Multimedia Centers.
Again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and will try to get it resolved as soon as possible. Kindly rest assured you have our utmost attention.
@John & MVIX I asked MVIX to respond to John’s comment, but let’s take this to email now. Thanks.