MG-25 MediaGate The DivX BOX

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://akihabaranews.com/en/revue_25.html' target='_blank'>http://akihabaranews.com/en/revue_25.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This product is very cool, I loved it ! Hooked up to a projector, this is a dream machine. Make sure to include this in your shortlist when looking for a portable video/photo/MP3-OGG player."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/MEDGATE.JPG" /> <br /><br />They have a mini review with lots of pics. This looks like a pretty cool device. I found it <a href="http://www.microtronics.ca/comersus/store/comersus_dynamicIndex.asp">here</a> for $229.95 including a 40 GB drive. I could not find it unbundled. I think an unbundled version that took at 3.5" drive for under $100 would do pretty well.

[klinux]

Nice, glad to see more and more of these gadgets. The manufacturer says that the device is 1080i capable but the reviewer did not test this or even try the 720p trailers available on divx.com/hd which I know are taxing to decode even on a p4 2+ ghz machine.

[howdoin]

I own both this device and the Mvolt-100 :

The Mediagate is pretty good but I was not able to get any HD picture on my DLP set - I ahve contacted the manufacturer and they have not been able to provide me with an answer yet.

S-video works well and the picture quality is excellent - The compatibilty is ok but I still have a lot of avi files that will just freeze and some that do not play (but that is to happen with most divx player anyway).
The remote is simple but has all the basic features.
Biggest drawback for me on this machine is that for some reason I cannot sort my files alphabetically (it is normally the default way the machine sorts files) - they cannot figure out why at the manufacturer.

Interface is pretty simple and could use some redesign but nothing major - it does the job.

Compared to the Mvolt-100 the unit itelf feels of lesser build quality and is about 1" longer.
Also, unless you use the composite cable you will need to cables to connect to TV as the s-video/Ypbpr jack is different from the sound/compite plug = it's kinda messy to carry all these cables around.