USB tv player?
Apr 17, 2009 | 4:07 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
Something like this?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218008588808
This device turns your USB drive into an HD media player, allowing you to watch your favorite HD movies on your TV.
Product Features
Compatible with My Passport portable hard drives and other USB storage devices; supported USB device file systems: FAT-32, NTFS, HFS+ (no journaling)
Full HD 1080p video playback and navigation
Dock-and-play convenience
Provides access to 2 USB drives simultaneously
HDMI and composite video interfaces for easy connection to a TV
Ultracompact design for easy portability
Includes compact remote with batteries, composite A/V cable, AC adapter, media converter software and owner's manual
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218008588808
This device turns your USB drive into an HD media player, allowing you to watch your favorite HD movies on your TV.
Product Features
Compatible with My Passport portable hard drives and other USB storage devices; supported USB device file systems: FAT-32, NTFS, HFS+ (no journaling)
Full HD 1080p video playback and navigation
Dock-and-play convenience
Provides access to 2 USB drives simultaneously
HDMI and composite video interfaces for easy connection to a TV
Ultracompact design for easy portability
Includes compact remote with batteries, composite A/V cable, AC adapter, media converter software and owner's manual
Apr 17, 2009 | 5:23 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 14
A DVD player with USB support would do that cheaper than a special device with no DVD
http://www.amazon.com/PHILIPS-Hi-Def...0010568&sr=1-9
http://www.amazon.com/PHILIPS-Hi-Def...0010568&sr=1-9
Apr 17, 2009 | 6:57 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newport Beach, California, USA
Posts: 36,062
A DVD player with USB support would do that cheaper than a special device with no DVD
http://www.amazon.com/PHILIPS-Hi-Def...0010568&sr=1-9
http://www.amazon.com/PHILIPS-Hi-Def...0010568&sr=1-9
Apr 17, 2009 | 7:02 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: BA, AA, DL, KLM, UA
Posts: 37,489
That said, the WD TV player is great, and can be found for about $105 at places like Amazon.
Apr 17, 2009 | 7:49 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,948
I have one of those. I hook my portable USB hard drive with movies and watch all of my movies on my Samsung TV. Above mentioned PHilips dvd players do have HDMI and even upconverting.
Apr 17, 2009 | 8:32 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 109
I need it to be portable since I'm out of town during the work week. You'd think a philips dvd player that has usb slot and hdmi out and plays divx would be cheaper then a simple device that goes from usb to hdmi...that one listed at BBY is ideal but $130, really? 
Apr 17, 2009 | 8:36 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: BA, AA, DL, KLM, UA
Posts: 37,489
There ARE much cheaper solutions from places like this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13542
You'll just have to add your own 2.5" drive plus it won't have HDMI.
A lot of the $130 goes towards paying the various license holders for the right to use their codecs in order to play HDMI video. I most certainly wouldn't call it a "simple device that goes from USB to HDMI" as there is a heck of a lot more involved in decoding HD video.
FWIW; the WD TV is $99 from buy.com.
