The Bottom Line
Pros
- Easy to set up and use.
- Removable hard drive included (250 or 500GB option).
- Front mounted USB port for accessing content on USB flash drives and Digital Still Cameras.
- High definition video playback capability up to 1080i.
- Inexpensive.
Cons
- No HDMI output.
- Remote Control response sluggish.
- No network connectivity.
- No direct dowload or streaming available from the internet.
- HD resolution tops out at 1080i.
Description
- HD Media Player featuring portable hard drive dual docking system for PC and inlcuded FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player.
- Automatically synchronizes media content on PC with provided Seagate FreeAgent Go portable hard drive via docking station.
- Built-in slot on FreeAgent Theater media player for insertion of Seagate FreeAgent Go portable hard drive.
- Up to 1080i via component video outputs. Analog/Digital audio output for home theater receiver. Dolby Digital 5.1 accessible.
- Front mounted USB port on FreeAgent Theater for access to content stored on USB Flash Drives and many Digital Still Cameras.
- Onscreen user interface allows easy setup, operation, and navigation of the FreeAgent Theater media player functions.
- Wireless remote control included.
- Minimum PC System Requirements: Windows XP or Vista, 256MB RAM and two available adjacent USB ports.
- TV rquirements: Composite, S-video or Component video connection.
- Audio requirements: TV with stereo inputs or stereo/home theater receiver with analog stereo or digital coaxial audio inputs.
Guide Review - Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player
Using the Seagate FreeAgent Theater is straightforward. First, install the provided software on a PC, connect a portable hard drive docking station to two of your PC's USB ports (you need two adjacent USB ports), and then place the FreeAgent Go portable hard drive into the docking station.
The FreeAgent software allows "synching" all the media files from your PC (or a specific folder) to the portable hard drive. Once this is done, place the portable hard drive into the hard drive slot on Seagate FreeAgent Theater and view still images, videos, or listen to audio files that are now stored on the portable hard drive.
As an added convenience, the FreeAgent Theater has its own USB port for access to audio, video, and still image files stored directly on a Flash Drive or many Digital Still Cameras.
The FreeAgent Theater unit offers some practical features, such as up to 1080i resolution output, digital coaxial audio output, and an easy-to-use onscreen file navigation system. Of course, the quality of video and audio playback depends on your source material. Low res video files will not look good on a large screen, and highly compressed audio files will not have the impact as uncompressed audio files.
Two disappointments are the lack of an HDMI output and digital optical output, which puts a damper on connection flexibility. Also, unlike many media players and extenders, the FreeAgent Theater does not have direct internet/home network access. That being said, if you looking a simple way to integrate PC media files in your home theater system, the Seagate FreeAgent Theater does deserve consideration.
