14 DAY TRIAL // When it comes down to premium media centers and integrated automation solutions VidaBox is one of the most well known names in the industry, the company just announcing the second version of their ThinClient solution, the ThinClientV2 Media Extender used to stream Blu-ray and other content from their media servers.
Looking pretty much like the Zotac Ion barebone PC that we reviewed not so long ago (I am actually willing to bet this is a Zotac barebone), this can pull Blu-ray, DVD, music, photos, and other digital content from VidaBox media servers over a standard Ethernet network, the content being played back on your HDTV via HDMI at Full HD resolutions with up to 5.1 surround sound.
If this sound a lot like what a network media streamer does it's probably because it actually fills pretty much the same role, although VidaBox can guarantee you the ThinClientV2 is compatible with their impressive line of media servers that can stream up to 10 or more simultaneous AV streams while also coming with a pretty sleek, custom interface.
Furthermore, the ThinClientV2 Media Extender provides Netflix and other IP services content streaming, a VESA mounting bracket being also included, making this solution particularly well suited for in-room installations.
“The new ThinClientV2 design uniquely balances both performance and low cost,” said Steven Cheung, President of VidaBox.
“The light-weight, small size, and affordability of the original ThinClientHD were great, but it lacked the horsepower and performance of other extenders like the SLIMv3 or RoomClientHD, making certain tasks like starting Blu-rays take as long as 30 seconds or more.
ThinClientV2 is more powerful and creates a far better end user experience, making it a perfect complement to any VidaBox server,” added VidaBox's President.
Unfortunately, pricing has not yet been announced but I doubt that anyone interested in building such a powerful media streaming ecosystem will care all that much about that.