14 DAY TRIAL // External storage solutions are manufactured by a variety of companies and each new device strives to bring something new, whether it is a higher storage capacity, a fresh casing design, faster speeds or better security. Packard Bell, however, went even further with its line of Studio ST external drives. Aiming to enable multimedia enthusiasts to easily playback their videos on TVs or other displays, the multimedia storage drive has its own HDMI interface and can playback multimedia files, even in 1,080p resolution, on its own.
The product comes in storage capacities between 500GB and 2TB and has a stylish, compact design with glossy black finish and angular shape. It features its own remote control, can play most versions of common video, picture and audio files and even boasts Dolby Digital decoding capabilities. Furthermore, the gadget comes with the Packard Bell Software Suite, which provides the drive with automatic or scheduled continuous backup functions, as well as system archiving and data synchronization.
In addition to being able to play any stored data on its own, the new multimedia drive benefits from a USB port, which enables it to play files stored on other devices, such as USB-enabled hard drives. The feature set is completed by the fanless construction (which enables zero-noise operation) and the intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that comes in most European languages and allows for content to be easily browsed.
Naturally, given the market's special emphasis on energy efficiency, Packard Bell did not neglect this aspect when it designed its fresh gizmo. The multimedia storage drive features the PowerSave technology, which, after a given period of inactivity, powers down the drive in order to reduce total power consumption by 60%.
The product bundle will include a remote control, all-digital cables, namely A/V, YPbPr, HDMI, and USB2.0. Unfortunately, the press release does not give exact details on the price and availability of the device, saying only that “availability and street price vary according to country.”