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ZapMedia Finally Releases ZapStation
veader writes: "ZapMedia seems to have finally released the ZapStation. There is no press release yet but they are taking orders on their website.
It looks to offer much more functionality than the recently released HP de100c. CD, DVD, MP3, MPG, WMA, WMV, etc." I have a model for review coming my way so I'll give a detailed report when I have time to plug it in and give it a beating. Like the HP box, it is quite expensive, but it has many more features. The real question is, at the price point for these boxes, can they compete with X-Box or PS2+Hard Drive devices that will be hitting the market and doing many of the same things, but far less expensively?
Sounds like failure.
Seriously, they don't have any large partnerships to move these boxes into the home.
12-22-02 Zap Media announces cutbacks in workforce
does anyone know if they will add ogg support sometime in the future?
GoatPigSheep, the 3 most important food groups
Did the marketeers at Zap not realize that any geek that would shell out this much money for a system like this could easily build a box to do all this stuff and more for substantially less cost? Jeez. $700 and maybe I'd think about it.
So what am I getting for $1,500?
A closed-architecture 800mhz Celeron with 128mb of RAM, a 30gb hd, 10baseT, soundcard, video out, DVD and CDRW, wireless keyboard and remote, and some cruddy software that almost certainly pales in comparison to existing free software.
Sounds like about $500 in hardware so far.
You can't record TV shows with it. Can't upgrade to new codecs unless they release updates, so forget OGG. I doubt it supports DivX.
If they sell 10 I will be amazed.
-B
(Yes, I'll probably get mod'd way down for this but I stand by what I say.)
No press release, no review, nothing but them taking orders. How much did they pay VA/. to post this? I mean, any of us could have found this, gone to their website, and read their marketing literature. Where's the beef?
I'm not trying to imply a conspiracy, but isn't it interesting that Microsoft may have been withholding critical information to give the Xbox a leg up? Something tells me that they are still concerned about the Xbox's success in the marketplace, even when competing with more expensive rivals. I guess that's just one of the risks of letting a single company control so much technology.
-CT
What can it do? The short version:
Play streaming audio/video, MP3, and CDs and DVDs
Store up to 10,000 songs or 20 hours of digital video
Browse the Internet through your television
Record CDs to your ZapStation local hard drive
Create Playlists of your favorite songs
Organize and manage your digital multimedia assets
Download and stream audio and video content from ZapZone
Access and listen to Internet Radio stations
Access news and information from USA TODAY in a madefor TV format.
Enjoy all this from the comfort of your living room with a user- friendly remote control
But I have TV out on my PC's video card, and it's 2 feet away from my TV. So I can do all these things already. (and more - I can burn CD's onto CD-R's!!! Hah!)
OK - so I can't access their "zap zone" - So that's why I have gnutella.
I guess this is a nifty piece of hardware for the great unwashed who have too much money.
[Connection closed by foreign host]
The hp unit sucked most because it has DRM, anyone know what, if any, DRM this unit has?
How can a contemporary DVD player ship without some form of 5.1 - either Dolby or DTS?
And you can't play MP3s from your network - only from the box itself...
No Tivo-like functionality either...
And for how much??? I don't think so...
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Given they make such a point of internet-donwloadable upgrades, why didn't they release early, and upgrade when ready?
They didn't _need_ WM* support out-of-the-box...
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- How can I have a comprehensive user interface to control all media? And of course it would use all of the latest libraries.
- How can I set up a remote control to the PC?
Of course I could write a program to handle every media type I'm interested in with a nice GUI, but I definitely don't have the time or knowledge of the libraries. The remote is probably just a technicality that I could find out more about (generic remote, buy an IR reader connected to serial port, etc). But without loading 100 different programs and user interfaces, does anyone know how or where to find a nice GUI to handle everything? Because that's really the only benefit I see in their product: usability. It would be a fun hack to mimick that with an old PC.Developers: We can use your help.
From the specs page: Graphical interface, wireless keyboard, usb port, ethernet, 800Mhz processor, 128Mb ram, 30Gb HDD, CD/DVD, Stereo Audio, Digital Audio (S/PDIF), Composite Video, S-Video, SVGA, 1/4" Headphone jack...
The only thing different is some hardware controls on the front (an extension of the multimedia keyboards), and a remote.
It's nice and simple, but you don't get the infinite(*) customisability of a real pc.
With some customised linux box I could do all this, burn cds of this media, and play quake3 or gnibbles :)
Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
It'll be nice in a year when these things are sold for $89.95 like the 3Com Audrey.
Wooden armaments to battle your imaginary foes!
[Please note, this is just an opinion piece. These really aren't translations.]
Q. Is a Service required to access all of the features of the ZapStation?
A. Currently no ZapMedia service or subscription is required to access all of the features of the ZapStation.
T. We will ream you for service charges once we run out of venture capital.
Q. Do I need an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to use the ZapStation?
A. To experience all of the features of the ZapStation you will need to have an ISP. Broadband service is strongly encouraged. However, the ZapStation will work with a dial-up connection through a home network.
T. Our device is almost useless to many people in our target market
Q. Will my ZapStation be updated with new releases?
A. Yes, your ZapStation will receive software updates via the Internet.
T. We have designed our device to update itself with anti-consumer code whenever the RIAA/MPAA says "jump".
Q. Can I record my CDs and DVDs on the ZapStation?
A. You can record your CDs but not DVDs.
T. The MPAA already told us not to do this.
Q. What audio streaming formats will the ZapStation support?
A. The ZapStation currently supports MP3 and Windows Media formats.
T. Our product doesn't support the most popular streaming format, RealMedia, because, well... we don't know why. We suck.
Q. Can I transfer MP3s and WMA files from my PC to the ZapStation?
A. Yes, the ZapStation supports transferring MP3, WMA, WMV, and MPEG files.
T. We didn't want to mention if you can transfer them off the ZapStation(tm) because if someone does that the RIAA will be... angry.
Q. Can I create a "music jukebox" with the ZapStation?
A. Yes, you can build audio playlists comprised of songs you have recorded onto the ZapStation from CDs along with songs you have downloaded from the Internet or transferred from your PC to the ZapStation. You can also build video playlists with video files you have downloaded from the ZapMedia portal, the ZapZone, or from the Internet.
T. We want to portalize the internet because look at what it did for excite@home!
Q. How many songs can I record on the ZapStation?
A. Approximately 10,000 songs can be recorded on the ZapStation depending on the recording quality selected and the length of the songs.
T. Our margin wasn't high enough so we put in a tiny 30 Gb HDD and recorded everything at 128 kbps.
Q. Can I record TV programs onto the ZapStation?
A. Currently, the ZapStation does not support recording TV shows.
T. We'll do this when the MPAA says it will let us.
Q. Can I load applications on the ZapStation?
A. No, the ZapStation is a closed system.
T. The ZapStation is about as well supported as a Timex Sinclair is right now.
Advanced Networking -- Fast connection through DSL, Cable, or T1 access
T. We threw in an RTL8139 because it only cost $2. It's advanced because it was made this decade.
110V/220V Power Supply
T. We're one stupid company. We only sell to America, but think that home theater afficandos hook up their equipment to their Dryers.
Pardon me for being cynical, but at $1500 I can buy a laptop with the same features that doesn't come with RIAA/MPAA baggage.
If you could be told what you can see or read, then it follows that you could be told what to say or think - BoC
Great website.
A bunch of full-screen stock photography urging me to "take control of my digital universe".
Do they use Perl to generate this stuff?
can they compete with X-Box or PS2+Hard Drive devices that will be hitting the market and doing many of the same things, but far less expensively?
Um, no. This unit is nothing more than a commercialized version of what hobbysits have been doing for several years: take standard equipment, spray paint a small case, Add IR, and set it next to your TV.
Contrast this with a PS2. You can play DVDs (with Optical Digital output). Upcoming games support DTS 5.1 for in-game sound (not just pre-recorded custscenes). It plays CDs (again, with nice Optical Digital out). Oh, and did I mention Linux? Sony announced that they would be releasing a version of Linux for the US PS2. So, $300 for the unit + ~$100-$150 for a 40GB HD + $39.99 for a NIC = Hell of a lot cheaper, but with all the features. You can plug in standard USB keyboards, mice, and Sony Cybershot Cameras. Hell, those ghetto USB ethernet adapters even work on it (The latest Tony Hawk skateboarding game supports online broadband play throughg them, even though Sony's official NIC hasn't been released yet). Oh, and I heard there are some cool games out for it, too...
Like everyone else hass said: I'll be surprised if they sell 10.
No Press Release, no info, no nothing. But they are going to give me a toy for free, so let me pimp them here.
(PS, please be nice to them. They might advertise on my site.)
(PPS, Microsoft bad. Linux good.)
Love,
CT
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
When they first announced these things way back when, I signed up as a pre-order client because they sounded cool and the pricepoint was right. They asked for $599 for when they would ship the pre-release for testing (RSN!), and the retail version would be $899. They promised regular updates on where they were with the product (none ever came), and status queries were met with press releases. Harmon Kardon came into the mix at one point (I notice the pictures have the logo removed now - hmmm...) and further delayed development for re-branding and packaging. Several months ago they said they were releasing the beta units as promised, you just had to reply that you were in. I replied, multiple times, and no one ever got back to me. Yesterday I got an email saying "we're shipping! (oh, but for $900.00 more than we promised you'd get it for)". Late to market, no responses ever to queries other than one form letter, at least 5 "official" scheduling delays (they final figured out using months and yers was bad, and switched to "sometime RSN" about a years ago. Ba ha ha, I'll pass, as I think it is doomed. At the $899.00 it seemed cool. It's kinda interesting though - Compaq's unit went up $100 from release, and the ReQuest is only available in a $2500 flavour. I look at the other audio servers that are out there, and the pickings are really slim. Anyone have a used RQ1-30 for sale?
Idiot, n. A member of a large and powerful tribe whose influence in human affairs has always been dominant
It really pains to to see things like this fail when there could be an open source "lite" version of Linux with real standards for vendors to meet. Perhaps even the Linux gaming movement could benefit from this as well. What ever happened to Indrema? Is that development just sitting in the trash or what?
Microsoft is about to take over with the DirectXbox. Support for OpenGL will die after that.
Life is the leading cause of death in America.
So, let me get this straight...
It's a DVD player that doesn't do component video. Even $100 DVD players have these. Even my PS2 has these - and it's supposed to be a *horrible* DVD player. Serious A/V-philes won't be using this feature. Yeah, it does SVGA, but again, this is a set-top box. I don't see myself connecting this to my PC, much less to a LCD projector.
It's got some vague TV Guide features...but apparentally can't be used as a PVR. It claims you can "navigate ZapStation's channels..." but doesn't explain what this means. Does ZapStation have a tuner in it so you can use it with your existing cable system? What if you have satellite or an external cable box? Meanwhile, you can buy a DVR - which comes with a detailed guide service - from a variety of companies. (My personal favorite is Tivo.)
It's a WebTV-like device, but doesn't support the lowly analog modem, so you either need broadband, or you need to rig your PC to share the modem.
It doesn't (appear to, anyways) support VCDs, MP3 CD(R/RW)s. Again, many $100 DVD players do this already. (to say nothing of PC-based players...)
It only comes with a 30GB drive. Yeah, that's a lot of MP3s...but 30GB is nothing if you want to record video.
I know many are saying "...but I can build a PC to do this for $700..." but that's not what this is supposed to be. It's supposed to be an all-in-one appliance, so you pay for the convience of being able to take this thing out of the box, turn it on, and have it work. This is the same reason people buy toasters, instead of building their own.
Even as an all-in-one integrated appliance, it still fails miserably. You can buy existing products which exceed each function the ZapStation. For around $150, you can get a DVD player that supports component video, digital audio, MP3, VCD, CDR, CDRW. For another $300 you can get a Tivo (even without the extra service fees, this will be more usefull than ZapStation.) For another $300-700 you can get a stereo component MP3 player, which either streams from your existing PC, or stores the tracks locally.
The point of an all-in-one appliance is that you save money due to the integration. However, for $700-1200, you more than replicate the ZapStation's feature set - FOR LESS.
But that's just it. The remote's not a big deal. In fact, I really like your wireless mouse idea. And a few posters below mention IR methods.
I do use X (I like KDE). But in no matter what wm or desktop I use, there's a plethora of disperse apps to control all multimedia. Want to play MP3s or CDs, load XMMS. Want full audio volume controls for every a/v connection, load KMix. Want to play a DVD, load your DVD software. Want streaming audio, load something else.
It would be great, just for this purpose, to have one nice, clean app which takes up the whole screen and has everything layed out. All simple controls are layed out like a huge remote with easy-to-find buttons and graphics. One "Next Track" button that works with whatever you're running (CD track, MP3 playlist, or DVD chapter, whatever). Press a CD button and press play. Press the MP3 button and use the same play button to start it. A nice, clean common interface. Looks like I'll be staying up late trying to write it myself.
Developers: We can use your help.
A user on the popular Internet forum "Slash-Dot" known only as "Picass0" does not like the product.
Besides dripping with sarcasm, you post is also incorrect.
I did not say I do not like the product. I just ask the question "Where's the advantage in doing this?" It's a rather high price point for a set top, and It doesn't sound like much more than a plain-label Tivo with some codec support. A Tivo goes for ~$400 last time I was at Best Buy, so I see $1100 going for --- ???
For $1100 dollars I can continue my hippie lifestyle for a year, going from one computer store to the next harrasing windows users without ever showering. I could be just like RMS.
I still encourage you to send you post to ZapMedia.
Groovy man...
On your credit card transaction:
Security
We employ reasonable and current security methods to prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure correct use of information.
Well, we thought the "Keep Out" sign on the server door was reasonable...
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It's OK to be social, just don't tell anyone about it.
mp3 server. mp3's actually play off server itself with 75' stereo cabling going through my house to stereo in family room. I then built a handy web page to control this. apache/php webpage manages playlists and such and actually plays them through madplay for low cpu usage. I have an ap downstairs and can then access webpage on my ipaq through dillo. works well
The next step is to try getting the ntsc off my nvidia card to my vcr (same fashion prolly.. stereo cable + rca connector but prolly need vid amp for the signal). If this works, I'd be able to play avi's,
So far, beyound what I already had in my box, I invested $10 for stereo cabling + rca connectors from rat shack.
A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess? - Joshua (Wargames)