Conclusion:
After spending a few weeks with the
Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD media player, I can say that this is one product I would highly recommend to anyone in the market for such a device. Having previously used Apple TV exclusively, I would say that in some respects this is a much better product. Because the Apple TV is linked to iTunes, you're limited in how the content must be formatted. Also, while the Apple TV does have a hard drive installed, you can't copy media to it for playing later - and it's certainly not portable so you can't move it from PC to PC (or to Macintosh). The flexibility of the FreeAgent GoFlex TV's design makes this a better choice; and we won't even mention the $299 price tag for Apple's media player.
On the downside, including a few extra accessories would really make the bundle complete. While HDMI connectivity would be your best bet with the GoFlex TV, a cable is not included. And while wired Ethernet access is provided, the GoFlex TV does support wireless communications with an optional adapter. The WiFi adapter sells for $50 on its own, so leaving it out obviously helps keep the price down.
There are quite a few e-tailers selling the Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD media player, and the price for the unit without a drive included is just over $100 (US).
Amazon lists it for $99.86 from a 3rd party or $110.98 (with free shipping) directly from them.
Due to the flexibility of the technology (media format choices), ability to add a hard drive, ease of use, and great price point, we give the
Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV HD media player the Bigbruin.com "Highly Recommended" and "Good Value" awards.
Pros:
» Easy to transfer files via included software
» Comes with all the cables you'd need for basic setup
» Can play everything from .vob files, to iTunes content, to .avi and .mwv
» Streaming media channels are nice
Cons:
» Doesn't include Wi-Fi adapter (a $50 extra) or have on-board Wi-Fi
» HDMI cable not included
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