Review: Compro Network Media Centre T1000W: jack of all trades in the living room?

Final thoughts, rating and HEXUS.right2reply

With its first major consumer electronics product, Compro has attempted to do it all with the Network Media Centre T1000W. Unfortunately, the product is very much a jack of all trades and a master of none.

A sub-standard software experience leaves plenty to be desired, and with a price tag close to £200, the device faces stiff competition from a wide range of network media players and an increasing number of low-cost entry-level HTPCs. For example, an Acer Aspire Revo with an Intel Atom processor, NVIDIA GeForce graphics, built-in storage and a Linux operating system can today be had for as little as £170, leaving it difficult to justify Compro's sleek-but-hamstrung solution.

Through future firmware updates, the Network Media Centre T1000W could become a useful all-in-one solution, but it has some way to go yet.

The Good

Plays back the majority of formats without kicking up a fuss
Fairly easy to setup
Room for improvement via future firmware upgrades

The Bad

Software experience leaves plenty to be desired
Live TV is disappointing in both quality and features
USB ports are sluggish
In need of overall refinement

HEXUS Rating

We consider any product score above 50 per cent as a safe buy. The higher the score, the higher the recommendation from HEXUS to buy. Simple, straightforward buying advice.

Compro Network Media Centre T1000W

HEXUS Where2Buy

The Compro Network Media Centre T1000W can be ordered now from the following retailers:

	As always, UK-based HEXUS.community discussion forum members will benefit from the SCAN2HEXUS Free Shipping initiative, which will save you a further few pounds plus also top-notch, priority customer service and technical support backed up by the SCANcare@HEXUS forum.
SCAN.co.uk	at a cost of £183.41

ebuyer.com	at a cost of £195.95
cclonline.com	at a cost of £174.95
microdirect.co.uk	at a cost of £194.22

HEXUS Right2Reply

Nicole Tseng, marketing manager for Compro, submitted a HEXUS Right2Reply

Thank you for your feedbacks on the Network Media Centre which gave us a different perspective in which users may need from the unit. We truly believe that the Network Media Centre is quite a unique product as it offers far more than what a standard Windows PC could. The software, which is the heart of the unit, provides an easy access to all of the entertainment function from the comfort of your couch and not having to worry about viruses or software compatibilities. In addition, the unit comes configured which users do not have to worry about software installation and the likes.

While Compro strive to listen to customer feedbacks and making enhancements to the NMC product, there are a few points in the review which we are bounded by the performance of the current generation's processor, namely the rendering of the DVB-T broadcast, the speed which EPG information is shown and the speed of file transfer over the USB bus. The processor architecture limits the way deinterlacing and noise reduction are carried out which is the reason why there maybe decompression artifacts seen on the DVB-T programs. In addition, while the processor performed beautifully in the decoding of FullHD multimedia files, its performance is less than desired when it comes to data crunching which is the main reason behind the less than desirable EPG rendering and file transfer speed. Regardless of the afore mentioned hardware limitation, which would be seen on players based on this processor, we can commit that there will be a significant ramp up of the software by the end of the fourth quarter in 2009.

The ramp up would include:
    - A new DVB-T channel manager which gives user the control of channel list ordering and edition
    - An easy access single click firmware update which eliminates the need of finding and downloading the correct firmware for your unit.
    - One touch EPG recording where a single press on the remote would complete the record programming
    - Improved multi-tasking where users can use the music playback or photo slide functions while keeping the recording running at the back ground.
    - User configurable bit torrent interface to include download/upload limit and scheduled BT operation.
    - New DVD navigation method which would enhance the DVD playback.

Thank you for your review as we appreciate any form of feedback, praises or critiques, since your feedback is what drive us to be better, if not the best.

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Hmmm. Interesting.

From reading the review, my impression is that this is a good idea, but poorly (so far) implemented.

Firstly, to me at least, a single tuner in this type of device is utterly unacceptable. I lost interest in buying right there.

Secondly, if this is a consumer device for a lounge as opposed to a computer device, then usability is utterly critical. Regardless of the technological justification, sluggish menus destroy the user experience and, for me at least, would leave me irritated and frustrated. Too many companies seem to develop devices and rush to get them to market without giving interfaces serious testing, and the result is buyer dissatisfaction and a damaged reputation.

The response saying

its performance is less than desired when it comes to data crunching which is the main reason behind the less than desirable EPG rendering and file transfer speed.

is shocking to me, and I can only assume they didn't intend that for public consumption. If they know that such major aspects are “less than desirable”, don't foist it on the public. Get it right first. If that means compromising on price point, or delaying a few months, so be it. But to ship it now knowing that is saying that they'll knowing foist a sub-standard unit onto unsuspecting buyers, and that, I'm afraid, makes me very reluctant to trust any products from them in the future.

Yes, this type of device, with properly implemented and decent quality features, probably is the future of the set top box. But not, from what I've read, this one. I'd love exactly this type of device, but on this occasion, I'll pass.

Just thought I'd update this seeing as I have a T1000W sat at home which is used all the time.

Compro have worked on the firmware since the review and the overall performance of this system has come on leaps and bounds with the latest update.

It now supports all major files, including ISO files and has no issues with any of the MKV files and other HD media I've thrown at it since I updated it.

The menu system used, and I state used to be a little slow as you could queue commands by doing the keypresses on the remote if you remembered them and then it used to slowly navigate through them to where you want to go. Thankfully, since the newer firmware release this has now gone and the menu system is very fast indeed and responds in a very fast and timely manner.

It now links perfectly up with my Windows 7 PC and can see all the media files I've got on the PC, and I always use it for playing some seriously heavy breaks or D&B when I'm cleaning the living room.

All in all, it's great. I did use the digital recorder, but now I've got V+ etc installed it's not been connected to an Antenna but it's role as the media player is done without any problems at all.

The only issue I can see with this unit is that it appears that the microsoft MCE remote controller which can be used on a PC or xbox 360 uses a similar IR setup as the power button on the microsoft remote, turns the compro player on and off.

So, to sum it up - Have Compro done what they have said and improved the flawed T1000W.

Yes - Yes they have and now I use it all the time to play back all the various files I've got :)