This was posted 14 years 1 month 8 days ago, and might be an out-dated deal.

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HDium DUO Media Player Dual HD TV Tuner PVR w/Wireless for $219.9 +$15 Shipping. Was $289.9

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hdiumozbargain

Hi everyone, hope you guys like this deal.

The deal is for the Hdium Duo PVR, a 1080p Full HD media player with dual TV HD digital/PVR a we have recently launched at Eurodigital/Hdcity. We run a media player specialist distributor and store and after overwhelming demand by our customers we decided to launch our own brand of quality and affordable media players with dual tuner/PVR capabilities. The regular price for the Hdium Duo PVR with wireless is 289.9+ $15shipping, using the coupon code will discount the price to 219.9+$15 shipping. The player has already a fantastic price compared the alternatives and already received fantastic reviews from leading reviewers and magazines.

The Hdium Duo runs on new realtek 1283DD+ chipset capable of reproducing 1080p content such as MKV, BD iso (simplified menu), m2ts, it has networking capabilities as well as recording two shows simultaneously.

As with other media players, the product is not free from bugs, the product already works quite well and we are working continuously at fixing bugs and add improvements. The product can be sent back for a full refund (excluding shipping) for a period of 14 days to provide peace of mind.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

http://hdcity.com.au/hdium/hdium-duo-media-player-pvr-1.html

SUPPORT:

Small FAQ: http://hdium.com/support/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=view&…
Firmware updates: http://hdium.com/support/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=view&pare…
Manual: http://www.hdium.com/downloads/manual/HDium%20DUO%20USER%20M…
email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Forum: Coming soon

REVIEWS

MPCCLUB:

The product has been reviewed by top media player reviewer site MPCCLUB. It has received the "best buy for a media
player with recording abilities.

http://www.mpcclub.com/forum/links//showlink.php?do=goto&l=1…

Australian PC user

Received 80% score on Australian PC user magazine.

http://www.hdcity.com.au/images/hdiummagazine.jpg

PVR Related features.

  • Dual DVB-T HD Tuner
  • PVR functions: record to USB, record to HDD
  • Record 2 shows at the same time
  • Multi-tasking: Record 1 show while playing movies, music from the player 
  • Record while watching streaming from the home network (ethernet only)
  • EPG and manual recording
  • Timeshift up to 4 hours
  • Wakes up from standby to record
  • "TV mode". Possibility to boot directly into the tv.

Media Player performance

  • DTS-HD and TrueHD audio bitstreaming to be supported. * (firmware that supports HD audio bitstreaming will be released next week)
  • 1080p, the usual codecs and formats such as H.264, mkv, m2ts supported
  • BD iso simplified menu support
  • DVD iso support
  • DVD CSS license, connect a regular SATA DVD drive to the external SATA connector and convert
    the HDium player automatically into a DVD player.

HDD installation:

  • Screwless hot swappable system

Network Connectivity and features:

-10/100mb ethernet port
- Wireless n connectivity
-NFS, UPNP, SAMBA client
-SAMBA server
-Bittorent client
-Web browser

REFUND POLICY:

"100% satisfaction guarantee". If you are not happy with our player you might return it within 14 days
at no charge (except shipping fees, sorry)

HDD OPTIONS:

A number of options can be purchased for the Hdium. The list of options can be found between the product image and the main description page.

1TB WD HDD PACKAGE: 299.9 (+80extra)
2TB WD HDD PACKAGE: 349.9 (+130 extra)
DVD DRIVE (+49.9 extra)

A HDMI 1.4 cable is included.

SHIPPING/DELIVERY

Shipping costs $15 via overnight delivery means. Orders will be normally shipped on the same business day or next business day. Orders including HDDs, DVD drives might take a bit longer.

HOW TO USE THE COUPON:

Go to the product link, add the product to cart and apply the coupon code.

We are happy to answer any technical questions regarding the product or the deal itself here.

Related Stores

HDcity
HDcity

closed Comments

  • +3

    A few questions before I buy:
    -How long until the promo ends?
    -Why doesn't the promo code work for the HDium DUO Media Player without the Wireless-N dongle?
    -What sort of major bugs are in the system?

    • +1
      • Promo ends the 21th.
      • The deal is really targeted for the wireless specific version as we have an abundance of dongles ;-)
      • There are no bugs that I would consider major at the moment.There are some annoyances. For instance if you plan to share with a windows 7 computer there are a number of steps you need to take to make it work, something that happens with many other players. The web browser is still quite on its experimental stages too.
      • +2

        Sounds good :)

        Oh so the bug's aren't that severe. As in, they don't hinder the unit from performing its core functions? (TV playback, PVR, playing media through the HDD).

        Last couple of questions (forgot to include them before):
        -Am I able to record to a HDD (Internal or External) that is formatted in NTFS?
        -In terms of capacity, what's the biggest interal HDD I can install into the unit? I know some Media Players only support up to 1TB.

        • +1

          Yes, the player is quite mature and the core functions work well. The positive reviews attest to that.

          • With an external NTFS drive, that is not an issue, you can plug in and record. For an internal drive you should format it with the media player's formating tool which formats the drive if memory serves me right on two partitions, the largest one in NTFS, and a very small one in EXT2/3 for the samba/bit torrent servers/clients which are linux based.
          • We have tested 2TB players on this and it works as we offer a 2TB HDD as an optional add-on.
  • +1

    I got some questions, sorry about length but I am sure few people here prob have same question:

    1) with EPG recording, tv stations never start and end exactly as per EPG time, can you set PVR to automatically record from the EPG but 5 minutes before schedule start and end time ?

    2) Most pvr have major annoying lag on their remotes, is there any lag time on your remote ?

    3) Can I create a video playlist, that is video files to play in order, ie: I want to list tv episodes to play in order.

    4) My Tvix has something called "DVD Smart navigation", if there is VIDEO_TS.IFO file in the folder, Clicking on the DVD folder will automatically playback .VOB content in order so dont have to find TS files in the folder. Can yours do the same ?

    5) this comes with the wireless dongle ? Have you been able to stream large files with no problems ie: bluray files ?

    6) Are you guys going to be getting anything new in the next year which will supersede this model ?

    7) And finally how would you compare yours to the new ASTONE dual tuner 380T going for around $270:
    http://www.astone.com.au/index.php?productID=38
    http://www.digitalreviews.net/reviews/video/astone-ap-380dt-…

    thanks

    • +1

      Hi Bargrain,

      1) Pre-padding is not available at the moment but it is something we are plan to implement in the future, we have a received a good number of customers requesting that feature

      2) I haven't found any lagging issues on the remote control.

      3) There is a playlist option. Will need to check if it can do what you require. If you are looking at playing the sequential episodes of one show that is not a problem because the HDium can automatically play back show after show on alphabetic order i.e: howimetyourmother_episode1 then howimetyourmother_episode2 etc.

      4) Yes, the HDium will automatically launch the DVD once clicking on the dvd folder

      5) Yes, it comes with the wireless n dongle. I only recommend wireless for streaming SD material and maybe up to 720p and dvd iso material on the right conditions. Anything above that is likely to stutter

      6) No plans for a newer model.

      7) Can't really compare this model with another one from the competition. Read reviews, take into account considerations like pricing etc. Overall the HDium has received very good reviews and has a lower price than simmilar based products.

      • At #5:
        I've been able to stream 720p content from my PC to PS3 via 802.11g and that works fine. The only problem with it is when fast-forwarding/re-winding. In my case, it basically failed. I had to exit the video and re-enter it and it resumed from its position before I pressed fast-forward/re-wind.
        It could have been a codec issue but the restrictions from Wireless G is my best conclusion.

        I'm assuming Wireless N won't have that problem providing your router transfers at Wireless N speeds.

        You have me sold. I've been looking for a product like this for ages for around $200 and the only item I could find was the Astone 360T. Unfortunately (for me and Astone)/Fortunately (for you), that appears to be plagued with some pretty bad bugs which can be found in the forums and mixed reviews from both ends of the scale.

        On paper, this sounds like the complete unit. I'll be ordering one tonight. I'm looking forward to a positive experience with this unit and firmware upgrades to address any future problems :)

        • +1

          Fast forwarding should be ok on a wireless n network. I have even tested 720p on G mode and it works. Generally though anything about that tends to be unreliable, I mean unreliable as in not every household will be able to achieve that as there many factors that affect wireless perfomance: equipment, obstacles, distance etc.

          If you get to order the product I recommend you to upgrade the firmware unit as the new firmware has a good number of updates. We could alternatively upgrade it for you if we get an email.

      • +1

        Damn if it guaranteed to have that padding thing then I would have jumped on this right now. Sounds like a sweet machine.

        However your comp in astone is promising big things with their new upgraded dual tuner player so might wait and see.

  • @hdcity, nice product, and well priced too, the fact you give a 14 day return guarantee means you stand by your product!
    i wanted to know a couple of things, i read the manual but 3/4 seems to be about the media player functions so the pvr functions are a little light on details
    1)the configuration on sale here, there is no hdd, but there is a usb for ext usb/hdd, there is the wifi n dongle, and there is a card slot mentioned in manual(sd card?) correct?
    2)re pvr functions, is there a skip/zap button that skips 30/60sec forward etc? and can you do simple tv recording file editing like cutting a section/renaming file etc?
    thanks

    • +1

      Thanks for the comments,

      1) Connectivity wise, there is an internal 3.5" HDD Bay with a screwless hot swappable system (slide the HDD and that is it). Purchasing a HDD on own our store is optional.
      The wireless dongle is included, the player has 2XUSB ports, 1x slave USB port (for connecting directly to a PC), a card slot and an external SATA port for connecting a second 3.5" HDD or a DVD Drive (the player can be used as a regular dvd player if a PC SATA DVD drive is connected).
      2) at the moment the zapping is 2minutes forward, we plan to either decrease it to 30/60sec or give the option to customers to adjust it. I am in talks with the engineers regarding this feature.

      You can rename, delate recordings by pressing first on the red button and then on the blue button of a chosen folder. If you are planning to rename several folders I would recommend you to do it on the computer as the HDium can be accesed on the computer on the network if a HDD is installed or via the usb slave port.TV recording editing has to be done on a computer.

      If you record via the EPG, the name of the show and the date/time will be saved automatically as the name of the recording.

  • great, i'll check it out for 2 weeks, got nothing to lose(except the shipping!)
    ps i add item to cart, put in discount code, click apply but says 'shopping cart is empty'? tried 2 different browsers, emptied cache/cookies same result!

    • +1

      Very strange. You are the first person that has told us that. Can't replicate the error in a number of browsers. We have had a number of customers apllying the coupon code and purchasing the same product. The issue will be looked at but at the moment it would probably be best if you could send me an email so I can give you alternative ways to make an order offline.
      [email protected]

  • Just read the review.
    Does the unit struggle to record a TV show AND play back (lets say) MKV or AVI at the same time?
    The review mentions they used BDLite and either the recording or BDLite playback had to stop.

    Has this already been addressed with the latest Firmware release? If not, do you intend on fixing it soon?
    This is something I've always found quite annoying about PVR Media Players.

    • +1

      Let me explain this one.
      The player can play a video while recording however when the recording kicks in the player automatically interrumpts the movie and takes the player to the tv show to be recorded. However you can come inmediately back to the movie and resume the video from the point you were interrumpted while recording the tv. This is something that is being looked at but technically the unit can still record a show while wathcing a movie.

      • Thanks for clearing that up :)
        I actually like the sound of that feature.

  • Thanks for putting up and answering my long winded questions, HDcity :)

    I just put an order through. I can't wait for it to arrive! I will finally have a Media Player that will put my home theatre to good use :)
    I'll be sure to provide some feedback on the unit.

    PS. I am really shocked this deal doesn't have more +ve votes.

  • So I add the player to the cart implement the discount code, the discounted price is displayed correctly, although the breakdown has no mention of the wireless n dongle?

    Am I supposed to tick the box for the wireless dongle before adding the player to the cart, if so when I do the extra $30 is in top of the discounted $219.90 price, OR will you know when the code is used and a dongle will automatically be added to my order on shipping?

    Thanks

    • +1

      No need to add anything. The product itself already includes a wireless dongle. Go the product page, add product to cart and apply the coupon.

      Product page: http://www.ozbargain.com.au/goto/32752

  • I recommend all of you to update to firmware 1.0.1.49 as it fixed a number of important issues related to PVR:

    1. Download firmware from www.hdium.com/support.
      2 extract image file from the rar file
    2. rename the file to install.img
      4.Insert the file into the root of a usb drive.
    3. Connect the USB drive. Go to setup —> system—> press on the option where the firmware option is…select system reinstall.
  • Just received it today :D
    No HDMI cable though - only Composite lol. No biggie - lucky I've spares :)
    Pretty good so far! Will let you know more.

    • Ordered on 20th night, recieved today (22/10 8.30am).
      I too could not find an HDMI cable in the box.
      will have to use composite at home!!!

      • +1

        Received an email from you. As per email will send you a cable via overnight. Sorry for the stuff up.

        • +1

          Rceieved the cables (yes there were two HDMI cables inside the parcel) today.
          Thank you and hope two cables were not mistake!?

  • -

  • I've had some time to tinker around with it. It's pretty good!
    Yeah, the interface is similar to a PS3 and is a little plain and not all that smooth but I can live with that.
    It's handled every video format I've thrown at it. On the Media Player side of things, I can't find a simple thing wrong. It does everything it promises and does it well.
    The STB side of things however wasn't a great experience. It's slow to switch channels and in one instance, it even green screened on me :S Just turned it off and turned it back on and it was fine…however, this brings me to the next part.
    When you turn on this unit, it takes up to 15-20 seconds for a picture (whether it be the STB or Media Player mode) to load on the screen. I thought it was broken the second time I turned it on!
    I upgraded the firmware in hope that this inconvenience was addressed but it wasn't.
    Also, the fan is become a tad bit noisier. It was silent when I first turned on the unit but now it has settled into a quiet humming sound. Not that big a deal but I predict this will get louder with time.

    In summary,
    Pro:
    -Does everything it promises for a great price

    Con:
    -Incredibly slow load time when turning on the unit

    I hope that con gets fixed soon. It's rather irritating having to wait such a long time for it to boot up and I don't want to have the unit running the entire day so I can avoid the delayed boot up time.

    • Thanks for the constructive feedback. Glad that overall like the product.

      I will voice your concerns regarding the booting time to the engineers.

      My experience having experienced many media players is that lowering the bootup significantly lower will be difficult and constrained. Bear in mind that the player needs to load many instructions beyond what an average PVR does: ethernet & wireless drivers, samba and BT sembers, codec libraries for the media side of things….

      I will consult and see if any improvements can be made in this department.

  • Ordered HDium Duo Media player PVR on Monday 22 Nov. #100001163
    Transferred money that day, bank transfer. Account still shows "pending"
    Have emailed yesterday and today 25/11 regarding status. No reply to emails. No phone number on site that I can find. Wonder if HDcity still monitors this forum? Anyone know whats going on? Australian air express overnight delivery??

    • Strange, we have actually sent you two emails. One 3 hours ago and another one an hour ago. We had internet issues yesterday which is why we could not update the status of our shipments but your order was shipped yesterday via overnight delivery.

  • +1

    Thanks for the quick response, might take an extra day to my location.
    your emails have now arrived, they showed the time you sent them but for some reason were delayed getting to me, maybe the time difference WA to QLD. Hope your internet issues are sorted.

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