Patriot Box Office Owners Thread

[kin0kin]

What does this do that a PS3 and PS3 media server can't?

How about it is 80 bucks vs 300 bucks?

and that it consumes a heck lot less power than a PS3?

Ethernet is for you to stream the movies/music over a media server, such as an unRaid media server, or a WHS.

[Tiberius]

How about it is 80 bucks vs 300 bucks?

and that it consumes a heck lot less power than a PS3?

Ethernet is for you to stream the movies/music over a media server, such as an unRaid media server, or a WHS.

unRaid media server? Maybe it's just the fancy terminology that I want to clarify here - but I would assume this box would play media from my home PC through the ethernet (network) cable?

So basically I could connect the PBO to my network, and access media on my home PC hard drives?

Correct?

[aasoror]

So basically I could connect the PBO to my network, and access media on my home PC hard drives?

Correct?

Correct.
And also access online contents via properly configured playon or TVersity

[mikesxf]

can this box display and play video with chinese file names?

Does it play rmvb files?

[aasoror]

can this box display and play video with chinese file names?

Yes, just confirmed on the PBO forum.

Does it play rmvb files?

Yup

[mikesxf]

thank you both for confirming the chinses support, ordered mine

[madeals]

What's best support forum?

Any custom firmware?

[fredsmith]

Hmm . . . I got both.

The Asus seems more professional (build quality) to me.
Answer to the question: Yes, they issued the Toshiba fix and one firmware release beyond that.

The Asus has been available for $80 after a factory MIR rebate since last month.

They both play the same stuff from my server.

My next one with possibly be the Seagate, because I want component video out for one of my TVs.

[lead]

What does this do that a PS3 and PS3 media server can't?

well the ps3 using around a +100 watts to watch movie for one. This probably around 10w

[exnihilio]

I remember about a year back the big problem/complaint on the Box Office was when a 2.5 hdd installed the fan noise and the suggestion was the actually air flow through the unit was making the noise rather than the fan itself.
Anyone know if this has since been addressed with these units?
I have an O!Play hooked up in the basement on the wired network but it'd be cool to have one of these with a 2.5 hdd as a secondary for flopping from tv to tv and be able to leave the O!Play on the big tv.

Thanks
ex

[chump]

Online Store: out

You wrote "(shipped)". Is shipping free on this?

ETA: Okay, it's letting me order and shipping indeed is free.

Followup question. If I should have to RMA this because of the fan issue, does it go through MemoryExpress or can I go direct to Patriot?

[aasoror]

Online Store: out

You wrote "(shipped)". Is shipping free on this?

ETA: Okay, it's letting me order and shipping indeed is free.

Followup question. If I should have to RMA this because of the fan issue, does it go through MemoryExpress or can I go direct to Patriot?

I am not sure that the FAN problem still exists, the problem was with the early batches that had a leakage problem (back in November), there should be no more units with this problem.

That said I would go to PM, they will just send you a replacement FAN and you wont need to go through RMA.

The Asus seems more professional (build quality) to me.

To each his own but many thinks that the metal casing of the PBO is way more professional looking than the plastic O!Play case.

Thanks for the info about the Toshibas

I remember about a year back the big problem/complaint on the Box Office was when a 2.5 hdd installed the fan noise and the suggestion was the actually air flow through the unit was making the noise rather than the fan itself.
Anyone know if this has since been addressed with these units?
I have an O!Play hooked up in the basement on the wired network but it'd be cool to have one of these with a 2.5 hdd as a secondary for flopping from tv to tv and be able to leave the O!Play on the big tv.

Thanks
ex

First it was not a year ago but around 6 months (Dec 2009).
Next PM recommended disconnecting the fan if you don't have HDD inside (for a passive cooling operation).
I wouldn't recommend that, but there is several very simple and cheap mods that makes sure that the fan is running effectively and within acceptable noise levels and the heat is channeled properly.

[parapudaw]

Here is what you might know about the PBO:
Pros:

- Realtek based (1073DD): enormous media compatibility list (same chip inside Asus O!Play, ACRyan PlayON, and the list goes on), DTS/DD stereo downmix.
- The support community : Excellent user based community, every issue has been addressed and resolved, every possible how to has been written.
- Manufacturer support : whether the PBO is a Chinese clone or not, Patriot memory headquarters are located in California and not half the way across the globe, they are very prompt when it comes to RMA like services.
- Firmware : 5 firmwares already released (latest released mid May), with external DVD support (latest firmware makes the PBO the only 1073DD RT based player that resolves the Toshiba HDMI handshake issues).

Cons:

- Realtek based (1073DD): so and so wireless streaming, no support for BR menus, hardware bug rending it impossible to pass through HD-Audio.
- The support community : Being all fellow owners, they are all supporting the product out of thier own good heart and believe in the box, thus there is no obligation (for them) that your issues will be promptly addressed and there is also no guarantees that it will be resolved.
- Manufacturer support : if your issue isn't hardware related, good luck getting it resolved with Patriot, they simply don't know that much about the software side of the box, its just another hardware unit that they sell and thats as far as it goes.
- Firmware : due to the support point above, firmwares are released whenever they are ready, there is no change/bug/feature list included, NO one knows what issues is a firmware supposed to fix or when is the current reported bugs will be fixed if at all. The firmware released is always as close as it can be to the reference firmware that Realtek supply with the boxes (not that much customization except for PBO logo at the box bootup).

bottom line: though very comparable to any other Realtek based media player the PBO sinks deeply down the list with the lack of development support from the manufacturer and the crippled stock firmware that comes with it.

What you might (most probably) not know about the PBO:
Regardless of the lack of any real investment in the software development of this product, Patriot memory is offering what it can to satisfy their ranting and nagging customers. Thus PM (perhaps because they couldn't care less) has (and continues to release) manufacturer materials that is not typically released to average Joe media player owners.

Results : PM has shared enough knowledge and material with its users that made the box literally "unbrickable" (unless its a hardware failure), while other media players users don't even know what a bootcoder is, PM has released 3 different versions of RT bootloaders for 1073 devices, things like "I have bricked the box during firmware update" are no longer an issue, because you can resurrect your box for $6 of materials and 6 minutes in time. This enabled the PBO owners to liberally experiment with the underlying linux machine on which the PBO interface runs, adding functionality and even fearlessly testing lots of the "unlocked" firmwares available from other boxes (based on similar chipset).

Conclusion: With the proper mods, PBO can easily be cross flashed, and further unlocking lots of features, online content, support for external optical drives, even YAMJ and TVIXIE jukeboxes. Even for those who wont be interested in cross flashing there tons of free applications that will add features like more powerful torrent client, NFS server, UPNP server ..etc. This is all at considerably lower price than all the other RT based players and beside you don't have to worry about sending the box back to china in case you bricked it.

Are the screenshots of the GUI by default? Or do you have to configure to achieve this? Still can't decide between the Dell deal which will be over today or this one which is cheaper an can get it locally.

[aasoror]

Are the screenshots of the GUI by default? Or do you have to configure to achieve this? Still can't decide between the Dell deal which will be over today or this one which is cheaper an can get it locally.

Nope, non of these are the default GUI.
First is using tvixie images (and doing simple background browsing) and second is using YAMJ jukeboxes and both requires the installation of the custom firmware to run.

[aasoror]

- Asus O!Play for $70 after $20 rebate. (same chipset, no HDD)

- WDTV live for $100 @ DELL (sigma chipset, no HDD)