I decided not to run any benchmark tests using the TVisto, for the simple fact that I think my old ATA-66 hard drive would really hinder performance and not give an accurate representation of what a modern IDE drive would be capable of. So, I went ahead and loaded up the drive with several music files, videos and pictures. The drive shows up as any other hard drive would in My Computer, and all you need to do is copy the data over to the corresponding folders. Then, hook the TVisto back up to your television and you are set. One thing that did get old was having to take the power cable back and forth between the computer room and my living room. Perhaps if two power cables were included, you could keep one at your computer and one at your entertainment center.
One of my favorite features of the TVisto is the ability to play .ISO files directly. This means that you can rip a DVD and have the TVisto play the .ISO file as if it were the actual DVD, complete with menus, special features, etc. This is a great way to back up your DVD collection and take it with you anywhere you go. I tested this feature using The Butterfly Effect and it worked great, just as the DVD would. I also sampled some videos that I had recorded using my PVR software. Those videos also looked good, just as they did being broadcast originally. All of the pictures you see of the TVisto in action were taken from my 32" standard tube television using the S-Video cable. I had to pause the action in videos so the picture wouldn't be blurry since I had to use a slow shutter speed on my camera. Also note that the videos I added are listed on the right side. You can add subdirectories to the Movies folder and sort your videos/movies if you wish.
Next up I tested music playback. I loaded several files from my MP3 collection and had no problem playing them back from the TVisto. You aren't able to make a play list, but as with videos, you can sort your files into folders and upload those to the Music directory on the TVisto and arrange your collection that way.
Finally we have the Pictures section. Much like the videos and music sections, you can sort your images in folders under the Pictures category and have those directories show up on-screen. Here you can see that I uploaded several car pictures. You can turn the thumbnail preview on or off. Clicking Enter on each picture brings up a full-size version of the photo.
I have been using the TVisto for several days now, mostly to watch archived videos I have stored on my computer and playing back ripped DVDs. My findings are mostly good, but there are a few things that I think could be improved upon. But first, the good. The overall concept of the TVisto is very cool. I love being able to record television shows on my computer then transfer them to the TVisto and watch them in my bedroom before I go to bed. You are able to control the video playback much like a TiVo - pause, rewind, fast-forward, etc. Being able to play .ISO files is wonderful as well. With the TVisto, I could convert my entire DVD collection to .ISO files, load them on the TVisto and have my entire collection, ready for playback, anywhere I go. It's clear that video playback is the main selling point of the TVisto. Being able to play back music is cool also, but really only if you have a nice stereo system as part of your home theater setup. Nobody really wants to play back music from tiny television speakers. Picture viewing also worked well but for the most part, isn't terribly practical. I don't think I would use this feature very often, but I am sure some people would. The TVisto supports a wide array of audio and video formats which is certainly a plus. Dolby Digital 5.1 audio with DTS pass through is great for movies and support for HDTV is also nice. The included remote worked well but it did seem a bit "jumpy" at times. I also liked the ability to transfer via USB and FireWire. Those who have both options on your computer will want to use FireWire because it is faster, but if you lack a FireWire port, USB 2.0 will work just fine. Everything you need to operate the TVisto is included (AV cables, SPDIF cable, USB cable, FireWire cable) and the installation manual is well written and easy to understand.
Now, the not-so-great. First, the TVisto only supports older IDE hard drives. If you have an old IDE drive laying around, great... if not, buying an IDE drive will be an unwanted step backwards vs. SATA. The TVisto does not come with a hard drive, which is both a pro and a con. I consider this a pro because it keeps costs down and you are free to use any size drive you want. A con because, well, you need a hard drive for it. Also, I mentioned earlier that the aluminum edges on the TVisto are sharp. I accidentally shaved off a piece of plastic from my keyboard's wrist rest! Having to set up the TVisto directories and updating the firmware was a bit of a hassle, but it only took about 10 minutes to complete and you only have to do it once. Transporting the TVisto from my computer to the television isn't a problem but having to bring the power cable back and forth did get a bit old. Including two power cables would eliminate this problem, as you could keep one at your computer and the other at your entertainment center or in your travel bag for when you take the TVisto with you on a trip. Playback of all video and other media worked flawless, except for one instance where the TVisto just turned off for no apparent reason. Perhaps there was an error reading from the drive or maybe the old hard drive itself is to blame, I don't know. This only happened once and I was not able to replicate the problem.
As of writing, the Galaxy TVisto Multimedia External Hard Drive Case sells for $112.99 over at Geeks.com. Thanks to Geeks.com for supplying us with this review sample.
