I guess the first o­ne of these to come out that actually has everything people want will be pretty successful.
Buffalo gets it right by having XviD support, but where the hell is DivX? If the player does support it, I certainly didn't see it in the specifications. RMP4 o­n there, which is a format I had never heard of until running a search for it.
Anyway, two different models - o­ne comes with a LAN HD, the other just the unit.

Buffalo Corporation will release their MPEG-4 file playback supporting, XviD and stuff Ethernet supporting DVD player, the "Link Theater (PC-MP2000/DVD)" in the middle of February. It will cost 29,800 yen.

In addition to being a normal DVD player, this device can playback digital contents stored o­n PCs o­n a network, such as video, music, or pictures and output them to a television. The server software for PC use, "PCast Media Server" is included. Supported operating systems are Windows ME/2000/XP.

The most distiguishing characteristic of this unit is its support for Buffalo's own NAS (Network Atached Storage) "LinkStation" device. If the "MediaServer o­n LinkStation" software is installed to the NAS via a PC connection, this will add LinkStation server functions to the NAS. This enables output of media files stored o­n the LinkStation.



A version of the player including a 120GB NAS "HD-H120LAN" will see a limited release (1000 units) in the middle of February, for a cost of 54,800 yen.

Supported media files are, in addition to MPEG-1/2, XviD, RMP4, etc.. MPEG-2 is supported up to 10Mbps/30fps, and MPEG-4 related files are max 1.5Mbps, 30fps. Supported audio formats are MP3, WMA, OggVorbis, Wav, etc..



The main body design is more or less the same as the DVX-500 from Nagase Industries Inc., and it supports Progressive playback of DVDs. Apart from a 100Base-TX ethernet port, it has Component output, S-Video output, Composite output, Optical digital out, Coaxial digital out, and analog audio out. The external dimensions are 420 x 265 x 50mm (W x D x H), and it weighs 2.7kg.

Also, the player can be used in a wireless LAN environment when using Buffalo's wireless LAN convertor, the "WLI-TX1-G54."

Photos:


Inspired by:
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20040204/buffalo.htm

News Release:
http://buffalo.melcoinc.co.jp/products/new/2003/088_1.html