Please be aware that when I say box I really mean small box – The unit is positively tiny compared to everything else in my TV cabinet. The top of the box features a large Popcorn Hour logo. The front panel has three indicators lights, two USB ports and the words “Network Media Tank” adorned on the front. The two side panels are made up of small metallic pieces of mesh which help keep the unit cool under load. The quaint little box measures 13.5 x 27 x 4cm and is well finished with a glossy front and gunmetal grey aluminium on the top and bottom. Okay – Maybe that is an exaggeration, but the simple fact is that I’d go out on a limb and say that the A-100 can playback 90+% of video currently found on the Internet today. The Popcorn Hour A-100 is a small box the size and shape of a 3.5” external hard drive enclosure that costs less than a reputable DVD player and plays back every media format known to man. This sounds like one of those “Choose two” quips – but not this time. It’s a media centre: Full HD – Plays everything – Under $200US. I am a little ashamed to say it, but when a friend first mentioned the Popcorn Hour, I had no idea what he was talking about. Is the Popcorn Hour A-100 the new High Definition equivalent? The free open source Xbox Media Centre (XBMC) software – when coupled with a modified Xbox – sets the standard for home theatre playback. In creating the original Xbox, Microsoft unwittingly helped create the single most affordable and feature packed media player of the Standard Definition age.
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