The $190 Mediagate portable MPEG-4 player is a clever device that allows you to play multiple media types, including DivX and MPEG-4 formats, by attaching it to a TV and/or receiver. So unlike the more expensive options, you don't get a built-in screen, which means you won't be using it to keep the kids quiet in the back of the car on long journeys.
The Mediagate is essentially a USB 2.0, 2.5" hard drive enclosure that comes with built-in software for playing media files, a collection of cables for connecting it to TV and receiver, and a remote control to operate it. What it doesn't come with is a hard drive--you must purchase a 2.5" notebook hard drive yourself and install it in the enclosure. You'll need to make sure you've preformatted the hard drive, but other than that, installation is straightforward: pop the lid on the player, unscrew the circuit board, push the hard drive into the slot, screw the board back into the enclosure and you're away. Plug it into a USB port on a Windows XP PC and it shows up as a removable drive (you'll need to connect its AC adapter too, naturally).
With the drive connected to a PC, you simply copy your files over. Since it's a high-speed USB 2.0 device, copying large files is painless as long as you've plugged it into a high-speed USB port on the PC. To view or play them, you connect the Mediagate to a TV set and/or receiver using the supplied cables, of which you get quite an assortment. The device has S-Video, composite or component connections for video, and stereo or 5.1 sound.
The Mediagate supports all manner of standard video formats, including MP3 and MPEG-4, and will display still images too. It even supports 5.1-channel sound.
A simple menu interface displayed on the TV lets you navigate through options using the unit's remote control. It's not a fancy setup, but it gets the job done. You also get drivers for using it with Windows 98/SE (XP doesn't require any drivers).
Apart from some idiosyncratic English in the instructions, the device is simple to set up and use, and does a reasonable job. The quality of your video will depend on the media files you are using--garbage in, garbage out, as it were. But when I tried high-quality MPEGs ripped from DVDs--saved at their original resolution and complete with their 5.1-channel soundtrack--the result was quite respectable.
The unit's build and design isn't the best we have seen from a media streamer, but serves its purpose well enough. The front of the unit contains a five way directional toggle and a trio of buttons, but nothing more. An LCD screen would have been useful. Mediagate has done a good job otherwise with the unit though, as it is sturdy and reasonably aesthetically pleasing. The same cannot be said for the remote, which is flimsy and generic. The on-screen interface is also a bit of an eyesore, as it is constructed in various shades of green. One area that could really do with better design is the user manual, which apart from being photocopied and stapled together, is lacking in detail.
One vital aspect of any media streamer is the range of supported formats. Mediagate has done a good job at providing a multitude of options across video and audio, and we could find no fault with the playback of any of them. Video is provided for across WMV, ASF, MP4, TS, AVI and MPG. We tried both standard and high definition footage and it all came out perfectly. Like many media streamers, there's no support for H.264 yet. Audio is supported by MP3, OGG, WAV and WMA. There's no support for AAC, however, which will disappoint iPod fans. Pictures can also be browsed on screen, with the MG-350 HD supporting JPG, PNG and BMP.
Overall, Mediagate has done a commendable with the MG-350. It's simple to use and supports a wide range of formats in high quality. It also manages to avoid the many bugs and glitches we commonly associate with high definition streamers. We only wish the hard drive came as standard and the colour of the interface could be changed.
