Seagate has unveiled the new Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD media player that works in conjunction with the company’s FreeAgent Go portable hard drive (or any other USB storage device) to provide an easy way to play videos, movies and photos on the TV. Available in March, the Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player can be purchased as a stand-alone unit for use with any USB storage device, or a complete solution with a FreeAgent Go portable drive included, starting at US$129.99 (about Rs. 6,325).
According to IDC’s digital imaging research, consumers the world over capture and archive over 15 billion gigabytes of digital photos and video every year, most of which is primarily viewed and stored on the home computer. However, according to a recent survey by Parks Associates2, more than a quarter of consumers are interested in accessing personal content — such as photos and music — directly on the TV, while nearly a third of respondents expressed interest in being able to view movies and other PC-hosted video through the TV. Historically the only way to transfer digital files from the computer to the home entertainment center was through complicated home networking solutions or the time-consuming task of burning multiple DVDs or CDs. Now the Seagate FreeAgent Theatre Media Player provides a way for people to easily store and move their media library between their PC and home entertainment system so they can share their favorite photos, movies and videos with family and friends in a familiar and comfortable setting.
Technical Specifications
The FreeAgent Theater media player supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 formats, and DIVX files with video resolutions for NTSC, PAL and HD up to 1080i and even provides support for subtitles. The audio formats supported include 5.1 channel surround sound, where available, and also plays the popular digital audio formats including: MP3, WMA, WAV and OGG. To download and transfer content to the Seagate FreeAgent Go, a Windows XP or Vista operated PC is required, with 256MB RAM and an available USB port. FreeAgent Theater connects to any TV with either composite, S-video or component video and audio inputs and an AC outlet.
Pricing and Availability
The press release said Seagate FreeAgent Theater Media Player Solution will be available in March at select retail outlets in the US and EMEA, as well as through Seagate.com. At the moment there is no indication of availability in India, but one would expect it to be available here as well not long after its US launch, given the fact that demand for home entertainment products is growing in India.
In the US, the FreeAgent Theater solution will be available in three different configurations. It can be purchased as either a standalone media player with the remote control at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $129.99 (approx Rs. 6,325), or with the choice of either a 250GB (MSRP of $229.99 or Rs. 11,200) or 500GB (MSRP of $299.99 or Rs. 14,530) capacity FreeAgent Go Drive.
