Digital Trends

Actiontec Wireless Digital Media Player June 3rd, 2004 | by Jeff Fila

Features and Design

The Actiontec Wireless Digital Media Player is — as far as home theater components go — a relatively small device with a brushed-aluminum and black plastic casing. It measures about 10-inches wide by 6 ˝-inches deep and 1 ˝ inches high. The top, front and sides are relatively featureless, aside from the Actiontec logo on top, a black smoked-plexiglass bar across the front and a PCMCIA card slot on the left side.

Behind the smoked-plexi front are three status lights: ‘Power', ‘10/100' and ‘Link/Act'. These indicators are green LEDs behind an etching of the word in the plexi. While it looks good, the lights really don't offer much information and aren't bright enough to be seen from a distance.

Actiontec provides plenty of analog and digital connections on the back to make all levels of home-theater enthusiasts happy. For video the unit features the following outputs: Digital Video Interface (DVI), Composite Video, S-Video, and Component Video. On the audio side, the Actiontec sports a left and right analog RCA output as well as an optical S/PDIF and an RCA S/PDIF interface.

For network connectivity the Actiontec features a 10/100 Ethernet port on the back and the PCMCIA slot on left side where the 802.11b wireless card goes. The Wireless Digital Media Player comes with an Actiontec branded 802.11b card so you have the option of using either type of connection. Going wireless introduces a serous aesthetic problem — the wireless card sticks out so far from the side of the unit that it looks like it isn't plugged in all the way. This really takes away from the looks of the device and creates an unwanted focus point. Surely someone at Actiontec must have the same thoughts as us and we hope they will address this issue in future revisions.

Also included with the Wireless Digital Media Player is an infrared remote control. Every function of the player can be controlled by the remote. This includes Web browsing and other functions that require the entry of letters.