Review: Solwise DMP-1120w media streaming device

Media streamers aren't exactly in short supply these days, but few are as cheap as the DMP-1120w.

As far as the physical design goes, Solwise has done a good job with the Mac Mini-esque DMP-1120w.

Despite what looks like a DVD slot on the front, the DMP-1120w won't be able to replace your DVD player.

When media streamers first arrived on the scene we were quite forgiving when it came to usability since it was really only enthusiasts who were using them. Now they are being marketed towards non-techie users and, as a result, poor interfaces are not so acceptable. And the Solwise DMP-1120w really suffers in this department.

If you're used to browsing your music, photos and videos via Windows Media Center, you'll be left sorely disappointed with Solwise's interface. There are no slick graphics or artwork, and when music is playing you won't be greeted with any visualisations - instead there's an out-of-sequence equaliser display and basic track info.

A large selection of formats is supported and, should you have any that aren't compatible, Solwise includes some conversion software.

Soon after it powered up, the device located media stored on a nearby PC and Nas drive. Video playback was smooth over a wired connection, although there is a lengthy pause before playback as it first scans the entire file to enable fast forward and rewind functions.

The DMP-1120w will hook up to your network with Ethernet or 802.11g wireless, while a multi-format card reader and USB2 port let you bypass your network altogether. Scart, Component and composite video outputs are backed up by analogue and digital audio, but with no HDMI port high-definition content is out.
The most attractive feature of the DMP-1120w is undoubtedly its low price, but we'd be happy to pay stump up a bit extra if it meant the interface was improved.