Although not really a recorder as such, this little device will play back most media files to your TV, or even to your VCR/DVD recorder if you want. It has composite, S-Video and component out and a full function remote. Also play MP3's and JPEGs.
I bought one yesterday and added a 20G 2.5" hard drive and it works great. Naturally the quality depends on the source quality but it does display a very good picture. It supports both 4:3 and 16:9 tv's. It's USB 2 port is fast enough to copy the media files onto it in a reasonable time and it also works as a mass storage device for transporting any PC files or backing up etc.

As you can tell I'm really impressed. Here's a link to see what it looks like. I bought mine in Perth at storm computers.

http://www.busybits.com.au/item/elsALT-MG25

Rob

When I bought this device, I intended it so that I can transfer the mpeg files recorded by my VisionPlus DTB-T card and play it on the TV. I really did'nt want to transfer the recordings to DVD, just wanted to watch what I recorded on the TV, then delete them.

The first time I tried this, copied the mpeg files to the MG25, and plugged it into the TV, but playback stops after just 2 or 3 seconds.

Then after reading some of these forums, found out that I need to convert from MPEG TS to MPEG PS. I tried the PVAStrumento convert to PS option, but this didn't work either. Playback on the MG25 stopped after 10 seconds instead of 3.

After some more reading, tried the demuxing option in PVAStrumento, created the mpv and mpa files, then found out that I need to join the files.

Installed TmpgEnc 2.5, found out that there is a Merge and Cut option in the Tools Menu, but it gave me an error msg sayin that I the MPEG-2 conversion trial has expired. This then was a dead end.

Next tried IFO Edit, to create DVD, VOB files from the mpv and mpa files. This creates multiple vob files of 1GB each.

This plays back ok, except that under the MG25, sometimes the file length of the secondary or following VOB file is displayed as a negative figure, there by nulling the fwd and reverse features on playback. Kinda sucks, that I could'nt fwd the ads

So what I'm looking now for is a tool that will join the mpv and mpa files as one mpeg file

Give this a try, works a treat for me
http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=ImagoMPEG-Muxer

DVDlab creates a temporary vob file, when authoring a DVD from video and audio elementary stream files, that is as large as the input source files: this vob file is split into smaller vobs in the final authoring passes of the program. There is an option to delete the temporary file at the end of processing or to keep it.

Maybe this would do what you want and perhaps you can stop it once it has created the temporary file.

Ian

Hey Bob, nice util, unfortunately I still get the -ve file length while playing back on the MG25. Tried creating an mpeg and a vob file. Same result.

I'll try DVDLab, and see how I go.

Your base file seems to be a transport stream (ST). A file like that is full of faults, ie GOP problems and audio problems, ie AC-3 and Stereo muxed together. That has to be sorted and turned into a program stream (PS)

Demux with ‘ProjectX. The result is ‘MPV, MP2 and AC-3’. Now remux MPV and one of the audio files (don’t include both audio files) into MPEG2 with ……….. for instance ‘MPEG-VCR’ or any other program you fancy. The resulting file works for me and it has never failed.

OK tried out DVDLab, and the resulting VOB files play beautifully on the MG25. Also the IFO files work from DVDLab, and so I can skip by chapter as well as search fwd and backwards, yaye!!

I tried loading the VOB files via the IFO files created by IFOEdit, but they did'nt load. with DVDLab, they work. Cool. Thanks IanD, for the suggestion.

Some of the mpa and mpv files are off synch though. Starts out ok, then the video is ahead by 1000ms then after 5 or 10 min by 2000ms. The longer the video, the worse the synch.

Wolf suggested ProjectX, so have many others in the forum. Downloaded that and the JAVA2 SDK as well It's been a few years since I executed the Java command line, but the compilation was easy enough.

ProjectX is superb. No synch problems

So here's the end solution for the MG25

Demux using ProjectX,
Compile VOBs using DVDLab, with Chapters, and a Menu
Load the video_ts.ifo file in the MG25

Finally I can play back those files recorded on the computer on my TV, without having to create physical DVDs.

Hey guys,

Just found this thing whilst surfing the net.
Looking to use it as my in-car entertainment system and pretty excited as so far its the only device I can find with .ogg .mp4 and video capabilites all in one handy unit.

My only concern is the on-board menu format. As I have 5000+ songs I don't want to be scrolling for hours to find one song. Is there a playlist generator or reader or and Album/Artist filter accessible from the remote. I'm thinking Audio out to my amp and just putting in a little LCD to veiw the menu eliminating the need to buy an expensive obselete cd player

Any suggestions?

The menu is pretty basic, although it reads mp3 playlists. So I guess while you're copying your songs over to the device, you create playlists for the same. The using the onscreen menu, just execute it.

The remote's basic as well, there's no filter option etc etc, that said, there are F1 and F2 buttons, maybe these are programable?

Do you just copy the pre-made playlist over as you would on say an Ipod from Itunes *grimace*.
Also do you know which format playlist it accepts, M3U?
Whilst its playing does it play the data tags containing song info title artist etc?

Then once the playlists are copied over you can then select and play them individually? Does it allow you to also fast forward, rewind and skip songs?

Sorry about the amount of questions but I doubt I would be able to return it once I've bought it just because I didn't like the menu settings.

Here's a review here which gives an idea of interface etc...

http://www.mikhailtech.com/modules.php?nam...wcontent&id=155

Does this unit output 576i via component or is it just progressive and HD as the specs state: 480p, 720p & 1080i (not even 576p??)?

http://www.airlinktek.com/english/prod_mg25.htm#spec

Or are people just connecting via S-Video?

:cheers:

new to this - my question is - can the A1 tech portable unit be used to transfer Topfield (or any other hard drive STB) recordings to another TV eg. another room?

My quest is to have a good central hard drive stb and to be able to view content on other TVs in the house (wireless would be best - realize wireless USB or wireless stb are not available yet) - this may be covered by another tread - (solution may be to but two cheaper hard drive stb's!)

with hope

Rick

Yes you can, watch them on any other TV, once you've transferred* the Topfield recording to your MG25 HDD

*You might have to convert the files into a DVD format