What do you guys think of this? I'm intrigued.

http://www.netgear.com/products/home/hometheater/media-players/NTV550.aspx

looks interesting, I like having the cover art.

just ordered one will post about it after I get it.

Doesn't seem to be much it can't handle. Lots of options on the outputs. That's also a nice box for an audiophile. I wouldn't normally consider NetGear for something like this though that's not to say I don't like their products.

I gave p on ntgear routers period, fucked up firmware, constant rebooting them, newer firmwares if there are any tend to create worse problems on top of the original problems
but I got 50 days to send it back if it's shit.

Might be worth a try. I wonder what's powering it.

It appears to be using the Sigma 8642 SOC.

My only complaint from looking at the specs is... no wireless and no wireless dongle available.

Honestly XBMC rules all. If you are spending close to $200 on a stand alone device. Just get ION/Atom nettop or build a mini itx system. Then get a MCE remote / reciever / blaster.

My dual core n330 (no ion), server doubles as my media player using XBMC. Works great for SD XviD and DVD's.

I built a third system, and lent it to Chagrin. Mini ITX LGA755 Core2Duo, 9400m onboard. Works like a treat at 1080p. He recently purchased a 40" LCD TV. Only snipe, getting audio over HDMI in Linux is no fun, so we use one of the digital audio outputs instead. Picked up a MediaGate MCE2 remote/reciver/blaster. Works out of the box with LIRC installed.

If ya can wait around, XBMC is being ported to some new Sigma SoC's that support OpenGL 2.0.

Also $200 get a Boxee Box by Dlink. Has Netflix support now.

I still think I'll save up for an Oppo BDP-93. It's more than twice as much as most of the newer media players, but it can do everything I want, plus more.

That is something I've been considering, actually I would probably go with the BDP-95 for the 32 bit DAC. They are getting glowing reviews in the audiophile forums I visit.

I like looking at the smaller $100-$200 players as well though.

The 95's upgraded audio abilities is overkill for me.

FYI, there is a website that sells modified Oppo Blu-Ray players so you can play ALL region DVDs and Blu-Rays. I think it adds $100.