SnaZio* Net Cinema (HD) SZ1350 DVD Player
Mini-Review (Part I)

Introduction

It's been awhile since I did my last review on Sharp XV-Z2000 DLP Projector. Been laying low for some time mainly because there's pretty nothing much to "review" about I guess... :P Anyhow...the product I am gonna review today will be the new line of DVD Player from SnaZio* - a subsidiary of the SnaZZi product line which brings you the state of the art Digital-Video Conversion and DV-Link products that has its consumer-base in the IT Industry. There are about 3 types of DVD Player introduced into the market and the entry level one will be (SZ 1300) and the mid-end level will be (SZ 1350) and (SZ 1310)...There are other complimentary peripherals that are sold separately such as a Wireless AP Router and portable USB 2.0 HDD for external connection to the DVD Player as well.

I believed this is the first DVD Player product designed by the SnaZZi Company...And believe me, it sure is helluva "entrance" made to the Home Theater Arena...One of the main attractive feature of this DVD Player is its ability to play WMV-9 (alias WMV-HD) files and also DivX-HD files as well. Let us take a look at the main features of this DVD Player (SZ 1350).

Setting up the DVD Player

Very simple! Really just plug it in and connect the cables...and you're really to fire-up the Player. The default video input will be set to DVI (which I am using at present moment). Hence in order to get picture out of your display set/monitor/TV/Projector...one will have to press the (TV Mode) button on the Remote Controller to 'cycle' through the video signal till you got it right! Very much like Momitsu DVD Player I have used before. :)

Getting the right resolution!

After you got the picture signal, next will be to get into the correct resolution for your display set. I am using my Sharp XV-Z2000 for this review and knowing that the native resolution of my Projector is 1280 by 720...I just need to press the (Setup) button on the remote controller and select the <Option> category and browse down to the 'Video Settings' mode and select from the drop-down list that corresponds to your Display set native resolution - (in my case, it will be DVI-720p) and viola! 1:1 pixel mapping in no time...I also have the nifty feature of inputting a Customized DVI Setting by keying manually the Horizontal and Vertical Frequency Values and the Frontporch and Backporch values etc etc...which incidentally was a hidden feature in Momitsu DVD Player I have owned before...the latter Player will have to punch-in a special button-combo on the remote controller in order to gain access to this feature. SnaZio Net Cinema DVD Player has this nifty feature incorporated for advanced user w/o the hassle to go searching for it... :)

Audio Option

For Audio connection, if you're using Coaxial or TOSLink connection, select the 'RAW' option under <Audio Setup> instead of 'PCM'.

Setting up the IP Configuration/WIFI Connection Setup

This is also easy as 1-2-3! provided you're au fait with Networking I guess. The framework understanding of Home Networking is essential and crucial here or else you will end up many hours trying to figure out what the Instruction manual is trying to say...The manual is kind of "useless" as far as I am concerned as it creates more ambiguity than comprehensiveness! I will not touch on the technicalities of connecting to the Home Network here or else everyone will be "dozing off"...Nevertheless, if any user(s) have any problem in connection can drop me an email and I will try my best to assist you to connect to the network.

In order to get a "Trouble-Free" Network connection...Here's a list of things to check/perform to get the Player to recognize the Network in no time...

**Steps to execute for network connectivity**
1) Connect the LAN cable provided by the manufacturer and connect it to your Router/Net Hub/Switch.

2) Install the SnaZio* Net Cinema Software onto your PC (which will act as a Main Server for file-sharing)

3) Once you setup the software - Go to the <Preferences> option of the software and a dialog box will come up showing the present IP Address...Copy it down on a piece of paper

4) Next double-click on the Network connetion icon on the right bottom taskbar of your desktop PC and click on <Support> option and jot down the Default Gateway Address, Subnet Mask, and also the 2 DNS Addresses...all these figures will be "plotted-into" the <IP Configuration> option of the DVD Player

5) If you're using a wireless AP Router, like I do...you will fix on the Antennae provided by the manufacturer and screw it tightly to the rear connection point of the DVD Player and then follow (Steps 1- 4)

6) I am using a secured network with WEP 128-bit encoded signal, this player is able to recognize only WEP security encoding keys of 64-Bit and 128-Bit ONLY...so please do not use RADIUS mode or even WPA mode...it will not work in this case. Click <SAVE> once complete

7) When you key in the values into the IP-Configuration using "Manual Mode"...be careful to key in correctly on the IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway etc etc...and click <SAVE >

8) For WIFI Connection setup, that is the use of "wireless signal" (like I do)...Select the AP as "detected" by the DVD Player...and then choose it and if you're using the secured mode...key in the 24-alphanumeric keys into the WEP Security field carefully as each digit will be turned into "password" field which you will not be able to verify after 2 - 3 secs after keying in...Click <SAVE> once complete

9) If you did everything correctly. then you will be greeted by a "Connection Exellence" or "Connection Very Good" on the screen

10) Press the (URL) button on the remote controller to gain access to the URL Address box...try keying in a website to see whether you're able to gain access to the Internet...In this case I have accessed "www.yahoo.com" website

Other Options in the <Setup>

**Time Setup**
You also need to select the correct GMT time settings for the DVD Player to recognize...as the default settings does not correspond to Singapore Time. Once selected the correct settings...Click <SAVE>

**Update ROM**
This is a neat feature from SnaZio* whereby the user just needs to click on this option and if you're like me on a Broadband connection...you should be able to download and upgrade the Player's firmware in no time! How neat that is! Unlike Momitsu, we still need to download the vfw files and then use Nero to burn at certain file format and at low speed of 2X etc etc and over time when there is so much firmwares version loding into the Player's Read-Only-Memory...it gets corrupted and render the Player performing poorly or in worst case scenario - won't play anything at all! Luckily, Net DVD Cinema DVD Player also comes witha "Roll-Back previous driver" option should the new driver you've downloaded from the manufacturer's site causes some unexpected error etc etc...

DVD Setup

The basic DVD Player settings like the screen options of Wide-screen mode (aka 16:9) or Letter-box mode (aka 4:3) and Parental Locking can be selected here

Go to Part (II) of the Review

<--End of Part 1-->