- Video: MPEG1/2/4, DivX/Xvid, DVD VOB, RMVB, AVI, MOV, VCD
- Audio: MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, Image: JPG/JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
- USB 2.0 interface to computer - functions as portable hard drive
- Output: HDMI v1.3 720P, 3.5mm L/R/V AV OUT
- Storage: Internal SATA/SATA2, SD/SDHC/MS Reader, USB Host
I got my Micca Slim about a week ago and felt really compelled to write a review for this awesome gadget. HDD media players have been around a while but they have not been all that popular, most people bump into them while looking for an external HDD enclosure. Recently, HDD media players have gotten pretty powerful and newer models like the Micca is even equipped with an HDMI output.
The Micca's build quality is decent. The center frame is made from translucent purple plastic, and the top/bottom plates are made from black anodized brushed aluminum, which should be much better in terms of cooling than all-plastic enclosures. The main board spans the entire internal dimension of the player, and the HDD sits right against the main board. The whole assembly is held together with only 2 screws, but everything feels solid and flex/rattle free. Even with a 500GB HDD installed, the player is very light and feels like it's half empty. All of the player's connectors are on one end and the IR remote sensor is on the other end a very logical layout that helps keep everything tidy and neat.
In my opinion, the HDMI is the "killer app" feature for HDD players because even though there are PMPs like Archos and various iPods with AV-out, they only have a composite video output, rendering whatever high quality video you may have essentially pointless. Having a built-in LCD sounds nice on paper but no one realizes just how silly a 4" or smaller screen is until they try to watch something longer than 10 minutes on one. I used to have an Archos 605, which has one of the biggest and nicest LCDs ever built into a PMP, but most of the time I was wishing that I could output the video onto a larger display like a TV or computer monitor while retaining the quality. The HDMI connection on the Micca allows this while also providing the added convenience of carrying both audio and video on one cable.
Also, due to the poor codec compatibility of the Archos 605 I owned, which is a common affliction of PMPs, I constantly had to recode videos just so they would play, which meant keeping two copies of the same video. In all it was just not an elegant solution.
My experience with the Micca Slim has been just the opposite. It handles just about all of my videos coded for playback on my notebook without issues. Other than a few H.264 videos, I didn't have to recode the videos for them to playback on the Micca Slim. And the playback quality was at least as good as from my notebook computer. So now I only have to keep one copy of videos on the Micca Slim, which can then be played back any which way I want. My coworkers gave me a blank stare when I showed them the Micca Slim, one remarked "this doesn't have a screen." But their faces lit up when I connected it to my 20" work monitor and they saw the quality of the playback. "Try that with your iPod Touch."
In the end, it's not just that the Micca does all these things, but that it does them so easily and unobtrusively. I need a portable hard disk drive anyway, and I need a large one to hold all of my media files. So a portable HDD that also plays back all of the media files stored on it is just such a natural function to have.
Buy Micca Slim Portable Digital Media Player with HDMI and 2.5-Inch HDD Bay - Plays MPEG1/2/4, DivX, Xvi Now
The Micca, simply put, does it all! A solid, well designed Media Player and portable USB Hard Drive case. Full function 'real button' remote control and on unit control buttons as well. (So if you forget to grab the remote you can still operate the unit.) But you'll remember it as the remote gives you far more operating choices.
Video, Music, Pictures and even Text files display clean and sharp, even via A/V output. (Check the specs for the supported file type list. Impressive!)
Video modes abound, so regardless of the Video screen format you can pick a screen display to match your display style. 2X, 3X, 4X Forward & Reverse, Zoom (4 levels) on Video, Stop, Pause and Play. Subtitles toggle, several each of 16:9 and 4:3 modes. Supports NTSC and PAL.
Play a single file, repeat one or pick a starting point in a folder and play them all. And it will restart video right where you left off! (A neat feature for longer movies.)
Music (MP3) playback features a menu/file selection screen with detailed Tag Info and with the song in play, a simple graphical EQ display. Settings allow you to choose play one, repeat, repeat all. Good clean output. Handles any size file (so far), even 1 hour+ radio shows and megamixes!
Picture (JPG) playback supports Zoom with scroll, Rotate, Slide show mode and a host of Special Effect fades, wipes, doors... you name it. Some neat stuff!
Text file display on a TV screen (4:3) is clean and sharp. Easy to scroll or page through. Text reading is a bonus. Try to find another Media Play with this feature. Nice if you have a text file of notes to go with a video or song lyrics.
A needed feature? Not really, but nice to have!
Lot of other little goodies. You can plug in a USB drive, SD/SDHC card plus install a hard drive and menu select your media from any device. (You do not have to install a hard drive to use the unit.) You can even Copy/Delete files between devices with the remote control.
I have been looking at various similar type Media Players for quite some time. Each had their failings. The Micca has them all beat and does it in a compact unit with a great menu system and real remote. Money well spent. I'm happy! ;)
Read Best Reviews of Micca Slim Portable Digital Media Player with HDMI and 2.5-Inch HDD Bay - Plays MPEG1/2/4, DivX, Xvi Here
I found myself buying one of these little guy's, and several months later found myself buying a second one.
I was very impressed with the ease of use, and the quality of the picture,and the sound.
The player has the capability of leaving the video you watched on hold, that means to say that you can watch a video turn the unit off and when ever you decide to watch the rest of it it continues right from the point you left off at.
SMART VERY SMART,
I have a more expensive model that don't even have this feature.
I decided to get a second one because I decided to leave one at home, and take the other one with me on my trips.
The picture quality is awsome!!!
There is one little thing that concerns me about this guy,that it get's rather warm if not close to being HOT.
It doesn't have a fan, so I would advice keeping it in a place that it can breathe.
other than that I love it.
Want Micca Slim Portable Digital Media Player with HDMI and 2.5-Inch HDD Bay - Plays MPEG1/2/4, DivX, Xvi Discount?
If you don't need HD, this is the slimmest, slickest little media player around. The case is barely larger than a hard drive, but accommodates a half terabyte laptop drive. It plays all the common formats (esp. Divx in all it's variations--which many claim but few actually do). Menus are simple and easy to navigate--unfortunately no flipping thumbnails or cutesy stuff, but it's fast and you can find your movie in seconds.
Shopping and comparing this category, you know how frustrating it is. Every player has fatal flaws, costs too much, delivers too little. It's been said that media players are "race to the bottom" and that may be true. But for a non-networked player this one does everything you could ask, at a price and in a form factor that is irresistible.
Load it up. Take it with you. Plug it into any monitor, or any motel room TV and keep the kids and/or yourself entertained.
I bought the Micca approximately two weeks ago and I have had plenty of time to use it. I like the idea of it, and it generally performs well especially for such a small unit. I have connected it directly to my HD TV and I use it to watch avi movie files mostly, but there are some issues anyone considering this unit should be aware of.
For some movies (old black and white movies for the most part), the action on screen can stutter, especially if the camera is panning during a scene. This may be a fault of the original movie, but since it was transcoded from a DVD I would not have thought that would be a problem some newer movies also stutter. It may be that the file transfer rate from my usb stick or usb hard drive causes this.
Another issue I have had is that sometimes a movie will simply end (before the ending). Sometimes the next movie on the list will start, and sometimes it won't. This may be file transfer rate becoming so cluttered that the Micca closes the file, or it could be heat related (my usb devices get very warm in the Micca). Regardless, it is not what one would expect based on all the great reviews. I have it flat on the edge of a shelf on my Home Theater furniture as recommended in the instruction book.
Because of these issues, and in spite of the good price, I would be aware of these potential issues before purchasing this product.
UPDATE: After further use I find that this unit is so susceptible to heat that watching only 1-2 movies is possible before the heat monster will stop the unit with a wrong file format error and this when using an external usb thumb drive. What good is that? I would highly recommend buying a unit with a built-in fan. This problem makes this unit almost unusable, or at least exhibits limited usefulness. I had high hopes for this unit, but I guess it wasn't to be.
UPDATE 2: I must say that I have become quite impressed with Micca. Based on my previous review with a 1 star, they sent me an email and invited me to return the unit. I had resigned myself that I had a bad unit and that was that, but I must say when I received the email with an invitation to return it for replacement I was absolutely impressed. In spite of a glitch in their return management, I received a new unit and I have played it for several hours. Although it still gets quite warm, I have had none of the issues I had previously. This is an awesome little unit, quite the multimedia experience in a unit so small, and a company that is willing to go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction. You cannot go wrong buying one of these. I highly recommend the product and the company.
