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DP-S1 Review
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Page Updated
07-Feb-2010
Beyonwiz DP-S1 Pictures
External and Internal |
Setup Menus |
User Interface |
File Player Menus
Applications
 PVR-Tools'
Applications:
-
BW Background Changer -
v1.1.0 - Use your own photo as the menu's background
-
Backgrounds Pack - v1.0 - Contains
31 backgrounds for use with Background Changer
-
BW Theme Changer
- Change the theme in your Beyonwiz menus (coming
soon)
-
BW Firmware Identifier - v2.1.0
- Identify the model & version of renamed firmware files
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BW Firmware ID Changer
- Change the SysID in Beyonwiz firmware
(coming
soon)
-
Add-Remove .ts - v1.3.1 - Add or
remove a .ts file extension to, or merge all, tvwiz files
Browse freeware directory - All my
Donorware applications
Beyonwiz
Applications:
Other Applications for Beyonwiz PVRs:
Video Player Software: - Play Beyonwiz recordings on your PC
-
KMPlayer - K-Multimedia Player - My Favourite (but a bit hard to find
the download link)
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Videolan - VLC Media Player - Popular media player for Windows, Mac
and Linux
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MPlayer - MPlayer
- Another popular media player for Windows, Mac and Linux
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GOM Player - GOM Player - A new one that's gaining popularity
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Documents
Beyonwiz and PVR-Tools' Documents:
Browse Documents directory - Browse the PVR-Tools' Documents directory
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Links
Online Reviews:
Websites and Forums:
Ice TV Guide:
Top
Firmware
Beyonwiz DP-S1: 
Beyonwiz DP-P2: 
Beyonwiz DP-P1:
Beyonwiz DP-H1:
Release Notes:
Browse Firmware directory - Browse the PVR-Tools' Firmware Directory
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Beyonwiz DP-S1 Review
Ok, my review is more of a
list of what it can and can't do than an actual review. Plus some answers
to questions that have been asked on various forums. And while I have
occasionally added to it and edited it there is a good chance that some
comments may no longer apply to what is currently available.
The DP-S1 is the first
product released in Australia by beyonwiz. There will be at least two
other.models coming soon - the DP-P1 and DP-P1.
The H1 is a HD STB and
network media player, that will also be able to play files off an S1 or
P1's HDD.
- DP-S1 is a 2 Tuner HD PVR, upscaling DVD Player and Media Player, via
Ethernet and WLAN.
- DP-P1 is a 2 Tuner HD PVR and Media Player, via Ethernet only.
- DP-H1 is a HD STB and Media Player, via Ethernet only.
DPS1-01.00.041 - 28-Feb-2007
Chipset - Sigma EM8623L
DVD drive - EPO
True 2.0 twin tuner - yes (does everything a 2.0 tuner PVR should)
Can not play DVD while recording
Firmware User Upgradeable - yes (via LAN or USB)
Remote Control response - Fast
Remote Control signal strength - Strong
Remote Control button layout - Good (transport buttons would have been
better off where the numeric button are)
Remote Control style - Nice
Remote Control comfort - Average
Universal Remote Control - Yes - controls TVs (from database)
Timeshift buffer - 2 hours
Timeshift buffer empties when changing channels - yes (even if only for
minute)
Timeshift buffer empties when entering setup menu - yes
Timeshift buffer empties when entering file player menu - yes
Timeshift buffer empties when scrolling EPG - no
Can disable timeshift - yes
Can record timeshift buffer - yes ('all' or from current position)
Top
Quick recording default duration - 2 hours
Rename a recording while it's recording - yes
Pause recording - yes
Timer scheduling - Once, Daily, Weekend, Weekday and Weekly
Automatically name recordings - yes
Simultaneous Video output - yes (but composite and s-video disabled if
using 576p or higher)
Separate output settings for Component and HDMI - yes
HDMI output broadcast resolution in Auto - ? (not sure as my TV only has
DVI)
Upscale DVB-t - yes (via component and HDMI)
Upscale DVD - yes, all formats (via component and HDMI)
Upscale networked files - yes, all formats (via component and HDMI)
Single button video output resolution/format changing - yes (handy after a
factory reset)
Sleep Timer - 0 - 180 minutes
12 or 24 hour time - yes
Date format - DD/MM/YYYY, MM/DD/YYYY or YYYY/MM/DD
Full manual service scan - no (only channels are user selectable)
Service scanning speed - comparable to a TF5000 (faster if only scanning
ch 6 > ch 36)
Channel changing speed - 1 second
Bootup time - 21 seconds
Shutdown time - 3 seconds
Tuner sensitivity - as good as a TF5000
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Rename Channels - no
Long channel names scroll on front display - yes
Can rename Channels - no
IceGuide - yes
Ice PIMP - yes
HDD upgradeable - yes
HDD noise - dull click when booting
HDD partition recognisable by Windows - no
HDD partition type - ?
TFHDRW or TFTool recognises HDD - no
'HDD Check' option in menu - yes (avoids the need to force a disk scan,
'toppy style')
Recorded file format - ?
Splits recorded files - ?
Topfield *.rec file playback - no (BW have said that they will not provide
support for playing back other manufacturers' PVR file formats - due to
copyright/licensing issues)
DVD player region - 4 (code available to unlock)
DVD can resume disc from last position - yes
DVD supports DivX - yes (DivX, Xvid, AVI etc)
Audio DVD - yes
VCD - no
SVCD - no
DVD Zoom - yes
DVD Angle - yes (if DVD supports it)
Audio Playback Transport & Trick modes - yes (pause, FFWD, REW, skip etc)
LAN - Ethernet and WiFi (but not both at same time)
WiFi WPA encryption - yes
SMB support - yes
Software needed for LAN access - no
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USB - can connect 2 USB devices at the same time (using front and rear USB
host ports)
USB Camera Support - yes
USB HDD Support - yes
USB memory stick Support - yes
Card Reader - Supports Compact Flash (CF) and Smart Media (SM) memory
cards
Firmware Upgrades - yes (via Network, USB memory stick/HDD, Memory Card or
CD/DVD)
EPG - can view other channels guide data without the PVR changing channels
EPG - defaults to multi-channel view
EPG - includes a button to get back to current time line
FTP server - no
Web server - no
Playlist - yes (separate Video, Music and Picture playlists)
Playlist limit - 100 (for each - video, music and pictures)
Playlists can include files from all accessible locations (LAN, HDD, USB,
DVD + CF/SM card)
Slow Motion - 1/2x, 1/4x, 1/8x, 1/16x and 1/32x (only 1/2x, 1/4x, 1/8x for
DVDs)
Frame Advance - yes (if you slo-mo at 1/32 and alternate between pause and
slo-mo)
Can only use up to 96% of available HDD space - 4% reserved for timeshift
buffer?
All FF, REW, Pause, Slo-Mo and skip functions work when streaming video or
audio
1) FF and REW (How silky smooth, How easy to quickly get past and ad and
return to viewing)
Very easy. FFWD and REW are 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x and 32x. Plus the skip
buttons. A fraction smoother than a TF5000, though not as smooth as a
TF7000.
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2) What SKIP options does it have (30 sec? 1 minute? forward? back?)
Up and Down arrows skip +/- 10% from where you're at (e.g. if you're at
27% one press will skip to 37%). Left and Right arrows jump -/+ 15
seconds. Pressing any arrow buttons (or the OK button) brings up the
progress bar. It then takes another arrow press to 'skip'. Progress bar
stays onscreen until you press either Exit or OK. Holding any arrow key
results in continuous skipping.
To skip past a 3 minute ad break you press and hold the > button until the
displayed play/timeshift time decreases/increases by 3 minutes.
3) After a power failure (flick the switch) in STANDBY does the unit wake
up and get the time?
It has an accurate battery backup clock. Timers still fire (when using
manual or auto time).
4) How is TIME handled? Is there a MANUAL option? Do you put in your STATE
or manually enter a DLS offset?
Manual or Auto. In auto time you set the GMT offset. There is no DSL
setting.
It also has built-in time variation checking. It will warn you if the
current (manual or auto) time is different to the broadcast time.
5) If you set a timer can you change the name of the timer before it has
fired?
Yes. It also has an auto-name option (the default) which gets the filename
from the EIT when the timer starts. I have asked for a change in the
firmware so that the file name is taken from the EIT part way through the
recording.
6) If you go to the TIMERS MENU do you see the name entered or just the
CHANNEL its on?
It shows the name entered. Or if you're not using IceGuide or have not set
a name for the timer it shows *ChannelName - which indicates it will get
the name from the EIT when the recordings starts.
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7) What happens if you simulate a power failure while a recording is under
way - does the unit resume recording (unlikely but it would be nice)
Once power is restored it goes to standby (and future timers still fire).
I have asked for this to be changed so the PVR boots to ON after the power
is restored... because once booted up it resumes recording if the timer
was a recurring timer (i.e. all timers except 'once only' timers resume
once the PVR is booted to ON).
Once booted to ON it will also start a current timer even if that timer's
start time has passed - even for 'once only' timers.
8) Can you navigate to a TAP menu area? Press << or >> while in the SAVED
PROGRAMS AREA
Nope... no TAPs (or no visible folder)
9) What directory options are available (Make subdir? Rename? Move?)
This feature is disabled in the current firmware - (so I haven't tested
it)
10 What TRIM options are available? How easy/fast is it to top and tail a
show?
This feature is disabled in the current firmware - (so I haven't tested
it)
11) Can you lock a directory against being deleted. If you have a locked
file in a directory can you still then delete the directory.
This feature is disabled in the current firmware - (so I haven't tested
it)
12) Do you have a FAVOURITES? Can you reorder CHANNELS?
Yes. You can move channels up and down within each favourites group.
Top
All the normal playback functions are available for both video and audio
files even when played over the network. i.e. %-skip, 15sec-skip, ffwd,
rew, pause, slo-mo etc."
I had some difficulty getting the BW to get it's IP via DHCP. Even
changing user set IP and other settings was not the easiest at times. In
fact the network settings seemed to remember what settings you used last
and uses those instead of any new settings you're trying to set. It did
all work out in the end but took some stuffing around. I think a factory
reset may help if you're changing the network settings. You can only
choose Ethernet OR WLAN - i.e. you can't use both at once.
To get IceTV working you need to setup a beyonwiz 'device' in your user
settings on the icetv website. And you then choose this 'device' in the
BW's IceTv menu.
Any file types that the BW can play can be played via DVD, network share,
USB HDD/stick, camera or CF/SD card etc. You can even have 2 USB devices
connected at once (1 in the front port and 1 in the rear port) see both
USB devices' contents in the file player menu.
In older firmware it would not let you play a DVD while it was recording
(it warned you). Later firmware had this warning removed... but recordings
stop if you start playing a DVD! Hopefully they've fixed this in the
firmware that's in the ones being released in a few days...
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