The Popcorn Hour C-200 is a prime example of what is possible on a tight budget.

In doing these reviews, I must admit that I was impressed by (most) of the media players I had access to, but only one made me genuinely excited – the Popcorn Hour C-200.

For nearly two years, I have used a Popcorn Hour A-110 Networked Media Tank at home, and I honestly don’t know how I lived without it. So to see how the product had developed was a thrilling notion.

Building on the success of the Popcorn Hour A-110, the C-200 combines an upgraded processor, optional Blu-ray capability, and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for faster file access and transfer.

It’s important to note that the C-200 is bigger than its predecessor. A lot bigger. In fact, the C-200 was the only player I tested that could easily be rack-mounted without getting lost.

There is a slight issue in terms of connecting to a power point; the units are only available with a 100-240V AC European adapter, so if you plan to use one, make sure you have a converter at the ready.

On start-up, the GUI was true to the Popcorn Hour style, but a lot more refined. It uses familiar HTML features, so even your least tech savvy client will find it easy to use. However, where the A-110 was a quick-to-load device, the C-200 took quite a bit longer to scan the attached drives. And it did that every time it was switched on. But once it is up and running, you will undoubtedly excuse that when you see all the features it is capable of.

At its core, the C-200 is obviously designed to play video files, but the full scope of online functionality is what puts it ahead of the pack. It even has a built-in download utility, eliminating the need to rely on your PC to download files from the internet.

With the C-200 you can stream or playback digital media content from a variety of sources, such as a PC, network-attached storage, digital camera or USB storage (Flash drive, HDD, DVD drive).

What’s more, the C-200 has a built-in LCD front panel for navigation so you can access, manage and playback your media files without going through the TV interface.

The C-200 features HDMI connectivity, as well as component, S-Video and composite outputs. Audio output is available via analogue RCA, TOSLINK and coaxial ports.

So, if you can forgive the need of a power converter (which is a negligible issue at best) and the slower load time, this could do quite nicely in a home theatre.

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