The smart choice for a smart home
They usually try to give the title to the review in such a way as to reveal the content of the article as much as possible, or at least to indicate its subject. This is especially true for articles of a technical nature. Our case allows us to take advantage of this rule, which we did. But first, a short introduction.
The idea of creating such a review arose thanks to the so-called "insider" information, but verified and rather curious. The fact is that a considerable (if not most) part of the sales of multimedia equipment of the Hi-End class falls on the sector of installers - companies that implement projects of "smart" houses, which include a variety of equipment: climate systems, security and fire-fighting equipment, systems remote control. And, of course, home theaters. The cost of all equipment in aggregate can reach millions of rubles, or even tens of millions. However, at the stage of selecting multimedia equipment, an amusing contradiction often arises: the installer, who is absolutely not limited in funds, suddenly begins to save on the source of multimedia content. Simply put, he prefers a familiar product rather than paying attention to more expensive brands and telling the customer about them. This curiosity can be explained quite simply: both the customer and the performer are, first of all, people with their knowledge, habits and conviction. If previous knowledge and habits contain information about the existence of reliable proven equipment, then this equipment usually ends the choice - why look for something new? In the meantime, existing alternatives may prove to be just as reliable and even more productive or more functional.
So what is the installer guided by when choosing a media player? The cost factor can be discarded right away as it has almost no effect on the overall project budget. Ask the installer representatives? This is also not an option, because the answer will most likely be the standard “customer's wish”. What are the true reasons for the choice, other than the notorious habit? Perhaps, without studying the subject, it is impossible to answer this question. We hope that the devices we have will help us make a clear comparison not only in terms of performance or reliability, but also evaluate the purely consumer qualities of each option.
Design
The reason for choosing such weighted devices is described in the preface to the article. It is worth adding: not so long ago, a fairly detailed review of the Oppo BDP-103D media player was published, which is in many ways similar to the device of this brand, considered in this article. In addition to this information, the reader is given the opportunity to get to know the player even closer, so to speak, live:
As for the Dune HD Base 3D, reviews of several models of this brand were also published, and each time these articles emphasized, if not the elitism of this technique, but the rather high quality of its manufacture and reliability in operation.
Let's evaluate the contents of the front panels of both players, because these panels are not only the "face" of the equipment, but also the only easily accessible way to quickly connect some gadgets and control the device.
Note that, unlike Dune, the control buttons of the Oppo player are touch-sensitive (some like it, some don't - it depends on preferences); headphone jacks have different diameters; the Dune player is equipped with a memory card slot, while the Oppo does not. But he has an important plus: video inputs. In principle, Dune does not have such connectors, but this is understandable, because Oppo is, in fact, a player with receiver functions. This video input, located on the front panel of Oppo, has support for MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) technology, which, in addition to standard HDMI functions, also allows you to recharge a connected mobile device. The displays of the players also differ, primarily in their content. Oppo displays a fairly large amount of information about the content being played, while Dune is much more concise.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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It should be noted that at the top of the Dune display some symbols are seen that should indicate the current playback mode and other parameters, but we could not display these symbols. Most likely, a universal display is installed here, which is used in different models of players, but to activate certain parts of the display or leave them unused - this decision remains on the conscience of the developer. Apparently, they decided not to use it.
The rear panel traditionally contains interfaces that are rarely connected to, mainly when the equipment is first installed in a rack. Here the difference between the players is huge. This is also understandable: Oppo is presented primarily as a device for audiophiles, where almost the main emphasis is on all kinds of audio connectors. For example, why does a player need XLR audio outputs? It turns out that for connecting an integrated sound amplifier, where the player will act as a preamplifier (DAC). The same applies to the USB DAC port, which allows you to connect an external digital-to-analog converter, which is equipped with a USB connector.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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We also note that Oppo has two HDMI video outputs (one of them supports Darbee technology, which was described in detail in the mentioned review). As for the control of the Oppo player, the RS-232 connector can be used here, which is also necessary to control the player in a single “smart home” system such as or.
Unfortunately, the latest "news from the front" makes one think about the attitude towards the Dune brand, right up to the revision of this very attitude. This statement is not a translation of the author's bias towards a particular trademark (the author has no relationship with brands at all). This is a cursory impression left over from study. If we summarize the claims that users of Dune brand technology now have, then they can be reduced to insufficiently effective technical support, as well as to the quality of electronic components from which the players are assembled (we are talking mainly about inexpensive electronic filling of the internal power supply unit - cheap capacitors with time out of order). At the same time, it is impossible to dispute the following statement: in this price range, there is virtually no competition for Dune. But we - remember the introduction to the article - are not limited by money.
The Oppo player is more than three times heavier than the Dune, what is the reason? Let's take a look under the cover.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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This is the explanation for such a significant difference in the cost of products. While Dune's electronics are mostly mid-range OEM hardware, Oppo's components are the elite in the transistor-capacitor world. The power supply received special attention from the developers - Oppo uses a specially designed non-pulse transformer. This is described in sufficient detail in the video above.
The main technical characteristics of the devices are shown in the following table:
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D | |
| Interfaces | ||
| Video inputs |
| No |
| Audio inputs |
| No |
| Video outputs |
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| Audio outputs |
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| Net |
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| USB |
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| Data sources |
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| Other characteristics | ||
| Dimensions (edit) | 430 x 311 x 123 mm, 7.9 kg | 430 x 252 x 55 mm, 2.45 kg |
| 3D video support | Yes, complete | |
| Display | matrix | |
| Power Supply | built-in | |
| Price | ||
| average price according to Yandex.Market data | T-10855277 | T-9250561 |
| Offers according to Yandex.Market data | L-10855277-10 | L-9250561-10 |
Settings
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The process of booting devices to full readiness takes a different time, and Oppo is in the lead here: 20 seconds to turn on, while Dune comes to life a little longer, 35 seconds.
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Note the slightly more informative Dune main screen - here you have both the time with the date and the current weather outside the window, and the geographic location is automatically determined by the IP address. There is a difference in the arrangement of this screen: Oppo displays all installed Internet services at the bottom, while Dune modestly hides them under one of the icons in the scrolling list. But we'll talk about services later, but for now let's compare the key settings of both players. Settings - they always indicate the potential capabilities of the device, even if only in theory.
The main settings menu in the players looks different, Oppo presents it in a strict tabular design, and Dune - in a visual colorful one.
In the advanced video output settings, Oppo offers to change the "default" parameters of Darbee technology, which is available only on the first HDMI output.
Additional audio options are only available in the Oppo player and allow you to customize the speaker placement.
In the network settings, an important feature should be noted that is available in Dune and absent in Oppo: the ability to create a Wi-Fi hotspot. If Dune is connected to the router with a cable, then there is an excellent opportunity to organize such a point using the wireless adapter of the player itself.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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At the same time, the point created by the Dune player supports the 802.11b / g / n standards.
Other settings related to general functionality - screen saver settings, the order and method of content playback - are approximately the same in both players and may be scattered across various sections of the setup menu.
To get full functionality, it is advisable to connect a system drive to the Dune player, a fast flash drive with a volume of 2 or more gigabytes can play its role, but this is not a problem - the player has three USB ports. But with the full functionality of the Oppo player, things are not so simple. The reason for this complexity lies in the notorious licenses. In order for Oppo to be able to freely play "forbidden" formats, it is necessary to modify the player's firmware. This is not a trivial task, but the craftsmen have found a clever way out: software "jailbreak". Similar to those that are installed on some "branded" devices, in order to remove the artificial restrictions imposed by the developer (from English Jailbreak translates as "jailbreak"). We have such a jailbreak - this is an ordinary bootable flash drive that should be connected to one of the player's USB ports before turning it on. After that, the system will boot in a mode where there are no taboos.
It is worth remembering once again about the significantly more information provided by the Dune player. This manifests itself not only during video playback, but also in the organization of the file browser, which displays detailed information about the file under the cursor.
In conclusion, let us recall the network capabilities of players: of course, Dune is most prepared for the role of a network media player, which allows you to operate files over a network. Unlike the free Dune, the Oppo player does not have the ability to copy or move anything anywhere. There is simply no such functionality. This is exactly a player designed to play content close to existing standards.
Exploitation
First, let's check the devices' ability to correctly reproduce video in the most common formats today. To do this, we will use the piggy bank of video files we have, and we will give the playback results in a separate plate:
It was hardly worth expecting surprises here, after all, the standard. Rarer formats, which are almost never found on the Web (for example, RealVideo (* .rm) or FLV with the Sorenson Spark codec), players equally refuse to play. The same happens when you try to play a 10-bit video, which is familiar primarily to "anime" people. If Oppo makes some attempts and displays a pixel mess instead of a picture, then Dune simply displays a black screen.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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The next question that I would like to raise is the question of the true resolution displayed on the screen by the compared players. Of course, it hardly makes sense to expect a catch from devices of this level, but nevertheless. Let's complicate the task: we will display information about the file on top of a test video consisting of many lines with a thickness of one pixel. Who knows, what if the original video in this case will be somehow transformed?
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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No, the version has not been confirmed, but this is not surprising. Our equipment does not allow cheating with signal output. These still images were obtained using a Full HD video capture device - as if we were watching on a similar TV with a resolution of 1920 × 1080. However, we must not forget about the increasing use of Ultra HD TVs, whose displays consist of four times the number of pixels: 3840 × 2160.
I wonder what Full HD players do when displaying their Full HD picture on such a TV? Are they corny stretching the image twice horizontally and vertically? Or is the TV doing this? Most likely it is, but we know that there are many ways to resize, and each method has its own characteristics that affect the resulting image. And these features are not always positive. The perfect way out of the situation is offered by the Oppo player. The attentive reader has most likely noticed in one of the screenshots above that the output resolution of the Oppo player can be 4Kx2K.
Indeed, the Oppo BDP-105D, although it cannot play video with a frame size larger than Full HD, is quite ready to broadcast the signal to 4K TVs. How our players manage to transform a frame for viewing on a 4K TV, we will find out with the help of the same test video file. True, we will have to do without a 4K signal capture device - such equipment is too tough for us yet. However, a banal photomicrograph of a 4K TV display can tell as much as a closer examination of the screenshot.
Clicking on a thumbnail will open the full image
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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Although comments here are clearly superfluous, nevertheless, we note that both players, when connected to a TV, receive the same information about the maximum display resolution, this is the EDID technology (Extended Display Identification Data - a data format standard containing various information about the monitor). However, the Oppo media player, equipped with a 4K output mode, connects to the TV at exactly the same maximum resolution for a TV. The Oppo player achieves perfect preservation of the proportions and detail of the picture thanks to the mechanism of smart frame transformation, coupled with the presence of such an output mode.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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While the Dune player connects to the TV in the maximum possible 1920 × 1080 mode, as a result, the TV is forced to do image upscaling on its own. And how it turns out on the TV, you can see in the photo. It turns out badly. Discretely and with some kind of impurities. By the way, analog TV looks much worse on this 4K TV, “soapy” than on a Full HD panel. Looks like we found the reason.
Finally, it's Darbee's turn - one cannot fail to mention this technology in the light of the player comparison. With the help of such a picture transformation tool, the viewer receives a much clearer and deeply saturated image, which differs from the banal change in the sharpness of the frame in that the processing of details is performed selectively, in accordance with its content. This feature can be useful not only when watching Full HD content, but also when playing standard definition and low quality video.
To view in a larger size, click the button "Original size»
Complete stills can be seen by clicking on the following thumbnails.
The next comparison test, which will probably be wasted, is to check the correctness of video playback with different frame rates. To do this, we traditionally use a set of test clips with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see Testing Techniques for Video Playback and Display Devices). During testing, we used video with a frame size of 1920 × 1080, but with different frequencies: from 24 to 60 fps, as well as a 3D video (MVC, ISO image of a 3D Blu-ray disc).
The media players in question were connected to a Full HD panel in the mode of automatically detecting a suitable frequency, which can change in accordance with the video frame rate. Below is a table with screenshots of the TV screen, where you can see the test results and draw the corresponding conclusions.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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Finally, briefly about remote control of players. Yes, there is such a possibility in both devices, and we are not talking about an infrared remote control - everything is clear with it. We are talking about control using mobile devices, Android or iOS, connected to the same network as the player. It should be noted here that the Oppo developers pay more attention to this function. At least the corresponding mobile application available in the Apple Store and Google Play is fresher and more stable.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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In conclusion, we will smash the Oppo player on the head, comparing the number and composition of Internet services available in the devices. Of course, in terms of support for auxiliary applications, the Dune player looks much more preferable than the Oppo. There is a different purpose and, accordingly, different functionality. The services offered by Oppo are detailed in the aforementioned review. Compared to this list, the number of services supported by the Dune player looks gigantic. However, it is pointless to show the services installed on a specific player, because absolutely any application that is available in the special online store Dune Store is allowed to install.
conclusions
As a summary, let's give a definition of the compared devices. Oppo is a Blu-ray player with high-quality audio receiver features and the added ability to play content from network and USB storage devices. While Dune primarily specializes in working with networked content and can act as a network attached storage (NAS) with various functions, including a torrent client. Special attention should be paid to the Darbee video signal processing technology, which the Oppo player is equipped with, as well as the impeccable quality with which the picture is displayed on displays with Ultra HD resolution. This factor is critically important when organizing a serious home theater, where a 4K projector with a half-wall screen may well become a display device today.
Now let's try to summarize the discovered advantages of each device in one table.
| Oppo BDP-105D | Dune HD Base 3D |
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As already mentioned, in a certain price range, it is unlikely that it will be possible to find a suitable alternative to Dune - this technique fulfills the modest funds invested in it one hundred percent. And if the cost of compared devices is divided by their functionality, then the gain will not be in favor of Oppo at all. But the question is: is this functionality needed, expressed in a huge number of Internet services? If necessary, then to whom, a representative of which target group?
In attempts to answer these questions, we again have to return to the topic of the different purposes of the devices, which is also reflected in the difference in the price of products. So why does a non-budget-minded customer prefer a cheaper option? Habit or banal ignorance?
At the international exhibition IFA 2012, the Israeli company Dune HD presented the long-awaited updated lineup of media players with support 3D – , Dune HD Max 3D and Dune HD Pro... All three models retain the stylish design and form factor of their predecessors and fully support the playback of various 3D video formats, including MVC, SBS, Top / Bottom, and thanks to the HDMI 1.4 interface, the devices are fully compatible with all the latest 3D TV models. New items provide playback and recording of streaming audio and video, and also support many popular Internet services.
Already, 3D video lovers are in a hurry to buy a Dune HD Base 3D 3D player at a very favorable price and with additional bonuses.
The youngest of the top series of media players lacks a slot for SD cards and a Blu-Ray drive, but has a built-in 7.1-channel decoder for "tulips", which allows you to connect active speakers without using a receiver. Also, it was not without the IPTV function for receiving TV programs via the Internet. The player is built on a chip Sigma Designs SMP8672 / 73, supports MVC, SBS, Top / Bottom and RealD 3D, features a display, 3.5 ”hard drive bay with support for models up to 4TB, SD card reader and USB ports. There is an HDMI 1.4 connector in Base 4.0 3D and a full-fledged Gigabit Ethernet.
Differences from Dune HD Base 3.0:
- support for 3D Blu-Ray images (no menu), MVC 3D format
- new fast processor SMP8673, brings new possibilities
- updated solid design of the front panel of the player
- gigabit network (1Gigabit / 100Mbps) with a wired connection
- HDMI 1.4 provides full 3D Blu-Ray compatibility
- Supports internal HDD up to 4Tb
Specifications :
- Supported 3D video formats: Decodes a wide range of 3D video formats, including MVC, SBS. Top / Bottom and RealD 3D.
- HDD player plays content from any hard drive (NA & USB, eSATA, Dune HDD Expansion Chassis)
- Network Player: Connect to a local network and play content directly from a PC or NAS via UPnP SMB or NFS.
- MKV Playback: Play HD and SD video in MKV containers and other kinds of video file formats, including high quality video with very high bitrate> 50Mbp / s.
- USB Ports: Conveniently connect HDD and USB flash drives, USB card readers and other USB storage devices without a USB hub. Hot swap HDD and USB.
- HDM11.4: Provides broad compatibility with the latest 3D TVs, monitors and projectors.
- Full set of A / V connectors: S / PDIF optical audio output, analog stereo, HDMI, Component Video, Composite Video.
- High quality music playback: Plays very high quality (up to 192 kHz / 24-bit) music files in various formats (FLAC, Monkeys Audio APE, WAV / PCM, DTS, etc.).
- Playlists support: create playlists from folders, use your own playlists.
- Flexible video output system: output video in any resolution and format (from SD to 1080p, 24p / PAL / NTSC).
- Video Up-Scaling: High quality up-scaling of DVD and any other SD video content to Full HD (1080p) or other HD resolution.
- File browser: a convenient file browser with advanced file manipulation capabilities (copy, move, delete, rename, organize, sort).
Additional functions:
- External NAS support: access files to any external storage devices (hard drive, optical drive, etc.) connected to the player from the local network (using SMB or FTP).
- Customizable user interface: work with media collections with display of covers and icons (full HD graphics supported).
- Flash applications: extending the functionality of the player through FlashLite applications.
- Internet Radio: Play and record various Internet radio stations.
- IPTV: Play and record IPTV streams (multicast UDP / RTP) from ISPs.
- Internet browser: Browse websites on TV using the built-in web browser.
IFA 2012 - Dune HD
For a long time, the manufacturer of media players DuneHD, occupying one of the leading places in this market segment, did not have products with 3D support, today new models of Dune HD players - TV303D and Dune HD Base 3D with support for Blu-Ray 3D ISO (Bluray 3D, MKV 3D, etc. etc.) appeared in retail and will compete with the review of which we published earlier.
The features of the players are a modern processor Sigma Designs 8672/8673, which provides 3D support, an Ethernet port capable of operating in gigabit mode and a built-in Wi-Fi adapter from the manufacturer.
The advantages of the TV-303D model include the presence of a USB Slave 3.0 port (for direct connection to a computer if there is a hard drive inside the player), as well as an external IR receiver, which allows you to hide the player behind a TV or in a niche. The new Dune Base 3D builds on Dune's current line of premium turntables and the concept of the player is clearly a full-size body.
Packaging, appearance and equipment of Dune 303D and Base 3D
The turntables are supplied in a cardboard box with a branded color.
The Base 3D has active cooling, the fan pleased it, it is absolutely inaudible in the reviewed sample.
Remote Control
The control panel for both players is identical, it remained unchanged, as in the previous versions of the players. The operating angle is quite wide and does not require direct direction into the player itself, and thanks to the external IR receiver in the 303D, the player can be hidden or suspended from behind the TV.
Slowdowns and reactions to pressing the remote control are not observed, navigation is fast, when the animation of transition between menu icons is turned off, a very good impression of the overall responsiveness of the device is created.
Technical characteristics of new products Dune HD with 3D
| Dune HD TV-303D | Dune HD Base 3D | |
| CPU | Sigma Designs 8672/8673, Blu-ray 3D image support | |
| Memory | 512 MB | |
| 3D video modes | Side-by-side, Top-to-bottom, MVC | |
| 3D Graphics Support | OpenGL Hardware Accelerator | |
| Video codecs | MPEG-2, MPEG-4, Xvid, WMV9, VC-1, H.264; support for high-bitrate video (up to 50 Mbps and above) | |
| Video containers | MKV, MPEG-TS, MPEG-PS, M2TS, VOB, AVI, MOV, MP4, QT, ASF, WMV, BDMV, DVD-ISO, VIDEO_TS | |
| Audio Formats and Codecs | AC3 (Dolby Digital), EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), Dolby True HD DTS / DTS-WAV, DTS HD High Resolution Audio, DTS HD Master Audio, LPCM / Multichannel, MPEG / MP3 / MPA, AAC / Multichannel, WMA / WMAPro , APE / Multichannel, FLAC / Multichannel, WAV Pack, ALAC, Ogg / Vorbis | |
| Subtitles | SRT (external), SUB (MicroDVD) (external), text (MKV), SSA / ASS (MKV, external), VobSub (MP4, MKV, external SUB / IDX), PGS (Blu-ray, TS, MKV) | |
| Images | JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF | |
| Playlists | M3U, PLS | |
| Dimensions, mm | 160 x 115 x 36 | 430 x 252 x 55 |
| Net weight, kg | 0,42 | 2,45 |
User interface
The control interface of both devices is identical, the manufacturer decided to update it relative to the previous ones, the possibility of returning to the previous design style is also provided. In general, the navigation and menu structure remain the same.
A significant change in relation to older players (the TV series is no exception) is the absence of a full BD disc menu, which means that when you launch a Blu-Ray ISO image or a folder with a saved disc structure, the player will display a list with media files available for launch with the specified duration.
During playback, it is possible to move between chapters, switch audio tracks and subtitles.
The player's settings are still pleasing with their flexibility, all the most common image output formats are supported (the entire required spectrum is available) and aspect ratios (auto, 16: 9, 16:10, 4: 3 and 5: 4).
The manufacturer declares that digital audio outputs can work - either PCM (forced conversion) or Bitstream (original). In the first case, the original audio track (Dolby Digital or DTS) is converted into a pulse-code form, the support of which is provided in decoders of almost any modern audio equipment. It will come in handy if the AV-receiver does not support full-fledged decoding of multichannel sound, or if only a TV is connected to the player "by digital". In the second option, the original audio tracks are transmitted to an external decoder in their original digital form.
Network performance
Unfortunately, we had very few players, we only got a wired and WiFi connection via SMB. The Asus N66U was chosen as the router through which the commutation was made, and the NAS Synology acted as the file storage.
Without any additional settings and manipulations over the Ethernet connection, 20-23 Megabytes per second were received. Via Wi-Fi, at a distance of about 7 meters in line of sight 4.8-5.5 Mb / s.
We can safely say that the speed of a wired connection will be enough for absolutely any, even the most demanding video material, WiFi, unfortunately, will not give the opportunity to watch BluRay movies over the network, but is suitable for rips and online content.
Setting up IPTV on DuneHD players
Many Internet providers recommend DuneHD network players for use as set-top boxes for working with IPTV, and only a few make a plug-in for the player that makes it much easier for the user to configure the player.
In reality, setting up IPTV is very simple.
- The MyIPTV plugin is installed on the player, which can be found here - (Downloads: 404) .
- After installing the plugin, go to its settings and enter the URL of the provider's channel list, often in M3U format, the link to which can be found on the provider's website.
- We go into the plugin itself, its icon is located in the TV player section and enjoy watching.
You can certainly just open the M3U channel list on the player, like any other movie, but the peculiarity of using the plug-in for this task is that it will group channels by categories, pull up the TV program and icons of the most popular channels.
Conclusion
Many are already aware of the level and quality of Dune products, the company makes excellent devices and at the same time does not forget about the earlier models by releasing updates for them.
The pluses of the players include a good package bundle, excellent build quality, high-quality and constantly updated software of the players, excellent omnivorousness and, of course, up-to-date hardware.
The only disadvantage is the price, which is higher than competing products, but given that the device is not purchased for a month, this is not very critical.
It was upsetting that with modern Wi-Fi players there is still only one band, 2.4 GHz, in our opinion at least Base 3D could be equipped with a 5 GHz module capable of giving greater performance.
It was also upsetting that the torrent client was removed in the new series of players, now it must be installed separately, this is not difficult, all the information is on the Internet :-)
22.07.2013
Dune Base 3.0 has been a hugely successful player and has earned the respect of thousands of customers around the world. Let's see if Base 3D with Blu-ray 3D support succeeds in repeating the success of its predecessor.
Unpacking….
The Dune HD Base 3D package is more than standard. Although it seemed strange to me that the equipment of the older model is somewhat inferior to the younger TV-303D.
Base 3D is packed in a cardboard box slightly larger than its own dimensions, and inside there is a box with components: HDMI cable, 3RCA tulip cable, Ethernet cable, power cord plus adapter plugs, user manual, remote control and 2 AAA batteries ...
The Dune HD Base 3D is unlikely to be differentiated from the old Base 3.0 by most buyers. Before us is still the same full-size media player, about 5 cm thick and commensurate with other devices in the AV rack in width and depth. The body is made of metal, and the black color will elegantly fit into any interior.
On the front panel, exactly in the middle there is a single-line LCD display, and to the left of it is the hard drive tray cover, indicator and power button. The indicator, according to an obscure tradition, is a bright blue LED, annoying in dark rooms. To the right of the display are the control buttons, SD slot, 3.5mm audio output and USB port. The hinged cover for the 3.5 "hard drive is made of plastic and is fixed with two magnetic latches. The compartment itself has its own cover with a mechanical latch. The hard drive is simply inserted into the compartment and pressed until it clicks (hot-swap function is supported).
The rear panel is traditionally given over to connectors. The Base 3D has a screw-on Wi-Fi antenna jack on the back, 2 USB 2.0 host connectors, an Ethernet 100/1000 port, HDMI 1.4, composite and S-Video outputs, component output, digital coaxial and optical audio outputs, analog stereo output, and a power jack. I was surprised that Dune HD considered it appropriate to remove the 5.1 (7.1) analog connectors, which were considered a feature of the older series.
Dune HD Base 3D has a large case, but there is a lot of free space inside. This had a good effect on cooling (by the way, the fan on the rear panel works almost silently), but inefficiently.
The included remote control pleased with pleasant-to-touch buttons and well-thought-out ergonomics. The working angles are wide, and the range is tested at 4 meters.
All is good, but it's a pity that there is no eSATA connector and all USB connectors are version 2.0 (while the younger model has one USB 3.0). But a really shameful nuance - an extremely cheap-looking and in fact power cable. It is not clear how one could think of putting such a cable in a box with an expensive device.
Filling without glamor
Hidden inside Base 3D is a Sigma Designs 8672/8673 processor capable of decoding MVC (real 3D video with frame packing). For the first time, high-end and mid-range models were made on the same chip. Why did it happen? Apparently HDI Dune considered it more economical to make the entire line on one chip, and do the division of models artificially due to sizes and options.
Against the background of Base 3D, its direct competitor Popcorn A400 looks like an alien from another galaxy. The Sigma 8911 chip is more modern, has a dual-core architecture and an integrated VXP video processor. But as I already wrote in the Popcorn A-400 review, everything is not implemented in the best way. Syabas, in fact, blazes a thorny path, and as a result gets irritated by buyers. And theoretical power and prospects are nothing when there are flaws in the work of the basic functions.
As a result, Base 3D drives quieter and will continue to be. True, 512 MB of RAM and 256 MB of flash on board are average figures for 2013, which further enhances the feeling of a lieutenant in a colonel's uniform.
We turn on ...
Starting from scratch takes about 35-40 seconds, and waking up literally 5 seconds.
The basic skin of the Dune HD Base 3D interface is black. For those wishing to change the entourage in “Settings” - “Design” there are 7 more skins available: Blue, Dune, Glass, Green, Mountain, Red and Sunset.
Traditionally, for Dune HD players, everything is very convenient and understandable. The interface has been polished to a shine in a few years, the settings are neatly divided into sections, you can get used to the controls in 10 minutes.
Upon completion of the settings, you need to decide where the bulk of the content will come from. There are many options: portable USB drives and flash drives, a hard drive in the player, or connecting to a home network via Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi. In the latter case, you can watch video or listen to music from a computer or NAS (via UPnP, SMB, NFS) and also enjoy the delights of streaming IPTV and VOD. As always, the connection process is done on the fly and the setup is straightforward. Difficulties can arise only with sharing folders on a PC or other content sources, but that's another story.
In work
For full testing, we used 2 different TVs (the subjective opinion about the picture is always partially tied to the quality of your TV) and 2 flagship gigabit routers: Cisco Linksys E4200 and Asus RT-N66U.
The network performance results were encouraging. This is certainly not a real gigabit, but it is quite worthy and will be enough for Full HD and Blu-ray 3D. By FTP, the write speed reached 22 MB, and the read speed reached 34 MB / s. Via SMB up to 13 and 18 MB / s, respectively.
The maximum speed of Wi-Fi 802.11n was approximately 5.5 megabytes per second, that is, there is still room to grow up to the expected 8 MB / s. But this is already enough for many remixes, not just 720p and 1080p rips. Of course, in 2013 in the older model it was nice to see a wireless module with 5 GHz and the best speed indicators.
About 80% of modern media players play almost everything, and the differences come down to support for exotic formats, high bitrates up to 100 megabits and BD3D ISO (which will be discussed below). And also the absence of the notorious 24p friezes and the like.
What can you say about the omnivorous player? There are no problems. Dune HD Base 3D reads all video formats of its ancestor Base 3.0, and in addition any variants of 3D video: Side-by-side, Top-to-bottom, MVC. All major audio and subtitle formats are supported.
Video of any bitrate can be played on Base 3D without any problems (and even videos with a bitrate of 100 Mbit ala Ducks), the transition to the desired time intervals and acceleration, switching tracks or subtitles are perfectly implemented. Where the difference in real usability with competitors is especially felt is in operations like switching the list of subtitles and audio tracks. The Popcorn Hour A-400 is a lot more confusing. And most of the players on Realtek do not shine with the ergonomics of these operations.
Nuances are hidden in disc playback. All players developed after February 2012 with BD menus must have Cinavia. If the full BD menu is activated, the player will not be able to play unlicensed content.
As a result, Base 3D fully supports DVD ISO images with menu display, but not Blu-ray ISOs. There is no full-fledged BD-menu and only Lite-mode is supported instead. What does this threaten in practice? A number of inconveniences, depending on the degree of your affection for the menu and specialties. Many Blu-rays with a Seamless Branching structure (splitting into many m2ts containers) show fading when moving from one container to another. If there are several playlists on the BD (for example, you can choose the director's or theatrical version of a movie), then there will be similar stutters at the merging points of the versions. Also, when using the Lite-menu, you are simply given a list of videos, but in the case of stuffed editions, it is unclear which of the many special stages you are currently trying to open. It remains only to run in turn and watch.
There will be no solution to this problem, and if you are very attached to the menu, you will have to switch to using 2 devices: one for blues and menus, and the other for other content. Fortunately, there are a number of excellent and cheap candidates for the role of the first Pioneer BDB-140 blu-ray player with alternative firmware.
Nevertheless, I will end the assessment of the work on a positive note. Dune is the best picture quality of all media players. Clarity, detail, smooth color transitions, volume development at a height. The Popcorn A-400 seemed to me comparable in 2D and slightly better in 3D. However, this difference is from the series “within the margin of error”.
We have long awaited improvements ...
Dune players have been holding the palm as the most convenient, productive, reliable, etc. for 3-4 years. But in pursuit of mass recognition, the company ignores many wishes, forgot about a number of promised improvements and even buried some of them.
Music lovers have long complained about the quality of the audio track. Have their prayers been heard? No. On Base 3D, the music sounds dull, there is no brightness. Objectively, the sound is no different from the cheaper models.
Video playback control is implemented on 5-ku. Is this the case with the audio player? Apparently, this function is considered so secondary that a beautiful and convenient player will never be implemented. Be content with the black and white version and basic data of the track being played. But in vain. The primitiveness of the audio player upsets those buyers who use Dune in lossless music / video mode of 30/70% or more. Likewise with photographs. Formally, everything works, but it is felt that the photo functions are present here for the sake of form.
Torrent client? Forget about it, although before that 3 years it was mentioned as an important feature even on device boxes. Maybe the hardware in media players will never pull the torrent rocking chair or programmers are desperate to bring this direction to mind, but now no one focuses attention on the long-suffering Transmission.
Online applications and more
The set of Internet services in Base 3D coincides with other new products in the Dune HD lineup. In my opinion, this further blurs the difference between the senior and mid-range models. Weak hardware differences and a copy of the software form, in fact, the same devices.
The list of base applications Base 3D naturally contains a browser (one of the versions of Opera on WebKit with support for Flash Lite 3 is used), Internet radio and television services.
The browser traditionally loses to the basic versions. So far, both in Smart TV and in media players, full-fledged web surfing is a kind of compromise between needs and inconveniences.
There are so many Internet radio stations on offer that you can hardly listen to even a third. All of them are well cataloged, and the controls are implemented as a clone of the Base 3D audio player.
Television can be online (both online broadcasts and a list of recorded footages are partially available) or digital broadcasting DVB-T. For terrestrial digital, you need a special USB tuner in DVB-T format. Statistics say that online channels are more in demand, but there are just one or two of them in the database: the Russian youth channel Dozhd, the Ukrainian news channel Novini 24 and the sports channel Poverkhnost TV. According to my observations, for the normal operation of the "Rain" channel in HD, a stable channel of 8-10 Mbit is required, and for others a little less.
Flash games (Sudoku, Tetris, Snake and others) have become a pleasant addition to the standard programs. Of course, by today's standards, they are primitive, but they may well interest a child or make adults nostalgic.
Of course, the developers assumed that the basic set of applications would not be enough for everyone. Therefore, the player's functionality can be extended with plugins: you "launch" the required zip-archive from a USB-stick or internal hard drive, and after ten seconds an icon of the corresponding program appears in the player's interface. The database already contains popular video hosting sites Youtube / Rutube and online cinemas like Megogo, IVI, Oll.tv and Tvigle. There is also Twitter, a news client and a Videocork app. If during the test of the Dune TV-303D model my colleague was impressed by the Megogo service, then I spent about 3 hours in a company with Oll.tv and found it very convenient and rich in terms of content.
What else is interesting? There are plugins with sets of different TV channels and with a program guide. But I most appreciated the apps for mobile devices on the Android and iOS platforms. My Nexus 4 smartphone and iPad Mini easily replaced the remote control, and in addition managed to browse the media library over the network and delegate the playback of their files to the Dune player.
conclusions
pros
*
Standard laconic Dune-design;
*
Convenient and fast interface;
*
Work in a gigabit local area network, built-in Wi-Fi;
*
Internal 3.5 ”HDD can be installed;
*
Functionality and performance;
*
Support for Blu-ray 3D and any 2D formats, omnivorous for audio and subtitles;
*
Support for video services, internet radio and TV;
*
Extending functionality with plugins;
*
The ability to control from a smartphone or tablet.
50/50
*
No full support for Blu-ray image menus;
*
No 5.1 (7.1) analog connectors.
Minuses
*
Overpriced (from $ 430).
I have a lot of respect for Dune and its products. But as the former owner of Base 3.0 and the current owner of Max, I couldn't contain my emotions after getting to know Base 3D. For the first time, a Dune player did not come across as a premium device (and even more so, considering the price tag). It seems that Dune HD decided to save a lot. The display is traditionally uninformative, the plastic on the panels gives off cheapness, and the power cable generally looks like the Chinese “3 pieces per ruble”. I can justify such an expensive purchase by the stability and multi-format of the player, but these 2 indicators are already tightened from other manufacturers.
What is the bottom line? This is a good media player, but for the money it turned out to be a device "for Dune fans" or lovers of large hi-fi style players. A mass user is more likely to buy a cheaper box (the same TV-303D). And lovers of 3D and full Blu-ray menus will play with alternative firmware on Pioneer BDP-140 players.
Test system
- Media player: Dune HD Base 3D
- 3D TV: Sony KDL-46HX920 (3D glasses included)
- HD TV: Sony KDL-32W5500
- AV receiver: Onkyo TX-SR 707
- Acoustics: Jamo S 606 set
- Subwoofer: Jamo C 650 SUB
- NAS Server: Synology DiskStation DS413J
- HDMI cable: Viewcon HDMI 1.4 VD515
Delivery in Moscow and St. Petersburg
When ordering a media player - free of charge within the Moscow Ring Road (KAD)
Delivery is carried out on weekdays the next day after placing the order.
Delivery on weekends and holidays
Delivery cost on weekends and holidays in Moscow and St. Petersburg is 500 rubles.
Delivery to regions
The goods are delivered to the regions of Russia "to the door" by SPSR Express couriers, within 2-7 working days, depending on the remoteness of the region. Delivery cost is determined automatically when you select a delivery city in the "basket" during ordering.
Receiving the goods
Be sure to make sure that there are no defects in the completeness of the goods before you sign for its receipt. Your signature will be a confirmation that the goods of proper quality have been delivered to you.The delivery officer is obliged to issue a sales receipt and a cashier's receipt (if paid for in cash), a completed warranty card and instructions. If you have complaints about the appearance and completeness of the goods, you can refuse to purchase or demand replacement.
The risk of accidental loss or damage to the product passes to the Buyer from the moment the product is handed over. Subsequently, the exchange of goods of inadequate quality or the return of funds to the Buyer is carried out after an independent examination of the service center.
Attention! The goods are issued to legal entities only by power of attorney!
