AC Ryan Playon! HD 2 Network Media Player review

1. Introduction2. AC Ryan Playon! HD2 player (Bundle)3. AC Ryan Playon! HD2 player4. AC Ryan Playon! HD2 player (Internal)5. Playon! HD2 Media Player - GUI 2.0 Interface6. Playon! HD2 Media Player - Testing and Performance7. Closing Thoughts8. View All Pages

First start up takes a few minutes, its a non native 1080p resolution to ensure compatibility with a variety of screens, until the software can be setup to suit specific high definition screens. AC Ryan have been highly regarded for supporting their user base with frequent and often dramatic system upgrades so we would assume this device will be updated on a fairly regular basis in 2011.

A.C. Ryan always had a good reputation for a polished and enhanced GUI, and the Playon! HD2 is no exception. The interface is generally quite responsive and it looks great. There are instances when it does stall for a second or two between menus, but on the whole its acceptable. We are hoping they can improve the speed a little over the coming months.

From the main menu its easy to access media folders for video, pictures and audio as well as YAM Jukebox, Internet media, Torrents and device setup. In the middle there is a handy overview of what additional devices are connected to the unit.

There are a variety of settings to cover many situations. We particularly like the support for 24hz 1080p playback as this will appeal to the hardcore media lovers out there. Night mode is a handy option to compress the dynamic range, meaning that lower volumes are possible with less dynamic range. Ideal for late night viewing when you don't want to wake up the household.

Network settings are useful for customised configurations, although our Belkin 16 port Gigabit switch set it up on an IP we had already preconfigured. It is possible to connect a wireless adapter to this system if it is in a location far away from wired connectivity options.

The internal hard drive can be accessed via the menus. You can create folders, delete files, copy files and reformat if you wish. The system had no problem detecting several of our NAS systems.

Many of the interface menus can be listed as text, rather than icons if you wish. By selecting the menu button you can get access to a user interface menu on the right hand side of the screen.

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