MediaBox 5330

Customer Reviews

• Author: Greg L.
  I ordered the MediaBox to run my home media center and so far it has been able to do everything I wanted it to do. It would help to have a full manual with it for people who are new to Linux, but the functionality is already there for full home media center.
• Author: ZaReason Support
  We are working on a great MediaBox manual. You're right -- it can do so much more than people would generally assume. No need for an expensive media center when a Linux box can be highly versatile. We're glad to hear everything's working well. If you have any questions email support@zareason.com Enjoy!
• Author: Cheryl
  Thanks ZaReason!! I have my MediaBox running my home theater. My kids find it super easy to use. They mostly watch Hulu and it's great because they can do their homework on the MediaBox. It's seamless for them to do both. I've been happily surprised at the machine's flexibility and the way it has adapted to what we need in our home. We've very happy with it.
• Author: Matthew Brubeck
  My MediaBox is working great as a MythTV backend + frontend. I appreciate the nice-looking case and thoughtful packaging.
• Author: LAWRENCE H. BULK
  Have you ever wanted a Media Center for a home theater or a high-end music system? If you did, you could buy, for example, a Bryston BDP-1 Media Player at $2295.00. However it only plays music files (of course superlatively, according to reviews).
  
  But here is a key line in the manufacturer's specifications: "Linux operating system optimized to provide the highest quality audio performance."
  
  Let me tell you: this ZaReason Mediabox 5330 does EXACTLY THE SAME THING that expensive player does AND it plays video files too.
  
  Optimized to provide highest audio quality? You can effect exactly the same thing with this unit; it is very easy to do.
  
  Plus, with this MediaBox 5330, you can also optimize video quality.
  
  I have mine in our home theater; we have a Yamaha RX-Z9 receiver, a Panasonic PT-AE4000U video projector, ten (10) speakers (including a subwoofer), and a 108" diagonal screen.
  
  The picture and sound has always been superlative and now, with this MediaBox 5330, the sound (from FLAC files) and the video (mostly from Matroska [MKV] video files) is nothing short of fantastic.
  
  While I upgraded the processor and the memory to the maximum ZaReason offers, it is not absolutely necessary to do so. The unit, in its basic form, is going to perform in an exemplary way.
  
  I had ZaReason install the Xubuntu operating system but it's your choice as to the OS; there would be no difference in sound/picture performance.
  
  Of course, being essentially a Linux computer, you can use the MediaBox 5330 for many other things besides media, something you cannot do with so-called "high fidelity" media centers.
  
  It would make a nice home computer for someone (it is physically very small and, as you can see, upgradeable to your heart's [and pocketbook's] desire). You could use it strictly as a home/business computer until you obtain a home theater system, at which time it can become your media center.
  
  And, being a Linux computer, its operating system can be upgraded at no charge on a regular basis, something else which cannot be done with these other media centers.
  
  Of course it comes with ZaReason's usual high quality and service, something which, in my opinion, is priceless.
  
  All in all, I give it my highest possible recommendation.
• Author: Martin P
  Thought that I ought to put in a couple of good words about the MediaBox that I bought about one month ago. I decided to buy the MediaBox as my primary household desktop system because I don't really need any expansion slots in my machine, and I prefer the smaller form factor. I went with only the builtin graphics and audio because I don't really need anything bigger/faster/better in my desktop computer. Anyway, the system is perfect for my needs; it worked beautifully right out of the box, and is a very good performer (with i5 CPU, SSD system drive, and hard disk drive for home directories). The graphics and audio are very good for everyday use, and I am very pleased with its performance in more demanding computational tasks (I develop scientific software professionally). On top of all that, it is a very quiet machine, easily the quietest I've ever used on my desktop. I could not be happier with my purchase, and would highly recommend a MediaBox for anyone requiring a general use desktop system.