With literally hundreds of models to chose from, digital media players can add unique capabilities to any home theater, giving users unprecedented access to modern forms of digital media that wouldn’t otherwise be viewable on a TV.  While most support several of the most common media file formats, such as MPEG2/4 and h.264 video, MP3 audio, and JPEG photos, devices like the Netflix streaming Roku HD and YouTube enabled Zinnet CinemaTube amongst several others feature Internet connectivity and simplified user interfaces for accessing online media.

As people spend more time consuming online media, devices to bridge the gap between traditional and online viewing methods must be developed.  Just as “cable ready” TV’s were purchased by people who wanted convenient access to the content offered by cable companies, anyone wanting access to the vast amount of today’s online content will need to buy an Internet enabled digital media player.  Thus it’s surprising that Viewsonic today announced its VMP70 digital media player which, without any networking capability, limits its users to hard drive based static media.

While the device has an impressive list of supported file type, including MPEG 1/2/4, DivX/Xvid, H.264, VC-1, WMV9, RM/RMVB, WMA, MP3, DTS, OGG, AAC, JPG, JPEG, BMP, PHG, GIF, amongst others, users will have to manually load their media files onto USB hard drives from which the device can access.  Its 1080p high definition video and digital audio outputs are sure to add value to a home theater, but carrying an MSRP of $130 in a market of several similar devices with various levels of online connectivity surely hurts this device’s chance of going mainstream.