AP writer Peter Svensson recently reviewed the Linksys DMA200 Extender.  While he didn’t give it a shining review, these types of reviews often point out important facts and opinions that need to be looked at.  Often when technology enthusiasts like myself review such a product the mass market aspect doesn’t shine though to its fullest.  After all, I’ve been using Media Center and Extenders for years and have a general knowledge of all points involved.

General points made by Svensson in the review.

• “Worked pretty much as advertised”
• However, “will be met with as little enthusiasm as the first one”
• Apple will be one to ”spark interest” in category

Problems and issues with the Linksys DMA2200 included

• Microsoft making the software, others making the hardware and web services
• Leads to confusing, poorly integrated mess of a system
• Apple remote has six buttons, DMA2200 has 48
• Confusing UI on third party apps like Vongo
• Couldn’t figure out how-to register for Showtime plug-in
• Points out Microsoft has Xbox 360 rentals that don’t work on Extenders
• Older wireless can’t stream HD content nicely
• Odd problem with on/off of the Extender, says it magically turned itself on/used more power off then on (not so sure about that one).

I agree with a lot of what Svensson had to say.  The key to these products need to be that they just work, without setup issues, without service registration issues, etc.  One of the things that’s been in my head lately is that fact that TiVo is actually outdoing Media Center in terms of online services because of the simple consistent UI that is provided.  Microsoft on the other hand wants to have third parties do their own UI, this often leads to the hard to navigation and mussed together services that MTV Networks has put out.

Whether Apple will be the one to “spark interest” in the category still remains to be seen, but they have a better chance than Microsoft at this point.  I’ve been saying for years that if Microsoft doesn’t connect their products and advertise them as connected then they will basically fail.  The Xbox Marketplace rentals are a key example, as is the lack of Zune integration with other Microsoft products, and dozens of other examples.  The thing that would benefit Microsoft right now is competition.

I still fail to understand the concept behind the button-less remote.  There really needs to be a distinction made between functionality and number of buttons.  When Apple provides all the features that Media Center has with six buttons and it works nicely let me know.  The real problem here is the lack of remote design, and oddly enough this has been a problem with the CE industry for ten years.  No one knows how to design a nice ergonomic remote that still functions correctly (with the exception of Logitech).  Less is not always more in terms of remotes.  In the review Svensson said he never used the numeric buttons.  I think most PVR users still use them relatively often.  I use them all the time search through my music collection.  There is still a need for these buttons, the remote just has to be nicely done.

At the end of the day Svensson review brings up some good points to look at, but at the same time I think he had decided before that the Apple TV was almost his definition of what the Linksys DMA2200 should have been.

I’ve currently got a DMA2200 and will be posting a review in the upcoming weeks that will include some interesting aspects.