Vizio CoStar (VAP430) How will you use it?

[Hand_O_Death]

Well preorders should be starting in the next few weeks.

I have been looking forward to the Vizio Costar since CES. I plan on using it to stream movies to the TV in a room with out a cable box from a NAS media server (Buffalo CloudStor). I also hope to use it for access to Xfinity TV and HBO Go.

How do you plan on using yours?

 

[lorenstrahm]

I was wanting to plug a webcam into it and use it for Skype, but I got this message from their tech support. They did respond very quickly.

"At this time it is not going to work when it launches, this is something they will work on but cannot guarantee it."

 

[BaMaDuDe87]

I would like to pick one up and put in the SUV, just cause its fairly cheap and I think it would be awsome for trips.

 

[taarkan]

I understand it will do DNLA but I would like to know if it will support thumbnails of the movies/shows for the display. Similar to what I have on my Boxee Box. That feature is key for me with my kids.

 

[crow11ad]

I will be using it for the Google TV and On Live and I am sure many other things.

 

[onsoku]

I'm hoping to install 1 of 2 in my Sienna; and use it when we go abroad...also hope for proper DNLA...tired of using Nero MediaHome for proper DNLA use with 1080p & DTS.

 

[coryteague]

Haven't played with google TV before and really excited to get my hands on the co-star. My bank was charged for the vizio device yesterday which means it most likely has shipped. Can't wait!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[enginarat]

Got mine yesterday (Aug 23 - 12). Trying to understand the whole idea. I am NOT using a cable box dvr and it's directly wired in one my hdmi inputs on 46" Samsung TV. I am already thinking it's over-rated .. all that time waiting for it to arrive through snail mail although I paid $20 for shipping was just so tense (I bought 2). On the technical side; Its response time is too slow at startup and switching between apps although I am on a high speed business wired broadband. Sometimes you can't even figure out if it's on or off. My main purpose was being able to watch HD TV shows through Chrome but it's not as friendly as I thought and was frozen several times while trying to pick up flash content. My second plan was to access Xfinity but I couldn't locate that app in google play. I had apple tv for a long time where I had better picture quality with Netflix and Youtube. I think the only plus with this one would be Chrome browser if I could get it to work flawlessly. To cut the long short; great price but don't keep your hopes too high. Good luck.

 

[Hand_O_Death]

Got mine yesterday (Aug 23 - 12). Trying to understand the whole idea. I am NOT using a cable box dvr and it's directly wired in one my hdmi inputs on 46" Samsung TV. I am already thinking it's over-rated .. all that time waiting for it to arrive through snail mail although I paid $20 for shipping was just so tense (I bought 2). On the technical side; Its response time is too slow at startup and switching between apps although I am on a high speed business wired broadband. Sometimes you can't even figure out if it's on or off. My main purpose was being able to watch HD TV shows through Chrome but it's not as friendly as I thought and was frozen several times while trying to pick up flash content. My second plan was to access Xfinity but I couldn't locate that app in google play. I had apple tv for a long time where I had better picture quality with Netflix and Youtube. I think the only plus with this one would be Chrome browser if I could get it to work flawlessly. To cut the long short; great price but don't keep your hopes too high. Good luck.

How did you pay $20 for shipping. Pretty sure mine was free when I preordered on the first day from Vizio. Here is the web address for Xfinity but I found out that it does not work yet. Watch XFINITY TV Online | Full Episodes | Free Movies | Streaming

 

[enginarat]

I ordered it on the first day, too and they charged me $10 shipping for each. Everybody I know had to pay it. I have no I idea how you got your deal. IN ADDITION TO MY EARLIER REVIEW; After spending hours on testing every bit of it I decided to return both of my "so called" co-stars! I had no idea it worked on Android platform when I ordered it. I have already been suffering for 2 years from my sprint HTC on android and dying to see this contract ends in 5 weeks. Definitely switching to the other guys. Response time and picture quality sucks on co-star. I have shared thoughts with all my buddies and everybody is devistated by its low quality. Have you dared to touch it after running it 10 minutes? It's burning hot right? Good luck to everyone.

 

[VAVA Mk2]

Navi-X. $4 purchase makes this thing BEAST! No need to wait for XBMC to come to Android if you get the Navi-X App (not that I will not get XBMC, as that was a major part of my purchasing decision. XBMC is going right on this bad boy as soon as it comes out of beta). I have to admit, though, Google REALLY needs to start supporting this more, upgrade Google TV to ICS AT LEAST, or perhaps skip over and go right to JB. Also, this needs WAY more app support. The amount of apps I can put on here now is pretty small. At the very least, they need to put Google Play Movies & TV on so you can rent and purchase video from Google Play. I am shocked they have yet to do this. Huge minus for that one.

 

[Hand_O_Death]

Although I agree it needs more attention I do not want it to go to JB. JB = No Flash which = No Amazon Prime/any other good flash sites.

 

[VAVA Mk2]

Although I agree it needs more attention I do not want it to go to JB. JB = No Flash which = No Amazon Prime/any other good flash sites.

Hmmm good point.

 

[misfit410]

I ordered it on the first day, too and they charged me $10 shipping for each. Everybody I know had to pay it. I have no I idea how you got your deal. IN ADDITION TO MY EARLIER REVIEW; After spending hours on testing every bit of it I decided to return both of my "so called" co-stars! I had no idea it worked on Android platform when I ordered it. I have already been suffering for 2 years from my sprint HTC on android and dying to see this contract ends in 5 weeks. Definitely switching to the other guys. Response time and picture quality sucks on co-star. I have shared thoughts with all my buddies and everybody is devistated by its low quality. Have you dared to touch it after running it 10 minutes? It's burning hot right? Good luck to everyone.

No offense but getting Google Tv without TV service and knocking it based on that, is like hiring a hooker, putting your thumb in her butt, sniffing it and walking away claiming sex is over rated.

 

[Phillykef]

Got mine yesterday (Aug 23 - 12). Trying to understand the whole idea. I am NOT using a cable box dvr and it's directly wired in one my hdmi inputs on 46" Samsung TV. I am already thinking it's over-rated .. all that time waiting for it to arrive through snail mail although I paid $20 for shipping was just so tense (I bought 2). On the technical side; Its response time is too slow at startup and switching between apps although I am on a high speed business wired broadband. Sometimes you can't even figure out if it's on or off. My main purpose was being able to watch HD TV shows through Chrome but it's not as friendly as I thought and was frozen several times while trying to pick up flash content. My second plan was to access Xfinity but I couldn't locate that app in google play. I had apple tv for a long time where I had better picture quality with Netflix and Youtube. I think the only plus with this one would be Chrome browser if I could get it to work flawlessly. To cut the long short; great price but don't keep your hopes too high. Good luck.

Try reseting the box (factory reset, i.e. paper clip in the bottom). Make sure you hold it for 5 seconds, and then walk through setup again. I had the same experience that you did and I was going to return it, but then the Customer Care guy suggested I do a reset, and somehow the thing is actually working pretty well now. Much better response time and no crashes (so far). And Netflix AND Amazon video quality is actually really good, but the catch is that you need to watch the video for 1 or 2 minutes before the quality becomes good.

 

[enginarat]

No offense but getting Google Tv without TV service and knocking it based on that, is like hiring a hooker, putting your thumb in her butt, sniffing it and walking away claiming sex is over rated.

How do you know that? You must have hired a lot of hookers and smelled a lot of s..t in your time lol. That's the whole idea "getting rid of high monthly cable fees". You must still be living in early 2000s where we used to spend our "easy earned money" carelessly. This term was replaced with "hard earned" a few years back. Cheers.

 

[misfit410]

How do you know that? You must have hired a lot of hookers and smelled a lot of s..t in your time lol. That's the whole idea "getting rid of high monthly cable fees". You must still be living in early 2000s where we used to spend our "easy earned money" carelessly. This term was replaced with "hard earned" a few years back. Cheers.

It's designed to make your tv service organized and searchable. Even without that very major service which makes up 90% of what gtv is all about it still does far more than any other device of its kind even if not all of them are done as effectively