Philips SLM5500

Although it was announced some time ago, the Philips SLM5500 wireless media streamer has only just reached Europe. It allows you to watch video stored on your PC on your television. You can also stream music and set up slideshows of your photos.

Philips’ device itself is extremely compact. The front of the unit houses a single button to switch the unit on and off, while a series of LEDs indicate what the SLM5500 is up to. At the rear are Scart and component video outputs; the latter is able to output high-definition video.

Audio is taken care of by a digital coaxial socket, while a wireless antenna and Ethernet socket complete the ensemble. The remote control is reasonably compact. Although it takes a while to get used to its rather cluttered button layout, it feels comfortable and sits well in the palm of the hand.

Wireless streaming devices such as this frequently look impressive on paper but prove a total pain to set up the Pinnacle Showcenter instantly leaps to mind. Thankfully, the SLM5500 bucked the trend for providing setup headaches, and we didn’t experience any difficulties getting it up and running.

Novices might come a little unstuck when it comes to locating and connecting to a wireless network, but thanks to the clear on-screen instructions and the step-by-step nature of the installation process, anyone with even a limited knowledge of wireless networks should be able to set it up with ease.

The interface isn’t the slickest, but you can got used to it after a while. Besides, if you’re going to be using it mainly to watch videos you’re not going to spend that much time navigating through the menus.

The SLM5500 supports an impressive range of video format types and managed to play just about every file we threw at it – Mpeg1/2, Wmv (including Wmv HD), DivX, Xvid. If you try playing Wmv HD files over a wireless network you’ll have to endure stopstart video, but compressed DivX and Xvid streamed wirelessly without any problems.

Audio support is provided in the form of mp3 and Wma (including those tracks with DRM – digital rights management). While listening to a track, it’s possible to browse the rest of your library as well as watch a slideshow of your favourite photos.

Being UPnP-compatible, the SLM5500 is able to hook up with any UPnP Nas (network-attached storage) drive you might have. We tested it out with an Iomega Storcenter and it worked flawlessly, picking up all our stored media.

The benefit of using a Nas is that you don’t have to have your PC switched on whenever you want to watch a movie or listen to some music from your library.

If you register your SLM5500 you will be able to access Philips’ online portal via the device. Here you’ll find a selection of music and some photos available for download, but not much else and, in truth, having to go through the rather laborious registration process really isn’t worth it.

Philips could improve on its online content and the interface could do with a bit of jazzing up, but there’s no getting away from the fact that this is one of the better wireless media streamers currently available.

Easy to set up and able to wirelessly stream DivX without breaks in video or sound, the SLM5500 comes highly recommended.