Without bogging down your PC's resources, the SL300i gives you access to your complete library of digital photos, MP3 music, and computer- and Internet-based movies and video content. Use it with your PC or Mac (Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, and XP and Mac OS X; Mac wireless networking available starting fall 2004). If you plan to connect the device to an existing network, make sure your hardware (router, wireless cardbus adapter, etc.) is WiFi-compliant (802.11g/b). While the product claims 802.11b compatibility, we strongly recommend using 802.11g or, if 802.11b, devices made within the last year or so; we experienced only intermittent success with a 2002-vintage 802.11b router.

With broadband Internet access and a compatible wireless home network already in place, setup should be delightfully simple: plug in the SL300i, hook up the audio and video outputs to your TV or surround receiver via composite- or S-video jacks, and turn it on. In our system, the SL300i "found" our network automatically and allowed us to get right to Internet registration (at my.philips.com) so we could listen to any number of Web radio stations while installing the Philips Media Manager software (or PMM) on our computer. You'll need to disable your Microsoft or other computer-based firewalls, relying instead on the firewall built into your wireless router. (Otherwise, open ports 49152 to 65535 for the SL300i.)

The value of the Internet audio and video should not be underestimated. You can use the many theme-based radio stations from Live365.com, Andante, MP3.com, Playhouse Radio, or Yahoo's LaunchCast (among others) to sonically coordinate a dinner or dance party, and there's plenty there to entertain the kids, too. Yahoo and iFilm.com provide high-quality music videos and film trailers at up to 700 kbps. For radio, sound quality proved remarkably listenable, with most but not all stations broadcasting in stereo, free of the swishy artifacts that plague much online audio. Online services also include Internet gaming.

With respect to streaming your media files, the SL300i sees only the files or folders you've selected for it. Within the PMM--and right from your living room--you can sort music by artist, genre, album, or song, or select slideshow mode for viewing your JPEG digital photos. Full-screen mode expands JPEG images and video streams to literally fill your screen, a nice change from JPEG-friendly DVD players that render a digital photo as a tiny box within a huge black frame.

Unlike the pricier SL400i, the SL300i has no display, so you'll be dependent on your TV and the unit's onscreen display for navigating to available content. But you can manage, right from the well-designed remote, all Internet content and even programming from multiple networked PCs. Coolest of all--while one person is remotely accessing content from a PC's hard drive or the broadband Internet connection, the home PC remains fully usable by other members of the household. A total of two analog stereo audio outputs lets you feed a tape deck or CD recorder in addition to your TV or audio receiver.

Philips is actively updating its services and its software, and the SL300i will periodically update its firmware--a cool feature designed to keep the unit technologically shipshape, running ever more smoothly and accommodating ever more formats. --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

• Affordable
• Straightforward setup and installation when used with compatible hardware
• High-quality streaming audio and video
• Full-screen and slideshow options for JPEG image viewing
• Quiet operation
• Includes access to a wealth of online AV content
• Supports music playlist creation
• Fun, colorful, content-modulated screensavers
• Emits cool blue light when powered

Cons:

• No on-unit display
• Finicky performance with some 802.11b hardware
• Incompatible with computer-based Internet firewalls

What's in the Box
The SL300i, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, a composite-video/stereo analog audio interconnect, a stereo analog audio interconnect, an installation CD-ROM, a power adapter, an AC power cord, and warranty information.

The SL300i lets you enjoy the rich variety of entertainment now available via the Internet from virtually anywhere in your home. High-quality audio and video services arranged by Philips and enhanced by broadband delivery offer a wealth of content, such as short Web movies, film trailers for upcoming blockbusters, Internet gaming, and premium streamed music.

See how you can use the supplied wireless USB transmitter to turn your home into a wireless network.

The SL300i also permits easy access to digital photo collections, so you can view pictures from secure online photo albums or a connected PC wherever it's most comfortable to do so.

In addition to the current range of services, Philips and its partners plan to add new ones specifically tailored for Streamium users. All services can be accessed using the SL300i's intuitive remote control and onscreen display.

Audio-video material can also be streamed from a PC's hard drive, making it available anywhere in the home you've install an SL300i and a television or hi-fi system. This lets you enjoy your entire MP3 collection on high-quality living-room stereo systems, with all the advantages of personalized playlists, ID3 tag display (when using your TV), and remote operation.

The SL300i's easy-to-navigate menus help keep all your media accessible.

Philips Media Manager software lets you manage, right from your remote, content from multiple networked PCs. And while one person is remotely accessing content from a PC's hard drive or the broadband Internet connection, the home PC remains fully usable by other members of the household.

The SL300i can be connected to a PC via either an 802.11b/g wireless local area network (LAN) or a standard Ethernet LAN connection. For wireless network use, Philips has applied optimized technologies to ensure the best possible wireless reception at all times.

What's in the Box
The SL300i, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, a composite-video/stereo analog audio interconnect, a stereo analog audio interconnect, an installation CD-ROM, a power adapter, and warranty information.