Akimbo AP1200 Video on Demand Player

by Akimbo

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 17 x 3 x 11 inches ; 7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 13 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00068E1ME
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,748 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Akimbo AP1200 set-top box links your TV and broadband Internet connection, delivering the largest video-on-demand service to your living room. With the Akimbo Player you can download and store up to 200 hours on its 80 GB hard drive of programming that meets all interests, all of which you can view at your convenience from the comfort of your couch. Browse Akimbo's shows with the supplied remote control and take advantage of the player's wireless networking ability to simplify your hookup.

Streaming video content over your computer can be fun and convenient, but it has its drawbacks. Servers and connections don't always permit uninterrupted viewing, and picture quality is, more often than not, pretty bad. The Akimbo Player improves on that experience in three ways: it downloads content completely before playing it; it uses the high-resolution Windows Media 9 video format for better-than-VHS quality; and the system lets you view programming delivered through your broadband connection right in your living room, through your television rather than your computer monitor.

Akimbo's large network of movies and specialty programming is at your fingertips via the accessible and easy-to-navigate onscreen menu.

Then there's the Akimbo Service, an entirely new network of movies and specialty programming. The Akimbo Service, required for use of the AP1200, offers the nation's largest--and ever growing--video-on-demand-service for television, including more than 60 channels not currently available over satellite or cable TV networks.

All you need to get up and running is the Akimbo Player, a broadband/DSL Internet connection, a subscription to the Akimbo Service, and--for wireless communication between the Akimbo and your Internet modem--the Linksys WUSB12 wireless USB adapter (currently the only Akimbo-approved adapter for this purpose, sold separately). Alternately, just hook up a Cat5 cable (not included) for a wired connection to your PC or network.

You have a choice of 2 service plans: monthly ($9.99) or product lifetime ($199.99), either of which gives you the Akimbo Guide, the Free For All package, and access to Akimbo's Premium Services, which deliver additional content via rental, subscription, or membership. Prices depend on specific content providers.

The Free For All package includes movies, music, news, and sports, with new programs added regularly. Premium Services consist of a variety of channels devoted to movies, sports, music, fitness, lifestyle, kids, foreign-language programming, and additional special-interest categories, and fees for Premium Services can be as little as 49 cents (After Dark adult content is classified as a Premium Service).

The Just In menu gives you snapshots of new arrivals and shows content already lined up for download.

With thousands of programs available, how will you choose what to watch? Enter the Akimbo Guide, a comprehensive program list conveniently organized by channel and category, with a handy option for keyword search. You can preview many selections before downloading them. And whether you're at home or away, you'll be able to use the MyAkimbo.com Web site to browse and select programming to watch later on your TV. MyAkimbo.com also offers movie reviews, Editor's Choice picks, and programming showcases, among other features.

Use the remote to quickly find the programs you want. The remote includes familiar functions like fast forward, rewind, pause, and instant replay. And you never have to worry about what your children are watching: Akimbo uses comprehensive parental controls so you can restrict access to shows you deem inappropriate.

Rear-panel connections include the Ethernet/Cat5 port, a choice of composite- and S-video outputs for your TV or monitor, a set of stereo left/right RCA audio outputs, and an optical digital-audio output for integration with an audio/video receiver. The AP1200 is firmware upgradeable, so new features can be added as soon as the company makes them available.

What's in the Box
Akimbo AP1200, a remote control, remote batteries, a video cable, an AC power cord, a set-up guide, and a user's manual.

Note: A paid subscription to the Akimbo Service is required for use of this device.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This system is worthless. Do not waste your money!!!, November 8, 2004

By 

Matthew J. Liptak "lip89" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Akimbo AP1200 Video on Demand Player (Electronics)

I preordered this system from the actual Akimbo company back in October and have since returned the system. It is very easy to set up and works just fine. The problem lies with the content that Akimbo has aquired rights to. If you dream of downloading whatever you want to your TV in good picture quality, you can leave those dreams on the outside of this box. First off, Akimbo jumped the gun releasing these systems. They have a small amount of content they have aquired rights to and its BORING content!! They brag about having over 10,000 different programs to watch. The stuff offered to download is junk!! Short films, movie trailers and video game previews aside from Luxury TV (some junk I can see on E!). The channels offered are what Akimbo can get the rights to at the time and nothing else!! I set my system up and watched all content within a day. Now, when I complained about content, Akimbo told me to look at the future content coming down the line. That was more junk. Old cult classic movies and inspirational television?? They recently signed Turner Classic Movies and thats supposed to be a big deal?? I can turn on my cable box and tune into that!! If you are shopping around for an OnDemand system I would really hold off on this one. Its release was too soon and it may get better but its not looking like it. Plus paying $9.99 a month for the content is a joke! I returned my system within 2 weeks and I am getting a full refund. I wouldn't waste your hard earned money! Save it for movie rentals or Payper View.

21 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Slow downloads, so-so quality, POOR programming, November 22, 2004

By 

Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Akimbo AP1200 Video on Demand Player (Electronics)

Totally agree with the first reviewer concerning content, or rather, the lack thereof. The amount of stuff available on this thing is worse than nil, because it's mostly free, low-quality, BORING clips that you can get FOR FREE on the Internet by yourself. (E.g., try Microsoft's windowsmedia.com.) I haven't tried the premium channels but that's because there's NOTHING worth paying extra for. Downloads are slow and the video quality is VHS-like. I'm afraid to say this is a rip-off despite its cutie-looking interface. Do not buy!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, September 4, 2006

By 

Evan Pavlica (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Akimbo AP1200 Video on Demand Player (Electronics)

Akimbo's not the greatest, granted. But it does allow access to programming not normally available to the regular television viewer. Akimbo's cool because you get original programming and favorites from top tv networks, plus the service continues to improve. If on-demand is the future of television, this is a sneak-peak.