D-Link DSM-510 review

D-Link’s DSM-510 earned four stars in our last group test of streaming media receivers.

Like Zyxel’s DMA1100P, the DSM-510 looks more like a router than part of a home entertainment system and will be more conspicuous under most TV units than Netgear’s larger EVA9150, but its compact case and optional stand that props it on its side is an advantage if you want to save space.

The DSM-510 is easy to set up, and its simple interface is effortless to use. It responded quickly as we browsed through large lists of files. It works with any UPnP streaming server, including Media Player 11. Video looked great over HDMI, but the DSM-510’s small size means that space for other connections is limited. There’s an optical S/PDIF output for connecting a 5.1 surround sound system, but no component output and no SCART socket. Anyone with a CRT TV will have to make do with low-quality composite video.

Our 720p video streamed smoothly over both the wired Ethernet and 802.11g WiFi connections. The DSM-510 plays WMV-HD videos but can’t handle H.264-encoded video, which is a shame. It supported all our other test files, though.

We were disappointed to find that the DSM-510 lacked many of the extra features found on other multimedia receivers. You can’t listen to internet radio or watch YouTube videos, and while there’s UPnP support, the DSM-510 doesn’t support SMB.

If you simply want to play content from a server, this is still an excellent multimedia receiver with great image quality and a good interface. It’s let down only by its lack of support for H.264 video. However, it’s cheaper than any of its competitors and both its interface and HD support are better than those of Freecom’s MediaPlayer II. If you can live with converting your H.264 video files, this is a great budget choice.