- Stay Connected: The Insignia Infocast Internet Media Display allows you to instantly access your favorite web-based content without the hassle of a computer and to easily view and share apps, photos and videos with friends and family.
- 1500+ Chumby Apps: Featured apps such as Pandora Internet Radio, SHOUTcast Radio, NY Times Podcasts, Blue Octy Radio, Photobucket, and more.
- 8" Touch Screen: Vibrant LCD touch screen with 800 x 600 resolution for easy viewing of internet content, photos, videos and more.
- Media Card Support: Supports variety of media types including Secure Digital, Secure Digital High Capacity, MultiMediaCard, CompactFlash I/II, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO Duo.
- In the Box: AC Adapter, User Manual, Cleaning Cloth and Quick Setup Guide.
I got this used and refurbished from an Amazon seller for about 60 not including shipping (approx 5).
UPDATE: A lot of issues are fixed with the Chumby 8 update which is free. However you will have to download and install it yourself. It will not automatically update to it. It's pretty easy and all you need is a USB drive.
Good:
Screen Size: The biggest Chumby device size. It has a big 8 inch screen vs Sony Dash's 7 inch screen.
2 USB ports
Versatile with Flash Media: It can take most types of flash memory.
CPU: I think this Chumby model has the fastest processor (compare to other Chumby based devices). I believe this has an 800MHZ cpu vs Sony Dash's 500MHZ cpu.
Earphone plug: This makes it easy to connect to a better set of say computer speakers with bass.
Clock faces: If you can imagine a screen saver clock with ever changing faces that are really interesting, like numbers made out of robots, time being told by Pong game scores, or growing grass clock numbers; you'll wonder why other clocks are so boring. Yes all the latest tablets and phones can do this now, but the problem with them is that they don't tend to stay in one place, and you have to get to that one clock app to get the same effect. Where with these Chumby devices, you just look up and see what you need. Currently I can't stop looking at the clock(s).
Internet Radio Streaming: This makes a great Pandora and Shoutcast standalone device. Just connect it to some decent speakers (via earphone jack) and you can easily get what you want from bed.
Bad:
Discontinued: This is a discontinued product. I'm not sure if it's eligible for Chumby future firmware updates even though Chumby now has an 8 inch model of their own (costing 4 times more than a used Infocast and 2 times more than a new Infocast). UPDATE: you can manually update this to Chumby 8 firmware for free. The catch is you have to download and install it yourself.
Touch Screen: The touch screen is not the same as an iOS device or high end Android device. When you're used to an iPhone or iPad, it can be painful at times. It also limits the types of apps which this Chumby based device can host effectively. Basically anything that needs precise, responsive control like video games, just don't work very well on this platform. Typing in text beyond a few words is a pain on this device. Basically this is best for passive applications like radio, screen savers, and mini-newsfeeds. UPDATE: With the Chumby 8 update, this is more responsive.
Screen Size: While this is the biggest Chumby screen size, it's not big enough to use as a kiosk or dashboard that you can read news headlines from. It's good for twitter and Facebook status sized messages, time, weather, and picking radio stations. It's hard to read articles on it compared to your computer or tablet. Even a smartphone is better for that task.
Number of Alarms: I don't understand for something that gets everything else right, why they could miss this. There is only 1 alarm setting. I'm not sure how Best Buy missed this. People have different schedules during different days of the week and couples tend to get up at different times. Luckily we have another alarm clock that we use as an iPod dock. Even though that alarm isn't as cool, it does allow for 3 different alarm schedules. UPDATE: This is fixed with the Chumby 8 Update. Moreover with Chumby 8 alarms do more than just make sounds.
Built-in Speakers: For an clock alarm or little UI sounds, it's fine. For music it's horrible.
Video Quality: With Apple and Google Android products, video quality just isn't passable on this thing. Still pictures are still great though.
Apps: IMO only the clock faces, photo streams, music streams, and weather apps are really worth it. It didn't feel like the app library was big, and only a few were of good quality.
Freezing: Depending on how many apps you have loaded or a specific app, the Infocast may lock up every other day. I deleted a few clock apps, in particular a clock with a rotating 3d-ish time. After that it seems to be working fine for the past few days. If it freezes on you just turn it off and turn it back on, and it should be back to normal. UPDATE: I think the freezing has to do with how well my internet connection is doing, which I think is really stupid design. Essentially if my Chumby Infocast loses connection to Chumby's servers for whatever reason, I lose my clock. I need to confirm this with Chumby, but if this is the case this is just really stupid design. Why not store the apps on the device itself? In my experience, my Chumby tends to lose connection with the Chumby server during the day so for most people this shouldn't be an issue. 2nd UPDATE: I deleted even more apps from my clock channel and it seems to be more stable. With only 1/2 a page of clock apps in one channel, I haven't seen it lock up in a really long time.
Depends on Chumby Servers: If you ever lose an internet connection or if Chumby's servers ever go down for good, say goodbye to almost all your apps, if not the Chumby device itself (since even the dashboard control panel is loaded from Chumby servers each time the device turns on). This is really really really bad. Why can't we store permanently apps on a flash drive or on Chumby's internal memory?
Verdict:
Marketers need to stop with the mumbo jumbo like 'Internet Media Display' or 'Internet Dashboard'. It implies that you surf on the Internet with this thing, which you do not. It also implies that you can access most of the internet with this thing, which again you cannot. Moreover real dashboards should be at least 20 inches; ideally 32 inches. Even though 8 inches and even 10 inches are large enough for small non-computer devices, they are near useless as a 'dashboard'. To me this is simply the most perfect alarm clock radio. This blows away any traditional alarm clock. If people knew this, both this product, the Sony Dash, and any other Chumby would have sold much better. You simply can't be everything at once, and the Chumby platform is old enough (almost 10 years or more) for me to declare it as just an fancy alarm clock radio.
If you have to choose between this and the Dash, I'd pick the Infocast 8 in without hesitation. Do it fast before others find out. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that supplies are limited. A refurbished or used model is a great deal. (If you go that route, you will probably have to talk to Chumby customer support to re-tether the device from the old customer's account to your new account. Don't worry there's no fees.)
Sadly I predict Android will eventually kill the Chumby platform (at least the hardware portion) a few years from now. It's only a matter of time before Android device manufacturers realize that they haven't put them into alarm clocks yet.
Buy Insignia Infocast NS-DP8CH Infocast 8" Internet Media Display Now
Yep, it's discontinued but if you follow the directions from Chumby on how to update a Chumby 8's firmware via USB drive you can turn the Infocast 8 into a Chumby 8!Read Best Reviews of Insignia Infocast NS-DP8CH Infocast 8" Internet Media Display Here
I was really hoping for more from this product, but the interface is always in the way and some apps are lacking.Pros
Can display video camera feeds (in our case the front door)
Good at a glance weather/time/date info
Doesn't crash
Cheap (I paid $70)
WiFi
Cons
Terrible UI, requires multiple clicks just to move from app to music & back
Apps are seriously lacking
Can't add new music stations, you are stuck with what's delivered
Frustratingly unresponsive touchscreen
Overall, unless you have a specific need (in my case, replace a radio with something which could also display the front door camera), I suggest you look at cheap Android tablets. Also not the best UI, but at least there are a lot of app options.
Want Insignia Infocast NS-DP8CH Infocast 8" Internet Media Display Discount?
I really enjoyed my Insigina Infocast. This was very similar to the Sony Dash. The Chumby community design apps that you can select to use. Some apps were supported by big corporation such as ESPN, CBS, BBC and Youtube. Too bad Netflix can't be streamed on this device.It had a built in SD card slot which I use to display family photos. It was both a gloried alarm clock and picture viewer!
Design was, it was rather lacking and pedestrian. However, the GUI interface was much better than the Sony Dash which I also owned. Both Insigina and Sony Dash had it pros and cons. I mainly used the Insigina as my main alarm clock, picture viewer and news feed channel. The Sony Dash was kept in storage.
Unfortunately, the Insignia died on me after less than 18 month of use. It' won't boot up properly, I get a blank screen when I turn it on. When it did get pass this, I couldn't press anything on the screen to get it working. Argh!! I so like this product. Now, it's a 90 bux brick. I wonder if I can sell it on eBay for parts? Hope all those who own this, pray your Infocast will last longer than 18 months! Mine did not!!
Now I am using the much more refined and elegantly designed Sony Dash. However, the Sony dash doesn't have a built in SD card. I have to use a USB stick to play my photos. The USB stick sticks out like an eyesore ;( .....I miss my infocast...RIP
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