NUON Port Replicator
by Hot Products, Inc.

Type: NUON Port Extender

Release Date: Available Now

Features:

• Mounts to the DVD Deck or your home entertainment center directly using double-sided foam tape.
• Can mount to the users home theater cabinet via 2 mounting screws.
• Dual port access. Mimics the NUON™ ports on the DVD Deck.
• 5 foot cable for optimal placement of the box.
• Split End cable to match all known and future DVD Decks, Front or Rear mount connector locations.
• Includes cable clips for securing the cable to the theater system.

The NUON Port Replicator from Hot Products, Inc is a unique item. What it basically does, is allow you to move the NUON ports on your DVD player (usually right on the front of the machine), to anywhere you'd like...given that it's under 5 feet away.

Say you've got your NUON player set up above your TV...when you'd play games or do anything with a NUON controller, it'd be hanging right in front of the TV and would block your view. The Port Replicator (PR) would allow you to, say, move the NUON ports to the side of your entertainment center, or down by the side of the TV. As you can see by the pictures, my DVD-N2000 is stacked on top of my Audio rack, which would leave the controller cable hanging in front of my CD changer's drawer. Very annoying. Using the PR, I was able to move the NUON ports to the side of my entertainment center, on top of a DVD rack. The PR comes with screws to secure it in place, or if you don't want to leave permanent holes in anything, there are pieces of 2 sided tape included as well. Personally, I'll just leave the PR where it is without fastening it down for now.

The PR isn't going to wow you with it's stylistic looks, but it doesn't have to. It's flat black the whole way, except for the ends that plugs into your NUON machine, which sport 2 NUON logos. Thankfully the huge HPI logos, as seen on the Stealth Controller, are nowhere to be found. Earlier photos showed the large end of the cable as having the HPI logo branded on it, but it's gone the way of the dodo. Without it, the Port Replicator looks much more neutral and won't stand out like a sore thumb next to all your tech toys. Thumbs up there, HPI.

A secondary function of the Replicator is that it acts as an extension cable for both ports, so if you're looking for an extension on both 1 and 2 player controls, this should fit the bill. Luckily all the current NUON controllers have 10 foot cables so this shouldn't be too much of a concern, but if you're got your TV on the opposite end of the room, sometimes a few extra feet of room is just what you need.

Depending on how the upcoming NUON modem is set to function (using the NUON ports), this could be a good item for getting it out of the way. Plug the Replicator into the front of your DVD player, run the cord back and get the modem out of sight. Could be a great way to keep your setup from looking cluttered.

This is definitely an item that depends on your home theater layout to determine if it would be good for you or not. If your cords are long enough, don't hang in front of the TV (or CD player, as in my situation), then you could probably go without the Port Replicator. It can be a handy item if your setup calls for it, and will help keep your entertainment center clutter-free in the future.

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