I tried other files from the recommended side in the article, both 720p as 1080p, all without sound and the video stops playing or stutters after 30 seconds

Try removing power from unit and let it sit for 30 minutes. Download a fresh copy of the firmware and then power up the EVA and reflash it. If you still have issues playing the demo files via usb it could be a bad unit and you will need to call Netgear support.

Yesterday I did what you said: let the unit stay for a half hour and installed the newest beta software.

The unit worked, the files from the article via usb played fine, no stuttering and sound.

Today I tried it again, but the sample movies from the USB stick stutter again, and have no sound.

One other file I tried (hardcoded subs):
Container............: ASF (.WMV)
Video Codec..........: WVC1
Video Bitrate........: 11Mbps
at 1080p --> no sound and extreme stuttering

An other file a tried:
Container...........: Matroska
Video Encoder.......: x264
Video Aspect Ratio..: 16/9(1920x1080)
Audio1 Codec........: DTS english
Audio1 Bitrate......: 768
Audio2 Codec........: ac3 dutch
Audio2 Bitrate......: 640
Audio Channels......: 5.1
Subtitles...........: Dutch,English
Source..............: Blu-Ray
File Size...........: 4.37 GiB (1xdvd5)
DXVA compliant......: Yes

Works fine, but I can't select the subs

How can this be. Is the first file not supported by the EVA? And how can it be that the sample file from the article via USB doesn't work anymore, while yesterday it worked after the fresh firmware installation?

Thanks for the help

It could be a overheating issue. Try unplugging the unit to let it cool (30 minutes or more) and then try to play the sample file from usb. If it plays fine then play the file again and press repeat on the remote and just let it keep playing to see if the problem returns. If it does, I would call Netgear Support to see about getting it replaced.

As far as the files your trying to play, download Mediainfo (http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en) and run the files through it. Change the view to text and post the full output.

The files that doesn't play and has no audio:
Formaat : Windows Media
Bestandsgrootte : 7.82 GiB
Duration : 1h 30mn
Overal bit rate mode : Variable
Totale bitrate : 12.3 Mbps
Maximum overal bit rate : 24.6 Mbps
Datum codering : UTC 2008-06-09 06:02:15.916

Video
Formaat : VC-1
Format profile : AP@L3
Codec ID : WVC1
Codec ID/Hint : Microsoft
Description of the codec : Windows Media Video 9 Advanced Profile
Duration : 1h 30mn
Bitrate-modus : Variable
Bitrate : 11.5 Mbps
Breedte : 1920 pixels
Hoogte : 1080 pixels
Beeldverhouding : 16/9
Framerate : 23.976 fps
Resolutie : 24 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.232
Taal : fy-nl

Audio
Formaat : WMA3
Format profile : M2
Codec ID : 162
Codec ID/Info : Windows Media Audio 3
Description of the codec : Windows Media Audio 10 Professional - 768 kbps, 48 kHz, 5.1 channel 24 bit 2-pass CBR
Duration : 1h 30mn
Bitrate-modus : Constant
Bitrate : 768 Kbps
Kanaal(en) : 6 kanalen
Samplerate : 48.0 KHz
Taal : fy-nl

Does the Eva not support this file (it is a WMV files with VC-1 codec, it should work according to the specs right)

"Maximum overal bit rate : 24.6 Mbps and Windows Media Audio 10 Professional" - bit rate most likely too high for EVA's proccessor and WMA 10 Pro also will stress the processor IMHO.

I also downloaded some x264 files, but that are .iso files. The EVA doesn't recognize the files. Is there a practical workaround?

The sample movie files over the USB stick still don't work, also after a 30 minutes cooldown.

I really don't understand, 2 days ago, they played fine and I didn't change the settings or so.

For me it seems like the EVA is good for music en DVD/divx files, but HD files don't work (I downloaded some movies --> or no subs, or no audio, or stuttering). And the system isn't stable at all when it comes to HD files.

How can it be that one day it works and the day after, it won't work at all, that's pretty frustrating.

I got a file that works (with audio), but again, no subs (menu doesn't work):
Algemeen
Volledige naam : F:\Films\Natural Born Killers HD\Natural Born Killers.mkv
Formaat : Matroska
Bestandsgrootte : 7.95 GiB
Duration : 1h 58mn
Totale bitrate : 9565 Kbps
Datum codering : UTC 2008-06-12 09:09:15
Gebruikt programma : mkvmerge v2.2.0 ('Turn It On Again') built on Mar 4 2008 12:58:26
Gebruikte encoder-bibliotheek : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.1

Video
Formaat : AVC
Formaat/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Ja
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 1h 58mn
Bitrate : 8533 Kbps
Nominal bit rate : 8922 Kbps
Breedte : 1904 pixels
Hoogte : 1080 pixels
Beeldverhouding : 16/9
Framerate : 23.976 fps
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.181
Titel : Natural Born Killers 1080p x264
Gebruikte encoder-bibliotheek : x264 core 60 r877 c74a8e2
Instellingen codering : cabac=1 / ref=4 / deblock=1:-3:-3 / analyse=0x3:0x133 / me=umh / subme=7 / brdo=1 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=6,12 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=3 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / mbaff=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=1 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / bime=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40(pre) / rc=2pass / bitrate=8922 / ratetol=1.0 / rceq='blurCplx^(1-qComp)' / qcomp=1.00 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ip_ratio=1.40 / pb_ratio=1.30 / aq=2:1.10

Audio
Formaat : AC-3
Formaat/Info : Audio Coding 3
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 1h 58mn
Bitrate-modus : Constant
Bitrate : 640 Kbps
Kanaal(en) : 6 kanalen
Kanaalposities : Front: L C R, Rear: L R, LFE
Samplerate : 48.0 KHz
Titel : AC3 640kbit
Taal : Engels

Tekst #1
Formaat : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Titel : SDH
Taal : Engels

Tekst #2
Formaat : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Titel : -
Taal : Nederlands

Tekst #3
Formaat : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Titel : -
Taal : Deens

Tekst #4
Formaat : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Titel : -
Taal : Noors Nynorsk

Tekst #5
Formaat : UTF-8
Codec ID : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info : UTF-8 Plain Text
Titel : -
Taal : Fins

By none off the HD movies with non hardcoded subs, the subs won't work. For some off them the menu button works (but then you can't read the options you can choose and the options have no effect).

Does the EVA support subtitles? And for what kind of files?

The sample movies over USB still don't work....

wait for the EVA9000 elite