Mattb
Member
Registered: 2nd Feb 03
Location: Under your sisters bed
User status: Offline
|
Normally with my 'backed up' films i save them on an external HDD thats just plugged into my TV. However, some of the bluray rips audio comes up as 'unsupported' on the TV.
I have been looking at media centres, but to be honest many of the reviews seem to be poor in most cases.
Would i be better off buying a cheapish HDMI graphics card for an old Dell tower that i have and running VLC or similar - normally with the unsupported audio i just plug in my laptop via an RGB cable but its a pain and the sound is only in stereo as i have to use the headphone jack
am i likely to run into any issues with an old tower and an HDMI card? (im not that great with PCs! lol)
Or any suggestions for a relativly inexpensive solution
|
Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
|
I'm going for this next...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cyclone-NANO-Slim-Plus-Black-Android-Smart-TV-Box-Internet-HD-Media-Player-Hub-/200800108381?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item2ec09e7f5d
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
Popcorn Hour A300
end of.
|
noshua
Member
Registered: 19th Nov 08
User status: Offline
|
Are they 720p/1080p x264 MKV's? I.e. 4.5-8GB 720p 'scene' rips?
If so, you might as well get a Raspberry Pi and stick it on the back of your TV with some tape, install XBMC and away you go.
Otherwise, I'd go for a cheap HTPC instead of the PCH Bart listed, it'll have more uses than just playing stuff back (i.e. set it up to download for you, amongst other things).
If you want a plug and play, any of the two above really.
EDIT: Just came across this;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/G-Box-Midnight-Android-TV-Box-FULL-XBMC-Android-Internet-Web-Mini-PC-/221118460391
It should play anything as XBMC will decode through software if the hardware doesn't support video/audio decoding. Interesting!
[Edited on 20-02-2013 by noshua]
|
Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
|
I have an older popcorn hour (must be 4 years + old) and still smashes 20/25gb rips. Want to upgrade but there's no need.
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
to be fair, the PCH is more expensive that the options you've listed above, but it is the godfather of media players.
FYI, On my PCH, I have a torrent client, apple airplay, youtube, bbc iplayer, amongst other things installed.
*edit, it also boils down to how whether you want a custom built device (raspberry pi), where you'll have to muck about with an operating system, updating XBMC files or whether you want a media player that just works out of the box.
[Edited on 20-02-2013 by Bart]
|
andy_mk3
Member
Registered: 18th Dec 11
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
I prefer a full-blown HTPC myself 
Built up an AMD Trinity system and I love it, using XBMC for everything stored and WMC for TV. Got a 60gb SSD with Windows and all that on it, then 2x 2tb drives for storage. Never looked back! Takes some setting up and not the cheapest option but it's damn good
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
Have you raided the 2x 2TB disks?
I used to have a HTPC and really took a disliking to it.
Stuff always wanted updating, software, drivers, java, codecs, windows update.
I used to use WMC for TV and quite like the look of the interface and enjoyed using it as a DVR as well.
I've had 3 popcorn hours (only for the sake of wanting to update to the newest kit) and cant see me ever moving away from that.
|
Rob_Quads
Member
Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Bart
Stuff always wanted updating, software, drivers, java, codecs, windows update.
agree 100%. Every time I go to watch something there is a bloody update which on a low power system is a killer
|
Ian W
Member
Registered: 8th Nov 03
Location: Wirral, Merseyside
User status: Offline
|
I've had my Boxee Box for a good while now, plays blu-ray rips over the network no problem, actually not found a file type it won't play.
Decided against a HTPC as I couldn't be bothered with another 'PC' to have to mess with.
Media player is just another device under the tv, simplest way imo
[Edited on 21-02-2013 by Ian W]
|
Mattb
Member
Registered: 2nd Feb 03
Location: Under your sisters bed
User status: Offline
|
Heard fantastic things about the popcorns, but the price tag cant be justifed for the use i would give it.
Boxee box looks to be pretty decent, on amazon for £100 - good price of better elsewhere?
|
Dom
Member
Registered: 13th Sep 03
User status: Offline
|
Originally Boxee is EOL and even then the Boxee TV isn't all that (Roku is a better alternative but even then it isn't great); personally you'd be better off with a WDTV tbh if you simply want a media streamer.
|
noshua
Member
Registered: 19th Nov 08
User status: Offline
|
Updates? I've ran Windows 7 with XBMC for 2+ years now and never been prompted once I got it all setup. Just set them to install at silly o'clock in a morning and you'll be fine.
Or now, just install a XBMC build and add in couch potato, sick beard, sabnzbd etc as addons if you use them.
|
andy_mk3
Member
Registered: 18th Dec 11
Location: Peterborough
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Bart
Have you raided the 2x 2TB disks?
I used to have a HTPC and really took a disliking to it.
Stuff always wanted updating, software, drivers, java, codecs, windows update.
I used to use WMC for TV and quite like the look of the interface and enjoyed using it as a DVR as well.
I've had 3 popcorn hours (only for the sake of wanting to update to the newest kit) and cant see me ever moving away from that.
Nah I haven't, just using them as-is really as I bought one a year after the other.
Only updates I do are graphics drivers. Windows update is disabled, there's no anti-virus, updates on everything else are disabled too.
I just like the flexibility of it really. I can use it to rip dvd's, download stuff, play games and stuff like that. For what it cost me it's very good
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mattb
Heard fantastic things about the popcorns, but the price tag cant be justifed for the use i would give it.
Boxee box looks to be pretty decent, on amazon for £100 - good price of better elsewhere?
A200 - currently £40 on ebay
19h left, well worth up to £100
|
Mattb
Member
Registered: 2nd Feb 03
Location: Under your sisters bed
User status: Offline
|
put in a cheeky bid, shall see what happens!
Cheers Bart
|
Bart
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
User status: Offline
|
quote:
Originally posted by Mattb
put in a cheeky bid, shall see what happens!
Cheers Bart
Really can't understand people who do this... Your only upping the price for the sake of it?
Watch it to the last ~10 secs and stick in your max bid, I.e £100 if that's what your willing to pay.
|
Mattb
Member
Registered: 2nd Feb 03
Location: Under your sisters bed
User status: Offline
|
Not really, I've put in what I want to pay, if I don't get it for that, then fair enough. I will forget to bid last minute 
|
Toby
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Nov 05
User status: Offline
|
Yeah but it could attract attention now and then starts the bidding war.
If a bidding war starts with 5 minutes to go a lot of people can miss out as they try to bid.
Also just because your happy to pay something doesn't mean you want to....
|
