Nismo
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Registered: 12th Sep 02
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Not to sure what to look at here, Im sticking a screen and surround sound system in the conservatory for day to day use, and to have music in the garden etc...
I want to stream music from my desk top or a network storage (not sure where im gonna store it yet) I want to put a media centre of some sort out in the conservatory (But id also like a web browser etc..)
So far ive looked at these options:
Cheap 2nd hand PC, loaded with Win7
Apple Mac Mini, Sync iTunes / Load Win 7 using bootcamp.
Or just go for Apply TV (although not really sure on features as such) dont have a web browser.
What are my other options? What do you lot use?
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Cheapest option would be to use a PC. You can either use Vista/7 with Media Center (or XP MC edition), or a Linux equivalent (free).
Mac Mini/Apple TV is quite expensive but uses much less power than a desktop PC.
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AlunJ
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
Location: Newport
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I run a PC with windows 7 that has a HDMI connection, tbh though it only get's used for those special football streams  I'd rather an apple tv or something
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Mac Mini last time I looked is about £600-ish.
Could also buy a cheap but beefy laptop, power use will be similar to Mac Mini.
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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I want apple TV. Mainly for film rental as I goto blockbusters quite a lot.
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Nismo
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Registered: 12th Sep 02
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Mac Mini last time I looked is about £600-ish.
Could also buy a cheap but beefy laptop, power use will be similar to Mac Mini.
Id get a 2nd hand Intel one from ebay for £100-200 mark.
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Conway563
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Registered: 7th Jun 06
Location: Yate, Bristol
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Would a popcorn hour work?
Not sure on their outputs but I now a few people that rave about them
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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It would not supprise me if AppleTV had a browser enabled on it fairly quickly once its jailbroken.
IMO for a small tidy package can't beat a AcerRevo. Small enough to clip on the back of the TV and will provide full 1080p decoding and anything else you will require, bargin at under £200
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob_Quads
It would not supprise me if AppleTV had a browser enabled on it fairly quickly once its jailbroken.
IMO for a small tidy package can't beat a AcerRevo. Small enough to clip on the back of the TV and will provide full 1080p decoding and anything else you will require, bargin at under £200
Popcorn hour if you want an all in one and it's just for streaming, otherwise a Revo or Mac Mini if you want to customise it to some extent.
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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quote:
Originally posted by glb
I want apple TV. Mainly for film rental as I goto blockbusters quite a lot.
On my fucking card and dont take them back for weeks. Cunt.
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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i see that crafty download programme vuze can stream any format to apple tv now so none of this rubbish it can only do itunes format apple bashing rubbish people on the net come out with.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Sam
Cheapest option would be to use a PC.
Apple TV is £99 
Vuze transcodes the video so that it can be played on your Apple TV. Makes it simple though, as on Windows it's a pain in the arse to find something decent to transcode videos with.
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Sam
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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£99? Thought it wasn't far off the price of a Mac Mini when I last checked (which was probably a long time ago  )
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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im slightly interested in getting it instead of streaming badly to the ps3 or having to burn loads of discs etc etc. especially now vuza can save the day.
if the interface is anything like the front row thing a mac already comes with, i think it will be quite good.
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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The old Apple TV was much more expensive as it was essentially just a cut down computer where as the current AppleTV is now essentially an iPhone4 with the screen and some of the sensors removed. Its based on the A4 rather than intel based.
Had a quick play with Vuze but it failed to transcode the two sample videos I threw at it  .
Never been a fan of transcoders personally due to the computer power required.
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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vuza can code them to stream ok to my ps3, although ive not tried it to another apple mac yet. perhaps its worth a try with that before i consider apple tv?
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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I think the idea is that Apple TV is now subsidised so that you buy into iTunes more. Then again, it costs $6 to manufacture an iPhone. Though I think products like this are definitely the future, hence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11397020
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
I think the idea is that Apple TV is now subsidised so that you buy into iTunes more. Then again, it costs $6 to manufacture an iPhone. Though I think products like this are definitely the future, hence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11397020
definitely the future. sit at home and pick on demand what you want to rent without going down the high street and risk getting bottled by some chavs hanging about. its all about personal safety as well as the movie rentals.
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Nic Barnes
vuza can code them to stream ok to my ps3, although ive not tried it to another apple mac yet. perhaps its worth a try with that before i consider apple tv?
Your Mac won't be tied down to just a couple of CODEC's and PS3's can play quite a wide range too. But seeing as you use a Mac then you can use this if your Apple TV doesn't play your downloaded content: http://www.ffmpegx.com/
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Cavey
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: Derby
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ps3mediaserver can transcode and stream most files, didnt like using Vuze when I had a go with it, I move my files around a lot and ps3sms is easier to find them with
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
quote:
Originally posted by Nic Barnes
vuza can code them to stream ok to my ps3, although ive not tried it to another apple mac yet. perhaps its worth a try with that before i consider apple tv?
Your Mac won't be tied down to just a couple of CODEC's and PS3's can play quite a wide range too. But seeing as you use a Mac then you can use this if your Apple TV doesn't play your downloaded content: http://www.ffmpegx.com/
nice ed cheers. its definitely something im considering getting. not because its apple for when john reads this thread. just because it will work with everything i have.
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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quote:
Originally posted by Cavey
ps3mediaserver can transcode and stream most files, didnt like using Vuze when I had a go with it, I move my files around a lot and ps3sms is easier to find them with
runs really poor for me. it plays most stuff ok. the delay is terrible. took over a minute to play a file and if i pressed pause it gave up etc. not really done any form of streaming before so i dont know if this is normal?
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noshua
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Registered: 19th Nov 08
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just about to head out so I haven't read everything in the first post but;
XBMC, Acer Revo, Popcorn Hour and WDTV are something to look intoi
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jamied
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Registered: 27th Oct 03
Location: Marbella,Spain Drives: C63
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Its not normal at all! i use it a lot and so does bro/dad etc and is excellent. Is your pc a decent spec for streaming?
Also the ps3media server forums are really helpful
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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its a brand new apple imac not sure on its specs for streaming really?
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