Video Appliance For a Large Library On a Network? 516
devjj writes "For the past year or so I have been trying (and failing) to figure out a reasonable solution for bringing my large media library to my living room. All of my media lives on an Ubuntu server that sits on my network. It's been very reliable and it's fast enough for streaming purposes. My content is exposed via SMB. It's the living room side where I keep running into problems. I am currently using Windows 7 and XBMC, but the case is too big and noisy, I don't particularly care for Windows, and the whole thing just seems overkill. What I want is a device that can present a decent UI that the non-Slashdot crowd would be able to use, but that is still powerful enough to stream full-fidelity 1080p. I dream of a small box that can transcode video over a network, but that's probably a pipe dream. The new Apple TV would be great if it could connect to network shares. What say you, Slashdot? Is what I'm looking for possible, or should I just give in to the iTunes/Amazon/whatever juggernauts?"
Popcorn Hour (Score:5, Informative)
No transcoding but it plays close to all formats
http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/ [popcornhour.com]
O!Play (Score:3, Informative)
WD HD Live (Score:4, Informative)
Get a Western Digital HD Live box. It's cheap, tiny, quiet and plays videos with a large variety of codecs. Also does music of course, plus Pandora, Flicker, etc.
Tversity (Score:3, Informative)
WD HD Live is your friend. (Score:5, Informative)
You will want this: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=735
And this: http://b-rad.cc/wdlxtv-live/
Simple, effective and above all...cheap.
Popcornhour (Score:2, Informative)
MythTV (Score:4, Informative)
mac mini / front row (Score:3, Informative)
personally i use a mac mini with front row. i map my fileserver via smb, play content using sapphire, the hulu plugin for front row, boxee, etc.
it works reasonably well.
PS3 (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Popcorn Hour (Score:4, Informative)
Small HTPC - Like This (Score:2, Informative)
Puget Systems Echo: http://www.pugetsystems.com/echo.php [pugetsystems.com]
There is an Atom / Ion version that may suffice for your needs (Echo I) and a more powerful Core i3 / i5 model if you need extra horsepower (Echo II). Both are very small, pretty darn quiet, and could run whatever software you'd like. I personally prefer the Windows 7 Media Center interface, but it sounds as though you aren't a big fan. Other nice options to check out are MythTV (Linux) and Boxxe (Windows or Linux).
Bandwidth (Score:3, Informative)
Bandwidth probably won't be your limitation. The Blu-Ray format has an absolute max transfer rate of 54 Mb/s [wikipedia.org], and only 48Mb/s for A/V bandwidth. Even movies on disc won't usually max that out, since they'll be VBR-encoded. Movies on a file server will usually be compressed all the more. Even at 50% throughput loss, a 100Mbit ethernet will still be able to keep up.
Don't know what your experience has been, but when I was using Samba, it often bogged down and caused the stream to stutter. I made my movies available over Apache w/DAV instead and the problem went away.
AppleTV (Score:3, Informative)
-Hacked it to enable SSH and read/write FS
-Installed Mplayer and XBMC
-Made it so a folder called ATV on my desktop computer automatically syncs with the ATV using rsync regularly so whatever I have downloaded is always on the ATV
-Ordered and installed a Broadcom CrystalHD mini PCI card that renders video and takes processing that away from the ATV's limited CPU
-Installed kexts that support the above and a nightly build of XBMC so I can now play 720 and 1080p media using XBMC
Works perfect for me. I could install Linux on it but both myself and my partner love Apple's movie rental system and the iTunes integration for our music. So by applying the above hacks we get everything we need.
It does also support network shares with a bit of hacking.
XBMC + Acer Revo (Score:5, Informative)
If you want to roll you own, use XBMC on an Acer Aspire Revo R1600 ($200). It uses the Nvidia ION LE chipset that supports h264 offloading. I would use these myself, but I already have three Popcorn Hours.
PCHs are nice, quiet, and cheap, but the UI is awful. It will require some tinkering to make nice. YAMJ is your friend (Yet Another Movie Jukebox).
WD TV Live, PS3+UPNP, DLNA on the TV (Score:5, Informative)
Option 1: ReadyNAS Duo [readynas.com] (built in torrent client) + WD TV Live (simple remote)
Option 2: Ubuntu server on network + PS3MediaServer [google.com] + Sony PS3 (enable HDMI CEC for use with TV remote)
Option 3: Fritz!Box 7270 [fritzbox.eu] + USB HDD + PS3 as DLNA client / built in DLNA client on TV
Option 4: ASRock ION330 + Ubuntu [blogspot.com]
Option 5: Mac Mini + Apple Remote + Plex / XBMC + NAS/USB HDD
The key bottle neck is the network, if you can run LAN cables no worries, if you decide to go wireless 802.11n will do fine for 720p, 1080p is pushing it
Re:MythTV (Score:5, Informative)
Exactly. I've used the ~$200 Acer AspireRevo as a frontend. Full HD and everything. Even got a Windows refund! (Well, technically it's still being processed, but they've agreed I'm supposed to get one.)
Re:MythTV (Score:5, Informative)
Being a Slackware user for many years, I went the MythTV+Slackware route when I got my HTPC up and running. One day I managed to totally break my system and decided "What the hell, let's give MythBuntu a go". What used to be a 2 hour+ set up time went down to 10-15 minutes. I actually switched my server over to Ubuntu soon afterwards and haven't looked back.
MythTV and Ubuntu (and mediabuntu) marry well together on both the backend and frontend. It's worth an afternoon to try out if you have the hardware around. I used nfs instead of smfs to connect the two, but the principles the same. Plus I have additional "TV" sets all around the house with dual booting partition. Those took a little extra time to set up but it is a bonus.
Some of the new mini SSD based machines (Like the Acer Revo) might be the way to go for the frontend. They're powerful enough and can playback HD video. MythTV works great on my Asus EEE 901 running Ubuntu Netbook remix.
Blu-ray + Streaming Network Shares (Score:2, Informative)
Re:XBMC + Acer Revo (Score:3, Informative)
http://lifehacker.com/5391308/build-a-silent-standalone-xbmc-media-center-on-the-cheap [lifehacker.com]
GeeXboX (Linux) (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.geexbox.org/ Its a mini Linux install using Mplayer. I had been using it for years with out issues. You can install it to a USB flash stick or LiveCD to test it out be for install
Cripes. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:PS3 (Score:4, Informative)
Shuttle XS35GT, Xtreamer (Score:5, Informative)
The Shuttle XS35GT [shuttle.eu] is a fanless box with the new NVIDIA ION2 GPU, if you put a SSD drive in it it's 100% silent. It should be able to handle H.264 1080p without a problem. You can run Linux (e.g. XBMCbuntu [xbmc.org]) or Win7 with XBMC [xbmc.org] on it. It also supports a DVD, DVD-RW or Bluray drive.
Another option is the Xtreamer [xtreamer.net], I don't know much about it but it's cheap ($99, that's without a HD) and according to the site it can play 1080p (the new Apple TV only supports 720p). It has an option ("SideWinder") to attach external heat sinks to make it fanless.
A good place for more information is the XBMC hardware forum [xbmc.org].
SageTV + Media Extender (Score:4, Informative)
I have been using SageTV and their Media Extenders for a couple of years now, and I am very happy with it.
The basics:
1) You set up a "server" PC loaded with hard drives and tuner/capture cards, running the SageTV software.
2) At the TV, you connect a small, low-power Media Extender, which presents an identical user interface to the SageTV software.
I am using this to record broadcast TV from an antenna, watch DVD and Blu-ray rips, and (with the addition of PlayOn) watch Hulu and Comedy Central streaming.
Their website: http://sagetv.com/ [sagetv.com]
I used to use MythTV, and I find that SageTV has pretty much identical functionality, but I could remove a computer from the living room and use the small extender device instead.
Re:Popcorn Hour (Score:2, Informative)
It plays media streamed over a network. You need one for each TV you want to use one on. It won't do anything with your dish. You can probably use any PC on the network to serve media. Wireless is a for-pay option on each of the devices they sell.
Re:Popcorn Hour (Score:5, Informative)
It's a catergory of device known as a NMT - network media tank. There are various ones, and I have a popcorn A110
You can put a hard drive in it and store/play media from there
You can hook a usb drive to it and store/play media from that
It also acts a a usb device, you can plug it into a pc and use it as a usb drive
you can plug it into a network and hook up multiple servers, either via nfs/smb or http streaming (no wifi on mine)
It runs ftp / http so you can browse it and use it, the device it self, as a server to stream media to your PC
It has 'web apps' built it so you can view many online video services and video/podcasts etc, (but not youtube afaik)
It has hdmi,composite and component out for video output
it has optical out and phono stereo for sound out (and the hdmi)
it plays just about everything i've thrown at it, full 1080p, dvd rips, xvids, crappy phone vids
no lagging, no jumping, seeking it very fast even on 18GB blu ray rips
Support for various video modes, refresh rates and 24fps, progressive/interlaced.
In terms of hooking it to your TVs think of it like a set top box - so one device per TV, unless you want to take the output and split it/distribute it.
I got it because I was fed up of a myth tv box whirring away in the corner of the living room
This thing (without a HD inside) is silent. And by silent i don't mean nearly silent, but actually silent, no moving parts.
I just point it at my video share on my linux server and it plays everything.
For movies, you may want to check out YAMJ, whichi makes it all shiny and nice (think apple TV / xbmc) but tbh I don't need any of that 'I watch, I delete'
Also, with a HD inside you can opt to have a torrent client (transmission IIRC) which will download straight on to it for your viewing pleasure..
for ease of use and WAF / Child AF totally recommend.
Mac Mini and Plex (Score:3, Informative)
Plex [plexapp.com] running on a MacMini is what I use. The mini is a solid low power platform that you can easily hook up external disk or access your NAS with. Has HDMI output for connecting to your stereo/tv etc.
Plex is made to use the apple remote control, so you don't need a keyboard/mouse after the very initial setup. There's also a iPhone/Pad/Touch app [plexapp.com] so you can control Plex or stream from the plex app to your iPhone/Touch/Pad. The main application for your mac mini is free and the iOS component is $5.
Great community of support for the app definitely better than XBMC.
Re:mac mini / front row (Score:3, Informative)
The remote isn't included, but it has the infrared port required for one. You just need to buy the remote separately, unless you want to use an iPhone/iPod touch/iPad to control your media (free "Remote" app).
The new Mac mini has both HDMI and mini DisplayPort outputs.
Re:Mac Mini + Plex (Score:2, Informative)
+1 to this. I have a slightly older mac mini (C2D, 2Gb) hooked up to my TV with a DVI>HDMI cable, using optical to my amplifier for audio. Plex decodes 1080p content fine on this setup, and squirts out DD 5.1 just fine to my amp. I splashed out and bought a Harmony One remote, which is supported in plex - right down to Logitech adding a "plex" device to the keymap of the remote. Its simple enough that anyone can sit down and use it. Its also very quiet and cool.
The recent release (9.0) adds a few nice features, including a iphone/ipod touch app that uses the source machine to transcode video and send it out via Wifi. Apparently it will also work over 3G, but I haven't tried that.
Seriously, if you can, do it. Its the best decision I ever made regarding my home theater system - sure, I could have gone with a "regular" PC and a mouse/keyboard setup, but I wanted a setup that my fiancee could use with a normal remote.
Box Office by Patriot (Score:3, Informative)
Re:XBMC on AppleTV (Score:2, Informative)
The Apple TV won't do 1080p
MediaPortal (Score:2, Informative)
I highly recommend MediaPortal http://www.team-mediaportal.com/
The setup is significant, but once you have it going, it's great. You can use hardware accelerated h264 decoding (whereas Boxee, XBMC and many others are software only). The plugins for it have great, poweful support for automatically matching Movies and TV shows based on regexps and online lookups of the filenames.
Some screenshots can be found:
http://code.google.com/p/moving-pictures/
http://code.google.com/p/mptvseries/
He wants the player people, not the server (Score:3, Informative)
Too many people here miss the fact that you want the PLAYER side of the equation, not the server.
I'd suggest something like the Patriot Box Office:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=patriot%20box%20office [google.com]
http://patriotmem.com/products/detailp.jsp?prodline=6&catid=69&prodgroupid=159&id=895&type=20 [patriotmem.com]
Small, reasonably quiet (more so if you do a bit of work on the fan), HDMI or composite out, does 1080i, does S/PDIF, does just about every form of media I've tried, does SMB/CIFS, uPnP (not just DLNA, but also plain old uPnP), runs Linux internally, can accept an internal 2.5" hard disk, can use an external USB WiFi stick, supports external media via USB (including EXT2/3 file systems).
Re:PS3 (Score:5, Informative)
I do this for my PS3, and there are a few issues that would make me NOT recommend it for the OP.
Occasionally my PS3 refuses to find the media server and both have to be restarted. Not a huge deal, but annoying- especially to someone who doesn't know how to reboot the media server.
Sometimes PS3 Media Server doesn't get the auto-transocde right. So you have to browse to the TRANSCODE folder on your PS3 and select a transocde preset manually. Very handy for a techie, not user friendly at all.
The interface on the PS3 kinda sucks. It's a basic hierarchy-style file browser. Yes you can find something if it's labeled properly. I have a "TV" and "Movies" folder, and in there each show or movie has its own folder and in that is the media file(s) associated with it. But after using XBMC or Boxee which automatically find your media, pull all of the metadata you'd ever want about it, then make it easily searchable, you'll realize just how much the PS3 is missing. They both offer WAY more in terms of usability, plus Boxee streams all kinds of fun internet content. I had occasion to run Boxee this summer after using my PS3 for 2 years, and it was like fucking magic.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:wait... (Score:1, Informative)
unless there is an update, it won't work (Score:3, Informative)
I have the most recent Mac Mini. With Plex, it cannot play full-screen 1080p, even 24fps (my test is Avatar, full blu-ray file). XBMC nightly builds can do it if you have h.264 acceleration on, so maybe Plex will work soon.
All in all the Mini (even my 2.66GHz one) is probably not a good choice due to the slow CPU and high price.
It's too bad too since the Mini does HDMI audio (7.1 channels, 24-bit, 192KHz).
Also, if the Mini wakes up with no TV attached (because your amp is set to another input) it switches audio back to the internal speaker from HDMI audio out and you have to reset it.
From The /. Crowd (Score:5, Informative)
for the non-*crowd, set-top ready.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/home-entertainment/d3fe/ [thinkgeek.com]
Native 1080p video output at up to 1920x1080 resolution (check)
- Analog recording of your favourite TV shows from Cable or Satelite (check)
- Time-shift and scheduled recording (check)
- Incredible variety of video and audio codec support including MKV (check)
- Built in BitTorrent client for sharing and downloading video files (check)
- HDMI, composite or component video output (check)
- Optical SPDIF 5.1 Channel Dolby Digital audio output (check)
- Takes up to 2.0 Terabyte SATA hard drive (check)
- Built in samba server with UPnP implementation (check)
- Oh and a completely sweet price! ($169, plus $35 for 1 to 3 week coming wireless N USB adapter4, plus you supply the SATA drive up to 2TB, and an external DVD burner if desired).
Re:MediaPortal (Score:3, Informative)
Woa FUD.
XBMC has had VDPAU hardware acceleration for almost a year now. The beta that was just released supports VDPAU, ATI's thingy, Broadcom, Apple's Hardware decoder.
Re:MythTV - Yes Yes Yes (Score:1, Informative)
The previous version of Knoppmyth (R5.5) is based on Debian. I still run that. There are Debian packages for mythtv.
For a relatively painless Debian like experience, I would install the latest Ubuntu and then install the mythtv packages on top of that, or I just might try MythBuntu, or you could back up your Debian server root (easier than remembering and removing 100 packages) and just try slapping in on there from the repositories.
root@mythtv:~# apt-cache showpkg mythtv ... (sounds like Lenny to me) ... (the version that I am still running)
Package: mythtv
Versions:
0.23-0.0lenny2
0.20.2-7
The question is all the tweaking and glue that Knoppmyth did for you. MythTv is probably a lot easier than when I started 4 years ago, but I would still recommend that you find someone with MythTv experience because you will have issues and questions unless you buy a pre-built system.
MythTv has all the features that you know you want and all the features that you didn't even know about, that you still want. Although MythTv can control many set top boxes, I find that one set top box is all we need in the house.
It manages, prioritizes and records for everyone off the one Set Top Box with results going on the file server. It knows how to move recordings around so that it will record everything (if possible). It knows when the shows get moved to a different night. It flags commercials for automatic skipping. The schedule is $20 a year. You find that you never watch things live any more, you watch when you want.
Any PC on the network in the house is a TV set and they can all watch any mixture at the same time (of course with the limitation that you can only watch 3 different live shows at the same time if you only have inputs).
Windows machines can run "mythtv player". Ubuntu machines can run a true MythTv native front end. Other distros have packages too.
HD is the question. There is no good, generic way to get encrypted HD from a set top box into a PC. Many shows are now marked "play once" by the provider in the DRM inside the STB and e.g. the STB firewire won't talk to open source because open source could be coded to ignore the DRM restrictions (if I recall correctly).
SD runs fine, even over 802.11g WiFi, possibly even two streams at the same time. I run ethernet where possible to minimize WiFi usage.
Weather button, music storage and playback, TV, video files, burn a DVD of any TV or video for use in a DVD player, automatic commercial skipping on playback. I even have some old virtual computer images that I can run on the server.
I have shown this wonderfulness to relatives and now manage 3 KnoppMyth R5.5 systems.
Come to think of it, I should probably do a backup :)
Re:MythTV - Yes Yes Yes (Score:1, Informative)
Just to be clear, with MythTv, you can play any HD content that you can get into the system, like via download or a BD player(?), provided you have the network bandwidth and CPU/GPU power.
Re:WD HD Live is your friend. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:WD HD Live is your friend. (Score:2, Informative)
I think I have hit a thousand (repair bench work). Right now I've taken a Seagate hiatus because I had the same drive take me down a 5-incident RMA chain. I'll try again when 7200.13 rolls out.
Acer Revo R3600 + xbmc (Score:2, Informative)
Re:unless there is an update, it won't work (Score:3, Informative)
Both XBMC and Plex have supported hardware acceleration on the 2010 mini for a few months now. XBMC "dharma" supports it, Plex9 supports it, and there's a standalone binary of Plex 0.85 that supports it.
If you haven't already I suggest enabling the "true fullscreen" option in Plex. (Go to windowed mode, and in the Plex menu, open "advanced settings" and enable "True fullscreen".
If you're seeing dropped frames or stuttering that makes you think Plex9 can't do 1080p full screen, try this option. I've actually had no problem doing this on older machines than a 2010 mini, and using less capable video hardware, like the 9400M instead of the mini's GF 320M.