Networked Multimedia

[Carl 3]

We've got a huge plasma in the lounge that we want to stream multimedia to from our fileserver but not by running AV cabling. Ideally we want to permanently network the TV somehow so we can play videos on it. We don't want to stick another PC or laptop next to the TV just to run multimedia.

Is there an AV receiver or simlar device out there that can be networked specifically to play multimedia files from our fileserver???

If there is one can someone point me in the direction of the sales department

[Andrew 30]

Probably - but it just as easy to use a micro ATX PC and hide it. Run any linux distro and stream using vplayer and various other codecs. If your a video geek like me you can even get it to realtime down sample HD to SD sizes.

Our network is based on iSCSI - so is huge bandwidth.

[Carl 3]

Another PC is last resort as we've already pondered that idea. An AV receiver would be ideal as that can run surround sound as PC output still needs a receiver anyway so 1 device instead of two would be better.

[Deftones 0]

ahem.. AppleTV....

Sony do a pretty cool looking one as well.

[Carl 3]

Found something that'll work very nicely

http://www.bdt.co.nz/computer/product.asp?item=4613880

http://www.bdt.co.nz/computer/product.asp?item=4613885

[martyyn 2]

Ive got a shuttle doing all this and hooked up via HDMI to my LCD. It has twin tv tuners to record two channels whilst I watch something else, I can watch all the music/movies/photos from my server in the cupboard, surf the internet, watch internet tv/radio, do pretty much whatever I like.

Its probably not quite what your after but the software is called MediaPortal and its open source Streaming tv and movies etc is doable with the latest beta version and I have a friend who streams his tv to his projector in his own home theatre room !

Alternatively you can use an Xbox as a client to a server with MS Media Center running but I havent tried that myself.

[entscheidend 0]

Is there a electronic device that can play HD through my plasma buy is not a PS3 or Xbox 360?

I would prefer blueray ... also are there any media i.e. movie DVD's that is HD yet?

I would have a PS3 but will wait until it comes down in price, Xbox doesnt match my audio equipment and is ugly

In other words I want to buy a Blue ray player but is it worth it at the moment or should I wait until it is more common??

[Carl 3]

Hold out until they produce dual format players like the whole DVD-R/DVD+R, VHS / BETA, 33.5 / 45 format wars

Edited April 26, 2007 by Carl

[martyyn 2]

They look pretty reasonable but there is no digital outs that I can see, so your sound will be restricted to stereo and your video will not be pretty on a whacking great plasma.

Wireless will be ok for music and low quality divx's but you wont be streaming any dvd's on it !

[Carl 3]

It'll be mainly for DivX so the outputs will suffice and it's also a plasma screen so isn't high res anyway.

Would always go LAN over WLAN, we'll just stick another network socket in the wall next to the TV, we've got them all over the house as it is anyway haha

[martyyn 2]

You say that now, but I when its actually going and picture is crap you might change your mind. If you have divx in the first place, going through the MVP and coming out via composite its going to look awful on a big screen.

Having said that I dont know what your used to or what you consider as acceptable, so perhaps it will do what you want. But or what its worth I wouldnt bother. An excellent idea but without digital outputs its a waste of time.

A pc running MediaPortal or MCE will kick this all over the park. Digital outs for sound and video and you can control everything with an MCE remote. If you have the space there isnt much difference between this connected to your receiver and tv and a pc connected to your tv and receiver.

Plus you have all the other benefits of a PVR

[Carl 3]

Or this then

http://reviews.cnet.com/D_Link_MediaLounge...44.html?tag=sub

[martyyn 2]

Now were talking....only thing I would want to know is how it handles the codecs.

Does it do any work at the 'client' end (and is therefore restricted to what it supports) or does it play anything that the 'server' can play ?

[Carl 3]

All of the stuff i've seen are client end, ie, a little PC. The good ones are compatible with DivX and Xvid.

[m325i 709]

Slingbox

[Andrew 30]

Wireless will be ok for music and low quality divx's but you wont be streaming any dvd's on it !

You can easily stream DVD over wireless - its all of 9 Mbs tops.

[martyyn 2]

You can easily stream DVD over wireless - its all of 9 Mbs tops.

Yeah I guess to be honest when I was doing it the receiving PC was using a USB wireless thingy which wasnt brilliant, but what I found was that its very environment dependent.

In my case its going the entire length of the house, through half a dozen or more walls, the kitchen and the water tank. This meant the laptop at the other end of the house would struggle to play video from the server.

[QuickSilver 0]

Is there a electronic device that can play HD through my plasma buy is not a PS3 or Xbox 360?

I would prefer blueray ... also are there any media i.e. movie DVD's that is HD yet?

I would have a PS3 but will wait until it comes down in price, Xbox doesnt match my audio equipment and is ugly

In other words I want to buy a Blue ray player but is it worth it at the moment or should I wait until it is more common??

blu ray players are thru the roof, the ps3 is much cheaper than any blu ray player atm, and even thats quite pricey, yes there are HD dvds but their no where near as in your face with advertising and stuff as blu ray so u dont notice, the selection isnt as big as blun ray yet, i wonder which formatt will win in the end, im voting for blu ray since it has the jump on the competition really, not practical to get a blu ray player yet,

[Driftit 2078]

I have all my media run through my old Xbox. Of course I cant run HD though. But I have no use for it anyway as i can't afford a HDTV just yet.

But the xbox works great. Can even use my xbox remote to control the media center. I am just running it through some Cat 6 cable.

[Carl 3]

Well I hooked up the hauppauge mvp this morning and have watched a couple of divx movies already running through the wireless, it was so simple to set up, not a bad $300 piece of equipment given it's a low budget gadget.