New TV - how to play media files; Boxee Box?

[ivrytwr3]

Hey all,

I take delivery of a Sony KDL40EX50 this weekend and would love to know how to play movies on it currently stored on my PC. I have numerous format files, ie stuff in Bluray, MKV, AVI, MPG, IFO, BUP, etc etc etc etc.

The PC is stored on a different floor to the TV and so a hardwire is not practical. I do have wireless throughout the house. So how can i get these files to my shiny new TV?!

I know of WD Media Player, Popcorn Hour etc, but do not understand how these works, so please, any recommendations, explain how these work in idiots terms please!

Someone has recommended a Boxee box. Any views? Decent prices?

One question though, i will be getting a PS3 soon, can i attach an external hard drive to the PS3 and use that to stream/view my movies? (basically does the PS3 do similar to the Boxee?)

[Northernbloke]

I bought a boxee box a few months ago and sent it back within a few days - boxee are crippling it's firmware - apparently due to demands from the online content suppliers. They removed all ways of tinkering with things ssh/telnet etc so there's no way to access the filesystem to do anything that boxee don't explicitly provide in the way of customisation etc. It meant you're stuck with their chosen scrapers for your media which weren't muuch cop - can't remember exactly which ones they were now (but not imdb for films for certain) - most of my music collection was either not recognised or wrongly scraped, films were a bit better but nowhere near good enough for the price tag.

I sent it back, got an Acer Revo 3700 running XBMC (came highly recommended from several DF members) and love it to bits without a doubt the best media centre I've ever owned - read Deja-Vu's tutorials on here - and give it a go - you won't regret it - it's a bit of time and effort to set up but well worth it. All you'll need to do then is share your media folders on your PC so the revo/xbmc can see them and enjoy playing/watching them.

Then when MediaFrontpage/sickbeard/couchpotato are set up as well you'll wonder how you ever lived without it

[blaggard]

Revo 3700, sorted. WiFi built in but my experience of WiFi is that it is largely shite so unless you KNOW that you have a very strong signal between the points you need (and even then you are unlikely to get a data rate as high as ethernet) I would bite the bullet and cable it.
I haven't bothered with sickbeard or any of the other add ons just XBMC, totally sweet and though it was a wrench selling it I don't miss my PCH A110 at all.

[ivrytwr3]

ok, checked out the Revo and am totally lost with it!! I have never updated Wii's, 360's etc and so would not have a clue where to start with the Revo!

So Boxee is off the table now (thanks for that pointer!) Will a PS3 or Popcorn Hour do what i need it to do?

[lloydi]

take a look at the WDTV live hub, lots of people raving over its simplicity of use coupled with slick GUI http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=570

No wifi on here though but as mentioned above your better off with hardwire eg 200mb homeplugs

[ivrytwr3]

hardwire is a no go either. Router is upstairs, tv donstairs - no way Mrs will let me run cables.

[koola2]

Your new TV has a USB port so you can either plug the USB drive directly (FAT32) this does play a limited number of formats.

But the easiest option is to plug the TV into your network, wired or USB dongle and then run ps3mediacenter on the PC and stream the movies via the DLNA function.

Plugging the TV into the network will also give you the Bravia Internet Video service (iPlayer, YouTube etc.)

[ivrytwr3]

Ah! Homeplugs! I bought 2 of these as a recommendation from here when i got Sky - to connect my sky box to the telephone line without cables. Is that the same thing you are talking about?

So, i buy the Live hub - this sits under my TV in the living room?

I plug in the homeplugs, 1 x router, 1 x at Live hub?

I can then access all my media on my PC? (does this mean my PC must be switched on all the time?)

[ivrytwr3]

Your new TV has a USB port so you can either plug the USB drive directly (FAT32) this does play a limited number of formats.

But the easiest option is to plug the TV into your network, wired or USB dongle and then run ps3mediacenter on the PC and stream the movies via the DLNA function.

Plugging the TV into the network will also give you the Bravia Internet Video service (iPlayer, YouTube etc.)

So i don't need to buy any media centre? Just do the above?! Sounds better!

[koola2]

hardwire is a no go either. Router is upstairs, tv downstairs - no way Mrs will let me run cables.

From the Sony site
Wireless LAN Ready – add SONY UWA-BR100 USB dongle and you can easily connect to your wireless home network without the clutter of cables

http://www.sony.co.uk/product/t32-ex...eType=Overview

I have a TV in the same range but my router is in the same room so I didn't get the dongle.


Just read you have Homeplugs so you can just plug you TV direct into that at no extra cost.

[ivrytwr3]

£799!!! I paid £399 for it last week!

[ivrytwr3]

I haven't had the plugs out of the box (we decided not to connect the sky box to the phone line). How do i connect the TV to homeplug and Router to home plug?

How the hell do these things work???!!!

[koola2]

Sorry never used home plugs, all I know is the TV has a plug in the back for a network cable so guess you plug a network cable in the TV and the other end in one of your home plugs.

Sure a home plug expert will comment soon.

This is the PC software for (DLNA) streaming
http://code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/

[ivrytwr3]

thanks mate. I will have a play at the weekend when the TV comes.

[tronads]

I haven't had the plugs out of the box (we decided not to connect the sky box to the phone line). How do i connect the TV to homeplug and Router to home plug?

How the hell do these things work???!!!

Sounds to me like you have the telephone extenders over the mains and not homeplugs.

[tronads]

I'll cast another vote towards the Revo, which I have on my backroom TV.

What I didnt want was when I wanted to watch something, was to have to power on the Revo, sit around for 2 minutes watching the loading windows screen, then have to mess around selecting xbmc with a mouse etc, So mine dual boots, with an 8 second selection screen, booting then by default (untouched) straight to xbmc live. I have a media remote for it too (and my harmony one does it also), so it really is like a media player and not a pc, and if I want to use it as a pc on a very rare occasion, i simply drag out my wireless keyboard and change the boot selection on switch on. Works very well for me.

[ant3b]

hmmm good idea that tronands

[tombott]

Revo with Boxee and XBMC installed.
Boxee gets the most on mine. The online content is superb, stuff from BBC, ITV, C4 and C5.
Plus the interface is nice and simple, so with remote its really easy to use.
Put it this way my 2 year old girl knows how to use it to watch Peppa Pig, much to the annoyance of the rest of family Bott.

[blaggard]

A Revo dual booting is obviously not on the table as he is just not up to the task. I HATE Windows but I have mine with XMNC installed in W7, perfect for a non techie and although that is not me it is a completer doddle to use and gives me a backup computer, everything else here is Mac. My Brother has a MacTV2 running XMBC, he upgraded the graphics for 1080p and is well pleased with it. Revo is undoubtedly the best solution whether it be Windows, Linux or a dual boot of some kind. And remember I had A Pocorn Hour A110 for the preceding 18 Months with a 360/PS3 combination before that, before the 360 I had an Xbox running XBMC, the Revo is the best solution yet. I'm rambling here so I'm off!

[tombott]

Don't understand why anybody dual boots them to be honest.
Install stock Ubuntu 11.04, enable XBMC rep, install and then download and install Boxee. Simple.