Please excuse the somewhat OT "newbie" question about media players, but I've been looking into the various types of players widely available these days and have not been able to find one that can do all of the following:
1 - Play a broad range of media content (audio, photo, video, etc.) from internal SATA and external USB storage devices, from one's local network, and from the internet (e.g. Hulu, Netflix, YouTube).
2 - Record and play back regularly scheduled OTA, cable or satellite content (and allow it to be played back on other devices on one's local network and over the internet a la Slingbox).
3 - Play and burn CD's, DVD's and BluRay discs.
4 - Play games.
Yes, I know, each of these can be done by standalone products. Network media players can do #1, DVR's can do #2, CD/DVD/BluRay decks can do #3 (at least play back, with a few also able to burn), and game machines can do #4. And of course HTPC's can do all four, and then some.
But what if you don't want the bulk, bother and cost of separate devices, yet don't want the maintenance overhead and cost of an HTPC? I.e. something that's like an HTPC in terms of its comprehensive media capabilities, but not as complex to maintain as an HTPC.
Personally, I have and am very happy with what is effectively an HTPC, in that it can do all of the above as I've set it up, but which I also use as a "regular" PC, meaning for non-media purposes, so I'm set.
But I'd like to buy or build such a device for an older relative who barely knows how to use a computer and will likely never learn how, and in any case would have a hard time dealing with the inevitable difficulties in running a computer, e.g. crashes, updates, security, etc. So this sort of all-in-one media device would be very attractive for them.
Yet I've been unable to find one. Is there such a thing, and if not, why? Is it because it would cost too much to be a big seller? Is there not much of a demand for one? Is it about copyright issues?
I know that many people have no interest in recording TV anymore, because they can get most or all of their content online, and already have CD/DVD/BR decks and game machines. But there's still lots of content that's still not easy or even possible to get online, at least in real time, such as live news and sports, first broadcasts of TV shows, etc., which one might want to record (yeah, I get the irony of wanting to record a live broadcast that will eventually be available online, but we're talking waiting several hours to watch a show vs. several days, weeks or months).
And not everyone has a BR deck or game machine yet and in any case would prefer an all-in-one. Not the sorts of people who frequent such sites, but everyday people who are not very tech-savvy.
Anyway, I'm just curious. Thanks in advance.
1 - Play a broad range of media content (audio, photo, video, etc.) from internal SATA and external USB storage devices, from one's local network, and from the internet (e.g. Hulu, Netflix, YouTube).
2 - Record and play back regularly scheduled OTA, cable or satellite content (and allow it to be played back on other devices on one's local network and over the internet a la Slingbox).
3 - Play and burn CD's, DVD's and BluRay discs.
4 - Play games.
Yes, I know, each of these can be done by standalone products. Network media players can do #1, DVR's can do #2, CD/DVD/BluRay decks can do #3 (at least play back, with a few also able to burn), and game machines can do #4. And of course HTPC's can do all four, and then some.
But what if you don't want the bulk, bother and cost of separate devices, yet don't want the maintenance overhead and cost of an HTPC? I.e. something that's like an HTPC in terms of its comprehensive media capabilities, but not as complex to maintain as an HTPC.
Personally, I have and am very happy with what is effectively an HTPC, in that it can do all of the above as I've set it up, but which I also use as a "regular" PC, meaning for non-media purposes, so I'm set.
But I'd like to buy or build such a device for an older relative who barely knows how to use a computer and will likely never learn how, and in any case would have a hard time dealing with the inevitable difficulties in running a computer, e.g. crashes, updates, security, etc. So this sort of all-in-one media device would be very attractive for them.
Yet I've been unable to find one. Is there such a thing, and if not, why? Is it because it would cost too much to be a big seller? Is there not much of a demand for one? Is it about copyright issues?
I know that many people have no interest in recording TV anymore, because they can get most or all of their content online, and already have CD/DVD/BR decks and game machines. But there's still lots of content that's still not easy or even possible to get online, at least in real time, such as live news and sports, first broadcasts of TV shows, etc., which one might want to record (yeah, I get the irony of wanting to record a live broadcast that will eventually be available online, but we're talking waiting several hours to watch a show vs. several days, weeks or months).
And not everyone has a BR deck or game machine yet and in any case would prefer an all-in-one. Not the sorts of people who frequent such sites, but everyday people who are not very tech-savvy.
Anyway, I'm just curious. Thanks in advance.
Last edited:
Facebook
Twitter