Minimum config for streaming HD media via wireless?

[beatle]

Currently I have the lousy Actiontec router provided by Verizon FIOS. Running ethernet to the box outside is not an option right now, so I'm planning to hang a better router off the Actiontec and use the new router's wireless and LAN ports exclusively for connectivity and just let the Actiontec route and provide service to my DVR downstairs.

I'd like to stream HD video to my HTPC downstairs via wireless, possibly from a USB drive attached to the router. Thinking about the Linksys EA3500: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...and-n750-router-with-gigabit-and-usb-reviewed

and a TRENDnet TEW-684UB wireless adapter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...irtualParent=1

Is this enough to get it done? How about streaming off the USB port on the router? Any other considerations?

 

[Fardringle]

Wireless is generally too inconsistent to reliably support HD media without some interruptions unless you have perfect or nearly perfect conditions and fairly short distances. It's possible, but you would be much better off to run an ethernet cable from the router to the HTPC. Also, the USB ports on many routers are quite slow and may not be sufficient to stream the media even if you can manage to get a good wireless connection.

Or, if the media is all going to be on a USB drive anyway, why not just connect the USB drive directly to the HTPC?

 

[beatle]

I attempted to run ethernet in my house for that very purpose, but was unsuccessful. Walls don't really line up well enough to do it with a long drill bit, and I'd rather not hack drywall. Existing coax is run outside the house along the backside of a gutter and under the siding, so replacing that is quite an effort as well.

I'm currently doing just that - hooking up a USB drive to my encoding/gaming rig where I produce the files and then carry it downstairs to the living room. It's more of a hassle than I'd really like.

I do have a relatively short distance since my living room is directly below my office where my router would reside. Seems like there should be plenty of bandwidth in theory, but I'd hate to invest in the equipment only to find it still buffers during high bandwidth parts of the file.

 

[wirednuts]

if you use a good router instead of a wifi adapter, it should work fine.

 

[Fardringle]

While it is possible to stream HD media on wireless, even in nearly perfect conditions you're still going to get buffering sometimes. Wireless is great for some things, but high bandwidth transfers are not one of those things.

In your situation, I would leave the USB drive attached to the HTPC, share it on the network, encode the files on your main machine, and copy them over the network to the USB drive. You'll have to deal with copying the files over wireless that way, but direct file copies don't care about latency/buffering and then the media will be directly attached to the HTCP so you aren't relying on the wireless to keep your media playing without buffering and pausing.

 

[beatle]

Yeah, I did try that for a while, though my HTPC was only on when I was using it to watch media, so copying would not work.

I do stream a fair amount of stuff over my crappy Actiontec with only 802.11g - some of it is even HD, though higher bandwidth scenes usually choke it. I figured a non-commodity router would do the trick, but if that's not the case, I may have to try something else.

 

[smitbret]

It can be done but not very well. You're better off with MoCA or even powerline adapters.

 

[Tennoh]

For me, my existing setup with Powerline and Moca have become insufficient with my recent upgrade to bitrate source video. I can get sustained 10 MB/s with Moca and 8.5MB with Powerline but I get occasion buffering when the action and sound are at intense scenes. I also have wireless N throughout my house with various devices connected. 2 stream N600 based on Netgear stuff.

I just recently installed wireless AC draft with a pair of DLink DIR-865L in AP/Bridge modes between my ZFS NAS and media center to try and improve the buffereing situation. I must say the speeds are much improved and consistent from my earlier Netgear WNDR3700 wireless N setup. Going from basement to 1 floor directly above with about 15ft distance I'm getting a sustained 26 MB/s. With my earlier WNDR3700 I would fluctuate too much and Moca was the better solution at the time with its consistent 10 MB/s. For me wireless AC looks very promising and I may permanently switch to it over Moca. So yes, with technology right now wireless looks good for HD streaming.

 

[ch33zw1z]

ouch, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...FQjf4AodajgA-A

So you paid ~$350 for that setup? Guess it's worth it if you can afford it. 26MB/s sustained is pretty sweet.

 

[Eug]

For me wireless AC looks very promising and I may permanently switch to it over Moca.

Hmmm... What type of stuff are you streaming? I would have thought a consistent 80 Mbps for MoCA would have been sufficient. Even one quarter of that should be sufficient for most stuff.

 

[Tennoh]

My media center consists of BoxeeHack, X360 with extender to MCE physically separate from the media center, net-linked bluray player sharing 1 comm link, previously Moca and now wireless AC. Source videos would either be PVR shows from HD OTA captured on MCE and assorted file container videos stored on my ZFS NAS. These files would primarily be MKV of various types of audio/video codecs. Recent files are of the h.264/TrueHD/DTS-Master codecs. Combined bitrates of audio/video codecs to these files peak higher than Moca speeds which my Boxee can't buffer enough of. Similarly with my OTA content, I use HDHomerun as my capture devices and I think a recent firmware upgrade made bitrate improvements which appears to have caused my recent PVR captures to buffer due to enlarged bitrate? That or some other Xbox change. Whatever combination of things happened, my Moca 10MB/s link to my media center became insufficient for smooth playback.