Recommend a HD Movie Streaming Device

[excellence]

I'd like to do streaming over my network to my TV but I need a device to do that. The video files I will be streaming will mostly be .mkv ones.

I have some ideas:

- PS3
- WD Live
- Boxee Box
- Roku 2 XS

I haven't heavily researched any particular one of these, but I suppose it's critical that they each can handle .mkv files (1080p resolution, btw). Is there any streaming device you'd recommend, either from this list or from another one?

 

[dawks]

I have a WDTV Live and it works great. I run 1080p MKV's through it regularly with no problem (h.264 or WMV VC-1, with DTS). It has DLNA but I havent been able to figure it out myself. I'm using TVersity as the media server. So I put MKV's in a folder on my Win7 PC, share the files with TVersity to the WDTV. I enjoy it.

I've heard good things about the Roku, haven't used it though. PS3 is overkill for this, and will use way more electricity relatively speaking.

My network is gigabit, but the WDTV is only 100mbit, but its plenty for 1080MKV. I've even streamed a 22gig 1.5hr movie too it.

 

[paperwastage]

At home, I've been using an ASUS RT-N16 (tomato firmware, wifi-N, plus USB for printer and USB HDD. SAMBA share is enabled for USB HDD, DLNA disabled, though can try DLNA)

media player: Seagate Freeagent+
Able to play everything (flv, mkv, rmvb, avi) over ethernet

 

[RedRooster]

I have an Asus O!Play Air, and all these devices like it and the WD Live and Popcorn Box Office and whatever else are perfectly fine. Get the cheapest one you can find(under 100 for sure), and it'll do everything you need! Don't even bother trying to using a console, they're awful for codecs.

 

[Red Squirrel]

If you have an old machine that can do HD, load up Ubuntu and XBMC. Makes a nice HTPC.

Though a dedicated device will probably be cheaper unless you already have a PC not being used.

 

[excellence]

Thanks for the info guys! I also have an ASUS RT-N16 (DD-WRT) but am using Cat5 wiring throughout. I keep hearing good things about the WD TV Live and it's not that expensive ($89.99). I have some time, so I'll see if anyone else might share their input on this topic.

 

[LyNX31]

I got the latest WD TV Live streaming and it does a good job of playing just about any format.

My brother has the boxee box and I got to say I like the remote and interface a lot better than my WD TV. It also costs about twice as much.

I'd like to do streaming over my network to my TV but I need a device to do that. The video files I will be streaming will mostly be .mkv ones.

I have some ideas:

- PS3
- WD Live
- Boxee Box
- Roku 2 XS

I haven't heavily researched any particular one of these, but I suppose it's critical that they each can handle .mkv files (1080p resolution, btw). Is there any streaming device you'd recommend, either from this list or from another one?

 

[Binky]

Have you looked at this thread?
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2215917