streaming box, or HTPC ? (Roku 3 disappointment)

[greenman62]

Hi all, newb here.

I had an old streaming media box
that worked great, but, is pushing up daisies now.

what i need is relatively simple.
i dont need netflix, HUBU,, or any of that stuff

mainly, i need to play media from my PC
on to my HDTV
i bought a ROKU 3,, but had to use PLEX to get the content
and dont like it at all.
the folder view sucks. i want an old-style windows explorer look.
Also, the FF and rewind were slow and clunky

mainly, i just dont like having to run PLEX on my PC
to view content.

i would love the idea of replacing my Direct TV /ATT box
but, thats not really needed.

I need the ability to play formats
MP4, AVI, MKV
and easily browse to my PC in a file-view is my main concern.

that said, i have a quad-core computer, and am pretty tech savy
- i am behind the times with new tech stuff,
but, if i can modify my computer to do this, i am all ears.

 

[mvbighead]

I'm sure poofy will come in and tell you the same, but buy an Asus Chromebox and load OpenElec on it.

It gives you access to tons of stuff, but most importantly local files. It has the power needed to do quite a lot.

Another alternative is the FireTV with SPMC sideloaded which gives you the XBMC/Openelec experience on lesser hardware. I am fine tuning that as well right now and it works great for local DVD rips. Have not yet tried BD rips, but I'm basically getting started with my HTPC content.

In short, Chromebox with XBMC is the best option with a low price point, but the FireTV may be enough at an even lower price point.

 

[smitbret]

Yep, Chromebox with OpenELEC or a WDTV Live.

Having owned both, the extra $$$ and effort for the Chromebox is very much worth it.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Yup, it is either a Chromebox running Openelec or a compromise. So go get the Asus Chromebox and call it a day:

http://www.amazon.com/Asus-CHROMEBOX.../dp/B00IT1WJZQ

Little cheaper on Amazon. Here are the directions to turn it into a kodi Appliance:

https://pricklytech.wordpress.com/2...lling-openelec-standalone-setup-no-chrome-os/

It will be the perfect solution for what you want.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Sounds like Kodi was practically made for you. You may need a wired connection depending on the quality of the files you will be viewing though. I use Kodi on my main HTPC because I like the interface and functionality, but I have to use plex in other rooms in my house that only have access to a wireless connection because I can't stream full quality blu-ray rips over wireless. That's where building a NAS to store all my video files and run a plex media server on has payed dividends.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Sounds like Kodi was practically made for you. You may need a wired connection depending on the quality of the files you will be viewing though.

It is less about file quality and more about the level of local interference. I don't have a congested 5GHz around my house and I can stream to the max of the Blu Ray standard and a lot of 4K stuff over wireless. Router quality matters too.

 

[SlitheryDee]

It is less about file quality and more about the level of local interference. I don't have a congested 5GHz around my house and I can stream to the max of the Blu Ray standard and a lot of 4K stuff over wireless. Router quality matters too.

I think it's distance as much as anything else in my case. I've tried every channel in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz, but signal strength degrades too quickly with 5Ghz to give a good connection at the opposite end of my house. I haven't tried Kodi on any kind of dedicated box there to see if maybe it would give better performance, but I'm hesitant to go all the way only to find that I have the same problem regardless. I can't speak to the quality of my router other than it was a well-reviewed and moderately expensive netgear model when I bought it, and it claims to be capable of up to 750 Mbps transfer speeds. Plex works fine though. *shrug*

 

[poofyhairguy]

Could be the case, that is the downside to 5GHz- less range. Some devices do have much better antennas/radios than others though, the Chromebox is very impressive in that regard.

 

[greenman62]

I dont have a Smartphone
does it not come with a remote ?
do i use a keyboard and mouse ?

the Chromebox is near the upper end of my price range
but its do-able.

Before i buy it, let me ask this...

I have directTV now, but, the only thing i watch
is MSNBC and comedy channel

is there a way to get those ?

if i can get rid of my monthly DirectTV payment
that would be NICE !

 

[greenman62]

its going to be in easy reach of an ethernet
im not worried about wireless at this point.
though, its good to know if i need it in the future its there.

 

[poofyhairguy]

It does not come with a remote, but a remote like this is plug and play if you need one:

http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-RRC-1.../dp/B003WM5J0O

In regards to the channels maybe USTVnow would have them. More info:

http://www.maketecheasier.com/xbmc-addons-to-destroy-cable-bill/

 

[Binky]

For the Roku, you could try media browser also. It uses a server setup just like plex, so you still may not like that. It has different menus that I think are a little nicer than the roku plex app.
https://www.roku.com/channels#!details/44191/media-browser-for-roku

As poofy pointed out, there are addons to Kodi that can do just about anything. Some addons aren't 100% reliable, so be prepared for possible setup and maintenance trouble.

An easy way to try Kodi with lots of addons preconfigured is to install prepackaged configurations, like from totalxbmc. They have an installer, and you can quickly install "community builds" where most of the configuration is already done for you. To see if you like Kodi, you can do this on your desktop computer before you take the plunge with a new hardware device.

 

[smitbret]

I dont have a Smartphone
does it not come with a remote ?
do i use a keyboard and mouse ?

the Chromebox is near the upper end of my price range
but its do-able.

Before i buy it, let me ask this...

I have directTV now, but, the only thing i watch
is MSNBC and comedy channel

is there a way to get those ?

if i can get rid of my monthly DirectTV payment
that would be NICE !

Use your DirecTV remote(s).

I use a DirecTV R65RX with the FLIRC as my IR Receiver:

1. slider at top to av1
2. press and hold MUTE & SELECT for two blinks
3. enter 9 9 1
4. enter 0
5. press SELECT button

I don't see why it wouldn't work with any other IR receivers but with the FLIRC, I just map every button as if it were a command on the keyboard. For me, that ability is worth the extra $10-15 over the cheap IR receivers out there. Plus, the FLIRC has great range and angles. I have mine stuck behind the Chromebox in the rear USB port. The cabinet has open sides but the FLIRC is completely hidden from sight and has never missed a command, yet.

It is awesome.

 

[Muadib]

Note to self, move FLIRC to the back.