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Video player

K

KingGheedora

Diamond Member
I want an internet based video player to watch internet content on my living room TV. I already have a PS3 so I can use that for Netflix streaming and DVD/Blu-Ray.

Requirements:

  • Support for Amazon VOD
  • Be able to watch content on various websites for networks that keep their content on their websites (Colbert Report, Daily Show, My Boys, Fringe, etc).
  • I do NOT have cable TV so I don't care about DVR capability for CATV.
  • I do use the CATV cable as an antenna for local channel reception though, so if that can be used by the device to browse and/or record the super-basic cable content that'd be nice but not necessary.
The main two options seem to be Roku, and the Google TV (I only know of the Logitech right now). Possibly the Apple option, but I'm generally not a fan of Apple products.

Roku has price going for it, but I don't know if it can watch shows on the sites like ABC.com, NBC.com, Comedy Central, etc. Google TV seems to meet the requirements but costs more and might have more utility we don't know of right now. Con is that it won't be out for a while.
 
Yeah, not sure what PlayOn is, but sounds like software to run on a PC? I don't want to full sized PC in my living room, and I don't want to spend more than ~$200 on a solution.
 
PlayOn is DLNA server software for PC that lets you redirect/re-encode PC video streams to the PS3 (or other DLNA device, but PS3 is the best-supported). So you don't get canned versions of the network sites but, e.g., all the ESPN3 games. Pretty much every video site you can think of is handled either through an official plugin or a third-party one.

Once you set up the PS3 and N router/bridge for streaming, you can then also set up your PC (again, anywhere in the house) with a tuner to record OTA HD programs and stream *them* through the PS3.
 
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Only a computer will provide you the ability play videos from those sites. A lot of sites are limiting set top boxes, so Roku will be limited. I think it will happen to Google TV too, so a computer will be the best route. There is no way out of it to be as cheap as $200. You still have to pay up either way.

If I had to go with this route, I would use a Mac Mini with either Plex or XBMC. Any site can be accessed and will be able to use Netflix. The Mac Mini uses very little power during usage. You can make a computer to run Windows then put XBMC on it.

You can try Miro. Miro is video player and Internet player.

If you can be patient, Google TV looks like the best set top box for TV. It is not limited yet.

You could get a tablet PC that has Flash like Blackberry PlayBook or Archos 10.1 Internet PC.
 
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