What is the best set top media player around?

[tnitsuj]

I am looking for a media player to feed my living room LCD.

Requirements are:

Playback for ripped DVD's, and downloaded DIVX other movies
Playback of my MP3 library
Networkable by both ethernet and wifi
Playback of HULU, Youtube
All functions controlled by an easy to use remote (no keyboad/mouse required)
No requirement to play Blue Ray Discs

Preferably something with pretty solid access to firmware updates. I would love something that utilizes and open source, continually updated media player package.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Plex + Mac Mini

or

XBMC + Acer Revo

Plex is better playing streaming media (its media server is amazing), but an ION box is better for playback of local HD files. Plex is easier to setup, an ION box is cheaper.

I use both currently for the different things.

 

[Rifter]

both those are great options. But since you didnt mention budget Putting together a cheap mATX or ITX HTPC will obviously be the most flexable and best performing but also the most costly.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Drop any sort of streaming requirement (so no Hulu) and it opens you up to things like Popcorn hours, Patriot Boxes, and the like. Personally I am too spoiled on the XBMC interface to go to a non-computer based HTPC.

 

[Modelworks]

WDTV Live with custom firmware.
With that firmware installed you have access to open source debian software to add other features like torrents , or movie sheets, change the OSD, if you want. You can attach a USB drive and run debian linux off it if you want and it still keeps the playback abilities so you are not sacrificing one thing to get another. The box uses a DSP for video so the cpu sits idle a good part of the time. The only thing not supported on your list is Hulu, it has youtube support. You would need to stream it from a pc to the box using something like playon or tversity.


There is a new version of the Live called the Live Plus that supports netflix but it does not have custom firmware right now, it may soon though as the two boxes are very similar.

The Live (not plus) you can find cheap now used because people who wanted netflix support are selling them .


Custom firmware and apps info:
http://forum.wdlxtv.com/viewforum.php?f=3

 

[Anubis]

for those using a Revo which model do you recommend. does it matter?

 

[Slick5150]

Popcorn Hour's new Popbox comes out in a couple weeks. The interface they've shown off is quite impressive, so if the actual product works as advertised, they'll be onto something.

It doesn't do Hulu or Netflix at launch, but they claim they have all the hardware necessary to support services like that, so it's expected that at least Netflix will be supported with a software update (they at one point listed Netflix as a partner, but I assume they haven't been able to negotiate a deal yet)

 

[Destiny]

I am looking for a media player to feed my living room LCD.

Requirements are:

Playback for ripped DVD's, and downloaded DIVX other movies
Playback of my MP3 library
Networkable by both ethernet and wifi
Playback of HULU, Youtube
All functions controlled by an easy to use remote (no keyboad/mouse required)
No requirement to play Blue Ray Discs

Preferably something with pretty solid access to firmware updates. I would love something that utilizes and open source, continually updated media player package.

There are quite a few media players with strengths and weaknesses. But they will either use a Sigma Designs processor or RealTek processor. From what I got from other tech forums Sigma Design media players seem to be the most stable.

Here are two of the newest Media Players available:

The WDTV Live Plus does everything you are looking for except:
- No HULU (may need API Source code from HULU)
- Supports ethernet (no Gigabit port) and WiFi N but does not include Wifi Adapter
- Currently does not support Flash Video
- No built in Web Browser
- No GUI virtual keyboard for easy remote useage

A New Media Player I just read about on CNBC.com the Nixeus Fusion HD does everything you are looking for except:
- No HULU - but it can stream it if you are using PlayOn for UPnP streaming.
- Supports ethernet (no Gigabit port) and Wifi N (USB Wifi N dongle included)

Nixeus Fusion HD has a GUI virtual keyboard so it makes typing with the remote easier and it also supports USB Keyboard/Mouse. It also has a built in Web Browser for websurfing. It uses a Linux OS so it may support open source (not sure). Supports both internall HDD and external USB/eSATA HDD. Supports all video resolution up to 1080p60. Uses a Sigma Designs 8655 processor. It is a new company so its regular firmware updates has yet to be evaluated.

WDTV Live Plus has Netflix. Supports external USB HDD. Uses a Sigma Designs 8654 processor. Does receive regular firmware updates... at least from what I see posted on other tech forums.

Only file these media players can't play are RMVB media files (Only media players with RealTek processors can play RMVB).

I'm looking for new media players too and these two I am seriously considering. (I have the old WDTV for the living room and I use a PS3 for my room).

:awe:

 

[JackBurton]

Kaleidescape?

 

[Destiny]

Kaleidescape?

Wow... they look sexy... I think they're use the latest Sigma Designs chipset and may be 3D ready... going to do more research... looks a bit expensive though....:hmm:

 

[Anubis]

bit expensive is an understatement. a full Kaleidescape system install will cost you 10s of thousands

 

[Destiny]

Popcorn Hour's new Popbox comes out in a couple weeks. The interface they've shown off is quite impressive, so if the actual product works as advertised, they'll be onto something.

It doesn't do Hulu or Netflix at launch, but they claim they have all the hardware necessary to support services like that, so it's expected that at least Netflix will be supported with a software update (they at one point listed Netflix as a partner, but I assume they haven't been able to negotiate a deal yet)

My brother-in-law has the Popcorn A-200 and it uses the Sigma Designs 8643. I see they have a NetFlix option in there but it doesn't work yet...:thumbsdown:

 

[Destiny]

bit expensive is an understatement. a full Kaleidescape system install will cost you 10s of thousands

Great Cesars Ghost!!! Thanks for the input... I'll stick just stick with the original quality media players I was interested for under the $300 range and rather use the 10s of thousands for home improvement, new car, or down payment for a new house...^_^

 

[JackBurton]

Great Cesars Ghost!!! Thanks for the input... I'll stick just stick with the original quality media players I was interested for under the $300 range and rather use the 10s of thousands for home improvement, new car, or down payment for a new house...^_^

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, it's pretty pricey.

 

[Modelworks]

The popbox will never support netflix. It uses the SMP8643 chip and that chip cannot do macrovision in hardware for copy protection which netflix made mandatory . The same thing happened to wdtv live users because they sold the box with the SMP8655chip which also does not support macrovision in hardware. So WD produced a new netflix version of the WDTV Live called the Plus that uses the SMP8654 version that does support it.

I'm wondering if netflix did not spring this on the hardware developers kind of late because WD also said netflix support for months then suddenly said they couldn't because of lack of the chip support the necessary hardware. If so then netflix is at fault because there are other methods these chips do support in hardware for protection that would have made them compatible. The SMP chipsets support:

BD+
BD-CPS
Windows Media DRM
CPRM
CSS

As well as being able to do AES based security in hardware.

 

[Destiny]

The popbox will never support netflix. It uses the SMP8643 chip and that chip cannot do macrovision in hardware for copy protection which netflix made mandatory . The same thing happened to wdtv live users because they sold the box with the SMP8655chip which also does not support macrovision in hardware. So WD produced a new netflix version of the WDTV Live called the Plus that uses the SMP8654 version that does support it.

I'm wondering if netflix did not spring this on the hardware developers kind of late because WD also said netflix support for months then suddenly said they couldn't because of lack of the chip support the necessary hardware. If so then netflix is at fault because there are other methods these chips do support in hardware for protection that would have made them compatible. The SMP chipsets support:

BD+
BD-CPS
Windows Media DRM
CPRM
CSS

As well as being able to do AES based security in hardware.

Thanks for the info! I didn't know that... I thought Sigma Designs 8655 or RealTek media players could still use Netflix or Hulu as long as they have their API Source code installed on them...^_^

 

[Destiny]

Popcorn Hour's new Popbox comes out in a couple weeks. The interface they've shown off is quite impressive, so if the actual product works as advertised, they'll be onto something.

It doesn't do Hulu or Netflix at launch, but they claim they have all the hardware necessary to support services like that, so it's expected that at least Netflix will be supported with a software update (they at one point listed Netflix as a partner, but I assume they haven't been able to negotiate a deal yet)

Popbox Launch = FAIL?! They have a 1.5 Star rating on Amazon...:thumbsdown:

 

[Emulex]

$300 htpc from refurb asus essentio - does everything plays everything you can throw at it. the GT220 has hardware acceleration - will decode all codecs today and in 3-4 years.

how well do those little boxes do VP8?theora?

when the h.264 party ends - you want to be sure to have something that is flexible enough to jump to the next party.

I lol when folks diss a normal pc for htpc. too many watts. 100 watts versus 16. (then plug it into their kuro/viera plasma) .

 

[Modelworks]

$

how well do those little boxes do VP8?theora?

Unsupported

when the h.264 party ends - you want to be sure to have something that is flexible enough to jump to the next party.

h.264 isn't going anywhere anytime soon. VP8 and theora will have to improve a bunch to replace it. By the time something does replace it there will be better products on the market.

A htpc is nice but it has a lot of disadvantages, cost, power, size, drivers and OS updates, software issues. A set top box I can download a movie off a pc onto a usb stick and just plug it in the box and it works. Or I can toss it in a bag , take to a friends home, plug it in and use a usb stick to play back a movie in under 5 minutes without setting it up, logging in, or waiting for it to boot. They are also 100% silent.

 

[smitbret]

How has no one said this yet?
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Wait for it
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PS3?

 

[QueBert]

Acer Revo + XBMC will make for the best media center out there. With the plugins and capability to have it launch other programs, for running a tv tuner directly inside of XBMC etc nothing comes close. And XBMC has the best skins by far.

This is a kick ass skin, the one I mostly use now. Aeon65 is another bad ass one I switch to every few days to change things up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBBIuEQv2C8

 

[FP]

Acer Revo + XBMC will make for the best media center out there. With the plugins and capability to have it launch other programs, for running a tv tuner directly inside of XBMC etc nothing comes close. And XBMC has the best skins by far.

This is a kick ass skin, the one I mostly use now. Aeon65 is another bad ass one I switch to every few days to change things up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBBIuEQv2C8

Can this setup play Bluray rips and bitstream HD audio?

 

[Emulex]

mkv x.264 rips should be easy but at what bitrate and complexity is the real question? Also video's can be poorly encoded that cause extra stress on the decoder. you have to look real close at superbitrate 1080p action flicks and perhaps you may never notice a frame dropping or coming late here or there. you might notice it greatly if its 3-D though.

if they are making 100meg blu-ray's - one must wonder if they can change the codec on the players to push even more bandwidth. It could be that a 100 meg version of avatar would indeed look better than a 25 meg version of avatar at 1920x1080 ?

I'd like to know what the limit is on those acer's they sure are popular. i assume they do 1080p youtube as well?

 

[QueBert]

Can this setup play Bluray rips and bitstream HD audio?

If the computer is powerful enough, yes. XBMC itself doesn't play Blu-Ray directly, but it supports launching programs directly from inside of it. It plays 1080p MKV Blu-Ray rips flawlessly on my box.

 

[Modelworks]

If you want a setup to play back content and run xbmc, walmart has right now a sale on the Acer Aspire AS5251 for $298. One hell of a deal for a notebook ,
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Acer-AS5251-1513/14575768
includes:
Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium ; 64-bit version; AMD™ V Series Processor V120 (512KB L2 cache, 2.2GHz); 2GB (2/0) DDR3 1066 SDRAM; 250GB hard drive; integrated Super-Multi drive; 5-in-1 card reader; Acer® CineCrystal 15.6" (1366 x 768) TFT display; ATI Radeon™ HD 4250 graphics; 802.11b/g/n WLAN, gigabit LAN, webcam; one-year limited warranty

It has an HDMI port and supports:
ATI Radeon™ HD 4250 Graphics with 256 MB of dedicated system memory, supporting Unified Video Decoder 2 (UVD2), OpenEXR High Dynamic-Range (HDR) technology, Shader Model 4.0, Microsoft® DirectX® 10.1
Dual independent display support
16.7 million colors
External resolution/refresh rate6:
VGA port up to 2456 x 1536: 60 Hz
HDMI™ port up to 1920 x 1080: 60 Hz
MPEG-2/DVD decoding
WMV9 (VC-1) and H.264 (AVC) decoding
HDMI™ (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) support