What do you use as your streaming "client"

[Ian]

Hi guys,

So, you've built your funky server (or are at least are thinking about doing it). Now, what do you use as your client? ie. How do you actually listen to your music and/or watch your videos?

For me, I have a range of streamers (EVA8000, EVA9150, NTV350, NTV550, Dune, PCH) for video and Squeezeboxes for audio. I've also a couple of PS3 which I sometimes use but only when I'm desperate.

What do you use? Have you build your own?

[thinmintaddict]

I use my xbox 360.
it doesn't work with mediatomb, so I replaced it with ps3 media server. It's a great little piece of software. with almost no configuration it can transcode .mkvs on the fly to the xbox (which doesn't support them unfortunately).

I'm thinking about buying a couple WD TV's for around the house, since I've heard they can handle pretty much any format you throw at them. (and they're only 85 bucks online.)

[discthrower3]

Hello peoples, haven't built mine yet, but have my list ready. I currently have an EVA9150. I see others have similar unit, but my question is, are you using the extenders gui or front end to select what media you want from the server?

My current EVA9150 is connected to a ReadyNas Duo, but I just hate the gui. After the build do you have an option to use others?

[Ian]

Hi discthrower3 and welcome to the forum.

I have an EVA9150 (as well as a few others: the newer NTV350 & NTV550s for example) and I use the GUI on them to select my content. These streamers cannot act as extenders (as you probably already know) and so there is no option to use them as an extension of the GUI on the server. There are a few streamers that can be used as Media Center Extenders (xbox for example) but generally they're based on a Windows back-end and not linux.

What is it about the GUI on the 9150 that you hate, perhaps these issues have been addressed on the newer streamers from NETGEAR? Or there are plenty of other streamers out there which might be more suitable.

Ian.

[FShtkh]

HI Guys,

I have one of these cheap as chips Hisense V-Bridge boxes:

http://www.expansys.com/hisense-1080p-h ... hd-186127/

It plays almost anything and you can connect two USB drives to it. I have started MKV ing my DVD's as result of playing with this device. It pulls standard DEF video off our Buffalo NAS (about three + years old) no problem and logins into SMB shares. I use it with a TV and a projecter, and it will upscale if you want. My projector and TV are only 720p til we move though. I hope when we move and set up a better gb switch it will play HD stuff as well.

For audio though, I went with a Sonos ZP90. Doesn't need a special streamer, it just catalogues your NAS, very quickly, and control it with an iPhone. I have a few pieces of the puzzle, and am working on learning the server stuff now.

Hope that's of interest,

Regards,

Frank

[LarryJB]

Well, I pulled the string on a Boxee Box today. I ordered it from Amazon and it should be here sometime 1st of next week. I think I will wait for it to get here before I start ripping DVD's. I think my best choice for a ripping tool will be either DVDFab or maybe MakeMKV. I think I would like to rip just the movie with no compression. Also, the plan as of now is to not use a media server and let the Boxee stream directly from the Samba share. Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

[LarryJB]

Got the Boxee Box on Tuesday. Yea! Man! what a difference having a "proper" streamer makes!!!!! I have been ripping my DVD's using MakeMKV and it is working very well! I can navigate easily through each movie and can select chapters. Plus the sound working well, Dolby D and no sync problems. I am very pleased! I think if I had a large collection I might have an issue because they are only indexed alphabetically. It would be nice if I could select from genre, artist, director, rating, etc. But as of now, I have no problem with that. They are always making improvements so maybe that will come in time.

[Ian]

Nice one Larry! I can sit here all smug and say "told ya so".

Glad you're happy with it. Hopefully you now appreciate the point I was trying to make in that other thread about using a proper streamer rather than a wannabe. It "just works", no faffing with DLNA or transcoding on the fly. Plug it in, connect it up, and away you go. Simple

Ian.

[LarryJB]

Nice one Larry! I can sit here all smug and say "told ya so".

Glad you're happy with it. Hopefully you now appreciate the point I was trying to make in that other thread about using a proper streamer rather than a wannabe. It "just works", no faffing with DLNA or transcoding on the fly. Plug it in, connect it up, and away you go. Simple

Ian.

That has been my exact experience! It just works! I am now able to concentrate on content and not technology. I am also excited about future enhancements to the Boxee firmware, as they are doing ongoing improvements.