Which Media Server (if any) is working for you?

[LarryJB]

Thanks for the update Larry. Maybe your server build buddies can give you some tips on how to get your LG to play nicely with your server. Maybe it means, at least in the short-term, ripping your media to a format that the LG supports natively rather than trying to transcode it on the fly.
Ian.

Yeah maybe so. Man! what a mess this video stuff is! It is just so complicated. Every time I think I have a handle of things, there is some other issue that pops up. Why can't the powers that be, simplify things? Too many cooks in the kitchen I guess.

[Ian]

Yeah maybe so. Man! what a mess this video stuff is! It is just so complicated. Every time I think I have a handle of things, there is some other issue that pops up. Why can't the powers that be, simplify things? Too many cooks in the kitchen I guess.

You're not wrong there sir! I'm a member of a few "streamer forums" and I'd say 90% of the posts are about problems playing a particular container/codec combination. If I was in charge I'd have a few standards (one for music, one for photos and a couple for video) and everyone would have to adhere to those standards or else their stuff would not play nicely or at all. Currently, everyone bleats that their obscure or otherwise rips don't play on their streamer and expect the streamer developers to fix it. It's the old "it's your problem not mine guv" mentality.

I do agree that the major players should all get together and define some standards for audio/video (like IEEE did for wireless, MPEG did with MP3, Philips, Sony and co did for the DVD etc) and then over time everyone would fall in line. But that will never happen since even the major players go off on a tangent and develop their own proprietary standard (Sony with ATRAC3, VHS and Betamax etc).

So, for now at least, we're stuck where we are. I think "the future" will all be cloud-based anyway and so there will be a lot less variations of codec/container out there. But then it'll all be terribly compressed rubbish which the general public will just accept as "that's the way it is". Then we can spend the next 10 years with two groups of people (like we were/are with the CDs and vinyl brigade )

Anyway, this isn't helping solve your problem is it. Have a chat with your party buddies and let me know what they say. Heck, they can even sign up to this forum and tell me themselves

[LarryJB]

Ian,
The guys that are coming to the party are more into linux and really don't know much about streaming technology. So I doubt there will be much input from them on streaming compatibility.
Actually this idea of a party was so that I could get some help setting up my server. I have put it off and rescheduled it for so long that I think I could do it myself now anyway. Oh, well, it's still a good excuse to have a few beers and laughs with my friends! My wife decided to go to Dallas with some of her friends the day of my party, so this weekend is going to cost me a fortune!

[LarryJB]

I was looking at the Boxee Box today, and it appears to be pretty close to what I am looking for in the way of a streaming device. As best as I can tell it seems to have the ability to install "apps" so that you only see the ones you subscribe to and they seem to have a pretty good selection of apps. Plus, the reviews say it can natively stream just about anything you through at it. They seem to be actively developing the firmware as well. Now all I have to do is save my pennies and credit card points until I have the $200 to buy the darn thing.

Of course I could go in a completely different direction and get a dedicated PC and hook it up directly to the TV.
What to do! What to do!

[DunkB]

Not sure if this is a help to anyone or not.

I have happily used PS3Mediaserver (Now PMS) for a number of years, I know it has many detractors but it does what it does. It streams to a host of renderers not just the PS3. We are running both an XBox and PS3 off ours at the minute.
There is an easy to use .deb package http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5589 which will have you running pretty much straight out the box. The package does have some idiosyncrasies (if you run from the GUI the .conf file is stored in a different location and needs absolute paths), but since most of us run our servers headless why would you use the GUI for more than the initial setup.

Just my two pennies

[LarryJB]

I have come to the conclusion that when deciding on a media server, the streaming device needs to be the deciding factor. What works great for one device, doesn't work at all for another.
I also think Ian is right about having a proper streamer. A blu-ray player or TV is not a proper device. If you are serious about streaming, you need a dedicated streamer, one that's primary purpose is streaming, and not just an add on to something else. Plus, with a proper streaming device, you really don't even need a separate media server, just a SMB share works fine. I am now testing one called Mezzmo, which is windows only, but can stream files stored on the Ubuntu server. It is not looking too promising at this point. We will see. So far, I think Serviio is winning, but none I have tried make me totally happy. I will probably find one that will get me by until I can get a real streaming device. The Boxee Box is still looking pretty good to me. But it will probably be Christmas before I can get one. Then I think I can just dump all these software media servers.

[DunkB]

Hi

Yes, it would be very nice to have dedicated rederers/streamers throughout the house. Unfortunately (or fortunately I suppose) I am trying to buy a house so the £600 for the 3 Boxee Box's has a better home at the minute. Money wins out I'm afraid.
Were you thinking of a Boxee Box or Boxee software on a mini pc of some description? I know the obvious advantage of it working straight out of the box is a big one, but the future proofing of a PC were the latest function is only an install away has me thinking. Also that funky shape would be a pain to fit in my AV rack.

[LarryJB]

Hi

Yes, it would be very nice to have dedicated rederers/streamers throughout the house. Unfortunately (or fortunately I suppose) I am trying to buy a house so the £600 for the 3 Boxee Box's has a better home at the minute. Money wins out I'm afraid.
Were you thinking of a Boxee Box or Boxee software on a mini pc of some description? I know the obvious advantage of it working straight out of the box is a big one, but the future proofing of a PC were the latest function is only an install away has me thinking. Also that funky shape would be a pain to fit in my AV rack.

Me thinks you and I are in the same boat. I have been having the same thoughts as you on the Boxee Box vs the mini pc with the boxee software installed. Right now I am leaning toward the box, due to price and hastle factor. My perception is that once you get the box setup there should be very little else to fiddle with after that. A mini PC is probably going to be like every other pc I have ever owned, needing some kind of tweak on a regular basis. They make a pc that will bolt onto the back of the tv like this one http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AspireRevo-AR3700-U3002-Compact-Desktop/dp/B00433SP6G/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1309374092&sr=1-1
or this
http://www.amazon.com/Zotac-MAG-Intel-NVIDIA-HD-ND01-U/dp/B0030UH2J4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1309374092&sr=1-2

They are a bit more pricy than the Boxee Box, but as you have already said, they are at least somewhat more future proof. Even though Boxee Box development seems to be very active. (for now anyway)
Of course I could always find an old PC somewhere for next to nothing and do a build, but finding a place to put it next to the TV along with having to deal with the fan noise etc, would be a whole new project. Not sure I'm up for that. I'm not looking to get into a whole new hobby.

[LarryJB]

Also that funky shape would be a pain to fit in my AV rack.

Actually it is only about as tall a a Coke can, and will fit into a rack. Also since the remote is RF, it can be hidden behind a door or even behind the TV.

[DunkB]

Interesting,

I'm sure I could find a corner for that. I have been coveting http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zotac-ZBOX-ID41-B-ZBOX-ID41-Mini/dp/B004SLVXYE/ref=sr_1_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1309449992&sr=1-3 as a PC option. I guess the first thing to do though is work out what spec I need and what OS to use. It is way down the line at the minute, way way way down the line. We spent the weekend in Ikea, no Boxee on my horizon.