So right now I use my mac with rivet to make a media server to stream from my unraid server to my xbox360, PS3MS just never seemed to work for me so I am not fucking with it anymore. My question is if I bought an AppleYv 2 and installed XBMC on it will it see my tower shares or do I have to run a client from my PC to broadcast the files on my unraid server, or do I need to install some kind of client software on my unraid server? Thanks to anyone who can help.

So right now I use my mac with rivet to make a media server to stream from my unraid server to my xbox360, PS3MS just never seemed to work for me so I am not fucking with it anymore. My question is if I bought an AppleYv 2 and installed XBMC on it will it see my tower shares or do I have to run a client from my PC to broadcast the files on my unraid server, or do I need to install some kind of client software on my unraid server? Thanks to anyone who can help.

xbmc can see the shares directly, no need for anything running on the PC. No need to install anything on unRAID (other than the movie files themselves)

Thanks how is the lag over wifi N, i love my xbox360 just wished it supported a few more file types.

Thanks how is the lag over wifi N

I cannot answer that.  All my media players are on a wired lan.  (and I don't even have wifi N)

Is this the best option or should I just build an HT PC does anyone have any experience with either?

I stream from my current FreeNAS with the FTP protocol to my AppleTV over WiFi N and it's fine.  I plan on doing the same once my unRAID box is up and running. 

 

I would NOT stream over SMB tho.  SMB has overhead that can affect streaming in my experience. 

 

For reference, I just sold my (2) Mac Mini's to pay for my unRAID upgrades and replaced one of them with an Apple TV 2.  IMO, it's about 85% of what the Mac Mini was and to me, that's a great trade off. 

I have no problem with SMB streaming to my Popcorn Hour--but both connections are wired.

 

I'll probably end up using NFS instead, unless I switch to using symlinks (see the unRAID/YAMJ thread--it's a Popcorn Hour thing). But SMB hasn't been a problem.

I stream wirelessly from my server to my ATV2 (well, wireless from my router to my ATV2).  Yes, it sees the shares just fine.  SD content always runs smoothly.  HD content *usually* runs smoothly.  I've not yet figured out why some files give me more problems than others.  Doesn't seem to be strictly a bitrate or resolution issue.  You [will] have to use one of the nightly builds of XBMC for best results.  The current stable release won't play *any* MKV file.  So, for the time being, I live with the occasional erratic behavior in-trade for being able to play almost every file- which is better than rock solid while playing only 30% of my files. 

As long as you have Wireless N router and your cards are wireless N, and you don't have walls made of 10 inch thick solid steel, your HD movies should play just fine.

 

I hardwire all my connections because, well, I could--I had the AT&T router in teh basement, so had to route a 30 foot cable up to where my unRAID server, computer, and Popcorn Hour are. So, with an 8 port switch, it was simple to hardwire everything.

I am new to this XMBC thing, what is a nightly build? Like i have to update this shit every night? If so forget it....I thought it played MKV?? Now I need to use some beta version updated nightly for it to work, damn all these worthless media streamers are starting to piss me off, I mean how hard is it for there to be ONE that just has the CCCP codecs installed like windows, I mean I can play every file with that damn codec pack installed why can't someone do that with a media streamer...freaking greedy ass corporate jerkoffs...

XBMC plays pretty much everything. It definitely plays MKV containers. And you don't need to update every night--nightly builds are just beta releases that get packaged whenever they make code updates--it's for people who want the "bleeding edge" features.

 

Greedy ass corporate jerkoffs? XBMC is open source...

I am new to this XMBC thing, what is a nightly build? Like i have to update this shit every night? If so forget it....I thought it played MKV?? Now I need to use some beta version updated nightly for it to work, damn all these worthless media streamers are starting to piss me off, I mean how hard is it for there to be ONE that just has the CCCP codecs installed like windows, I mean I can play every file with that damn codec pack installed why can't someone do that with a media streamer...freaking greedy ass corporate jerkoffs...

First, XBMC is a purely volunteer effort, by coders all over the world, working constantly to improve it.  It is NOT a commercial product.

 

There are stable versions of XBMC,  (I think the current is 10.1) They cannot include every codec because of licensing laws in various countries.  XBMC does play just about anything you can give to it AND their built-in add-on manager allows you to download/install the missing codec yourself by clicking on a button.

 

No, you do not need to use a beta version, or a nightly release... in fact, most do not.   I don't.   Only if the most recent/under-constant-development version has a feature you cannot live without must you use it.   If that does not suit you, you can purchase a commercial version of some other product and bitch at them when your media does not play.  (Boxee is one, Plex is another, both forked off of the XBMC groundwork)    

Complaining to the developers of the commercial products probably won't help, but then your bitching at the volunteer/un-paid XBMC developers does not help either.   Remember, XBMC is free.

 

Joe L.

 

 

AND their built-in add-on manager allows you to download/install the missing codec yourself by clicking on a button.

 

I don't believe that "button" exists in the AppleTV branch of the code.  If it does, I've yet to find it.  Although, if you point me to it, I'll gladly eat those words.

Sorry to clarify not bitching about XBMC I know it is free, I am bitching about seagate, popcorn hour, wd, and every other damn media streamer I have wasted time buying and returning to my xbox just because no one can get it right. I just want to watch my porn on my big screen with no issues.

I have to agree.  I have XBMC on a variety of platforms and it consistently outperforms the commercial alternatives.  An especially common failing is audio playback (most still don't support gapless playback, for example), but they also tend to suffer from relatively poor user interfaces which does not encourage their use by other family members,

My problem with nearly almost all players is universal lack of wmapro audio can anyone confirm this works with xbmc

I have to agree.  I have XBMC on a variety of platforms and it consistently outperforms the commercial alternatives.  An especially common failing is audio playback (most still don't support gapless playback, for example), but they also tend to suffer from relatively poor user interfaces which does not encourage their use by other family members,

 

Well, sure, the others are commercial alternatives, but that's for the hardware--XBMC requires you buying some hardware to run it on. Popcorn Hour plays pretty much everything thrown at it. I have an older one, and yes, there are a few formats it chokes on--but that's mainly the audio combination, and has only been MKV with multi-channel FLAC. And yeah, it also sucks as a music player, but I haven't looked into its community-based options. But, YAMJ + Popcorn Hour is pretty damn good, and I'd say second to XBMC's set up--as it doesn't have the smoothness and flare XBMC has, with its widgets, etc. However, the Syabas chipsets have been acclaimed as the best in terms of Picture Quality--and that's really the most important when it comes down to watching the tv show/movie.

 

My problem with nearly almost all players is universal lack of wmapro audio can anyone confirm this works with xbmc

 

:D :D

 

I'm sorry, it's just hilarious you're pissed about commercial software/hardware, and you're using Windows Media Pro proprietary audio codec! Why would you use that? What's its benefits? I assume you must be purchasing some sort of music that uses that as some sort of DRM file? I'm assuming you have a Zune or something? Because if you want lossless, I don't know why you wouldn't just use FLAC. I do encode to ALAC, because iTunes/iPhone/iPod don't playback FLAC, but I'm starting to give up and just encode everything to mp3 to save on space, and know it'll play anywhere. I'll keep the FLAC for archiving, and when I get a system that'll actually make lossless playback worthwhile.

Properietary as 80% the pRon I download about 16TB of it is encoded in it. That's all I really need it for.

Yeah, you're right. I used to download 720 WMV pr0n. But I still don't recall having a problem playing it on my PCH? Or was I playing it on my Xbox...I forget.

Does the ATV2 support true 1080p out been researching all day and getting mixed answers because mostly fanboys lie and talk crap in their favor on every site such as boxee, xbmc, macrumours etc...

 

Can someone just tell me yes, you put 1080p throught the ATV2 and it will out 1080p onto the tv or no it will play 1080p files but it will out it as 720p??

 

Thanks!

From what I've heard, it will play 1080p files, but it will limit output at 720p.

ATV can play 1080p content but the signal output to the display is only 720p.

From what I've heard, it will play 1080p files, but it will limit output at 720p.

As far as anything I've read, it does not have the hardware needed to output 1080p to the TV.  It can play 1080p media, with the output to the TV at 720p.

Can't say this forum doesn't have a knowledgeable and friendly community! 

 

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Whoop guess another hardware solution bites the dust...anyone got similarly priced solutions that outs 1080p and can play wmv mkv and wma pro audio...