Looking for new media players


voldak

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 92
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Here a Dune Prime 3.0 as well. Good, stable players, auto framerate detection, no noise, 24/7 standby for over 4 years now, plays about everything you throw at it, including full bluray folder structures and bluray iso's with menu support and no cinavia.

 

My biggest fear... the dune breaks down and i have to replace it. There is no way i can get all that working properly in a htpc. I don't want to use a keyboard or mouse, i don't want to be forced to switch an app or player because player a does mkv, and player b only bluray folders and player c only bluray iso/w menu's... and offcourse i want hires soundformats (DTS-HDMA etc) and the ability to play everything from over a network (nfs, smb) without having to revert to 2nd rate transcoding...

 

Yeah i know an oppo is a better player image and sound qualitywise, but that thing won't play files over network shares, and also can't play bluray iso/folder structures with menu's...

 

So i hope my old Dune will last me a loooooong time :) and it's over 4 years old already.

Link to comment

Here a Dune Prime 3.0 as well. Good, stable players, auto framerate detection, no noise, 24/7 standby for over 4 years now, plays about everything you throw at it, including full bluray folder structures and bluray iso's with menu support and no cinavia.

 

My biggest fear... the dune breaks down and i have to replace it. There is no way i can get all that working properly in a htpc. I don't want to use a keyboard or mouse, i don't want to be forced to switch an app or player because player a does mkv, and player b only bluray folders and player c only bluray iso/w menu's... and offcourse i want hires soundformats (DTS-HDMA etc) and the ability to play everything from over a network (nfs, smb) without having to revert to 2nd rate transcoding...

 

Yeah i know an oppo is a better player image and sound qualitywise, but that thing won't play files over network shares, and also can't play bluray iso/folder structures with menu's...

 

So i hope my old Dune will last me a loooooong time :) and it's over 4 years old already.

 

 

Everything you listed can be done in XBMC and probably Plex. It doesn't sound like you've looked at HTPC software in a while. You also don't need a keyboard and mouse beyond the first time you install the OS/media center software. You never have, even 4 years ago, with XBMC at least..

Link to comment

 

That's an awesome little case for a good price. That case with a NUC board if definitely what is use if I didn't have my current devices. I'm using some Lenovo m73 Tinys left over from a work project. They really are tiny. Here a picture next to some golf balls for size reference. It's got an i5-4570T in there. Pretty slick.

 

O5OcJNl.jpg

Link to comment

Everything you listed can be done in XBMC and probably Plex. It doesn't sound like you've looked at HTPC software in a while.

That is partly correct :) i did not take a very close look at xbmc, but from what i've seen and heard, you can not start a bluray iso with menu's, nor a bluray folder with menu's, from within xbmc. I've been told you need to install powerdvd or tmt to do that...

 

So, you need to switch players at runtime. Which is not a good thing... even if it's done automatically. The look and feel changes.

 

Please correct me if i'm wrong :)

 

*edit* My new company laptop has HDMI, i will get me a copy of xbmc and see what it can do out of the box :)

Link to comment

...

You can get the barebones Celeron NUC for $145 bucks on Newegg. All you need to buy is a $20 SO-DIMM of RAM and a USB stick for it to boot OpenELEC or the Plex version of OpenELEC. So for $170-$175 you could have a fully capable set up. If you go the eBay route for can find the Celeron NUC for even cheaper, and often times brand new. I see some of them going for $125 new on eBay.

 

After looking at options more, I think this would be the best option for me. Do you have a remote that you would recommend?

 

Also, i'll need to find some good tutorials on Plex with unRAID (v5.0)

Link to comment

...

You can get the barebones Celeron NUC for $145 bucks on Newegg. All you need to buy is a $20 SO-DIMM of RAM and a USB stick for it to boot OpenELEC or the Plex version of OpenELEC. So for $170-$175 you could have a fully capable set up. If you go the eBay route for can find the Celeron NUC for even cheaper, and often times brand new. I see some of them going for $125 new on eBay.

 

After looking at options more, I think this would be the best option for me. Do you have a remote that you would recommend?

 

Also, i'll need to find some good tutorials on Plex with unRAID (v5.0)

 

 

If you want a hardware remote I can't help you with recommendations, sorry. I use an app on my phone called HippoRemote to control XBMC and/or Plex.

Link to comment

Tested xbmc on a i7 laptop with integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics, stutters all over the place. Even the gui is choppy. Ok, this is a laptop, but i think it should play everything just fine. I could play bluray folder structure with menu by opening the index.bdmv file. Bit of a lame workaround if you ask me, if it CAN play blurays with menu's why not start them directly that way? Second try, xbmc on my mac mini. Mac mini connected to my 60" Pioneer Kuro panel: no image. Nothing.

 

This is why i left custom made htpc's a long time ago; they just don't work 100% out of the box. You NEED to tinker with it constantly, adjust, change settings, edit xml files (like with xbmc's auto framerate that just doesnt work correctly from the gui) etc etc... and half of my 1080p material played interlaced, wtf? I had to MANUALLY select deinterlacing for each video. Right...

 

Maybe if i build a new htpc from scratch, or install windows or openelec on the mac mini... but i would expect running xbmc on a laptop or mac should give me a good idea about what to expect. And i'm affraid it did. Expect a world of pain to get things right. Like the old days. Nothing has changed.

Link to comment

Just tried a Intel NUC barebones.  Awesome performance.  Will be ordering another.  XBMC runs perfect on it. 

It all depends on your demands and material. If you don't know what to look at or what you are doing, every player is perfect.

Most people don't even know about framerates and bitrates and deinterlacing, pulldown etc... all they do is play everything downscaled at the wrong framerate on an ipad or iphone and they brag about how perfect it is :o

 

I'm sure xbmc can be tweaked to perfection, but out of the box it is just not.

Link to comment

Does a roku play bluray iso's or bluray folder structures, with menu's and DTS - HDMA, over a network share (smb or nfs)?

 

Nah, Roku 1/2/3 is an online streamer using apps, no local network SMB/NFS support and even a USB hard drive/flash connected to the Roku is not accessible over the local network.  You would need Plex or something similar (DLNA) to play any local files and supports limited formats and bit rates.  What is unique about the Roku is the apps available for it for online content.  It is strictly an Internet streamer with limited local media support.  Want local media support then suggest the WDTV Live Streaming Media Player or similar device.  Where the Roku lacks the WDTV excels and vice versa.

Link to comment

Right. I have the PLEX app turned on in my ROKU (Plex is a 'channel' to the Roku).

Plex on the Roku includes DLNA allowing it to access the Plex Server running on my unRAID.

I rip my movies as MP4 with Handbrake.  (Makemkv works, too. Its output is MP4...just change the extension.)

Unfortunately, I do lose the menus on the DVD.

Link to comment

Another vote for the Dune HD D1.

Solid as a rock; reliable as an appliance. I retired my HTPC running MyMovies server/client through Windows 7 Media Center. Been there, done that, tired of maintaining an entire PC for one specific task, watching movies. Installed the stand-alone MyMovies collection management to my laptop to maintain my collection and it sends updates to the Dune which houses its "wall of covers" on internal SSD. All titles are stored and streamed off 2 UnRaid boxes.

 

They also just came out with an HDMI dongle that can do all the same things as my full size unit (with exception of internal storage). Have not tested but thinking about one for the bedroom that can share the index I already have.

Link to comment

I'll add a vote for the HDI Dune players.  I have a Dune HD Max and Dune HD Smart H1.  I've been very happy with them as they play just about everything, including Bluray and DVD iso images and folders.  I bought the HD Max primarily for its 8-channel analog audio output since my main receiver does not support HDMI or the new hires audio codecs (DTS-HD, Dolby TrueHD, etc).  I haven't been very impressed with HD Max's built-in Bluray drive, as it has had problems reading disks that other players can read without any issues.  I've been thinking about buying a couple more players as backups in case there are any hardware problems.

Link to comment

Hold off until later this month when the different ChromeBox models come out. More than likely, we will see OpenElec builds appear for it in no time. Granted its only a celeron CPU with a HD4000 GPU, it should be able to handle any video format along with any skins on it. I have a Foxconn AMD E-350 HTPC which by all means is slow as shit but it handles XBMC without any issues and any media format thrown at.

 

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment

Hold off until later this month when the different ChromeBox models come out. More than likely, we will see OpenElec builds appear for it in no time. Granted its only a celeron CPU with a HD4000 GPU, it should be able to handle any video format along with any skins on it. I have a Foxconn AMD E-350 HTPC which by all means is slow as shit but it handles XBMC without any issues and any media format thrown at.

 

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

That little thing would be perfect for OpenELEC or even a full Ubuntu/XBMC install. The Celeron they use in it is better than the one in the NUC too.

Link to comment

Hold off until later this month when the different ChromeBox models come out. More than likely, we will see OpenElec builds appear for it in no time. Granted its only a celeron CPU with a HD4000 GPU, it should be able to handle any video format along with any skins on it. I have a Foxconn AMD E-350 HTPC which by all means is slow as shit but it handles XBMC without any issues and any media format thrown at.

 

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

That little thing would be perfect for OpenELEC or even a full Ubuntu/XBMC install. The Celeron they use in it is better than the one in the NUC too.

 

I am going to pick one up and dual boot with OpenELEC and SteamOS if possible. That'll should last me until Nvidia decides to release a Shield Console then I will move to that.

 

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.