It is pretty clear that many of us leveraging unraid for our media servers.  What I've always struggled with, and yet I don't see much dialogue around, is what people are using to present this media?  Is it simply something like Media Center?  Is it Media Center with some plug-ins?  Is it another stand-alone application?  With so much data on these servers it seems to me that many of us have to find a way to organize and control it via an elegant front-end.  So how do you have things configured and do you feel it is working well?

 

Personally, I've struggled with finding a system that will give me optimal picture quality for Standard Definition DVDs and BluRays.  Currently, I'm using Windows Media Center in Vista, the Media Browser application/Media Center plug-in, and Arcsoft's TMT Media Center plug-in for DVD and BR Playback.  BluRay Playback is good, but the post-processing features for SD-DVD's donlt look as good to me as Cyberlink's PowerDVD.  Of course PowerDVD does not work well with Media Center and thus my conflict.

 

Anyway, I hope others will share their own good and bad experiences.  I know I could use some guidance and suspect others could leverage something from this conversation as well. 

I know that a number of us have arrived at unRAID, looking for a server as a filestore for our Popcorn Hour Network Media Tanks. http://www.popcornhour.com/

PCH does HD audio better than XBMC.

 

But IMHO in EVERY other respect XBMC wipes the floor with every other media player

Personally I use Plex on Mac Mini's but its basically the same as XMBC at the moment.

I believe Plex and XBMC no longer share the same databse structure so there much less compatibility.

 

I recommend XBMC over Plex. Plex is better on the MAC the problem is its MAC only. What happens if later you want to buy a bargain acer revo etc your out of luck.

 

There even some dev on XBMC for SD playback viat those tiny ARM PCs.

 

Cross platform all the way.

 

 

But IMHO in EVERY other respect XBMC wipes the floor with every other media player

 

You have to distinguish hardware from software.  PCH is hardware.  XBMC is not hardware.

 

The PCH (NMT) hardware is by far the best.  It takes anything you throw at it. In terms of compatibility, nothing beats it w/r/t hardware other than a full-fledged PC.

 

The PCH browser for shares sucks... but then again, they ALL suck when it comes to browsing raw shares.  What you need is backend software like Open ShowCenter, yamj, etc.

bubbaQ, I disagree, the triumph of PCH is not the hardware, is the software, the firmware. There are N network or bluray players that uses the same Sigma chipset that PCH uses, and they aren't even near as good as PCH is.

I've heard of these solutions before, but I think I've found something is usually a deal killer with each.

 

I love the thought of Popcorn Hour, but 1) does it have a decent web browser to do just basic browsing on the web and 2) how does it do with SD-DVD's?  This is one of the things I like about a dedicated HTPC, you can configure software dvd players to accomplish "upscaling/post-processing" to improve the image on SD-DVDs.  They can look close to BluRay quality if properly tweaked.

 

How are others using XBMC for SD-DVD playback and BR playback?  I'm pretty sure I tried it once before and found it very difficult to gain playback for external players.

 

Finally, thanks for the information around PLEX.  This is new to me so I'll need to do a little research around it.

Just to chime in here, I use an Acer Revo3610 as the front-end to my unRAID server - which contains all of my movies, TV Shows and Music. The Revo is running XBMC. I am yet to find a cheaper front end that will provide the versatility of XBMC. I have no problem connecting to the unRAID shares from XBMC. I am not too versed in connecting external hardware to the XBMC box but I have read a thread on xbmc.org about connecting an external BluRay player that shows great potential.

Plex 9 looks like it will be very nice when it's released

bubbaQ, I disagree, the triumph of PCH is not the hardware, is the software, the firmware. There are N network or bluray players that uses the same Sigma chipset that PCH uses, and they aren't even near as good as PCH is.

 

I understand your point, but the superiority of the PCH (Sigma) "hardware" remains.  The fact that others have inferior software/firmware doesn't detract from the superiority of the hardware.

 

Or, you can consider the "hardware" to be the "box" which is he HW and the firmware as a self-contained unit.

Just to throw another one into the mix, I use MediaPortal w/ the Moving Pictures plugin for movies, JRiver for audio and a Western digital Media Player for the kids stuff.

I've heard of these solutions before, but I think I've found something is usually a deal killer with each.

 

I love the thought of Popcorn Hour, but 1) does it have a decent web browser to do just basic browsing on the web and 2) how does it do with SD-DVD's?

 

Web browser? Use a PC for that. I don't try to use my washing machine to hoover the house!  

It's a HD Media Player, not a PC.

 

It's fine with upscaling DVDs, but I've watched about 1 DVD on my PCH versus 2,000 Blu-rays.

Do any of these media streamers support online media sites such as Hulu, CBS, Syfy, MLB, NHL, NFL?

I know that a number of us have arrived at unRAID, looking for a server as a filestore for our Popcorn Hour Network Media Tanks. http://www.popcornhour.com/

 

I actually went the other way and found the Popcorn Hour (with YAMJ and a slightly customized ÆON skin) after filling my unRAID server.  I also use a Media Center PC with MyMovies (http://www.mymovies.dk/)

Do any of these media streamers support online media sites such as Hulu, CBS, Syfy, MLB, NHL, NFL?

 

XBMC and Plex have a large number of plugins for all sorts of streaming services. In the past these have varied in quality from excellent to crap. However the new version of XBMC has a proper up datable via the GUI plugin management system. This is due out imminently officially and in beta testing via svn checkout this now.

 

Boxee another fork of XBMC concentrates on online services. However since most of them are IP restricted to the USA i dont use them.

Roku does MLB and Netflix, but its not really designed for streaming existing media. My kid loves it for his Scooby Doo.

I've heard of these solutions before, but I think I've found something is usually a deal killer with each.

 

I love the thought of Popcorn Hour, but 1) does it have a decent web browser to do just basic browsing on the web and 2) how does it do with SD-DVD's?

 

Web browser? Use a PC for that. I don't try to use my washing machine to hoover the house!  

It's a HD Media Player, not a PC.

 

LOL!!...you don't know what you are missing!  In my dedicated home theater I love just being able to grab my wireless keyboard to do some basic searching.  Also, you might be surprised the number of times it becomes useful with the family.  We look up family web sites or browse information after watching a movie, etc..  Being able to do it collectively is much more fun than everyone going to grab their laptops.  However, my washing machine has had trouble grabbing dustballs recently  (Thanks for that, very funny analogy!).

 

In regards to upscaling, I should probably be more clear because this always gets lost when discussing front-ends.  If your display is 50" or less then this probably doesn't mean much to you.  My opinion is SD-DVDs look acceptable and BRs look outstanding.  However, when you move to something like a 100" display you have to push the envelope on picture quality with SD-DVDs to have them look good.  My current HTPC uses both TMT3 and PowerDVD which have features that can really clean up the image.  This might be hard to believe, but I've seen many SD-DVDs that were good transfers look almost as good as BRs.  In some cases I've had to go back and look whether it is indeed a BR or SD-DVD.  Ultimately, this is what I'm asking, can something like the Popcorn Hour offer image improvement when it comes to SD-DVDs.  BRs all look pretty darn good to me (except Avatar, ugh).

So i think what you are really asking is what upscaling methods do these options offer and how good are they.

In regards to upscaling, I should probably be more clear because this always gets lost when discussing front-ends.  If your display is 50" or less then this probably doesn't mean much to you.  My opinion is SD-DVDs look acceptable and BRs look outstanding.  However, when you move to something like a 100" display you have to push the envelope on picture quality with SD-DVDs to have them look good.  My current HTPC uses both TMT3 and PowerDVD which have features that can really clean up the image.  This might be hard to believe, but I've seen many SD-DVDs that were good transfers look almost as good as BRs.  In some cases I've had to go back and look whether it is indeed a BR or SD-DVD.  Ultimately, this is what I'm asking, can something like the Popcorn Hour offer image improvement when it comes to SD-DVDs.  BRs all look pretty darn good to me (except Avatar, ugh).

 

I have a 1080p projector calibrated to (close to) ISF standards projecting to a 110" screen.

 

Having watched 5,000 DVDs and 2,000 Blu-rays, I'm going to dispute your point about DVD image quality. I literally can't bear watching DVDs on my display after viewing Blu-ray.

I do understand that some people have trouble "seeing the difference" between DVD and Blu-ray...not me.

 

I've used the upscaling features in DVD software and I do see an improvement in motion quality, but not much in image quality.

 

I'm a "quality nut", so most of the content I project is 1080p or 1080i (no scaling) -- most from Blu-ray, and some from HDTV rips.

 

None of the content I watch is re-coded (720p x264 crap etc.)

 

Back to the original point: The scalers in the PCH are pretty good -- the image from a DVD does look better than on my PC display (which is a good one), but that may also be related to the colour accuracy of my projector as well.

 

P.S. There's always a netbook in my living room for web access during "film night", but I don't like projecting it -- it spoils the whole home cinema experience for me.

So whats the question?

 

 

I use XBMC via a modded Xbox (been using it for years).

 

I'm about to upgrade though to some new H/W with more system resources. I really noticed a vast improvement in the upscaled image quality of SD DVD's after switching the Xbox to 720p. I'm very happy with it. I will be staying with XBMC.

Just to chime in here, I use an Acer Revo3610 as the front-end to my unRAID server - which contains all of my movies, TV Shows and Music. The Revo is running XBMC. I am yet to find a cheaper front end that will provide the versatility of XBMC. I have no problem connecting to the unRAID shares from XBMC. I am not too versed in connecting external hardware to the XBMC box but I have read a thread on xbmc.org about connecting an external BluRay player that shows great potential.

 

Hey Chanders - is this the Acer you have? http://www.notebookcity.co.nz/acer-revo-r3610-ion-tiny-pc-n330-4gb-500gb-hdmi-win7-home-premium-64&ref=pricespy

 

How have you found it? Is it running linux or win7? What remote? Any downsides? Thx

I have a 1080p projector calibrated to (close to) ISF standards projecting to a 110" screen.

 

Having watched 5,000 DVDs and 2,000 Blu-rays, I'm going to dispute your point about DVD image quality. I literally can't bear watching DVDs on my display after viewing Blu-ray.

I do understand that some people have trouble "seeing the difference" between DVD and Blu-ray...not me.

 

I've used the upscaling features in DVD software and I do see an improvement in motion quality, but not much in image quality.

 

I'm a "quality nut", so most of the content I project is 1080p or 1080i (no scaling) -- most from Blu-ray, and some from HDTV rips.

 

None of the content I watch is re-coded (720p x264 crap etc.)

 

Back to the original point: The scalers in the PCH are pretty good -- the image from a DVD does look better than on my PC display (which is a good one), but that may also be related to the colour accuracy of my projector as well.

 

P.S. There's always a netbook in my living room for web access during "film night", but I don't like projecting it -- it spoils the whole home cinema experience for me.

 

We may not be talking about the same things here.  On just about any display I can tell the difference between DVD and BluRay.  The only thing I'm saying is that post-processing can do a lot to improve DVD quality and look very close to BluRay.  In fact it can do such a good job it doesn't have me yearning for BluRay as much as I used to.  This isn't really upscaling.  It is using some sharpening techniques, filters, and motion improvement.  For purists, which you might be, this isn't something they like to mess with it.  In my case if I can gain any improvement in picture quality I'll want to leverage it and so far the best image quality I've seen with DVDs is using a HTPC with TMT's SimHD enabled and PowerDVD's TruTheater settings.  There was actually one system I did see that did a better job but it took considerable configuring with ffdshow and other programs.  

 

From the sounds of it your projector can deliver some incredible detail.  Would you mind passing on which one it is?  

Just adding that I use a Popcorn Hour to watch the media stored on the unRAID.  The PCH came first when I started ripping my 800 DVD's to disk.  When I started ripping my 220 BluRays is when I realized I needed a dedicated and manageable DAS/NAS solution, so that's when I turned to unRAID.