ScriptUO

General => Off Topic => Topic started by: Khameleon on December 27, 2014, 08:59:07 AM

Title: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Khameleon on December 27, 2014, 08:59:07 AM
ok, So I bought a few tv's and Hung them on the walls in the kids room, I ran Power up so no ugly wires also their is no cable in their room, and I don't feel like paying the cable company another 20 bucks to use there cable box's...

so I want know what everyone uses for tv Streaming Devices...

I have a Roku 2 XS, that I use in the Main Living room, and I just bought a Chrome stick.. I've only used the Chrome stick for like 20 minutes and there seems to be a lot of Buffering issues with my Ipad Mini.  I assume they connect to eachother Via My Router?

Anyway.. I'd like to know what everyone uses Pro's and Cons for each device.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: manwinc on December 27, 2014, 09:42:50 AM
I just use my game systems. I think the old wi's are pretty cheap now and can run netflix, hulu, etc.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: The Ghost on December 27, 2014, 10:47:58 AM
I have a few set up.
1) WII to run NetFlex ( via wireless)
2) Old X BOX to watch Movie from NAS ( use hard wire) those are run along the wall baseboard and heating system ( hot water pipe to get between room )
3) Laptop conneted HDMI to watch HD movie.. Follow the same route as #2.  baseboard.

WD notebook have a app you can use to bronze your drive wireless. 3TG go for $150 on sale.

I'm movie into a new house in Feb.  Not sure the owner will allow me to drill hole in the wall,  I will need so idea as well. 
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Khameleon on December 27, 2014, 10:55:28 AM
yeah, I want something small that I can strap to the back of the tv.... no wires no entertainment sysystem.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: TrailMyx on December 27, 2014, 03:26:26 PM
So far I have used:

Ouya - XBMC
Raspberry PI - XBMC (2x A+, 1x B+)
3x Roku - Plex, PlayON, Amazon Prime, paid channels
2x Chromecast - just YouTube
Fire Stick - Plex, Amazon Prime
Win7 Atom HTPC - WMC, XBMC

I have a cheap quad-core Android media box coming to play with.

So far, the best and most useful has been the Roku.  I do like the Fire Stick also, but it doesn't have as many channels.  The RPI actually had pretty good XBMC, but just can't handle Dolby stereo and 1080p video very well.

So each one of these have their merits, but on a daily basis I use my Roku and Fire Stick.  I don't use anything but Amazon Prime so I don't know how Netflix is these days.  They lost me as a customer forever.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: UOMaddog on December 27, 2014, 08:27:29 PM
I have 2 Minix Neo X8-H boxes on each of my TVs. The wife loves them (which is impressive in-and-of-itself) and we just got 2 wireless keyboards (keypads really) to use with it. The wireless router in my house is still the weak link so once I improve that (or suck it up and wire them all in), it'll be even better. We pretty much just use Netflix and occasional Youtube or Pandora.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: TrailMyx on December 27, 2014, 09:58:01 PM
Did you ever investigate the powerline ethernet adapters?  I use these very successfully throughout my house.  I have the 300mbps versions of this:

http://www.amazon.com/ZyXEL-Powerline-Gigabit-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00D7GF6NA/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1419749892&sr=8-24&keywords=powerline+ethernet+adapter

I very easily stream 1080p video with this setup, plus on the receiving end I have an ethernet router to connect the entire cluster of items (XBOX 360, PS3, HTPC, Roku, Denon AV, Bluray).
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Khameleon on December 27, 2014, 10:27:31 PM
I ended up buying a Roku Stick at target today it was only like 50 bucks.. its slow and sorta clunky compared to my roku 2 xs. but its for the kids room.

I definitely want to buy a roku 3 soon though.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: The Ghost on December 28, 2014, 09:26:13 AM
SO since we seen to help Khameleon .  here a new question.   

 I'm looking for a VPN support any suggestion. My new provider is a snitch on what we are doing on the internet.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: TrailMyx on December 28, 2014, 10:01:05 AM
I use this:

http://www.amazon.com/ZyXEL-Wireless-Internet-Security-Firewall/dp/B00433101I

It's a bit of a PITA to setup for VPN, but has an amazing array of configurability.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Endless Night on December 29, 2014, 09:25:26 PM
This is the VPn i've used for a number of years without issues.

www.boxpn.com
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: 12TimesOver on December 30, 2014, 06:02:09 AM
I ended up buying a Roku Stick at target today it was only like 50 bucks.. its slow and sorta clunky compared to my roku 2 xs. but its for the kids room.

I definitely want to buy a roku 3 soon though.
Since we're talking about the kids' room/s...

I just setup a Fire Stick last night to test it out and it works slick as *bleep*. The difference between the Fire Stick and the Chromecast is that there are apps built in rather than being tethered to casting from a device. It also has games that can be played with the remote (or an optional blue tooth game controller), and a remote control Android app.

I see that you already blew more on the Roku stick but I would highly recommend returning it if you can and picking up a Fire Stick from Amazon (much cheaper too) - I think it's perfect for a kids room and that's exactly why I picked this one up (to replace the Chromecasts).

I have a Roku 2 XS as well which I've never even plugged in LOL.

You could also jut bail on the devices and pick up a new 32" Samsung LED SmartTV from DELL for under $200 right now, the kids will love you :P
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Endless Night on December 30, 2014, 06:41:05 AM
Ive gone the other way... NO TV in the kids room, I never upgraded the tube boxes and instead chucked them.   Want to watch tv watch it with everyone else...   yes we bicker over what to watch but we come to a communal agreement that i am always right lol   ;)



Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: TrailMyx on December 30, 2014, 08:10:40 PM
Last weekend was a monumental one.  I chucked my last toob TV.  That was a weird era.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Khameleon on December 31, 2014, 12:19:15 PM
This just hit the market as well

www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=roku+stick&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=3488021847&ref=pd_sl_2uevxf8gbd_e
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: UOMaddog on December 31, 2014, 11:18:31 PM
I have older Netgear Powerline devices (claim up to 200, usually see about 60) but the issue is that I don't have room behind the wall-mounted TVs for the size of those devices. In our master bedroom, I have one of the lowest profile wall mounts that Monoprice sells and I can barely fit the power cord for the Minix Neo X8-H back there!
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Khameleon on January 01, 2015, 04:42:54 AM
I installed recessed outlets, and the wall mount I used can be flused or  extended
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Kahless on March 12, 2015, 12:56:46 PM
Please do yourself, and your neighbors a favor, and avoid Broadband Powerline devices if at all possible. They do terrible, terrible things to other users of the radio spectrum.

http://www.eham.net/articles/6599

Fortunately, they aren't too popular these days, largley because of these issues, and because regular old 802.11 b/g/a/ac are much easier to implement.


To original topic, my wife loves Chromecast.  AppleTV is pretty slick too.  Either will work well for Netflix.... but Roku probably gives you more flexibility for tasks other than simple streaming.  I would not recommend chrome cast if you don't have android phones.

Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: UOMaddog on March 20, 2015, 12:52:30 PM
This has got me excited: http://www.minix.us/products/NEOZ64W.html

I think I'll wait until Win10 actually comes out and maybe the 2nd version of this box as well (hopefully with more RAM, I'd like to see at least 4, but preferably 8), also USB 3.0 and/or USB-C would be nice!
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: TrailMyx on March 21, 2015, 09:21:26 PM
This has got me excited: http://www.minix.us/products/NEOZ64W.html

I think I'll wait until Win10 actually comes out and maybe the 2nd version of this box as well (hopefully with more RAM, I'd like to see at least 4, but preferably 8), also USB 3.0 and/or USB-C would be nice!

That is interesting.  Wonder if it runs RED HOT!
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: UOMaddog on March 29, 2015, 08:03:43 PM
Not sure, but I'm itching to get one to use as a back/front end for a PVR. I have an HDHomerun Dual (networked 2x digital ATSC tuner) so I can record on 2 devices at once (TV in living room, TV in master bedroom) while still watching TV on the actual TV (via coax). I just plan on using Windows Media Center on both boxes since I record TV as well as play movies from my Zyxel NSA320. Best of all worlds in my opinion.
Title: Re: Internet Media Devices
Post by: Zurg on March 30, 2015, 02:58:41 PM
Apple TV works great on my Ipad and Iphone but buffing a lot form computer to apple TV