Media Streaming for house- Ideas

Arsey 2 · 29 Jun 2010 at 12:19

Hey guys and girls

I'm looking into purchasing some media streaming type equipment for my house

I currently own a server which is on 24/7 that would be an ideal place to house all of my media and just want hardware that will stream music to various hi fi's around the home.

However I also have a 46" lcd tv in the living room that I would love to stream 1080p movies/pictures/music to from my server

Does anyone have any ideas or products that you particularity like and would recommend?

thanks very much!

wonder_lander · 29 Jun 2010 at 12:53

I've got a Windows Home Server built on an HP ML115 G5.

This runs 24/7 and hosts all of my media.

I am then using an Acer Revo R3610 to stream via Windows 7 Media Player (and Media Browser) all of my media to my TV.

geuben · 29 Jun 2010 at 12:57

I have an Acer H340 and use an Xtreamer as my end device, plugged into a 37" running 1080p no problems.

SimonR · 30 Jun 2010 at 01:34

I am running an Apple G4 with Twonky server and currently using a Sony 370 BD player to stream to, which it does nicely. I also stream MP3s to my Onkyo TX-NR807 again via Twonky. I also use my XBox 360 for streaming movies to. If you are looking at something discrete the WD TV Live's are small and work well.

You may want to look at the Logitech Squeezebox range (touch, duo, radio and boombox as well as the very pricey transporter). I bought my mum a Squeezebox Radio and she loves it, blows most **** away, and she can stream from her HP EX 490 to it.

Mushii

Kadafi · 30 Jun 2010 at 11:30

im looking into the same thing, I have an imac in the study, it has 1tb external storage with all my media files, I want to access them from the living room and/or bedroom, any ideas which option to go for?

SimonR · 30 Jun 2010 at 13:22

Kadafi said:
im looking into the same thing, I have an imac in the study, it has 1tb external storage with all my media files, I want to access them from the living room and/or bedroom, any ideas which option to go for?

I would suggest that you install Twonky server on your imac (£15) and look at any DLNA compliant streaming device, I use my Sony S370 BD player or if you are an Apple person you could look at an Apple TV or one of the new Mac Minis.

Personally I sold my AppleTV and havent looked back.

Other options would be an XBox360 or Sony PS3 or Windows Media Centre.

For me the hard part has been WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor), I have bought and sold loads of kit, because SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) couldn't or wouldn't use it.

You have to decide on your budget and what works for you (and your family).

So Far:

Apple TV - Sold
Windows Media Centre x2 - Sold
Kiss 500 - Sold
Various other streaming devices - Sold
Windows Home Server - Sold
XBox 360 - OK
Sony S370 BD Player - OK
Onkyo 807 - OK

I am learning, appliances with nice easy interface that seldom crash are a winner, gadgets and computers with complex interfaces, menus etc get used a bit, until they dont deliver, then they are ignored and I get whined at.

Mushii

Arsey 2 · 30 Jun 2010 at 13:48

cheers for this guys,

Does anyone recommend WD live?

wellibob · 30 Jun 2010 at 14:04

WD live are good, i personally have a htpc and a sumvision cyclone mkv to stream bits and bobs from my file server.

booyaka · 1 Jul 2010 at 10:28

Arsey 2 said:
cheers for this guys,

Does anyone recommend WD live?

yip - i've got the original wd tv (not the live one) and with a bit of a firmware update & a usb to cat5 adapter, it streams 1080p stuff from my server in the garage to my panny 42" in the lounge via cat5 cable.

i believe the newer "live" one has built in rj45 (cat5).

Simple, cheap, silent and very good.

Arsey 2 · 1 Jul 2010 at 10:45

excellent thats the 1080p video streaming sorting to my main lounge and 46" tosh.

now guys do you have any recommendations about music streaming to hi fi's? How about logitec's squeezebox?

thanks again

Jez · 1 Jul 2010 at 11:07

booyaka said:
yip - i've got the original wd tv (not the live one) and with a bit of a firmware update & a usb to cat5 adapter, it streams 1080p stuff from my server in the garage to my panny 42" in the lounge via cat5 cable.

i believe the newer "live" one has built in rj45 (cat5).

Simple, cheap, silent and very good.

Exactly what i do, best little bit of kit i have ever bought. Works seamlessly, even the gf can operate it and play everything in the library as she would do on a dvd player.

Kadafi · 1 Jul 2010 at 11:25

SimonR said:
I would suggest that you install Twonky server on your imac (£15) and look at any DLNA compliant streaming device, I use my Sony S370 BD player or if you are an Apple person you could look at an Apple TV or one of the new Mac Minis.

Personally I sold my AppleTV and havent looked back.

Other options would be an XBox360 or Sony PS3 or Windows Media Centre.

For me the hard part has been WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor), I have bought and sold loads of kit, because SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) couldn't or wouldn't use it.

You have to decide on your budget and what works for you (and your family).

So Far:

Apple TV - Sold
Windows Media Centre x2 - Sold
Kiss 500 - Sold
Various other streaming devices - Sold
Windows Home Server - Sold
XBox 360 - OK
Sony S370 BD Player - OK
Onkyo 807 - OK

I am learning, appliances with nice easy interface that seldom crash are a winner, gadgets and computers with complex interfaces, menus etc get used a bit, until they dont deliver, then they are ignored and I get whined at.

Mushii

im looking at something a bit cheaper than most of those options.

How is the WD Live with Macs and wireless?

Jez · 1 Jul 2010 at 11:28

Kadafi said:
How is the WD Live with Macs and wireless?

In what sense? OSX's networking is..fine?

Kadafi · 1 Jul 2010 at 12:26

Jez said:
In what sense? OSX's networking is..fine?

i didnt mean that in the same context, I meant in terms of, WD live connecting to MAC shares etc, and how good/much of an issue is the WD Live in connecting wirelessly over my network?

Jez · 1 Jul 2010 at 12:35

The WDTV live isnt wireless, so you will have to cable it to your network. In terms if transfer rates you will find standard "N" wireless will be fine, and will even get away with "G" for non HD stuff.

Standard WDTV connects to shares on my macs, no experience with the live, i am sure a quick google will reveal the answer.

Random Guy · 1 Jul 2010 at 14:10

I have the Popcorn Hour A110 and a bunch of Homeplugs.

Thats all I need for 1080p MKV streaming at wired speeds. Also have an HDD in the Popcorn for moving stuff over to watch locally.

SimonR · 1 Jul 2010 at 21:42

Kadafi said:
im looking at something a bit cheaper than most of those options.

Well the Sony S370 BD player does EVERYTHING that the WD TV does plus is a Blu Ray Player and costs less - £99

scamartist · 2 Jul 2010 at 08:30

WDlive and some decent homeplugs is all you require.

Will play anything you can stream in its direction.

Best buy I've made this year.

The sony mentioned above looks decent but doesn't have network streaming abilities yet, although its seemingly scheduled for a firmware update to enable it.

Stickman · 2 Jul 2010 at 09:29

Since we already have an Xbox 360 hooked to the main TV we just stream vids from Vuze... I'm sure there might be fancier solutions out there but that one's a free way to stream vids if you already have an xbox on the network.... no additional hardware required.

chipperhead · 2 Jul 2010 at 11:24

wonder_lander said:
I've got a Windows Home Server built on an HP ML115 G5.

This runs 24/7 and hosts all of my media.

I am then using an Acer Revo R3610 to stream via Windows 7 Media Player (and Media Browser) all of my media to my TV.

I'm just looking at kitting my house at with streaming media and looking at getting an Acer Revo, can I ask why you have a Windows Home Server hosting your media and also a Revo?
Can't you just use the Revo to host your media and leave that on 24/7, wouldn't it be cheaper to run? This is all new to me and I was just looking at getting a Revo and nothing else apart from my main pc.