No need for bluray players and HTPC?

Windows Home server with 12TB of storage connected to a HP Gigabit Switch.Stores everything. I stream from that.

First I had a win 7 machine and used windows media centre but it was laggy when searching for movies etc..

I used PS3 media server for my Home cinema for a while and ditched it to the bugs and lack of functions like FF and rewind. Basically it was unstable and a PITA.

Then I moved to to Playon HD which is a great device for the money and I use this in the bedroom now to stream content.

In the cinema room now I use XBMC and it works flawlessly when streaming HD stuff. Solid stable and robust. Looks excellent and makes organising TV shows and films so easy.

As for external HDD's plugged into TV's? I couldn't be bothered with it. Its as much hassle as putting a DVD or Bluray disc in.:p Copying stuff onto it when I want to watch something and running out of space etc...

Streaming for me is the future with a central i3 windows home server machine serving all the devices in the house.
 
Robbie G said:
All this stuff about movie sheets, synopses, previews, reviews...it seems like watching the actual content is secondary to how it looks before you've even pressed play :p.
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Not really but take the PS3 for instance...Do you know how annoying it was having to scan through 100's of movies in a list to get to the one you want?

With XBMC you can filter for director, genre, actor etc... Its great:)

Plus it ticks off films and TV episodes you have already watched which is handy when coming back to TV series after a few weeks and forgetting what episode your were up to :p
 
i replaced my HTPC with a PS3, the blu ray function is nice and usefull but i do miss XBMC so so much, if it had native blu ray support id ditch the ps3 in a heartbeat, not much really competes on any level, period.
 
krisboats said:
That you can watch crappy resolution youtube videos on it as well.
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This. The latest TV's come with all the app's that let you watch youtube, hulu and other clips from the internet. As you say, buy a 1080p TV and then watch horrible resolution clips :)
 
easyrider said:
Do these TV support NTFS file systems on HDD's?
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My LG does but I do agree disconnecting the HD then loading the film onto it and connecting it up again can get to be a pain. Going to have a go with the PS3 and some streaming but found the 1080p to be a jerk fest :( was wondering if 1gb homeplugs might help?
 
DirtyJester said:
My LG does but I do agree disconnecting the HD then loading the film onto it and connecting it up again can get to be a pain. Going to have a go with the PS3 and some streaming but found the 1080p to be a jerk fest :( was wondering if 1gb homeplugs might help?
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Wireless is crap for everything other than surfing the net and email

Wire is the way to go for HD streaming.
 
DirtyJester said:
My LG does but I do agree disconnecting the HD then loading the film onto it and connecting it up again can get to be a pain. Going to have a go with the PS3 and some streaming but found the 1080p to be a jerk fest :( was wondering if 1gb homeplugs might help?
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PS3 does not support MKV just so you know
 
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