Best media player to run XBMC exclusively?

a dedicated htpc is always the best option i believe.

there are a number of "boxes" that are capable though.

i personally have an ATV2 for the living room HTPC. its running Plex & Xbmc works fine and has been setup and left alone.

ive just bought one of the Sky Now Tv Box's and am going to install Plex on it.

i prefer plex to xbmc pesonally. so much easier to set up but you do need a PC, Mac or server etc on all the time.
 
In the same predicament, was going to go with an HP Microserver after a modest performance with my Pi. However I didn't really overclock, had a crappy router, didn't use some tweaks suggested in this thread, used a bog standard SD card and the signal wasn't great to stream from my PC. So if I used a fast USB2 flash drive, USB hub, tweaks, better router/WiFi setup or plug into my router through ethernet and overclocked - would that provide a decent setup with some nice art/skins?
 
I use an HP microserver with a GFX card installed. Works a treat and hasn't had an issues playing anything!
 
If the Pi round 2 doesn't work I will just wait until the next cash back for the HP. Is the CPU up to it? Do you have an SSD in there?
 
Might seem like a daft question but if you use the NUC do you have to power it down or can you just switch it off? It would be used in the bedroom so I'd need to be able to switch it off rather than wait for it to power down. However, when I say "I need to switch if off" what I actually mean is "my wife needs" :D
 
You don't have to power it down. Mine serves plex so I leave it on. Pretty efficient. But I also have a pulseEight usb cec adapter. So when I switch my TV off it can auto sleep the nuc, if I wanted. Auto wake etc...
 
You don't have to power it down. Mine serves plex so I leave it on. Pretty efficient. But I also have a pulseEight usb cec adapter. So when I switch my TV off it can auto sleep the nuc, if I wanted. Auto wake etc...

Unfortunately my wife is obsessed with unplugging the tv in the bedroom so I'd have to power it down every night! Will have to look at something else instead.
 
I use the WD TV Live SMP, I just bought one and its connected to my network via GB Lan but can do wireless, has a nice UI but recommend the third party Kudos theme, does metadata etc and plays everything I throw at it including .iso DVD rips, streams from my WD Live Book NAS without issue, 2x usb ports, HDMI and Optical outputs, very slick and quiet and can act as an internet streamer to your mobile etc... The remote does a good job but there is also an Apple and Android app that gives you full control of the device. cost less than £70.

Brief video of Kudos theme in action...

If you have one of the older WD TV sets, then there are hacked firmwares to allow torrents and other software to be installed etc...
 
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I've had a WDTV Live and while it was fine for the most part, the UI was a little uninspired imo! (although I never tried any custom skins etc!)

Besides, I really wanted XBMC!

Not tried a Revo but did try a Lenovo nettop which I believe is basically the same thing! Had issues with boot speed and the remote was a bit clumsy!

In the end I've gone for a Little Black Box and I have to say, so far it's looking to be the business!!
 
Another update on this - I've been playing with the Little Black Box and while it's quite impressive what they have been able to cram into a tiny box, it seems to me to be very much a work in progress so I'm thinking of returning it and looking into going down the NUC route!

Can anyone who has got one answer me a few questions?

1) I assume it's very much a standard PC in a tiny, quiet, low power box?

2) Can I install either XBMCbuntu or Openelec as the actual boot-into OS?

3) Are there any differences between either of these XBMC builds and the one that's currently running on my W7 laptop?

4) I've read that the Celeron is adequate and the i5 is probably overkill for just XBMC so I'm thinking that the i3 might be the way to go? (I want the best possible UI experience and flawless playback of 720p and 1080p MKV's)

5) I've read a bit about this "24p" problem - is this still prevalent in the NUC's?

6) Do I need an SSD for the OS? (I've read about running it from a USB stick!?!?)

7) I realise this route is more expensive than my original post but I'm starting to think it's going to be the only one I might be happy with!

Thanks for any help on this project guys...
 
Another update on this - I've been playing with the Little Black Box and while it's quite impressive what they have been able to cram into a tiny box, it seems to me to be very much a work in progress so I'm thinking of returning it and looking into going down the NUC route!

Can anyone who has got one answer me a few questions?

1) I assume it's very much a standard PC in a tiny, quiet, low power boxYes
2) Can I install either XBMCbuntu or Openelec as the actual boot-into OS?Yes

3) Are there any differences between either of these XBMC builds and the one that's currently running on my W7 laptop?Depends on the version your running, but as long as your up to date, youl be fine

4) I've read that the Celeron is adequate and the i5 is probably overkill for just XBMC so I'm thinking that the i3 might be the way to go? (I want the best possible UI experience and flawless playback of 720p and 1080p MKV's)I have the I3, more than enough power, the celeron is cheaper but some ppl had issues with 24p playback due to the intel onboard graphics chip it uses

5) I've read a bit about this "24p" problem - is this still prevalent in the NUC's?not for the i3 or i5

6) Do I need an SSD for the OS? (I've read about running it from a USB stick!?!?)I hear a USB is fine, didn't try it myself, something like openelec is 100% in memory anyhow, so once loaded itl be fast regardless

7) I realise this route is more expensive than my original post but I'm starting to think it's going to be the only one I might be happy with!Yeah thats where I ended up

Thanks for any help on this project guys...


The i3 is overkill for just XBMC, you can put ubuntu on it and have a full blown server, maybe you would like a Plex server for your mobile devices, a VPN server, a downloader, etc.. Also have a play with skins atm when you get it, really like the ACE skin atm.

I've probably mentioned before, consider a PulseEight CEC USB adaptor if you have a CEC TV. Works amazing and these things wake from sleep in under a second (well with a SSD at least)
 
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Wow! Thanks for the quick reply!

OK, a few additional questions if that's OK?

1) What do you control your's with remote-wise?

2) Can you treat me like an idiot (not a stretch! :D) and explain to me what the CEC gadget is/does and how to find out if my TV supports it? (Sony 46EX723)

3) Can you power up the NUC remotely? (or is it something to do with the above and the unit going off or to sleep?)

As for the other uses, I doubt I'll use it for much else, especially since a) I've got a NAS that I use for torrents etc and b) I know nothing about Linux!!

Thanks for the continued help...
 
1+2) Remote wise I use the CEC. If I switch the the correct input and (if my NUC is asleep) it will wake it up. The TV remote control then proceeds to control XBMC, i.e. Play, Stop, Menu etc. and even the number keys work to alpha search the library (i.e. Press button 2 three times to jump to movies beginning with 'C'. This is 100% programmable so you can have any button do as you wish, I have the Red button to take me to the home menu for instance, but out of the box it works for almost everything you'll ever need anyhow.
If I switch inputs it can pause the movie, if I switch the TV off it can put the NUC to sleep.

Basically it sends the remote commands over HDMI

Oh and the best bit, your TV does indeed support this (you had better check) but this is called 'bravia sync'.

3) You can power up the NUC remotely from off with wake on lan. If this is something you need. Imho just use the sleep normally, it powers up in around 3 seconds in to XBMC, but wakes from sleep in under 1 and I don't imagine the power use would be worth the time to calculate.

Fair enough with just XBMC, remember though openelec etc are all linux. BUT don't let this bother you. There are a million guides for anything you want to do. Much much better community support than windows. Not that they are any harder to install at all, openelec is extremely straightforwards, it should take you 20 seconds or so to do. something like ubuntu is 100% comparable to installing windows nowadays.
 
Yeah it's cool, replied to it on the hotmail account it gave me.

For you and anyone else reading this, a couple of things I forgot:
1) With CEC it will continue to control your TV sound (or amp) rather than XBMC, a good thing.
2) With the NUC you need memory and a cloverleaf kettle lead, as well as some form of storage.
 
Can I jump in here and ask a couple of questions?

Can the NUC run things like netflix and lovefilm?
Can I use it for internet access?

I've wired up my house and am considering my options for streamers around the house.
 
It's just a small computer. So for Netflix you need silverlight (made by Microsoft ) so you would need to install Windows on it or a Linux distribution with wine.
 
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