No need for bluray players and HTPC?

HTPC + Media portal + Plugins = On demand style Movie\TV setup with 100% support for all\any file types. Including ISO'd DVDs\blurays

I love being able to browse through anything I have, and it access IMDB or an other site to get you the show synopsis, full episode recap plus boxart, fan art.

Cant beat HTPCs.
 
Yeah that's maybe the pinnacle of it but after all you're just going to be watching the actual movie itself. You can view IMDB on a laptop/pc if you really need to. You can browse through movies via USB with the built in HDTV browser that allows covers.
 
Only issue for me is I picked a TV based on the picture quality, it's the one thing you can't really change or buy anything to change it.

Least with streaming stuff you can get a HTPC/WDTV live type device/PS3 afterwards to do the streaming.

Our tv streams avis directly ok, but anythign else I need to use the ps3.
 
Nate Silvers said:
Don't mkvs come with high bitrate audio?
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MKV is just a container. As such it will "contain" anything you want it to. HD Audio formats are not the same as "high bitrate audio" and your TV will only be able to playback core AC3/DTS formats.

jellybeard999 is quite correct, an HTPC can do a lot more than the in-built media software on a TV. It just depends if you need or want these features.
 
My Samsung c650 TV plays 1080p mkvs fine (using PS3 media server) and I've just retired my XBMC Acer Revo as an HTPC as I never used it anymore. It's now taken over as my mail/web/PS3 Media server hidden nicely upstairs in the office.
 
I've ripped all my blurays 1:1 ISO's and just use hardrives attatched to media streamers for the main tv's in the house, works flawlessly. For the kids tv's in thier rooms, if they want to watch a film they can stream a 720p rip from my server.
 
Lunatic Dreyfus said:
Media PC + recorded telly, backed up music, blu-ray and DVD collection. Everything's there, I can see it, I can watch it. Bish - Bash - Bosh. Can't really imagine a better solution, once you've got it working properly.

Not a USB cable in sight. Just a long HDMI one. :D
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Not a problem because you can play backed up music/dvds through the TV using a short usb cable ;)
 
Pav89 said:
I own a HTPC/Media server

Nothing ATM can beat XBMC's interface. It automatically downloads a blurb, ratings, covers etc. and displays them in such a user friendly way. I doubt TVs can achieve such a feat right now.

HTPCs are a way to store and catalog your whole library of movies, TV shows and music. I doubt TVs have a cataloging feature.

The HTPC is used to share media around the house; people access it to watch from the comfort of their room. Its the PC in our house with the most storage too.

So, its a HTPC but is used as a NAS too...which can't be replaced by a TV.
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Yep, a proper setup HTPC is miles better than any current usb tv solution.
 
[TW]Fox;18313031 said:
Using DLNA and Sony BraviaLink I can browse the content of the Media Drive on my PC and watch almost anything I want - it's all neatly categorised into folders. Works perfectly...

..except for one thing, it doesnt support MKV :(

But other than that I see no reason to bother with a HTPC if you've got equipment capable of streaming off the network, just store everything on your main PC?
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Try PS3 Media Server: -

http://www.avforums.com/forums/lcd-led-lcd-tvs/1251629-sony-kdl40ex403-movies.html

This should convert the video on the fly to a format that your TV will play,
 
I tried DLNA for a couple of months on a Samsung TV and it wasn't great, for MKVs the audio had to be in a specific format, and VC-1 video was a no go. Bought a WDTV Live and haven't looked back, it just works.
 
wannabedamned said:
HTPC + Media portal + Plugins = On demand style Movie\TV setup with 100% support for all\any file types. Including ISO'd DVDs\blurays

I love being able to browse through anything I have, and it access IMDB or an other site to get you the show synopsis, full episode recap plus boxart, fan art.

Cant beat HTPCs.
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Snap! This is the way I have my HTPC set up as well. Love media portal. It takes a fair bit of setting up and tweaking, but it is mighty powerful and adaptable.
 
wannabedamned said:
HTPC + Media portal + Plugins = On demand style Movie\TV setup with 100% support for all\any file types. Including ISO'd DVDs\blurays

I love being able to browse through anything I have, and it access IMDB or an other site to get you the show synopsis, full episode recap plus boxart, fan art.

Cant beat HTPCs.
Click to expand...

This! I run MediaPortal and use that as my TV server too. It looks fancy, supports anything and is easy to use. With one box, I can watch and record TV, watch ripped films, see info on them from IMDB, watch trailers on films, listen to my music and also play PC games on my TV. I can bitstream HD audio to my amp and it is also fool proof to use for my missus! :)
 
I have a external 1TB Hard drive plugged into my tv 24/7, TV plays all files from xvid to 1080p MKV files perfectly.

Very happy with it, saves me having to power up my MBP and PS3 to do it over server wasting more electric than i need to.
 
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