Options for configuring home tv, nas, pc and internet

danlightbulb · 15 Feb 2020 at 17:44

Ive posted in this section because this is a bit of a catch all question.

Im buying a house so will need to start from scratch on my broadband, tv and networking. I currently have Virgin broadband and tv and all the equipment is located at the tv area. In the new house the living room is right at the back so running a Virgin cable all the way to that location will be awkward.

I have the following:
1. A smart tv
2. A home NAS for films
3. A home pc for office/ internet/ games
4. A games console

At present, the NAS and xbox is connected by ethernet to the broadband router. I play my films via the xbox into the tv. My pc is also connected to the router via ethernet, so i can see the nas from that as well.

If i ditch Virgin, i would then get a netflix/firestick device for streaming. But i would still need to access my NAS from both tv and pc. Its likely though that my broadband router would be in the front room where the phone line comes in, and tv/xbox and pc all in the back room of the house.

How is the best way to set this all up?

danlightbulb · 16 Feb 2020 at 10:38

Unless im having the pc directly connected to the tv, I dont really want to have to switch the pc on every time i want to watch content from my NAS. Can the tv directly read the NAS if they are all on the same network?

danlightbulb · 16 Feb 2020 at 10:58

Its a WD My cloud.

danlightbulb · 16 Feb 2020 at 19:47

Thanks for help so far.

I am finding myself cross posting now unfortunately as I also started a thread in general discussion about going fully down the streaming route.

I appear to getting lost in all the options and not being able to figure out what can and can't connect to what.

If I have the following hardware:
* a smart TV;
* a gaming pc;
* a games console (currently xbox 360);
* a WD mycloud NAS (connected to Virgin superhub);
* a virgin superhub fibre broadband wifi/ethernet router;
* a google home speaker device;
* a soundbar;
* a netflix subscription; and finally
* freeview TV aerial

I am happy that I'd be able to watch standard freeview tv, watch netflix tv, and play console games all through the tv with soundbar on. That's all fine.

But what I'm unsure of is the following:
1. Watching movies from my NAS (separate room with router), through tv and soundbar.
2. Telling google home device to play music from NAS through the soundbar directly.
3. Telling google home device to play music from the internet through the soundbar directly.
4. Telling google home device to show content from NAS or internet on tv.
5. Screencasting my phone or pc to the tv.
6. Directly connecting my pc to tv for gaming, if its not in same room. Controlling pc from alternate room?

May as well tag this on too - what if I go for a 5.1 surround sound set up rather than a sound bar? For example I have seen the Yamaha YHT1840 package which is £300:
* I have read that a budget 5.1 system is likely to be better sound than a budget soundbar?
* I understand all the inputs connect into the amp, then this passes picture to the tv?
* If the tv containers the freeview tuner and the netflix etc apps, how does the sound from this get back into the surround sound amp?
* Does the tv remote control the volume of the entire set up like it does with soundbars?
* Can this be connected to google home device and/or be able to see music on the NAS for directly playing music on?

Lots of questions I know but Im getting an entire media setup from almost scratch so they all need answering at once, so I don't waste money buying something not suitable.

danlightbulb · 18 Feb 2020 at 18:21

Mujja said:
A shield TV would allow you to cast, use Google assistant, run a Plex or Emby server and client and stream games from your pc.

Connect a USB Freeview tuner to the device or connect a HDHomerun to you network and use Plex or Emby server as a PVR. I recommend Emby as the EPG is much better on the device, mobile and web browser.

Thanks. I just googled what both of those things are.

Kinda still confused.

Shield is a streaming device, like the firestick? It is used for just pulling content via apps from various sources? It seems to be a mini computer in its own right - what is its purpose? isnt this just another device with apps on it, is it needed if my tv has them already?

The HDhomerun - is a freeview tuner and recorder? that then stores those recordings on a seperate nas? that then streams that content back to you? If i wanted to record freeview channels i guess can see what this is for.

danlightbulb · 20 Feb 2020 at 17:10

Not sure if this next question fits perfectly in this section but its all linked to my recent thoughts about how to reconfigure my whole media setup.

I have a reasonably capable PC (spec in sig), but I hardly use it for gaming. I don't have many games purchased, and I don't have any extra stuff like good quality controlers, joysticks, steering wheels etc.

I also have an xbox 360. Probably close to 10 years old now. I have a range of boxed games, mostly bought used.

Along with getting a new 4k TV, 55/65" size, I am also considering what to do about gaming hardware. I could buy the new Xbox scarlett or PS5 when they come out, or I could put my PC alongside the TV cabinet (although its quite large tower so not as neat as a console) and make better use of that to its capability.

Which way would you go?

danlightbulb · 21 Feb 2020 at 14:03

Hi all Ive been researching further and it seems that to view PC via TV I can use a HMDI/Fibre/HDMI cable which are available in 10m+ lengths. This will be perfect, I can have PC in dining area of long living room, on its own desk with monitor, and I can run a HDMI/Fibre cable around the walls to the TV. I can then have a wireless keyboard and mouse to use when sitting on the sofa.

However I have also been looking at steering wheels/pedal combos. I can't find out if the best buy G29(PS4/PC) or G920(Xbox/pc) is wireless? If I am going to have PC in one corner of room, and be sitting on my sofa playing games on the TV then I will need everything to be wireless. Can anyone help with advice please?

If these types of peripherals aren't available wireless then perhaps I could put a USB hub at the TV location and run a single cable back to a USB port on the PC. The length of cable may need to be between 5 and 8m though. What are my options here - powered hub or some kind of intermediate conversion i.e to ethernet and back to USB at the PC end?