Pi5 or Pi4 streing computer.

[D1craig]

So I've been looking to get myself a streaming box like a firestick but better. I have a firestick and I feel it just doesn't have enough memory or space or whatever and always seems to run slow when I get the apps or programs I want to run on it.

I want to run streaming apps like netflix, disney plus and maybe even sky sports.

From my research it seems the pi5 just can't do it even as good as my old firestick.
The pi4 seems to have encoding/decoding that the pi5 doesn't have.
I will be getting a pi 4 or 5 just to mess with eventually but I would speed up that process if I can use one to stream videos from the streaming apps.

 

[D1craig]

Is it possible to get a top hat and get a better encoder/decoder that way?

 

[D1craig]

How would I go about building a mini pc similar to an n100 or something along the ryzen cpu/apus? I cant find what motherboards I'd need or anything other components that go with them. I've got the urge to build and I want to build something useful.

 

[D1craig]

I've not looked at the other options ie. Shield, roku etc. I do have a firestick and in all fairness it functions fine ( well it did when I got it, haven't used it for ages ) I just assumed something with more RAM, upgradeable storage and maybe a better cpu would do a lot better and a pi5 was in my head.

So now it's a question of firestick ( might buy a cube ) or a mini pc ie. N100. I dont want to spend more than a firecube would cost me for a mini pc.

 

[D1craig]

Just installed the pi installer, media OS for pi5

libreelec
volumio
mood audio player
picoreplayer

These sound like audio players. I am looking to get something i could stream netflix, disney plus etc.

Not play already downloaded videos either.

 

[D1craig]

For the price of an N100 based mini PC, you can buy an Nvidia Shield TV Pro (if buying second hand, likely with some money still in your pocket). If you're not bothered about local playback, the regular Shield is even cheaper and will happily playback anything from pretty much any streaming platform. They really are one of the best media playback devices out there. The Pro has a huge list of codecs and compatibility. I use a Pro for local playback with Plex for my ripped 4K UHD collection and it's literally faultless. I have used it with Prime Video, YouTube and Disney+ in the past and had no issues.

I've built many HTPC's and similar over the years and honestly they just don't compare. As others have said, having a fast, silent box with a massive list of codec support that for lack of a better term, "just works" and includes a solid remote (all hail the Toblerone!) it's hard to beat!

I do want it to be a bit of a pc aswell though. The main goal will be streaming from such apps but I want to do some other pc stuff aswell. Play some very light gaming (atm raid shadow legends but likely others in the future), browse the Internet etc etc.