Sanity Check - All in one Media Player

[Captain Fizz]

Hello folks,

Planning a "one box for all" media player.

Main reason I'm not wanting Fire TV etc is the audio, I want the best quality audio / easy en-queuing using a remote app.
Also to play Video's from NAS / iPlayer.

Will be going into an Onkyo AV Amp using HDMI -> Stereo speakers

Currently planning a wee Dell 3020/9020 Micro PC.
i3, near silent, HDMI out, WiFi built in, not too expensive

Then JRiver on it for most things.
Have a Flirc for using with HiFi Remote / may get a wee keyboard/trackpad combo or WMC Remote.

Main reason for JRiver over MediaMonkey is a better remote app and it should be able to do all video files too?
Prefer to keep it one app instead of an audio player + Kodi as I'll be teaching the Mrs how to use it
Not keen on Kodi's queuing options last time I used it. (A few years ago now, XBMC)

Pros:
-Can use the Flirc/WMC as a remote (main PC is in different room)
-Short HDMI cable (rather than potential issues with 25M cable)
-Small / neat / quiet
-Enough power to play anything

Cons:
-No built in remote or voice search
-Streaming would be via apps / webpages rather than apps

Unsure:
-JRiver may or may not be the 'play everything' / open full screen at boot app.


Other options are a small streaming box but not sure how well they deal with audio (FLAC / MP3 mainly) or queuing albums.
Or from main PC, long HDMI cable through the loft.

Is my plan a good one?

Having a good remote app for playing music is essential as the TV may not be on and it needs to be easy to add music.
EDIT - I have a spare Android to use as a remote as I see there isn't a great iOS app for JRiver and wife uses an Apple

 

[Captain Fizz]

If anyone cares...

Mate was selling his PC, decent spec but LOUD.
Changed case fans to 5V, CPU fans to mobo.
Now nearly silent. (Silverstone HTPC Case)

JRiver Media Centre installed.
Flirc IR receiver configured to control JRiver using the Onkyo Remote.
Set to Bitstream to the Onkyo.
PC auto-starts JRiver in theatre mode when it boots.

Have the PC under the TV.

Sounds awesome!
Easy to flip around and select what to play.

Will be tweaking around with sound settings from JRiver but the Flirc + Onkyo remote means 1 controller for everything, easy to navigate, sounds great...
Even the Mrs was impressed

 

[Psycho Sonny]

i just got a acer revo rl100

http://www.trustedreviews.com/acer-aspire-revo-100-review#tr-review-summary

i got an upgraded model with 8GB ram (overkill but i didn't pay for it). plus a 120GB SSD (again overkill but i didn't pay for it) for £120 all in.

it seems to be great at everything apart from youtube. it can't handle 1080p, 720p max.

the main reason why i got this is because it has a blu ray player built in. so it will handle anything i throw at it apart from youtube at 1080p.

bit of a shame. i'm hoping upgrading to windows 10 solves that. it's 5 years old but it cost £500 when new. plus it's been upgraded.

it's not a bad system for £120 but lacks a bit of cpu/gpu grunt with all these modern processors. i suppose it will do for a couple of years then i can buy something more powerful.

 

[Captain Fizz]

Nice - The one I got was his old gaming PC. Got it for nearly 1/3rd of cost of components. Heatsinks not even dusty.
So AMD FX-8350 Black & Radeon 270X GFX. (128GB SSD)

With fans at 5V the CPU does get to 60°C after 30 mins of Prime but considering the most of a work out it'll get is playing BluRay's/visualisations - Not too worried
Main issue was making it quieter so it can be in the Livingroom/Bedroom.


Very impressed by JRiver Media Centre though.
Cracking for using with a remote / from sofa.
Excellent audio quality too.

 

[ToejaM]

Out of interest have you ever used Plex, if so can you rate JRiver against it? Does it work with chromecast?

I've never used anything other than Plex but tbh it seems to struggle a little going to chromecast but I'm assuming you're controlling the media center on the PC using an app and just direct using HDMI with no wifi needed.

Does it support any WIFI streaming? Smart TV/Chromecast or?

 

[Captain Fizz]

I have used Plex - Not as keen on the music finding / queueing etc. Nice for TV/Movies though.
I have a Chromecast too, not used much now though - Can just swap to it on the amp if sticking youtube on TV for example.

When using Plex with the Chromecast I found it pretty reliable except when Doze kicked in, disconnecting the movie! (Could be changed by adding Plex to the "Don't doze whilst this is running" on the Nexus)

The Gizmo app can Cast, but that's more when streaming your media library to your phone at a mates house and streaming to their cast, or casting to a TV in a different room for example.
The app itself can play the media either on your device (and cast if needed) or control the server - That's how I use it.

So find tunes, when you click play the server starts playing it The Media PC is connected directly to the amp, using a wee wifi dongle at the moment until I make holes in the walls to get a network cable to it.
Tunes held locally just for ease.


Using the Theatre view is better than Plex, by a country mile!
If the library is on an SSD then it's instant. Browsing tunes is easy using Flirc + any remote you have enough buttons on. (Or Keyboard, mouse works too)

Audio quality is a world apart from the Chromecast.
Video is smooth - Noticed the Chromecast a little jumpy when playing from iPlayer etc.

TLR - It's a different beast to Plex, suited perfectly to a PC under the TV with an IR sensor. Or on a separate monitor if using multi-monitor out on a main PC with HDMI lead.

 

[ToejaM]

Cheers for the reply, I was asking as I was planning on a new TV due to having a permanent orions belt imprinted on my old TV by my now 5 year old when he was learning how to hammer stuff...

I just bought a Samsung UHD (4K) Smart TV. When I press sources, one of the sources is the Plex Media Server. The interface is pretty basic, no pictures of movies but its all there, even has a settings section.

However the Samsung app store on the TV had a Plex app (I believe its community developed but it works fine) and that works fine.

Massive difference in quality of the streaming, no choppyness noticed as of yet and this is all on the 5ghz wifi, there is an option of ethernet but not needed. The plan is still to setup a HTPC though.

 

[Captain Fizz]

Main benefit of the media box for me is:
Media PC -> Onkyo AV Receiver -> TV
So I'm getting the best quality to the amp for music.

If going straight into the TV... Plex would be grand / not sure how much benefit there would be.