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gedc

355 posts

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#280516 19-Dec-2020 15:40
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Have a roughly 8 year old I5 NUC running Kodi on my main living room TV.  Kodi pulls the various media that we watch from my Synology NAS.    We can also use the NUC as a PC and it runs websites and Youtube etc fine on the tv. 

 

We have a rumpus room that we have setup several years ago with a projector, bluray player and skybox.   Basically a small cinema.  The good lady is now getting very bored of loading various dvd's and blurays into the machine and has asked me to replicate the living room setup. Switch on the telly, choose the input and Kodi pops up as the NUC pretty much runs all the time. 

 

I'm now keen to install another NUC style of device in the cinema room so we can also stream media from the Synology NAS.  

 

I can go out and drop a chunk of cash on another NUC but for simply streaming media from my NAS, what other options ( aka cheaper ) exist.  

 

Most of the stuff on the NAS is 720p/1080P h264 or h265 compressed.  

 

Would an android box suffice or an NVIDIA PRO shield etc?  

 

We likely don't need the PC functionality. Just something that is reliable and can play upto 1080P without issues.  4K is a future option.

 

Thanks for any pointers.

 

Ged


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askelon
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  #2624374 19-Dec-2020 15:48
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Android TV box of some sort. I have a couple of Mi Box S in use here for my household.  Both run 4k amazon / netflix and connect to Jellyfin.  I dont bother with Kodi on them cause the standard apps work perfectly well. 


 
 
 

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Gurezaemon
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  #2624375 19-Dec-2020 15:48
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A Mi Box type android box, or one of the new Google Chromecasts with Google TV fit the bill exactly. Kodi runs fine on the Mi Box, and it is stupidly easy to set up and use. 





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Gilco2
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  #2624379 19-Dec-2020 16:08
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I went the same and tried Mi box but kodi was painfully slow.  Eventually I went with Apple TV 4k.  I use Mrmc a kodi port small cost to buy but worth it.  I also use netflix and youtube. Has worked flawless for me and is quick with good picture quality. Only problem I had was the remote wouldnt register my finger so bought the earlier remote for Apple TV 3. Havent looked back




phrozenpenguin
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  #2624434 19-Dec-2020 20:06
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You could get a second hand NUC for the price of those Nvidia Shields?


driller2000
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  #2624435 19-Dec-2020 20:25
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+ 1 for Mibox - I have 2 of my own and have set up 4 for friends/family - great value device.

 

Not as fast as my Shield but its 1/3 the price - and it does all I need it to.


jonb
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  #2624438 19-Dec-2020 20:38
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When I had miBox I could use the VLC app to connect to the network share on Filestation where media was stored.  Fairly cumbersome but didn't do it that often, but worked fine for the various codecs.  If you are more organised the other Apps like Kodi or the Synology android apps might work.


nzkc
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  #2624493 19-Dec-2020 21:45
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Another mi box user here running Plex (although I'm trying Jellyfin too). It's a it just works solution.



darylblake
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  #2624515 19-Dec-2020 23:14
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Have not tried Mibox but might look into it. 

 


The new R Pi's are pretty decent power now esp for running kodi. Second hand NUC's also an option. 

 

I prefer using an xbox/playstation to get media as well, doubles as a console.... 


SATTV
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  #2624534 20-Dec-2020 08:47
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Keep the WAF high by going to another NUC, if you wife is happy with the NUC then get another NUC, there is no relearning curve.

 

There are plenty of Android box's on the market but from my experience they are slow, if you are going to pay more for a shield you might as well by a ex lease / second hand NUC and be done with it.

 

 

 

John





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dan

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  #2624545 20-Dec-2020 09:32
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i was originally using a NUC to power my theatre system

 

 

 

switched to the nvidia shield, you wont regret it, its finally became one of the most ideal boxes are years of bug fixes, with some of the most annoying bugs just been

 

recently fixed

 

dont buy the tube version.


Gurezaemon
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  #2624572 20-Dec-2020 11:22
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darylblake:

 

Have not tried Mibox but might look into it. 

 


The new R Pi's are pretty decent power now esp for running kodi. Second hand NUC's also an option. 

 

I prefer using an xbox/playstation to get media as well, doubles as a console.... 

 

 

Big fan of Raspberry Pi here, but as far as I am aware, it doesn't do Netflix or similar without some serious tweaking.





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