XBMC Media Player for plug and play

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gnfb

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#150966 9-Aug-2014 12:50

I have a mate who wants to plug a media player into his tv.
He saw my XBMC setup and wants one for his place But I use a raspberry which I wouldn't recommend to those with a sensitive disposition.

He has a network

So whats the say sub $200 that everyone is buying these days?

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#1105368 9-Aug-2014 13:08

A bit over the $200 but a NUC? Would also need a hard drive

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=MBDINT2520391&name=Intel-Next-Unit-of-Computing-Kits-(NUC)-BOXDN2820F

Otherwise something like this

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=EXWKSDEL0751&name=EX-LEASED-DELL-OPTIPLEX-755-Intel-C2D-2.33GHz-1G-8

or

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=EXWKSSIL1001&name=OFF-LEASE-Silicon-System-C2D-2.6GHz-2GB-RAM-250GB-

with a cheap video card with HDMI

I use old school computers to make home media PC

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kiwifidget

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#1105449 9-Aug-2014 15:10

If you can find one, an Apple TV2. These can be jailbroken and XBMC installed on them. This is what I use. IT wont work with the Apple TV3 though, there is no jailbreak for that device.
Failing that, a cheap android box like the Pivos, XBMC can be installed on those too.

Edit to add : Where does he store his media files?, as that will make a difference to the type of solution that will work.

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gehenna

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#1105490 9-Aug-2014 16:19

WDTV is generally the easiest appliance-like media player for plug and play scenarios. Low end models just usb connected drives, medium end use a mix of usb connected and internal drives, and high end models use usb and network connected drives.

In saying that even the "high end" models are only around $200.

petes117

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#1105491 9-Aug-2014 16:19

I have an Apple TV2 with XBMC but it just barely performs with its minimal hardware innards. I actually ran out of RAM because my library was too big when downloading all the XBMC metadata, and it kept crashing until I wiped it clean. Then you run into all sorts of problems with streaming various media types (the constant buffering) and the daunting initial setup... it's just not worth the hassle.

I've got my eye on one of those Amazon Fire TV's since it officially supports Plex. It might suit your friend's needs better since it is more user friendly given that he wants something "plug and play".

JimmyH

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#1105500 9-Aug-2014 16:45

I purchased a Minix X8-h, which comes with an optimised version of XBMC preinstalled. Cost was $175.

Seems to work. But other than an initial install and check, I haven't really had the time to use or test it thoroughly.

Handle9

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#1105503 9-Aug-2014 16:51

I'm running Xbmc on an Amazon fire Tv. It's about 2 hours to get it jail broken and setup but it's plain sailing from there.

I've set one up for my 67 year old, not very technically literate Mum, and she loves it.

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robjg63

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#1105504 9-Aug-2014 16:52

If you are hell bent on xbmc then forget about apple tv. I have an apple tv 2 with xbmc and it mostly runs ok, but bought an Amazon fire tv via amazon and nz posts youshop. Something like $120 nzd landed. Xbmc was really easy to install and it runs very well.
I play some Netflix stuff via the fire tvs apps and use xbmc a lot to stream stuff from my pc to the tv.

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BigMal

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#1105548 9-Aug-2014 18:36

robjg63: If you are hell bent on xbmc then forget about apple tv. I have an apple tv 2 with xbmc and it mostly runs ok, but bought an Amazon fire tv via amazon and nz posts youshop. Something like $120 nzd landed. Xbmc was really easy to install and it runs very well.
I play some Netflix stuff via the fire tvs apps and use xbmc a lot to stream stuff from my pc to the tv.

This. I have a NUC, RPi, ATV and Fire TV. The NUC is best but it's not sub 200.

The Fire TV is the best value for money, it runs XBMC REALLY well and you can use it for Netflix etc.

gnfb

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#1105849 10-Aug-2014 13:08

The Amazon fire Tv seems to be getting a good rap
Thanks for all your comments
will go to the next stage

oh and somone asked
all his films and tv are stored on some sort of ...what do they call it NAS thingy he siad a "box of drives"

thanks again

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robjg63

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#1105864 10-Aug-2014 13:14

XBMC support several protocols for accessing data remotely.
I have my files in a folder on my PC and have that set to be shared on my home network.
Under XBMC you set up a SAMBA share (this is a way of mapping a link from XBMC to the windows share).
So under XBMC you just have a shortcut that immediately accesses and lists the media you have on the windows share.

This is the wiki page for what you have to do to install XBMC on the fire TV:
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Amazon_Fire_TV

Section 2 is the one you want to look at. Takes a couple of minutes to get XBMC onto the Fire TV.

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gnfb

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#1106216 11-Aug-2014 09:45

So is it the power of the amazon that is attractive to this purpose as i found quite a bit on the net about it

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robjg63

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#1106228 11-Aug-2014 10:08

It has a powerful processor, lots of RAM and some storage (used for content buffering I guess).
Being quite powerful means it can display HD content really easily.
I think its appeal is that it also runs a version of Android and thus has some appeal to the 'value add' community. Amazon seem ok with people adding abilities to their product (so far) and dont seem to want to lock it up (like apple for example).

It also has a bluetooth remote - which I thought was unusual. But its good because its not directional like the usual infra-red remotes that get blocked by line of site (coffee tables etc). You dont have to point the remote at all and it has good distance.

Make sure you use the link at the top of the geekzone page if you decide to order one. I think it give Mauricio a little credit so thats a good thing).
Set yourself up with a NZpost youshop account first though (free to setup) as they dont ship the Fire TV outside of the states at the moment.
You just get them to mail it to 'your' youshop address and once it arrives there (portland oregon from memory) NZpost/youshop send you a quote for sending it to NZ. I think it was something like $18NZD from memory and it arrived in NZ pretty quick. I got a discount code you can use until 31 August. Just put in "HowAbout25" in the promo code field and you can get 25% off the freight to NZ cost.

Just a heads up on the power supply - it comes with a power brick that handles any voltages (110-240v) but it has a 2 pin US plug on it - so you would need to get yourself a power plug adapter ($5 or so if you go to the right places).

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

gnfb

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#1106578 11-Aug-2014 16:01

robjg63: It has a powerful processor, lots of RAM and some storage (used for content buffering I guess).
Being quite powerful means it can display HD content really easily.
I think its appeal is that it also runs a version of Android and thus has some appeal to the 'value add' community. Amazon seem ok with people adding abilities to their product (so far) and dont seem to want to lock it up (like apple for example).

It also has a bluetooth remote - which I thought was unusual. But its good because its not directional like the usual infra-red remotes that get blocked by line of site (coffee tables etc). You dont have to point the remote at all and it has good distance.

Make sure you use the link at the top of the geekzone page if you decide to order one. I think it give Mauricio a little credit so thats a good thing).
Set yourself up with a NZpost youshop account first though (free to setup) as they dont ship the Fire TV outside of the states at the moment.
You just get them to mail it to 'your' youshop address and once it arrives there (portland oregon from memory) NZpost/youshop send you a quote for sending it to NZ. I think it was something like $18NZD from memory and it arrived in NZ pretty quick. I got a discount code you can use until 31 August. Just put in "HowAbout25" in the promo code field and you can get 25% off the freight to NZ cost.

Just a heads up on the power supply - it comes with a power brick that handles any voltages (110-240v) but it has a 2 pin US plug on it - so you would need to get yourself a power plug adapter ($5 or so if you go to the right places).

Cheers!

Is an English Man living in New Zealand. Not a writer, an Observer he says. Graham is a seasoned 'traveler" with his sometimes arrogant, but honest opinion on life. He loves the Internet!.

I have two shops online allshop.nz patchpinflag.nz
Email Me

joff_nz

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#1109912 17-Aug-2014 13:36

Being that the Fire TV isn't 'meant' for use in NZ, are there any gotchas to using them in NZ as an XBMC device? I don't have or desire to use any geo unblocking services, nor do I use Netflix or any other streaming services at this point?

Assuming that's OK it seems like a very good value xbmc box.
I've recently picked up a chromecast but it's not quite as good as I'd hoped. What it does, it does well but it doesn't like all of my media files, and many of the apps and add-ons I've used so far aren't quite polished enough.

robjg63

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#1109928 17-Aug-2014 14:12

I havent found anything it wont play...yet.
Xbmc has no geo restrictions.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

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