Search for the PERFECT media player under $200

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Search for the PERFECT media player under $200

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294 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#634064 1-Jun-2012 12:15

I don't have a lot of success with channels in plex. Not sure why - another topic though.

Yeah, I've got a TiVo at home and would be awesome if the TiVo Plex Channel would work. Couldn't figure out how to get it going. But yeah, another topic I guess.

BigDave

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Master Geek
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#634065 1-Jun-2012 12:18

Have you had a look at this one?

http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=DVAACR7370&name=AC-Ryan-Playon-HD-2-%28BEST-SELLING-NO.1%29-Full-HD-10

This is just above :) @ $205.85 this is what I am looking at currently

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timmmay

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#634078 1-Jun-2012 12:27

"The Playon!HD2 is an unusual mix of excellent format support with terrible documentation, serious stability issues and whacky GUI control choices. It's inexpensive, but unless firmware updates can address the control and stability issues, it's a poor choice."

From http://www.cnet.com.au/ac-ryan-playonhd2-339312556.htm

The chip at the heart of it looks to be the same as the one in the Xtreamer. Both products are pretty widely criticized.

JayTaicho

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Ultimate Geek
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#634148 1-Jun-2012 13:44

timmmay: "The Playon!HD2 is an unusual mix of excellent format support with terrible documentation, serious stability issues and whacky GUI control choices. It's inexpensive, but unless firmware updates can address the control and stability issues, it's a poor choice."

From http://www.cnet.com.au/ac-ryan-playonhd2-339312556.htm

The chip at the heart of it looks to be the same as the one in the Xtreamer. Both products are pretty widely criticized.

That's unfortunate. It sounds pretty good on paper. I wonder if there's been much improvement to it since CNets review last year.

As for the Xtreamer, I bought the very first model when it came out some years ago and was really disappointed with it. It didn't have HFS+ support (really my fault for not checking first) and the build quality was really bad. Plus, the GUI was so ugly. I'm sure the newer models are a whole lot better, but first impressions last!

timmmay

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#634153 1-Jun-2012 14:06

Have a look at what driller2000 said on page 2, he has 3 xtreamer products and is happy with them.

caryw

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#634182 1-Jun-2012 14:49

Just a quick answer...
AC Ryan HD2 or the Mini
They are the best on the market
Mine works fine with virtually everything you can throw at it (yes including Matroska and blueray)
Check them out online
PB Tech have them for around $190 and $220?? last time I looked

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kiwijunglist

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#634200 1-Jun-2012 14:59

I've been really really happy with WDTV Live, and u sometimes pick it up for $100 or less. However i don't use the media library function, but it does connect to plex media server without problems, I can't comment on plex channels tho as I don't use streaming services. I have a lot of media approx 6TB, and havn't encounted any files it couldn't play perfectly.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

Talkiet

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#634201 1-Jun-2012 14:59

caryw: Just a quick answer...
AC Ryan HD2 or the Mini
They are the best on the market
Mine works fine with virtually everything you can throw at it (yes including Matroska and blueray)
Check them out online
PB Tech have them for around $190 and $220?? last time I looked

Certainly sounds like it works well for you but I had an AC Ryan HD2 for a week once (about a year ago I think) and I ended up returning it for a refund as it was unfit for purpose. It played most things, but regularly crashed, the GUI didn't work as designed, lots of issues with out of sync sound and the functionality for a media library was just broken.

The best all in one box I have found are the WDTV Live series, and the solution I have now (ATV2 with XBMC) is by far the best for my purposes although it requires having networked storage available for the media files and can't play 720p 50FPS files.

Cheers -N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

timmmay

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#634211 1-Jun-2012 15:09

Talkiet can you talk more about WD Live vs XBMC? There must be hardware designed for XMBC, that should blow most things out of the water shouldn't it? A $500 PC built for use in the lounge (ideally fanless), add a blu ray drive, it should work fine for years.

Talkiet

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#634214 1-Jun-2012 15:14

timmmay: Talkiet can you talk more about WD Live vs XBMC? There must be hardware designed for XMBC, that should blow most things out of the water shouldn't it? A $500 PC built for use in the lounge (ideally fanless), add a blu ray drive, it should work fine for years.

WDTV Live is a simple, plug it in and it works option and you can add local storage via USB.

XBMC is a full fledged media centre bit of software that manages large libraries well, has nice 3rd party addons, includes remote controls on smartphones and supports a lot of different hardware. On the ATV2 it's CHEAP, silent and reasonably quick.

Downsides are that it is more complex to setup and at least on teh ATV2, it is limited to 720p output (but it will play back 1080p files).

If you like tweaking, get XBMC and something to run it on - if you want cheap, easy and no setup, get something like a WDTV.

There is heaps of other hardware suitable for XBMC - it will run on any reasonable PC, or a Mac. There are also specific HTPCs built for it but they benefits they give over an incredibly cheap ATV2 mean nothing to me.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

kiwijunglist

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#634216 1-Jun-2012 15:14

XBMC can run on jailbroken apple tv.

Apple TV with XBMC: 720P only + Only plays video off network share (Can't use external USB HDD)
WD Live: 1080P + Can play off external USB HDD AND network share

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

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JayTaicho

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Ultimate Geek
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#634221 1-Jun-2012 15:16

kiwijunglist: I've been really really happy with WDTV Live, and u sometimes pick it up for $100 or less. However i don't use the media library function, but it does connect to plex media server without problems.

Hey, how are you able to connect to a Plex MS? There's no client for the WDTV yet. Or is there?

kiwijunglist

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#634224 1-Jun-2012 15:18

Plex supports DLNA devices, you run Plex media server on the PC, then you connect to the plex DLNA media server using the wdtv

Personally my media is cleanly organised and labelled with folder images, so i prefer to just browse windows shares on the wdtv as it's cleaner and faster.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

timmmay

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#634232 1-Jun-2012 15:27

Thanks Talkiet, that's interesting. I just googled and found ATV2 is Apple TV, and they only cost $180! I don't have any 1080p content. I guess the advantage of a media oriented PC is it can have a blu ray drive in it.

Do WD Live and XMBC talk natively to DLNA servers? I have all my content fronted by PS3 Media Server, which is just a DLNA server really. My Samsung TV talks to it fine.

kiwijunglist

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#634235 1-Jun-2012 15:30

timmmay: Thanks Talkiet, that's interesting. I just googled and found ATV2 is Apple TV, and they only cost $180! I don't have any 1080p content. I guess the advantage of a media oriented PC is it can have a blu ray drive in it.

Do WD Live and XMBC talk natively to DLNA servers? I have all my content fronted by PS3 Media Server, which is just a DLNA server really. My Samsung TV talks to it fine.

WDTV = yes

cheaper $99 @ Bond'n'Bond (non wifi) , wifi version is $180 but often on special for $140

Apply TV2 with XBMC = I don't know

(3rd gen version is $160 @ HN)

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

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