Help Me Pick a Media Client

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NightStalker

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1822889 15-Jul-2017 14:12

I currently have HTPC (plex/kodi) in the lounge and Roku 3 in the bedroom. I run a windows plex server.
After looking about I have ordered a Shield TV for the lounge and a Xaomi Mi Box for the bedroom. Both are Android TV based.

Out of the other options I considered a fire tv but felt I could do more with the Shield TV such as stream games from my pc (need NVidia GPU) and it seems a bit more of beast to handle future needs.
The mi box doesn't have an amazon video app (so I'm told) but I can live without that in the bedroom.

The shield also has an active forum community and it just seems better supported. eg actively getting an amazon app created just for the shield.

although the Roku 3 is good I'm finding mine is struggling with x265/HEVC or heavy Plex content which means more load and the plex server ( and then you start upgrading servers etc). As such its easier just to get a better client device. I've also found it start to struggle with quality 1080p 2.0audio mp4 files which it should be OK with natively.

The other quirk is that the firmware is either US or UK so if you want BBC iplayer app you need to have UK version which then negates the US app options. what finally got to me was that last weekend was Roku not letting me add the amazon video app. at least with android tv or fire tv I can sideload apps.

To be fair the Roku 4 can probably handle more heavier files but I've been put off a bit by the whole thing now.

Theres a good post on GZ about the Mi Box which is worth a read.

Currently Amazon ships the Shield TV direct to NZ for about NZ$310 delivered
The mi box can be found on aliexpress for about NZ$100 delivered - make sure you get the international version (the other one is Chinese only). It might be worth a play with as if you don't like it I'm sure another GZer would take it.

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jarledb

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#1822890 15-Jul-2017 14:14

Not to hijack the tread. But I have a Fire TV and a Roku just collecting dust in the shed if anyone is looking to buy either of them. Send me a PM if interested.

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littleheaven

2120 posts

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#1822897 15-Jul-2017 14:37

I realise you're a bit reluctant to consider the Apple TV, but it has made my HTPC completely obsolete, it's so good. You don't have to have any other Apple devices - it's a bit of a mission to enter text using the scroll-and-click keyboard but it's do-able - and it works with the Harmony remote. You don't get the benefit of being able to AirPlay things like TVNZ, though, unless you have one mobile device with the app on it. Another option is the PS3 or PS4, if you have one. It's one of the very few devices that does have a TVNZ app, and it has a wide array of streaming apps for other services, too.

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gpnz

80 posts

Master Geek

#1823140 16-Jul-2017 10:45

rb99:

As is typical of me just a little plug to suggest Emby as an alternative to Plex.

Off topic to come (so sorry about that) - but thanks! I'd never heard of Emby and tried it out yesterday after reading your post - so far I really like it. I've been running a multiseat MediaPortal (v1) setup for years for FTA TV and photos, home movies and other content - works great, but I just feel like its a little behind the times (maybe MP2 will sort that out) and have over recent times looked for alternatives on and off. I have a local Plex server (and was excited when they announced FTA support), but I've had my problems with the various clients. Emby however, worked out of the box on my windows tablet, windows phone, iPod touch and android tablet - including for the recorded FTA content! Early days, but this could be the MediaPortal replacement (which is a shame in some ways as media portal has been awesome).

Anyway, sorry for the OT, but glad to have found Emby!

Cheers,

rb99

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#1823162 16-Jul-2017 11:14

gpnz:

rb99:

As is typical of me just a little plug to suggest Emby as an alternative to Plex.

Off topic to come (so sorry about that) - but thanks! I'd never heard of Emby and tried it out yesterday after reading your post - so far I really like it. I've been running a multiseat MediaPortal (v1) setup for years for FTA TV and photos, home movies and other content - works great, but I just feel like its a little behind the times (maybe MP2 will sort that out) and have over recent times looked for alternatives on and off. I have a local Plex server (and was excited when they announced FTA support), but I've had my problems with the various clients. Emby however, worked out of the box on my windows tablet, windows phone, iPod touch and android tablet - including for the recorded FTA content! Early days, but this could be the MediaPortal replacement (which is a shame in some ways as media portal has been awesome).

Anyway, sorry for the OT, but glad to have found Emby!

Cheers,

That's good to know and hope it works out. Don't forget that you'll probably have to part with actually money to take full advantage of it, and hence decide whether you think its worth it. Don't know what is available as a trial, or even if there's a trial as I paid for it a few years ago, but I guess you're in the process of finding out...

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

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#1825780 20-Jul-2017 11:31

Good (?) news people -

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/blog/1/entry-385-get-emby-premiere-lifetime-before-aug-5th-and-lock-in-a-20-savings-off-the-new-price/

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

lchiu7

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#1826232 20-Jul-2017 21:43

I installed and run Plex a while ago to see if it would provide a better and automatic interface to my Popcorn Hour. It wasn't that great since the Plex client on the PCH is a bit old and not upgradable.

Then I purchased the Samsung 4K player and found it had a very nice Plex client which connected to the server and provides a great interface. I have now switched to using the Samsung player Plex client to watch content in my lounge (over the PCH) and still use another PCH in my family room.

The only hiccup I observed using the Samsung client was when I was playing some content it triggered Cinavia DRM :-( I hadn't realised that even if I "backed up" my content to the server and recompressed it, Cinavia was preserved.

For that content I had to switch back to the PCH which does not observe that DRM restriction.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

davidcole

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#1826241 20-Jul-2017 21:52

lchiu7:
I installed and run Plex a while ago to see if it would provide a better and automatic interface to my Popcorn Hour. It wasn't that great since the Plex client on the PCH is a bit old and not upgradable.

Then I purchased the Samsung 4K player and found it had a very nice Plex client which connected to the server and provides a great interface. I have now switched to using the Samsung player Plex client to watch content in my lounge (over the PCH) and still use another PCH in my family room.

The only hiccup I observed using the Samsung client was when I was playing some content it triggered Cinavia DRM :-( I hadn't realised that even if I "backed up" my content to the server and recompressed it, Cinavia was preserved.

For that content I had to switch back to the PCH which does not observe that DRM restriction.

Can't believe you're still rocking the PCH. Though I do still have one, as it's a great offline device for going on holiday.

I have plex clients on Apple TV, roku 3 and iOS devices. I like that it's a relatively consistent interface. With iOS being the more advanced with live tv etc. but I find their recording and live tv a little hit and miss.

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lchiu7

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#1826438 21-Jul-2017 11:39

davidcole:
lchiu7:

I installed and run Plex a while ago to see if it would provide a better and automatic interface to my Popcorn Hour. It wasn't that great since the Plex client on the PCH is a bit old and not upgradable.

Then I purchased the Samsung 4K player and found it had a very nice Plex client which connected to the server and provides a great interface. I have now switched to using the Samsung player Plex client to watch content in my lounge (over the PCH) and still use another PCH in my family room.

The only hiccup I observed using the Samsung client was when I was playing some content it triggered Cinavia DRM :-( I hadn't realised that even if I "backed up" my content to the server and recompressed it, Cinavia was preserved.

For that content I had to switch back to the PCH which does not observe that DRM restriction.

Can't believe you're still rocking the PCH. Though I do still have one, as it's a great offline device for going on holiday.

I have plex clients on Apple TV, roku 3 and iOS devices. I like that it's a relatively consistent interface. With iOS being the more advanced with live tv etc. but I find their recording and live tv a little hit and miss.

Sure am. The main issue I have with it is generating the GUI interface. When I add new content I have to run YAMJ which is a Java application that scans all my content, goes out to IMDB and other sources to get the metadata and then creates a ton of HTML that the PCH can display nicely. That doesn't always work for movies and I end up with XML files I have to correct to get the right metadata displayed.

In terms of playback it plays everything. My content exists primarily as MKV or M2TS with audio as AAC (even AAC as transmitted by Freeview) , DD, DD+, DTS, TrueHD and DTS HD-MA (I usually backup my BD's in their original audio formats). The PCH can play all of that with no problem and transcoding. The only thing it's barfed on recently is Dolby Atmos so I have had to strip out the Atmos track if I want the content on my server and since I don't have an Atmos system, that's no big deal.

The Plex client on the Samsung is really nice and have the Plex server automatically update content and metadata and provide a very nice GUI is very attractive.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

rb99

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#1833321 29-Jul-2017 12:01

fyi

https://emby.media/community/index.php?/blog/1/entry-388-emby-live-tv-for-apple-tv-now-in-beta/

“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” -John Kenneth Galbraith

rb99

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