Best media/streaming boxes.

[Pikarya]

http://asset3.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d...ve_610x381.jpg

So we used to use an Xbox + Tversity server for watching movies over the local network. Now that the Xbox is dead, we need a quick solution to stream/transcode .mkv, etc. over our network.

Just went out and bought a Boxee for the first time and I'm unimpressed. Only supports USB streaming and there's no sight in the near future for local network streaming.

I heard the Roku series aren't any better than the Boxee we just bought. Also I keep hearing terrible reviews for WD LIVE products.

I'd build a new HTPC but that's currently out of the budget.

Can someone lead me in the right direction? Our budget is around $99.00.

[Ratatapa]

I would suggest Apple TV, but the 3rd version is not jailbrokable (to install XBMC or plex)

Try to find a noob that would sell a Apple TV 2nd gen for cheap

[djzombie]

Western Digital TV Live(i started writing this before i read that part about bad reviews lol so here it is anyways)

http://wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=330

Tons of streaming services
Plus networking streaming of a huge number of file formats

File Formats Supported

Spoiler: show

Video - AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4), MPG/MPEG, VOB, MKV (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC-1), TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4, AVC, VC-1), MP4/MOV (MPEG4, h.264), M2TS, WMV9, FLV (h.264)
Photo - JPEG, GIF, TIF/TIFF, BMP, PNG
Audio - MP3, WAV/PCM/LPCM, WMA, AAC, FLAC, MKA, AIF/AIFF, OGG, Dolby Digital, DTS
Playlist - PLS, M3U, WPL
Subtitle - SRT, ASS, SSA, SUB, SMI

Note:

MPEG2 MP@HL up to 1920x1080p24, 1920x1080i30 or 1280x720p60 resolution.
MPEG4.2 ASP@L5 up to 1280x720p30 resolution and no support for global motion compensation.
WMV9/VC-1 MP@HL up to 1280x720p60 or 1920x1080p24 resolution. VC-1 AP@L3 up to 1920x1080i30, 1920x1080p24 or 1280x720p60 resolution.
H.264 BP@L3 up to 720x480p30 or 720x576p25 resolution.
H.264 [email protected] and [email protected] up to 1920x1080p24, 1920x1080i30, or 1280x720p60 resolution.
An audio receiver is required for multi-channel surround sound digital output.
Compressed RGB JPEG formats only and progressive JPEG up to 2048x2048.
Single layer TIFF files only.
Uncompressed BMP only.

HDMI & Composite for video
A usb port so you can plug in a keyboard(wired or wireless)
You can also connect cameras/camcorders directly to the box to access their media.

Apparently you can also adjust out of sync audio/video right with the player software on the box as well.

They also make models with 1 & 2 terrabyte hard drives built in, that would be accessible via the wifi in your house as a network drive.

I have a friend that has one and I fell in love with the thing, I'm going to buy one next time I have an extra 100 bucks laying around

Would love to know if anyone here has personal experience(aside from my 15 minutes of use) with one of these as I'm really intent on getting one and would hate for it to suck horribly after giving it a recommendation.

[Viruk]

Have you considered a Raspberry Pi? I'm currently using one with openELEC (xbmc distro) and it works great streaming through my local network.

[Mellema]

Most new Blu ray players can act as a media server now. I know Samsung with Allshare can play .mkv files over your local network.

[Pikarya]

Just got the $99.99 WDTV. It's simple. Has an awesome Android remote app.

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/127...Plus_Built.jpg
Only cons are that
-It doesn't like my plasma audio inputs.
-It overheats terribly (I had to take a 120mm fan on it and wire it through USB to keep it from locking up)
-Interface is very ancient, unefficient.

Going to stick with it for awhile since its the only thing on the market right now that isn't Applol for $99.00 and returnable to the store in case it breaks.

[djzombie]

-Interface is very ancient, unefficient.

any firmware updates to fix this?

[Pikarya]

Updated to latest firmware, no dice. So much goddamn potential could be made with this piece of hardware but it doesn't look like there's much community support to fix the dumb, little things.

[Caiyuo]

I think it's pretty decent, but kind of shitballs for anime or anything foreign since it turns all subtitles into regular-ass srt-style colored text.

[Dmitry]

Take broken xbox to gamestop and get a PS3. So much nicer for media.

[octopus]

Can someone lead me in the right direction? Our budget is around $99.00.

If you can afford to wait a few months, Ouya is supposed to have XBMC built in.

[Boyiee]

Have you considered a Raspberry Pi? I'm currently using one with openELEC (xbmc distro) and it works great streaming through my local network.

Also using one. Cheapest solution and it just plain works. I use raspbmc so I have xmbc running. Couldn't believe the tv remote worked with it lol.

[xerodok]

Have you considered a Raspberry Pi? I'm currently using one with openELEC (xbmc distro) and it works great streaming through my local network.

Best, cheapest solution. XMBC remote for Android/iOS works great too.

[Boyiee]

Best, cheapest solution. XMBC remote for Android/iOS works great too.

It does, but I was able to use my TV remote with it with absolutely zero setup which was pretty cool.

[Niya]

Did you hook an IR receiver up to the Pi or are you using HDMI-CEC? oO Just wondering.

[Boyiee]

Nothing extra, only the TV. Once XBMC loaded up on the TV it was completely controllable with the TV remote. Was messing around with loading movies off a USB flash drive instead of wirelessly streaming cause I had a shitty router at the time.

[Pikarya]

Tempted to order a 60-70 dollar chinese/android tablet off ebay to use with the remote app lol.

http://cdn-static.zdnet.com/i/story/...1-13-32-10.png

[Anakron]

I bought a Patriot Box Office a while ago (media box only, no streaming), and it plays everything I've ever tried on it, and supports all different kinds of subtitles and dual audio tracks. The thing I like about it is that it has an empty HDD bay, so I just get my own, load stuff on it as an external HDD when plugged in my laptop. When it's full, I just get an enclosure for the old HDD, pop a new HDD, and I'm good to go again.

[xerodok]

Tempted to order a 60-70 dollar chinese/android tablet off ebay to use with the remote app lol.

Tell me if you find a nice one, I've been wanting to do this for a long ass time but I don't want to get stuck with a piece of shit. (Well, that's inevitable, but, a lesser-piece of shit.)

[Mjd]

Had a WD Live, it was alright for the time, just no wi-fi (had it in the bedroom, router is in living room). I hated the remote for it which worked when it wanted too.

Then we got a Sony SMP N100. Its interface is like the retarded brother of the PS3. It looks the same but runs at half the speed. Mainly use it for Hulu+, Netflix and USB watching. Just one port in the front. The remote is pretty nice however and I feel like most of these digital boxes have a app for it now. Viewing Hulu+ on it is annoying (we both wear glasses) but Netflix is on par with the PS3 version.

PS3 in the living room. Best media player ever. I have noticed some videos won't play sometimes (copyright), but the TV I have has a USB port that ignores that (3D LG TV without that SMART TV crap). If you use Netflix, have a PS3 (or 3D blu-ray playa) and your ISP has that Netflix Super thing you can get 3D movies. It's pretty nice to have to show off.

A friend got one of those SMART TV and never use it. He tried to show it off by going to Youtube and it was so fucking slow. 60" 3D TV for Youtube.

Good luck