streaming device or shuttle?

DamoKen

Hi all, I've been thinking for a while on how to move all the content on my pc in the bedroom to the more social environs of the living room. So what I'm looking for really is something that can play mp3s through the 5.1 system I've already got in the living room as well as be able to play vobs, avi etc with as little loss as possible through the tv.
Not sure how that works as the tv itself is around 10 years old, been meaning to buy a new set but hate forking out a rake of cash for something that up until now has worked just fine.

Anyway, I was wondering, which would be better for this, a shuttle pc or some type of streaming device such as the Streaming Media Device Pinnacle
Pinnacle ShowCenter 1000g http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/uk/Products/Consumer+Products/Digital+Media+Adapters/Digital+Media+Player/ShowCenter+200.htm?view=news.
Not sure if that one is any good, just really to illustrate the type of thing I had in mind.
I was thinking as I have a decent rig upstairs I don't really need another in the living room, though a shuttle I'm sure would be a lot more configurable/extensible than a setbox streaming device.
Issues would be formats supported, noise of box, user interface, connections (is it possible to get something with scart, this is not my area at all ).
Lastly, obviously price would figure too, think the most I'd be willing to spend would be up to maybe €350.

Anyway any thoughts, advice on individual setups, pros/cons of one or another as always greatly appreciated.

cheers!

irlrobins

Moving to HTPC forum

subway

i would suggest a dell optiplex,
should be about 150 - 200euro depending on spec from ebay
i have 2 and theyre quieter than dvd players.

aFlabbyPanda

i have a showcenter 200g (which I am selling, shameless plug!) and I love it. I had a laptop running WMC before that and by far the pinnacle was simpler and quiter.

I bought an xbox 360 hence why i'm getting rid of it. The 360 connects to my WMC pc which makes the pinnacle redundant.

DamoKen

hi guys, cheers for the replies. Sorry Subway for not replying earlier, accidentally deleted links to the thread from my inbox so was looking in the wrong forum where I originally posted it doh!

Since posting I've been looking into modding my xbox and just hooking it up by crossover cable to my pc, think I'm going to go with that for the moment as it's the cheapest option available.

Out of curiousity though, how much are you selling that showcentre for Brian? Also what formats does it support? I normally rip my dvd's using IMTooDvd using the divx codec, would that be supported?

Cheers

aFlabbyPanda

yep divx, xvid, wmv, vobs, etc. I'm asking 150 but I might do better for a quick sale. full details here. http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/us/Products/Consumer+Products/Digital+Media+Adapters/Digital+Media+Player/ShowCenter+200

the software that comes with it is rubbish but the device will work with a range of 3rd party apps (all free!) Basicall Dlink & Buffalo use the same hardware and make better software so I use the buffalo one instead.

DamoKen

looks decent enough, not sure what "Pinnacle ShowCenter 200 gives you access to digital rights-protected (DRM) music that you've purchased online" means though. Sounds a little ambigious, what I'd read from it is if your music collection doesn't have drm you can't play it? Would that include any cd's you've ripped to your pc? Sorry might be reading that all wrong.

anyway, I might still be interested, I'll be modding my xbox this week and throwing XBox Media Center on it. From what I've read that might just do the business, if not though and you're still selling I'll give you a shout for more details by the weekend.

cheers

aFlabbyPanda

no it means the opposite. it will play any music you have. DRM (ie bought through itunes etc) or not (ripped from your own cd's).

yeah give me a shout if your still interested later.

sarahn11

an original soft modded xbox would do all this for you! you can normally pick up a second hand one for aroune 70e! and there are tonnes of soft mod tutorials out there too!!

stick xbmc on it, and you have yourself a deadly home theatre setup!!