Streaming Options

davmigil

Want something to stream music (mainly MP3, some AAC) and video (variety of formats) to my television (crt - scart,rgb scart,svideo only) and 5.1 amp (usual inputs) from other PCs at home (Windows XP main, also OSX). Ethernet connection.

Was thinking originally of connecting MacBook via s-video and sound. Then thinking something dedicated like Snazio might be better.
Googling around found Netgear EVA700 which looks interesting too.
Ruled out Apple Tv as my TV doesn't have component inputs etc.

Budget €300 or under. Already have macbook, hence was thinking this option for on the cheap, but not great as it would tie it up.

What options are people here using, how do they find them. Anything else I should be looking at in those lines?

ambro25

Not really an HTPC as such, but entry level Phillips streamium (SL300i) and its equivalent by D-Link (DSM320) would meet your requirements under your budget, comfortably so if you trawl Adverts.ie or eBay for a 2nd hand.

(no sure about AAC though).

Or are you considering a "full" standalone HTPC (or HTApple... I'm not sectarian ) that can do a bit more than just receive streams and pass onto your 'tube ?

I have briefly dabbed into HTPCs and will get back to them soon as time (and wife ) permits, because they are just so much more capable and can match/meet/evolve with, any AV need, current and future (read: not as purpose-specific as, and much more future-proof than, the above philips/d-link devices).

8T8

This is actually being talked about in the extender thread but the same recommendation I made in there might work here as well.

Buffalo LinkTheatre
WMV/MPEG1/MPEG2/MPEG-4 ASP aka XviD/DivX

AC3/MP3/WAV/WMA/OGG/AAC*

AAC is AAC-LC only no AAC-HC support.

The TwonkyVision which is third party compatible server software is also available under XP, OSX plus Linux.

Netgears own EV700 is pretty poor with lots of bugs in it they refused to fix its only usable with third party server software like Twonky or TVsersity even then I'd stay away.

They do have a new one coming out that supposedly corrects all the mistakes called the EVA8000 that does AAC-LC + AAC-HC but wait & see how it fairs I'd say.

ambro25

Stretch your budget a tad (by €20), and you can order the buffalo from Peats

Nifty bit of kit, defo better than SL300i/EVA/DSM-320.

davmigil

Thanks everybody, will investigate further, ruling out the EVA anyway

ambro25

I do have an HTPC FS on Adverts within your budget, I feel I should mention.

EDIT linkie, for your convenience and pleasure

davmigil

ambro25 wrote:

I do have an HTPC FS on Adverts within your budget, I feel I should mention.

Will take a look at it



This fits into my budget and looks interesting. Recommended to me on another thread in the mac forum.

http://www.snazzishop.co.uk/netdvd.asp

ambro25

Seems to be "the same as" the Buffalo discussed earlier, except it does not appear to have WiFi straight-out-of-the-box (looks like you have to put in a WiFi PCMCIA card) and it only lists 802.11b (which might be a tad too little bandwidth for HD stuff).

davmigil

Would an old XBox with XBox Media Centre be a cheap option. See them for around €50 on ebay? Using LAN so not worried about wifi.

Phibsboro

Just been through a similar process myself. As always there are slight differences in what each person wants out of something like this. In my case I was after something reasonable cost wise to play around with HD stuff - my shuttle HTPC doesn't have the grunt for it unfortunately and I baulked at getting a complete new computer just for the techie delight of seeing HD demo files play on my LCD.

I also wanted something that would take internal storage and would allow easy access from my computer upstairs. I am wired for Ethernet by the telly so I wasn't too fussed about wireless (wireless isn't really gonna work for HD and will struggle to even serve normal divx streams).

I tend to over analyze before I spent any money, so given my needs these are basically where its at bleeding edge wise this month (and in this game it'll be different next month, for example when H.264 players start to appear)....

Tvix M5000 http://www.digitalconnection.com/products/video/tvixm5000.asp

or

Rapsody N35 http://www.divxtech.com/rapsody_n35.html

In the end I went for the N35 because it is an NDAS device (basically a NAS on steroids) and has smb (as opposed to the TIVX which offers ftp(!) only) and it's shape fits my set up better. You can get the N35 here for round €220 without a hard disk http://www.autdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Music_Players.html (note that I didn't know about that site when I ordered mine so I'm not recommending it, its just the cheapest at the mo).

Finally, reviews of both the Tvix and Rapsody boxes (along with basically every other available device in this market) can be seen here....http://www.mpcclub.com/modules.php?name=Reviews - its a slightly peculiar site (the reviews are in PDF format and his english isn't the mae west) but he really knows his stuff in this area.

Hope that helps,
C

davmigil

Fantastic stuff. Thanks!