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Any guidance or ideas for setting up my house?

  • 18-06-2014 09:56AM
    #1
    ScouseMouse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,070 ✭✭✭


    Hiya all.

    I have read the stickies and this appears to be the best place for this. (unless you know better :D)

    I am a newbie to this, so please go easy on me !

    I will give details of what I have and maybe you could suggest how to join it up.


    I have a house. I have two laptops, I have a standard non-smart tv, I have UPC horizon 200 meg internet with plug based wifi extender to the far side of the house. I have a couple of physical hard drives, I have a desktop pc. I have a dvd and video collection built up over a few years. I have hundreds of my favourite files, in various formats, built up over the laptops and desktop.


    NOW. Is there a way to centrally store my large collection, which is spread over the entire physical storage range listed above, so I can access it on my tv, a laptop, or phone. Basically, can I get some sort of a central hub where I can link them all/access them all/store them all, so I can maybe watch anything from my collection, in my house.

    I am a newbie! I have read about google gizmos, raspberry Pii and iomega media centre things, but am a bit lost.

    Many thanks in advance.

    superscouse


Comments

  • #2
    ScouseMouse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,070 ✭✭✭ScouseMouse


    superscouse wrote: »
    Hiya all.

    I have read the stickies and this appears to be the best place for this. (unless you know better :D)

    I am a newbie to this, so please go easy on me !

    I will give details of what I have and maybe you could suggest how to join it up.


    I have a house. I have two laptops, I have a standard non-smart tv, I have UPC horizon 200 meg internet with plug based wifi extender to the far side of the house. I have a couple of physical hard drives, I have a desktop pc. I have a dvd and video collection built up over a few years. I have hundreds of my favourite files, in various formats, built up over the laptops and desktop.


    NOW. Is there a way to centrally store my large collection, which is spread over the entire physical storage range listed above, so I can access it on my tv, a laptop, or phone. Basically, can I get some sort of a central hub where I can link them all/access them all/store them all, so I can maybe watch anything from my collection, in my house.

    I am a newbie! I have read about google gizmos, raspberry Pii and iomega media centre things, but am a bit lost.

    Many thanks in advance.

    superscouse


    Anybody?


  • #3
    Idleater
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,176 ✭✭✭Idleater


    superscouse wrote: »
    Anybody?

    Short answer is yes, there are plenty of gizmos to do what you want.
    What is your budget?


  • #4
    Skatedude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭Skatedude


    get a nas


  • #5
    ScouseMouse
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,070 ✭✭✭ScouseMouse


    Not sure. Maybe 100 euro or so? I have seen adverts for media players, and I have a horizon box with usb ports on the back.

    I am completely new to this, the suggestion of a NAS sent me to Wilkapedia!

    Is it as simple as dropping the files onto a hard drive and plugging it into the back of the horizon box?

    I told you I was new to this...


  • #6
    FastFullBack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,495 ✭✭✭FastFullBack


    This NAS is a pretty easy one to use and is suited as a media store: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056556502

    I use this and then my smart TV can play directly from the shared folder. Without a smart TV you'll need another device to play your media on your tv. Not sure if the horizon box will work..


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  • #7
    fuse
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 712 ✭✭✭fuse


    Use a NAS as your central hub. Look at Synology or Qnap NAS, they have a good reputation and a wide user base so you can google different setups.

    You could find one that you can hold all your media and run Plex (https://plex.tv/) or xbmc to keep it organised.

    You could pick up a Chromecast, Apple TV or Raspberry Pi to stream the media on your TV.


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