Author Topic: Home Media Player Solutions (Read 4292 times)

glitchhunter · « **on:** August 07, 2011, 06:46:34 AM »

Hey all,

I've been using a WDTV player for a while to play anime on my TV. However, as you all probably know, subtitles are not rendered properly on these. So I want to get some other kind of thing to play the files correctly. What options are available? Whatever it is, it needs to be able to play a variety of file types at different resolutions and preferably be easily portable.

Cheers!
Glitch

Lupin · « **Reply #1 on:** August 07, 2011, 07:44:14 AM »

It would better if you build/buy one of those HTPCs in mini-ITX form factor.

kitamesume · « **Reply #2 on:** August 07, 2011, 07:55:46 AM »

notebook based on AMD-E350 with HDMI out would be spot on, plus its portable. downside is that you wont be able to cramp that much HDDs in a notebook and its a tad more expensive than the nettop version.

glitchhunter · « **Reply #3 on:** August 07, 2011, 08:57:02 AM »

Quote from: Lupin on August 07, 2011, 07:44:14 AM

It would better if you build/buy one of those HTPCs in mini-ITX form factor.

I have no idea what you just said

Quote from: kitamesume on August 07, 2011, 07:55:46 AM

notebook based on AMD-E350 with HDMI out would be spot on, plus its portable. downside is that you wont be able to cramp that much HDDs in a notebook and its a tad more expensive than the nettop version.

Already got one. Anyway, can I get anime from it to play on a TV with composite video cables with it? I'd rather not have to use a laptop though. Are there any WDTV like media players out there?

Freedom Kira · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2011, 09:03:05 AM »

GIYF. Lupin basically said you should replace your WDTV with a small computer. HTPC = Home Theater PC. Mini-ITX is a motherboard form factor that's fairly popular for such computers.

kitamesume · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2011, 11:36:24 AM »

Quote from: glitchhunter on August 07, 2011, 08:57:02 AM

Quote from: kitamesume on August 07, 2011, 07:55:46 AM
notebook based on AMD-E350 with HDMI out would be spot on, plus its portable. downside is that you wont be able to cramp that much HDDs in a notebook and its a tad more expensive than the nettop version.
Already got one. Anyway, can I get anime from it to play on a TV with composite video cables with it? I'd rather not have to use a laptop though. Are there any WDTV like media players out there?

get one of this.

Lupin · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2011, 12:51:18 PM »

Quote from: glitchhunter on August 07, 2011, 08:57:02 AM

I have no idea what you just said

I'm saying that you get/build an HTPC instead. No matter what portable player you choose, it won't be able to play anything due to hardware limitations. An HTPC will be able play anything you throw at it provided you have the correct codecs and the CPU has enough horsepower to play them.

I recommend a mini-ITX form factor because it is small. Think something similar to a mac mini

Xtras · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2011, 05:01:55 PM »

Just to make sure you know what you are in for, getting all anime to play on your TV correctly short of plugging in a computer to it is a royal pain. If you can use a laptop with HDMI out, I'd say go for it 100% even if it is a little inconvenient, because every other option will probably be even more so.

halfelite · « **Reply #8 on:** August 07, 2011, 09:12:54 PM »

The popcorn hour A200/210,C200 render ass/ssa pretty decent. its missing karaoke and a few of the more stranger styles that come into play but 90-95% watchable. Your other option are the boxee box has pretty good ssa support. other then that you start getting into HTPC. with that said an HTPC might be your best bet anime encoders have a strange habit of never using standards like using profile 5.1 and 16 ref frames and now getting into 10bit files and so fourth.

With the said the intel/ion and even the amd-e might struggle a little on high bitrate videos so ask around if that is the route you are going to go.

glitchhunter · « **Reply #9 on:** August 08, 2011, 01:28:44 AM »

I spose I can use my laptop. But I would have to get my ass off the couch to change the episode after each one finishes. Is there some way Windows media player can be controlled with a remote control? I know I can just make a playlist but then I have to watch OPs and EDs over 9000 times.

halfelite · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2011, 03:20:10 AM »

ye there are tons of pc remote options. you can find good reviews here of people that use them with xbmc

http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Remote_Control_Reviews

If you dont need it right away I would wait a little bit longer. a couple big trade shows coming up were companies will offer new things. the intel ce4100 devices like boxeebox will offer far greater support per anime releases then the now sigma/realtek based boxes.

Freedom Kira · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2011, 04:28:00 AM »

Nothing wrong with a small wireless keyboard and mouse, either. I remember seeing a wireless keyboard approximately the size of a cell phone.

Xtras · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2011, 05:04:40 AM »

Yeah, if you have an Android or iPhone and a Wi Fi network, I highly recommend the XBMC remote control application and XBMC.

Otherwise, you could probably get a wireless mouse, or if you want to be cheap, pick up a USB extension cable and just use the couch as a mousepad and the mouse as a wired remote control.

glitchhunter · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2011, 01:02:25 PM »

Hey all,

I'm not in any hurry, and I do need to save for a new laptop first, so I will wait a few months to see what is coming out before I make any decisions. Thank you all for your help!

kitamesume · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2011, 01:58:21 PM »

check Llano based laptops specially their reviews if it fits your needs.
currently there wont be any good releases till next year 2nd month(February) thats a good 6months of waiting.
to be in particular on what's gonna be released, its ivy bridge and the 2nd part of bulldozer.

halfelite · « **Reply #15 on:** August 09, 2011, 04:15:12 PM »

I know you said portable. But Acer Revo 100 RL100-U1002 is also a nice option if you like to also browse the internet on your tv or what not. although its $$$ compared to some of the other models out there. And you dont get dts-hd only true-hd through ffmpeg

And if you want real portable you dont get smaller then a http://www.globalscaletechnologies.com/p-40-guruplug-display-devkit.aspx I have not tested one yet im still waiting for mine so i cant comment on how well they work yet.

TorturdChaos · « **Reply #16 on:** August 10, 2011, 02:50:57 PM »

What I did for mine was found a decent computer at a garage sell for like $20 (that part involved a lot of luck

). Picked up a 1TB WD black HDD, video card with HDMI out (Nvidia 430GT I believe) and a capture card and run it as a DVR / HTPC. First tried to do it with Ubuntu and MythTV but I couldn't get it to work at all so I went to Win7 and SageTV which was a hell of a lot easier to setup. Works great. Just put the computer next to the couch with a spare keyboard and run a long HDMI & coax cable to it I picked up off amazon for cheap.

chaohellsing · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2011, 07:10:14 AM »

Quote from: kitamesume on August 07, 2011, 11:36:24 AM

Quote from: glitchhunter on August 07, 2011, 08:57:02 AM
Quote from: kitamesume on August 07, 2011, 07:55:46 AM
notebook based on AMD-E350 with HDMI out would be spot on, plus its portable. downside is that you wont be able to cramp that much HDDs in a notebook and its a tad more expensive than the nettop version.
Already got one. Anyway, can I get anime from it to play on a TV with composite video cables with it? I'd rather not have to use a laptop though. Are there any WDTV like media players out there?
get one of this.

The easiest thing would be to get one of these $6 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882339271,
buy the cheapest computer with windows 7 you can find this one costs $299 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883103374,
and buy a media center remote, or a wireless mouse I'd go with the mouse personally $25 - $50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100008652%2050001080%20600009595%204025&IsNodeId=1&name=%2425%20-%20%2450.

This all costs potentially less than $350. Although, the computer would essentialy be a part of you tv unless you bought a monitor as well, that'd up the price $150-$300.

jbsoum · « **Reply #18 on:** August 21, 2011, 08:40:36 PM »

Personally, I wouldn't recommend XBMC unless you plan on running some kind of client/server setup. Judging from the fact that you are using a laptop for this, I would guess this isn't the case.

Why are you using WDTV?

Hooking your laptop directly to your TV is the best option, and people have made good recommendations for the proper wiring.

As for software, I highly recommend MediaPortal and the MyAnime2 plugin for it.

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ <--mediaportal

http://www.otakumm.com/ <--MyAnime2

There's a post on this forum called Otaku Media Manager where this plugin is discussed.

Also, in terms of remote vs. mouse & keyboard, I prefer a remote.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121002 <-- this remote is relatively cheap, and works without any serious setup. There are colored buttons at the bottom of the page that let you switch between subtitle and audio tracks.

If you want to go this route and would like more assistance setting it up, feel free to ask.

halfelite · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2011, 11:17:25 PM »

Quote from: jbsoum on August 21, 2011, 08:40:36 PM

Personally, I wouldn't recommend XBMC unless you plan on running some kind of client/server setup. Judging from the fact that you are using a laptop for this, I would guess this isn't the case.

Why are you using WDTV?

Hooking your laptop directly to your TV is the best option, and people have made good recommendations for the proper wiring.

As for software, I highly recommend MediaPortal and the MyAnime2 plugin for it.

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ <--mediaportal

http://www.otakumm.com/ <--MyAnime2

There's a post on this forum called Otaku Media Manager where this plugin is discussed.

Also, in terms of remote vs. mouse & keyboard, I prefer a remote.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16880121002 <-- this remote is relatively cheap, and works without any serious setup. There are colored buttons at the bottom of the page that let you switch between subtitle and audio tracks.

If you want to go this route and would like more assistance setting it up, feel free to ask.

Why good suggestions its a sloppy solution to keep plugging and unplugging your laptop every time you want to watch something. A stand alone system is more pleasing on the eyes and ease of use for some people even more so if there is a WAF that needs to be there.