Media Centre

[Jesterarts]

Hey guys,

Just need your input on a good media centre for my theatre room.

At the moment I have a TVIX 2230 but I want to get another, higher capacity and spedc media centre with PVR.

I plan on using the TVIX in my living room as a PVR and then getting a new unit for the theatre room to hook up to the big screen.

I'm after something that has HDMI outputs, HD-PVR, plays most video/music formats AND has decent music playback capability.

My main issue with the TVIX is the music playback is rubbish. I have 40gb of music but it only has the functionality to play files within on holder. Playlists, artist shuffle, etc are all missing.

Any good ones you guys know about?

Budget is about $600-800.

[schrinky]

build yourself a budget multimedia PC, wont have any issues playing files because all it is is a computer plugged into your TV.

if you need a hand send me a PM.

[HoZy]

I have a tvix 6640n, Dual PVR, there is a new S1 Slim version, I love it, Can play SideBySide 3d aswell, Just set TV to display SBS picture & throw your glasses on.

An the 6640 Supports great music playback features! Majority of my audio is .wav & .flac as I dislike MP3 I actually control it all from my iPhone from the 6640's Network capability...

I can record 2 channels & still watch a 1080p movie with no issues. & Controlling the Music playback from my Mobile phone, from anywhere is perfect

This is what i Suggest for you + 2tb WD Green HDD
Dvico TViX S1 Duo PVR [AETDVITVIS1DUO] - $329.00 : PC Case Gear

P.s- the Tvix 2230 that you have, is an ancient POS... Compared to the New ones.

[50LTRv8]

I have a tvix 6640n, Dual PVR, there is a new S1 Slim version, I love it, Can play SideBySide 3d aswell, Just set TV to display SBS picture & throw your glasses on.

An the 6640 Supports great music playback features! Majority of my audio is .wav & .flac as I dislike MP3 I actually control it all from my iPhone from the 6640's Network capability...

I can record 2 channels & still watch a 1080p movie with no issues. & Controlling the Music playback from my Mobile phone, from anywhere is perfect

This is what i Suggest for you + 2tb WD Green HDD
Dvico TViX S1 Duo PVR [AETDVITVIS1DUO] - $329.00 : PC Case Gear

P.s- the Tvix 2230 that you have, is an ancient POS... Compared to the New ones.

That is one sweet little unit, far better than my media center pvr

[STEALTHY™]

I just link my xbox to my PC, and watch everything through there. Has the added bonus that theres no limit to how many xboxes you link up, all can access the SAME media, at any time (You can be cranking beats while your gf watches a movie etc).

I basically build my new PC as a mass media centre (14TB atm) so i'll never run out of space.


TBH i'm not a big fan of the music playlists, but it does everything YOU said you wanted, so its a fairly cheap way out (and if you already have an XBOX, win for you)

[50LTRv8]

I just link my xbox to my PC, and watch everything through there. Has the added bonus that theres no limit to how many xboxes you link up, all can access the SAME media, at any time (You can be cranking beats while your gf watches a movie etc).

I basically build my new PC as a mass media centre (14TB atm) so i'll never run out of space.


TBH i'm not a big fan of the music playlists, but it does everything YOU said you wanted, so its a fairly cheap way out (and if you already have an XBOX, win for you)

You don't have any TV though with that setup.

[CSP]

With network streaming being so easy to setup, have you thought about whether you even need a media box? It still puzzles me why people want to go to the extra effort and expense.

[STEALTHY™]

You don't have any TV though with that setup.

I have a 37in on my wall, my dad has a 40in in his lounge room, and a 32in in his bedroom All linked to my PC and ALLLL the media on it. You just watch it like you would play xbox game. So yes, it does have TVs
Can media centres even be shared across multiple TVs? IDK how they work (and tbh i havn't researched it, since my setup works so perfectly)

My PC has a dual HD recorder, so it does what a normal media centre can do, times 100 (media centres are limited in size, i doubt i'll fill 14TB anytime soon...)

[CSP]

I'm in exactly the same boat as Stealthy here... My entire media collection (TV, Movies, Pictures, Music) is available in real time to every TV in my house, direct from my PC. I have never researched a media centre box basically because everything is so easy to setup and stream I can't see the point. Hence my confusion about why people need media centres.

[STEALTHY™]

I'm in exactly the same boat as Stealthy here... My entire media collection (TV, Movies, Pictures, Music) is available in real time to every TV in my house, direct from my PC. I have never researched a media centre box basically because everything is so easy to setup and stream I can't see the point. Hence my confusion about why people need media centres.

If theres a harder way to do things, people will find it

[CSP]

ROFL!!!

[50LTRv8]

I'm in exactly the same boat as Stealthy here... My entire media collection (TV, Movies, Pictures, Music) is available in real time to every TV in my house, direct from my PC. I have never researched a media centre box basically because everything is so easy to setup and stream I can't see the point. Hence my confusion about why people need media centres.

How are you connecting the TV;s to the media, I take it your tv's have a nic port?

[50LTRv8]

I have a 37in on my wall, my dad has a 40in in his lounge room, and a 32in in his bedroom All linked to my PC and ALLLL the media on it. You just watch it like you would play xbox game. So yes, it does have TVs
Can media centres even be shared across multiple TVs? IDK how they work (and tbh i havn't researched it, since my setup works so perfectly)

My PC has a dual HD recorder, so it does what a normal media centre can do, times 100 (media centres are limited in size, i doubt i'll fill 14TB anytime soon...)

Your missing the point, you can watch whatever media or listen to music and your using your TV for digital TV, my PVR setup is for getting digital reception (I have a CRT TV) as well as having divx/mp3 access in the lounge room. Most people with PVR's are after a digital tuner

[CSP]

Yes - but for the TVs that don't, an X-Box, PS3 or STB will do fine. You say most people are after digital tuning? Well the setup in my bedroom for example with an old LCD TV (no Network port) uses a 500Gb Beonwiz dual HD tuner STB. So it picks up and records HD TV as well as accesses all my media from my PC. For just $349. With a PS3 or X-Box you get the added bonus of a games console and BluRay player.

I still can't see the point of a media centre.

[HoZy]

CSP the setup I linked, Can also stream to Xbox & Ps3 Systems or you can run The non PVR versions in other rooms for $201 each, an Throw a 2tb HDD in each of those, So you could have 3 in different rooms, 1 with a dual pvr, all with a 2TB hdd & have 6tb storage linked an all accessable from the 1 unit through its regular menu setup. It also operages as a NAS, So your PC & laptops can use it at the same time etc.

Cheers
Mat

[CSP]

My NAS is already on my network.... So I need to spend all this extra money why?

[HoZy]

I watch 3D content, Most regular Nas or TV streemers are DLNA only, This isn't I can keep going but I really can't be ####ed...

[CSP]

DLNA only? Are you serious? That's one of many many protocols used.

As for 3D - LOL!!! Over hyped gimmicky crap! Who wants to have everyone watching TV wearing large uncomfortable glasses?

Please keep going - I haven't heard any benefits of your setup over mine just yet. Unless a goal was for it to cost more. Then I guess that'd be a plus. But that wasn't a goal of mine.

[HoZy]

DLNA only? Are you serious? That's one of many many protocols used.

As for 3D - LOL!!! Over hyped gimmicky crap! Who wants to have everyone watching TV wearing large uncomfortable glasses?

Please keep going - I haven't heard any benefits of your setup over mine just yet. Unless a goal was for it to cost more. Then I guess that'd be a plus. But that wasn't a goal of mine.

Explain how my setup costs more? Go for it. Compared to your setup, Usability an front end Is easier, Samsungs 3D glassses are not large nor uncomfortable either.

Just stop being a dick.

[CSP]

You have a whole lot of un-necessary extra hardware...

I'm not being a dick. Just trying to understand the whole point of media centres.

EVERY set of 3D glasses are large and uncomfortable. Not to mention the fact you have to wear them at all!

[50LTRv8]

Yes - but for the TVs that don't, an X-Box, PS3 or STB will do fine. You say most people are after digital tuning? Well the setup in my bedroom for example with an old LCD TV (no Network port) uses a 500Gb Beonwiz dual HD tuner STB. So it picks up and records HD TV as well as accesses all my media from my PC. For just $349. With a PS3 or X-Box you get the added bonus of a games console and BluRay player.

I still can't see the point of a media centre.

For your setup maybe you can't see the point, here is mine

I have a Server with some storage space accessible to any computer in the house (there are many). I have an CRT TV that has no digital tuner. The media pc allows me to play Divx/mp3 as well as record HDTV, there is no other device that can do it all for my tv (unless you get the small box as above). Now for a TV with a digital tuner it is a little bit different. You already have the tuner so you don't really need an external one.

An XBox/Playstation is great for streaming media, but you don't get the ability to receive and record HDTV.

So in other words you don't see the advantages because you already have them in other ways, but for my setup it was the best way to go, also I have had this setup for about 5 years lol.

[CSP]

ok fair enough... thanks for explaining it. makes sense now.

[azkwazere]

You people spend way to much inside... go for a walk.

aZk.

[STEALTHY™]

Your missing the point, you can watch whatever media or listen to music and your using your TV for digital TV, my PVR setup is for getting digital reception (I have a CRT TV) as well as having divx/mp3 access in the lounge room. Most people with PVR's are after a digital tuner

The price different for a media centre, to an Xbox 360 (or other, i just use xbox because an arcade is like $99 or some shit) that does more.
My point was, i can link as many computers, to as many xboxes as my lan ports allow (currently have a 4 port router and a 9 port switch)....

My computer can watch/record digital tv, and my other TV can watch it (and watch whatever i record off of my PC) (and that card costs like $60).
I already had an xbox for gaming, and i already had a PC, so total cost to me was $69 and a lan cable

[HoZy]

The price different for a media centre, to an Xbox 360 (or other, i just use xbox because an arcade is like $99 or some shit) that does more.
My point was, i can link as many computers, to as many xboxes as my lan ports allow (currently have a 4 port router and a 9 port switch)....

My computer can watch/record digital tv, and my other TV can watch it (and watch whatever i record off of my PC) (and that card costs like $60).
I already had an xbox for gaming, and i already had a PC, so total cost to me was $69 and a lan cable

Xbox 360 does not support .mkv files, so 720p & 1080p is out of the pictures

Xbox 360 does not support .flac Audio, So high quality Audio is out of the picture,