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The Gunslinger posted:It's IR based but I don't really want a FLIRC if I can help it, I'll see if the M8 has a builtin IR receiver and if so then I'll just figure it out. Why? The FLIRC is awesome. Is it a line of sight issue or do you not like the way it looks? I do admit to wishing they would do a revised version that was a little smaller/not transparent but that's a minor nit. I bought one for all my HTPC's and one I take on the road with my laptop. After the initial round of fiddling it solved every IR problem I ever had with XBMC and then some, going on two years now.
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Nov 7, 2014 05:19
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Im using one of these http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY%C2%AE-Wireless-Remote-Control-Mouse/dp/B0050PUGZE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415334189&sr=8-2&keywords=pc+remote With my android TV and it works perfectly. Told the harmony it was a ChinaVasion CVSB-983
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Nov 7, 2014 05:23
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Ixian posted:Why? The FLIRC is awesome. Is it a line of sight issue or do you not like the way it looks? I do admit to wishing they would do a revised version that was a little smaller/not transparent but that's a minor nit. I've never run into a problem I can't solve myself by editing the keymap/remote files directly. It takes up a USB slot and costs money for something that normally takes me a minute to do. I just don't think I need it. Maybe if I run into a problem in the future I will pick one up but for now I'm good. Thanks Don, if all else fails I'll use that as a base map.
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Nov 7, 2014 13:26
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The included remote is IR, I think. But I actually have no idea how to get it to respond to other IR commands. Worth investigating. Regardless, I assure you it's a worth while investment.
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Nov 7, 2014 19:19
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Don Lapre posted:Im using one of these I consider myself a connoisseur of weird cheap Chinese tech and I've never seen these...
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Nov 7, 2014 19:23
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Gozinbulx posted:I consider myself a connoisseur of weird cheap Chinese tech and I've never seen these... The included remote is about as bad as you can get. But the IR receiver works great. Even better it is not using Microsoft standard IR commands so it wont interfere with a windows HTPC.
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Nov 7, 2014 19:28
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Ok you guys convinced me, I bought a flirc and that M8 S602 box for my brother. I'll post a trip report whenever it arrives.
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Nov 8, 2014 00:59
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The Gunslinger posted:Ok you guys convinced me, I bought a flirc and that M8 S602 box for my brother. I'll post a trip report whenever it arrives. You're gonna be happy. It'll take maybe 5-10 minutes for you to wrap your head around its peculiar setup program (protip - just use the general "keyboard" layout and avoid the XBMC-specific setup, if you are used to fiddling with keymap files this will seem more natural to you anyway) and then another few setting your remote up with it, then you will plug it in and never dick around with a remote setup in XBMC again. If you are going to use it with a Harmony remote you should check the FLIRC forums; the FLIRC has a built-in profile for Harmony remotes that can be confusing if you are trying to map around it at first. With a Harmony remote, set that up using the Harmony setup with FLIRC first - there's a profile just for it - and then change your buttons to your liking.
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Nov 8, 2014 02:20
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This thing will make it easy to bind remote buttons to do all of the Android poo poo right? I just want it to be able to go back to home screen and all that for him so I don't have to be over there tinkering with it.
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Nov 8, 2014 03:58
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Don Lapre posted:The included remote is about as bad as you can get. But the IR receiver works great. Even better it is not using Microsoft standard IR commands so it wont interfere with a windows HTPC. Which remote do you have (is it for an m8?) Mine is the small rounded one with not too many buttons, it's actually pretty great.
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Nov 8, 2014 05:39
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Gozinbulx posted:Which remote do you have (is it for an m8?) Mine is the small rounded one with not too many buttons, it's actually pretty great. http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY%C2%AE-Wireless-Remote-Control-Mouse/dp/B0050PUGZE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415334189&sr=8-2&keywords=pc+remote
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Nov 8, 2014 05:52
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Anyone with an Android TV. ES Explorer and Retroarch both installed off the play store for me and works with the Android TV controller.
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Nov 8, 2014 21:12
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I'm trying to track down a decent media player for my mom after endless problems with the Boxee box I got her a few years back. Ideally I'd like the following features: - Netflix support without any bullshit middleware/streamers - Local media loading off of USB (she would never have the patience to use Plex or anything) - Audio streaming via Grooveshark, or some other equivalent that works in Canada - Casting YouTube from iOS and Android Anyone have recommendations? Most of the newer set top boxes look amazing until I realize that none of them support simple poo poo like loading video files off of a hard drive. I've personally had luck with WDTVs in the past, but they're horribly laggy and frustrating for technophobes like my parents.
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Nov 9, 2014 02:57
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greatBigJerk posted:I'm trying to track down a decent media player for my mom after endless problems with the Boxee box I got her a few years back. Ideally I'd like the following features: Buy her a roku 3.
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Nov 9, 2014 02:59
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Gozinbulx posted:If you insist on having a x86/Windows based HTPC, the NUC kits are the name of the game. Thank you for the suggestions. This is a really confusing line to go down if you don't follow it closely. We want to drop cable, but ideally keep some sort of DVR feature. Do any of the set top boxes (roku, amazon fire, etc.) support DVR feature natively, or allow for a passthrough to a different box that can store them? I haven't used XBMC since the original XBOX so I have no idea how to get it running without pulling my hair out, but am willing to try. What I want is the easiest possible way to watch current shows and/or DVR them for later watch. i am ok with streaming them from the network websites to my tv but would ideally like to watch them live or at least same-day.
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Nov 9, 2014 15:05
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Bigass Moth posted:Thank you for the suggestions. This is a really confusing line to go down if you don't follow it closely. SimpleTV + roku. HDHomerun + HTPC running WMC.
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Nov 9, 2014 15:06
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Thanks, can you explain why I would combine services like Simpletv and Roku? I would prefer not paying for streaming services like Netflix since we don't really use them, I only stream sports from sites like front/first row.
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Nov 9, 2014 15:47
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Bigass Moth posted:Thanks, can you explain why I would combine services like Simpletv and Roku? I would prefer not paying for streaming services like Netflix since we don't really use them, I only stream sports from sites like front/first row. Simpletv is just the hardware, its network attached and doesn't output to a tv. You then use an android/ios/roku app to access the content.
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Nov 9, 2014 16:01
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greatBigJerk posted:I'm trying to track down a decent media player for my mom after endless problems with the Boxee box I got her a few years back. Ideally I'd like the following features: There really isn't one that's perfect. Don Lapre is probably right, a Roku 3 is closest to what you are asking for - dead simple to use, wide streaming service support, and will play local media. The latter is one of the weaker aspects - the interface is pretty basic and the container/codec support is limited - but it works. Compared to something like the FireTV the Roku 3s interface is slow and decrepit (both its own and for apps) but it works. Everything else is a compromise to one degree or another between first-class streaming service support and local media support. You can buy one of the various flavor of the month Android boxes like a lot of people do in this thread but you will end up dicking around with those more than you want for a "Mom box". I solved my own Mom problem (my actual Mom and my Mother in law) with two boxes, a FireTV for streaming and a cheap little Zotac box running OpenElec/XBMC for local media. I had to buy two boxes, two FLIRCs (so I could set up one Harmony remote to control them both) and generally dick around up front more than I would have preferred but in the end I got a solution where all they have to do is point one remote at the tv, press the right activity, and watch whatever they want. And the whole thing still cost me under $300 all in. Trying to combine it all in one box at this point is still a task for the hobbyist. (edit) in case anyone wonders why I didn't just sideload XMBC on the FireTV - I did, but rooting/stopping updates to the FireTV isn't a great option for a Mom box, and not rooting/using a macro to launch XBMC is confusing and doesn't allow for local media. If you want something that "just works" with a little portable hard drive attached it's hard to beat OpenElec. Ixian fucked around with this message at 18:06 on Nov 9, 2014 |
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Nov 9, 2014 18:03
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Anyone have the Sony ps3 blue ray remote working with a mac running plex? It seems possibly but I don't see any success stories.
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Nov 9, 2014 18:14
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Hughlander posted:Anyone have the Sony ps3 blue ray remote working with a mac running plex? It seems possibly but I don't see any success stories. What's the use case - BT pairing so you don't have to deal with IR/line of sight issues? I still regret the day in 2007 when I bought the Sony PS3 remote, it's pretty terrible, however it is one of the only BT remotes I know of that's easy to get which is where I assume you are coming from. Sony is notorious for using their own special BT stack implementations, though - see the PS4 - and while their game controllers have been made to work with other devices I haven't seen much effort go towards the remote side (probably because, once again, it's terrible). Logitech even built that IR-BT bridge so Harmony remotes could use the PS3...only to see Sony change things again for the PS4. In fact until a very recent update even the actual PS3 remote didn't work on the PS4. Ixian fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Nov 9, 2014 |
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Nov 9, 2014 18:50
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Ixian posted:What's the use case - BT pairing so you don't have to deal with IR/line of sight issues? Yep. Got mbp with a dead screen I was going to clamshell with plex
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Nov 9, 2014 21:04
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Hughlander posted:Yep. Got mbp with a dead screen I was going to clamshell with plex At risk of sounding like a broken record, spend $20 on a FLIRC. You can use literally any remote with it that outputs IR (which ironically means no to the PS3 remote, but I am sure you have others just laying around). If line of sight is an issue then buy a thin USB extender cable - the FLIRC isn't very power sensitive - and put it somewhere while hiding the MBP away. I do that with a couple of my TV's where I have a mini-PC behind my wall-mounted TV.
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Nov 9, 2014 23:47
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I really have no need for XBMC or any type of interface. I'm perfectly happy using regular windows. I'm building a computer this winter, should I just get a video card that will allow me to use my TV as an extra monitor and connect to it with HDMI? Is there any downside to this or should I drop a couple hundred dollars on a box? My friend was telling me about the Intel NUC and although I checked it out it seems like a little bit more than I really need. I guess I would just need something that could stream 1080p from my computer.
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Nov 11, 2014 00:53
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I basically have a dedicated PC hooked up to my TV and used a laptop hooked up to the TV before that. The downside is that controlling a PC from a couch isn't the greatest experience, but the $35 Logitech keyboard with trackpad I have makes it not too bad most of the time. And it's not intuitive for a new person to sit down and use. The upside I found (which is why I haven't started using an interface like XBMC full time) is that you can play anything from anywhere. It's pretty nice to jump from YouTube to Vimeo to Blip to Netflix to Hulu really quickly. Though I still use XBMC for watching movies because it's so much nicer to navigate than a series of files in Windows Explorer.
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Nov 11, 2014 01:10
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Uthor posted:I basically have a dedicated PC hooked up to my TV and used a laptop hooked up to the TV before that. If you have an htpc and a laptop then use chrome remote desktop for control
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Nov 11, 2014 02:15
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Oh, no, the laptop is old and slow and the battery is dead. I haven't even turned it on in a while. I got the HTPC to replace it and to mainly watch YouTube and play Steam games. I think I could set up something through Android, but the wireless keyboard meets my needs perfectly.
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Nov 11, 2014 02:30
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The Valuum posted:I really have no need for XBMC or any type of interface. I'm perfectly happy using regular windows. I'm building a computer this winter, should I just get a video card that will allow me to use my TV as an extra monitor and connect to it with HDMI? Is there any downside to this or should I drop a couple hundred dollars on a box? My friend was telling me about the Intel NUC and although I checked it out it seems like a little bit more than I really need. I guess I would just need something that could stream 1080p from my computer. I have my PC in the living room and just use a HDMI cable. If you get any modern graphics card it should do 3 monitor without any problem. The NUCs are super cool but pretty expensive. Other options would be a Chromecast/Roku/Fire TV.
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Nov 11, 2014 05:39
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Running the latest Kodi/XBMC Beta on a FireTV and I'm pretty happy with it. I did the ClassicTV (Llama) trick to launch it from the home screen, works pretty well imho.
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Nov 13, 2014 23:53
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Hey thread. I'd like to play my PC games on my TV, via either Steam In Home Streaming or Limelight. I had picked up a Winbook 8.1 Windows Tablet as it had HDMI out, and it worked for a few minutes but then the network lag would render the game unplayable. I returned it. In the interim I picked up a Netgear Powerline 500 system so I won't have to worry about WiFi issues. What's the best value for a client machine that has ethernet and HDMI out? I'd prefer small and unobtrusive if possible. I don't know if I should be looking at a chromebook, a set top box, or even a raspberry pi in a case. I'd rather not have to run a bunch of command line stuff, which I believe Limelight requires. Thanks!
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Nov 17, 2014 17:28
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Limelight works on my android TV without any special setup.
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Nov 17, 2014 17:42
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Jalumibnkrayal posted:Hey thread. I'd like to play my PC games on my TV, via either Steam In Home Streaming or Limelight. I had picked up a Winbook 8.1 Windows Tablet as it had HDMI out, and it worked for a few minutes but then the network lag would render the game unplayable. I returned it. In the interim I picked up a Netgear Powerline 500 system so I won't have to worry about WiFi issues. If sub-$400 is in your budget buy a last-gen Intel NUC - I use one with a keyboard and mouse and when hooked up to a decent wired network it's pretty much the same as playing on my PC downstairs. Also hassle-free with Steam Big Picture. Edit: This, to be sure, is probably way more power than you will need - but it's about has hassle-free as you could ask for.
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Nov 18, 2014 03:17
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The NUC is a great choice but you should also check out the new boxes from Zotac. The ZBOX-BI320-U-W2 is a complete system with Windows 8.1 for just $180, all you need to do is install Steam and start streaming.
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Nov 18, 2014 18:57
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Steam streaming doesn't need much. I've got an old Revo 3610 which has an Atom 330 in it and it does stream streaming just fine.
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Nov 18, 2014 19:04
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Krailor posted:The NUC is a great choice but you should also check out the new boxes from Zotac. The ZBOX-BI320-U-W2 is a complete system with Windows 8.1 for just $180, all you need to do is install Steam and start streaming. Bingo, this is what I was hoping for. The NUCs look great but I was looking for a prebuilt little box, and this is perfect. Thanks!
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Nov 18, 2014 23:24
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I recently picked up a zotac PI320 and that's worked out very well. It's tiny and completely fanless but it runs xbmc like a champ, even with 24p content.
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Nov 18, 2014 23:30
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Sagacity posted:I recently picked up a zotac PI320 and that's worked out very well. It's tiny and completely fanless but it runs xbmc like a champ, even with 24p content. I've been weighing the options for a few weeks and this looks like my best bet for a new HTPC. Is it true that you can put a msata SSD drive and also a 2.5 internal drive in the same machine as this review suggests? http://www.servethehome.com/Workstation-detail/zotac-zbox-bi320-u-w2-review-solid-network-box/ Here's a package of the PI320 with included mSSD, 2gb ram and Wndows 8.1 -- a good deal compared to the bare bones? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...DINB7PY5QCBT7RR Also would you notice any real hit from using a Celeron as opposed to an i3 for 1080p streaming?
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Nov 19, 2014 04:35
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Ixian posted:There really isn't one that's perfect. Don Lapre is probably right, a Roku 3 is closest to what you are asking for - dead simple to use, wide streaming service support, and will play local media. The latter is one of the weaker aspects - the interface is pretty basic and the container/codec support is limited - but it works. Thanks for the advice. After a ton of reading around, I ended up ordering a Nexus player. It looks fairly easy to sideload apps and have them appear on the home screen. That was the main reason I strayed from the Fire TV, because it looks like you have to go through a few different menus to get at sideloaded apps. It'll also let me load in emulators for my younger sister to play retro games with, AND it'll work with her 360 controllers with very little fuss. Also being a hackable Android device, if things go completely tits up, I can just slap a custom rom on it.
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Nov 20, 2014 00:48
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Bigass Moth posted:Questions about the BI320  It's a quad-core Atom so definitely less powerful than an i3 or celeron, but since it does video decoding in hardware and supports audio passthrough it's completely capable of running XBMC. I even use the fairly heavy Aeon Nox skin and it's only a bit sluggish during library updates.
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Nov 21, 2014 10:15
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5436 posted:I'm cutting the cord soon. I have a NAS, a WDLive (don't like it), Chromecast, and a whole lotta know how. My main use cases will be casting Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Go, OTA channels, and any downloaded content I have. What is my best option? Should I just get a Nexus Player (I heard its meh but for what I need it seems right)? My Nas can't do plex, should I invest in one that does? I wish the Nexus player had HDMI pass through. I'm trying to figure this out with my Chromecast, and I can't find many options for streaming content on my PC to the TV, using my phone as a remote. I can stream content from the PC to the TV, but I would need my keyboard and mouse to select the files. Can the Chromecast just work with PLEX or PlayOn to do this? I'd buy the software, but it just doesn't seem clear on which one would be easier to use. Both don't allow a trial or free mode to use the phone to pc stuff. The best option would allow control of the Chromecast from iOS and Android apps so my wife and I can both use it from our phones. I didn't realize how much of the phone was used with a chromecast, I was hoping it would be a little HTPC you plugged into your computer and could do stuff with, but it seems limited to what your phone can do.
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Nov 21, 2014 18:50
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