what are you using to htpc. - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

cafebrad · 2012-07-19, 07:18 PM

I was just wondering if any of you could chime in with your setups. A full htpc or a dedicated device ala Roku or apple tv or WDTV. Maybe your trying out a MK802 like me as well. Or more likely a cocktail of all of the above.

I guess i am curious if you guys could chime in with comments on what you've tried and recommend.
I am thinking of pulling the plug and want advice on a setup to keep the family fed for entertainment. We have netflix and pandora using unblock-us. I just would like to have a system the wife can use and stream stuff to the tv.
$$$ is an issue as well.
thx

Tikker · 2012-07-20, 02:07 AM

i have a roku xd, apple tv gn2, apple tv gen 3, 2x htpc, and several streaming boxes (couple sony locationfree boxs, a hava, and an hauppauge hd-pvr)

non are perfect. all work pretty well.

jschall · 2012-07-20, 05:20 AM

I have the WDTV Live Streaming Media Player hooked wirelessly to my home network. It works well for streaming services like Netflix and Youtube, and it plays most local network files.

I will be getting the Vizio Co-Star for Google TV, and the Equiso for a portable Android HTPC.

See Janko Roetgers on Cord Cutters (http://gigaom.com/video/topic/cord-cutters/) for more good advice.

johnvan · 2012-07-20, 07:46 AM

I use an Acer Revo 3610. For me it's the best of both worlds, low power consumption, quiet and I still get a full computer experience when needed. Occasionaly I can't find a program through Netflix, Hulu, OTA etc.. so I always have the option of opening a web browser and finding it elsewhere.

Danno100 · 2012-07-20, 09:09 AM

My HTPC runs a lot of stuff, like Plex. I have 2 XBOX for extenders (not used for that purpose anymore) and now use jailbroken ATV's with PLEX or just the media player. Plex also allows playing my movies/recorded TV shows on my iPad, at home or on the road.

classicsat · 2012-07-20, 09:18 AM

Just a newish PC now, since I got an HDTV that is a PC can easily connect to.
I don't use WMC, just play video files and web streams. The "new" PC (fall 2011) plays multimedia a bit better than the old PC (the best parts of the PCs I built 2003 and 2005).

I have an old D-link streaming box. It is hard to get exactly the right format to play on it. Plus the PC needed to be on anyways, except for the minimal content addresses built into it. It is in a pile of stuff someplace.

I had an X-Box 1, with XBMC and an 80GB drive. It worked pretty well, but I had to navigate with the controller, and it had a few other quirks.

I have an X-box 360. It doesn't get used. It is fairly noisy, plus needs Gold to do much of anything. I m not going to pay for Gold, or a quieter fan, so it stays practically unused.

cafebrad · 2012-07-20, 07:56 PM

thanks for that link Jscall , i have been there before but couldn't remember it. I also had a wdlive which i liked but returned because at the time it was an impulse buy and i couldnt afford it that month i guess. it also seemed to make doubles of my local files -at least on the menu interface. I have an mk802 which is similar the equiso but not as polished maybe. I wanted to try xbmc on it but it says the device is not supported yet my captivate can handle it apparently.
hope the vizio co-star is better than the last google tv attempts cuz i would like to use that instead of all these other devices.

Brendanf · 2012-07-27, 07:20 PM

Using a new PC that I had built for this purpose. It is nothing fancy by any means, using a Hauppauge 2250, WMC and an Xbox360 as an extender. It works very well and is basically what we gave up when we had Bell FibeTV. The bonus here is what channels I don't get OTA I can always watch online, in very good quality on the TV, plus browse internet and other stuff aswell.

2012-07-19, 07:18 PM	#1
cafebrad Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: fraser valley Posts: 93	what are you using to htpc. I was just wondering if any of you could chime in with your setups. A full htpc or a dedicated device ala Roku or apple tv or WDTV. Maybe your trying out a MK802 like me as well. Or more likely a cocktail of all of the above. I guess i am curious if you guys could chime in with comments on what you've tried and recommend. I am thinking of pulling the plug and want advice on a setup to keep the family fed for entertainment. We have netflix and pandora using unblock-us. I just would like to have a system the wife can use and stream stuff to the tv. $$$ is an issue as well. thx

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2012-07-20, 02:07 AM	#2
Tikker Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SaskTel Posts: 895	i have a roku xd, apple tv gn2, apple tv gen 3, 2x htpc, and several streaming boxes (couple sony locationfree boxs, a hava, and an hauppauge hd-pvr) non are perfect. all work pretty well.

2012-07-20, 05:20 AM	#3
jschall Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec Posts: 135	I have the WDTV Live Streaming Media Player hooked wirelessly to my home network. It works well for streaming services like Netflix and Youtube, and it plays most local network files. I will be getting the Vizio Co-Star for Google TV, and the Equiso for a portable Android HTPC. See Janko Roetgers on Cord Cutters (http://gigaom.com/video/topic/cord-cutters/) for more good advice.

2012-07-20, 07:46 AM	#4
johnvan Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 113	I use an Acer Revo 3610. For me it's the best of both worlds, low power consumption, quiet and I still get a full computer experience when needed. Occasionaly I can't find a program through Netflix, Hulu, OTA etc.. so I always have the option of opening a web browser and finding it elsewhere.

2012-07-20, 09:09 AM	#5
Danno100 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Outside of Toronto Posts: 292	My HTPC runs a lot of stuff, like Plex. I have 2 XBOX for extenders (not used for that purpose anymore) and now use jailbroken ATV's with PLEX or just the media player. Plex also allows playing my movies/recorded TV shows on my iPad, at home or on the road.

2012-07-20, 09:18 AM	#6
classicsat Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kincardine ON. Posts: 3,945	Just a newish PC now, since I got an HDTV that is a PC can easily connect to. I don't use WMC, just play video files and web streams. The "new" PC (fall 2011) plays multimedia a bit better than the old PC (the best parts of the PCs I built 2003 and 2005). I have an old D-link streaming box. It is hard to get exactly the right format to play on it. Plus the PC needed to be on anyways, except for the minimal content addresses built into it. It is in a pile of stuff someplace. I had an X-Box 1, with XBMC and an 80GB drive. It worked pretty well, but I had to navigate with the controller, and it had a few other quirks. I have an X-box 360. It doesn't get used. It is fairly noisy, plus needs Gold to do much of anything. I m not going to pay for Gold, or a quieter fan, so it stays practically unused.

2012-07-20, 07:56 PM	#7
cafebrad Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: fraser valley Posts: 93	thanks for that link Jscall , i have been there before but couldn't remember it. I also had a wdlive which i liked but returned because at the time it was an impulse buy and i couldnt afford it that month i guess. it also seemed to make doubles of my local files -at least on the menu interface. I have an mk802 which is similar the equiso but not as polished maybe. I wanted to try xbmc on it but it says the device is not supported yet my captivate can handle it apparently. hope the vizio co-star is better than the last google tv attempts cuz i would like to use that instead of all these other devices.

2012-07-27, 07:20 PM	#8
Brendanf Rookie Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 6	Using a new PC that I had built for this purpose. It is nothing fancy by any means, using a Hauppauge 2250, WMC and an Xbox360 as an extender. It works very well and is basically what we gave up when we had Bell FibeTV. The bonus here is what channels I don't get OTA I can always watch online, in very good quality on the TV, plus browse internet and other stuff aswell.