Mom friendly Media Player

[Tom]

I'm thinking about getting my Mom a nice little media player box, maybe a WD Live or something like it. She is computer literate, but might have problems with fancier setups.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[Mr. Analog]

I've heard good things about both the Roku and the Nexus Q.

The thing to remember is a lot of newer Blu-Ray players come with support for various media types, NETFLIX, YouTube and so on. A lot of times you can just put your video on a thumb drive or a network share and use the video player to do the job.

If it has DLNA support you also have the option to use Plex or the like.

[Tom]

What she'll use it most for is probably music. Her access to internet out there is horrible (she's on dialup, no joke), so there's very little chance of her finding a bunch of video to stream. I'm thinking of maybe getting her on Roger's wireless internet, but its only going to be like ISDN speeds. (GPRS/EDGE only out where she lives) so not much better than her dial up.

So a unit thats meant for audio streaming/playing may be a better bet, but maybe she'll want to play video too? so I dunno.

[Mr. Analog]

Ah, in that case then I would say just about any network capable DVD player will do the job, and probably cheaper.

[Darren Dirt]

ROKU FTW!

srsly, Dionne got it and I was skeptical at the idea.

LOVE IT.

Simplest gadget to do the job, perfect remote, and it is small and portable and essentially zero config. Decent wifi reception too, even over long distance (we have a very rectangular apartment layout, it works in far bedroom while router is in living room corner)


Edit: oops, noticed dial-up not nw; but the ROKU has a ton of non-netflix channels too including music/radio stations, so there's that.

[Tom]

I'm going to try and upgrade her internet, but we'll see. The best I might be able to find is satellite. Not the cheapest option...

[Lazybones]

The Roku is setup for streaming online content with some exceptions such as Plex.

Not sure what would work well for your mom othe than something self contained.

[Tom]

Thats why I was thinking a WD or even a dedicated music streamer. She apparently has a bunch of music on her computer, and nothing to make CDs with at the moment. I figured it was better to hook that up, than muck with her computer.

[Tom]

I was wrong about her having a bunch of music on her computer. She wants to rip a bunch of LPs first, then play them on her stereo or any other place.

So I've ordered a usb turntable, and a roku for her. Went roku because it has plex integration, and a bunch of apps that may interest her out there. It was also cheaper than the WD Live. So there's that. And if it doesn't work for her, meh. Not a huge loss.

She will be getting faster internet "soon", so she may be able to watch some online stuff, maybe. But 1.5mbps (max) really doesn't get you very far these days. But that's all you can get out in the middle of nowhere NS. And even then, its a government project, if it wasn't for that, no isp would have ever bothered. Also, its wireless. So who knows how stable the signal will be.

[Mr. Analog]

Ahh good choice, I have a Numark USB turntable, it works pretty well.

I was thinking about upgrading to a laser turntable for some of the really old stuff I have.

It works pretty good, if you are using Audacity you can follow these steps to reduce noise: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/basic_recording_editing_and_exporting.html

On the other hand it's getting easier to find music online, it has to be something really esoteric to not be found.

[Tom]

Ahh good choice, I have a Numark USB turntable, it works pretty well.

I was thinking about upgrading to a laser turntable for some of the really old stuff I have.

It works pretty good, if you are using Audacity you can follow these steps to reduce noise: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/basic_recording_editing_and_exporting.html

On the other hand it's getting easier to find music online, it has to be something really esoteric to not be found.

Yeah, though this is my mom we're talking about. I was going to suggest to her that she could do that, but she probably does have some pretty esoteric stuff, then there's her dialup (though hopefully that wont be an issue much longer), and I'm not sure how well she'd do with p2p... I know she very much doesn't want to buy it all again

[Mr. Analog]

A slow connection isn't necessarily a problem for music as most albums aren't that big. When I go about making a digital backup of music I already have I check online first to see if someone else has done the editing/naming/cleanup for me.

Most P2P sites will carry contemporary/popular stuff, for everything else I usually check archive.org

I also try to find already digitized versions for really old stuff as I don't want to add any more wear to the tracks if I can avoid it.

[Tom]

When I'm over there this winter/spring, I'll try and show her the p2p and and some pay sites.

[Lazybones]

The Roku needs an online connection for initial setup.

Again it is designed for online streaming but once the Plex app is installed is should work completely local.

Don't forget a router  or a switch, you mom probably has only the one pc and no other network gear.

[Tom]

The Roku needs an online connection for initial setup.

Again it is designed for online streaming but once the Plex app is installed is should work completely local.

Don't forget a router  or a switch, you mom probably has only the one pc and no other network gear.

I believe she has a router. If not, thats easily remedied.

[Thorin]

Hey hey, you get to fly out to NS in the spring time?  Wait until it's nice weather and then have a nice week or two of vacation!

[Tom]

Hey hey, you get to fly out to NS in the spring time?  Wait until it's nice weather and then have a nice week or two of vacation!

Yeah. The initial idea was to fly out asap cause she was feeling really down, but she decided to postpone it. Was worried about weather stranding me at an airport for a week (it happens out there often enough), and that her painting and stuff isn't done.

So yeah, I'll be flying out in a few months it seems. Maybe sooner, we'll see. I am however getting her new internet soon here. \o/ then she can use skype probably. should be cheaper than the long distance she has.

[Lazybones]

Just saying... You make also need to setup the Roku before going out there if dial up is still in use or you will need to setup Internet connection sharing or something.

[Tom]

Just saying... You make also need to setup the Roku before going out there if dial up is still in use or you will need to setup Internet connection sharing or something.

Yeah, we'll see if she has problems with it. Hopefully not. The new internet doesn't come with a router of any kind, which is good in a way. But I think she has a WiFi router. I think. If not, I'll send one of those too

[Thorin]

she can use skype probably. should be cheaper than the long distance she has.

Funny that internet + free video calling app is cheaper than long distance even though it could very well be over the same lines.  Any idea yet what kind of internet connection she's actually gonna get?  Satellite, DSL, something over a video cable, or some kind of aimed antenna relay?

[Tom]

she can use skype probably. should be cheaper than the long distance she has.

Funny that internet + free video calling app is cheaper than long distance even though it could very well be over the same lines.  Any idea yet what kind of internet connection she's actually gonna get?  Satellite, DSL, something over a video cable, or some kind of aimed antenna relay?

The last option. Seems it's using the "Motorola Canopy" system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband_for_Rural_Nova_Scotia_initiative

[Thorin]

There's something being piloted in rural Alberta that uses microwave dishes and some kind of repeater system to bring real broadband speeds (10+mbps) to the farmers.  I can't remember what it was, just that some of the cattle ranchers were looking at it to transfer their cow databases to my old employer.

god damn I hated that place.  stupid bosses.

[Mr. Analog]

Thorin and I worked with a guy who used to install microwave internet relays

[Thorin]

I really can't remember who that was, if it wasn't Lazy?

[Mr. Analog]

I really can't remember who that was, if it wasn't Lazy?

It was Joe Joe is the 1 who installed the a repeaters up in Wildwood