need media streamer suggestions (WD TV Live, Roku, etc)

[Melbosa]

Roku 2 XS
I have the XS because I wanted the Wired Option.  1080p source content has trouble over 54mbps Wireless and I just didn't want to have to deal with that.  I use this in my Bed Room right now.  Most content is natively played from Plex, no transcoding required.

I get around this by changing the max bit rate option in my plex client, however it does cause trans-coding on the server.  I find that 720p 3Mbit mode works perfectly over my wireless N network.

The wired option on the XS is nice if you want native 1080p with no trans-coding... although the included RF remote or smartphone remote app becomes a requirement.

Also works fine with my Harmony.  The XS does have an IR sensor as well as a Blu-Tooth radio.

[Lazybones]

Also works fine with my Harmony.  The XS does have an IR sensor as well as a Blu-Tooth radio.

Ahhh, I for some reason thought it didn't have IR at all... Good to know...


Also from a Plex point of view I run the following end points:

iOS native client
- I have signed up for PlexPass and use this client for offline sync mode... really handy for watching content on the train or long trips.
- The iOS client is much easier to use on a small screen than the web interface.

Web Interface / PlexWeb
- Easy to log in from ANY PC if you have it published
- Main interface for managing the library.
- I actually use this on my PC instead of the Win8 or Plex Home Threater client as it is so easy.

WDTV
- This I use in the spare room to run kids movies sometimes... Don't like it as much as the Roku because it only works over DLNA with plex and displays poster art thumbnails but not any of the nice episode metadata from plex
- I don't use its stand alone metadata agent anymore since I use plex everywhere else.

Samsung Blueray player
- Native client free from the Samsung app store
- my device is older and does not get the latest plex updates anymore..
- still a nice interface and still works better than DLNA ever did on this player.

[Tom]

I could probably be convinced to give up one of my spare quadcore boxes I don't need. It'd make a really decent plex host. I have a QX6600 and a Phenom II X4 810. I also actually have a Phenom I 9550 but that's just a cpu, the mobo may be dead on that one.

[Tom]

If you don't want a big free pc, you could go with something like the intel nuc, or this: http://techreport.com/news/25064/palm-sized-zotac-mini-pc-combines-core-i7-cpu-with-msata-raid

[Thorin]

I might take you up on that offer, first I have to go to the store and get a Roku.  So, which is the upscale one, Roku 2 XS or Roku 2 XD?

[Mr. Analog]

I might take you up on that offer, first I have to go to the store and get a Roku.  So, which is the upscale one, Roku 2 XS or Roku 2 XD?

This may help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roku#Feature_comparison

[Tom]

XS is better. But it can be a bit finicky, and takes a couple minutes or more to boot if you need to reset it. Often times, if you lose wifi, its easiest to just pull the power, and reset it. At least over the phone it was. I can't remember if there was a good way to reset the wifi in the main interface.

I remember plex working very well on it though. I was streaming stuff from home at my mom's place, I had 3mbps up, and she had 3mbps down. so it all worked

Quality was decent for a 32" tv from 15+ feet away. I can't tell you what it would look like on my 55" from 12 feet though. I imagine I'd become annoyed

[Thorin]

WTF, Roku needs my credit card?

[Lazybones]

It includes an App Store, kind of like how Apple requires you to setup iTunes.

The Plex app is free from what I recall on the Roku.

[Thorin]

So I need to add a Plex Channel on the Roku itself?  Or is that something I need to set up on roku.com?

I'm busy downloading and installing the latest PMS now.

[Thorin]

Sweet, PMS won't install.  Says I need a newer Windows Installer service.  Good thing I have an older PMS downloaded.

Here's hoping PMS can run as a service and doesn't have to keep a person logged in (kids here have no respect for whether my account should stay logged in).

[Lazybones]

No under windows PMS still doesn't run as a service.

We discuss this at length in another thread.

Yes you install the Plex channel on the roku

[Lazybones]

FYI I would not install an old version of PMS.

It is rather unusual to be behind on windows installer versions? What version of windows are you running?

[Thorin]

Ha ha, Windows XP.  Can't remember what service pack.  I'll get it figured out later, I have Plex Media Server running now, and we've watched a couple of shows via the Roku.  Had stutters and digitization a few times, which is what I've been trying to fix.  Although with the Xbox it was for the entire length of the streamed show, whereas this was just once or twice in a movie.  I'm sure I can fix it by getting a dedicated PMS box.  Tom, that QX6600 still on offer?  Is it just cpu+mobo?  Does it need anything to make it work (RAM, HDD, case, PSU)?

An enterprising .NET developer decided to write some code that wraps the PMS code and turns it into a service.  Here's the install: http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=14957 (version 1.0.0.6).  Here's the source code: https://github.com/cjmurph/PmsService.  Here's the posting in a thread on the Plex forums: http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/topic/23711-running-pms-as-a-service-in-whs/page-14#entry351373.  You have to run the service under the same user as the one that installed it, so that it can find its data.  You have to enter the username during install as [computername]\[username], although most people use the shortcut dot (.) for the local computer name, so most people put (for instance) .\joeblow.

I spent three+ hours fiddling with my Harmony 880 remote (while watching shows and a movie).  Every time I turned on the Watch Roku activity it would send the Play command to the Roku, so if something was paused it'd already be playing by the time the TV finished turning on.  I eventually fixed this by creating a Generic Activity in the Harmony remote software.  Had to bind all the buttons myself, though, which was a pain.  Also my Samsung TV has three HDMI inputs, the Roku's connected to the HDMI-3 input, but the code the Harmony remote sends for that input apparently doesn't work.  So I had to alter the Watch Roku activity to switch the TV to the HDMI-2 input, then send the signal for the Source button once to flip it to HDMI-3; unfortunately the Help button on the Harmony remote won't do this so if something screws up you have to turn everything off and try again.  I'm going to look for the remote that came with the TV, dunno if I still have it, but if I do I'm going to see if there's an HDMI-3 button and if there is, learn the IR code from it into my Harmony remote.

By the way, I decided run a wire from my cable modem / wifi router to the Roku since they're sitting two feet apart.  No point in overloading the Shaw-supplied wifi modem.  At some point in the future I'll get that thing switched to bridged mode and then buy a real and proper higher end wireless router.  For now it does the job but needs a reboot every couple of weeks.

Jeebus, there's only one accessible power box (with two outlets) by my entertainment system.  I have so many things plugged in now: TV, Harmony remote charging stand, Wii U gamepad charging stand, Wii U, surround sound receiver, Roku, Xbox 360, Kinect, DVD player, Shaw DVR, subwoofer, cable modem.

I also ended up creating activities on my Harmony remote for the other TVs / devices in the house.  That way, if the TV in the basement gets on the wrong input and the kids can't figure out how to put it back, they can grab the Harmony, push the "Watch basement TV" button, and if that doesn't immediately fix it then push the Help button.  Man, I love that help functionality on the Harmony.  Too bad the software to program it is so horribly slow.

[Tom]

Ha ha, Windows XP.  Can't remember what service pack.  I'll get it figured out later, I have Plex Media Server running now, and we've watched a couple of shows via the Roku.  Had stutters and digitization a few times, which is what I've been trying to fix.  Although with the Xbox it was for the entire length of the streamed show, whereas this was just once or twice in a movie.  I'm sure I can fix it by getting a dedicated PMS box.  Tom, that QX6600 still on offer?  Is it just cpu+mobo?  Does it need anything to make it work (RAM, HDD, case, PSU)?

It's a full system. Though you have the choice of that or the Phenom II x4.

Mind you, I'd like to keep them for a bit longer depends on how quickly you need it I suppose.