Use a laptop instead of media streaming device?

[Johnnie]

I purchased a KISS 1600 and returned it the following day as I thought it was rubbish for browsing files and was unresponsive.

My main priority is an easy to use media browser for playing my mp3's in my living room through my hi-fi.

All the media streaming devices I've looked at seem to have poor interfaces and the ones with better interfaces seem to rely on a PC to be connected over a network which needs to be running all the time.

I'm now considering using an old(ish) laptop with either MCE or Linux with a HTPC frontend which I can slide into my AV rack (with the screen closed!) and use the s-video output to my TV.

This means I wouldn't need any streaming device and would have a very easy to use interface.

Has anyone tried this?

[scooby_doo]

Not heard of anyone using a laptop for this purpose. Sounds interesting.

In terms of remote control would you plug something into one of the USB ports to achieve this?

And plug a USB HDD into another port to get a decent amount of storage?

[tony_yates]

Not heard of anyone using a laptop for this purpose. Sounds interesting.

In terms of remote control would you plug something into one of the USB ports to achieve this?

And plug a USB HDD into another port to get a decent amount of storage?

Funnily enough I had a little play with a laptop and media software. I used media portal on XPSP2 and plugged it into my projector via the vga port to the projector's DVI port and played back a ripped and converted DVD. I thought the pitcure was great, what I haven't tried is remote control, and also the only sound output on this laptop was the headphone socket. These areas would need sorting properly for watching movies. Obviously you could browse and stream from any other PC\nas in the house.

[scooby_doo]

and also the only sound output on this laptop was the headphone socket.

Ah good point. Your average laptop is not equipped with a 5.1 sound card is it :grin:

[Johnnie]

I only really need a stereo output anyway as I intend to use it for playing mp3's so the headphone output would be ok for that (I have a ps3 connected to a av amp for dvd/bluray etc). Although if I did need 5.1 maybe something like this would work:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TerraTec-Aureon-5-1-MKII-10075/dp/B000KYALCI

Yes I had also thought about using a USB HDD or maybe a NAS drive on my network, as I have a router next to my tv so I could connect the laptop via cat5 to that.

I also already have one of these:

http://www.dabs.com/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=336N&CategorySelectedId=11255&NavigationKey=11255

[happyuser]

Have a look at this for 5.1 from a laptop


http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/shop/detail.asp?ProductID=3508&CategoryID=99&SubCategoryID=100

[Johnnie]

I'm now considering resurrecting an old DELL Optiplex desktop pc, I've managed to install an old gf4mx420 agp graphics card, although I'm going to have to 'adjust' the metal back-plate as it's too tall for the case to close!

As the optiplex is still pretty small I can stand it up behind my AV rack, it's only a Pentium3 800mhz but it should be enough for browsing my music.

it looks like this one but much less powerful!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.tigerdirect.ca/skuimages/large/J156-4294-main.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp%3FEdpNo%3D2877939&h=300&w=300&sz=26&hl=en&start=79&um=1&tbnid=pual_qQ2BKGijM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddell%2Boptiplex%26start%3D60%26ndsp%3 D20%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dope ra%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN

It actually looks very similar to the xbox 360, hmm?

[scooby_doo]

That should be plenty quick enough. How is it in terms of noise tho?

[Kieron]

Mac Mini would be easier.

[timtastic_bhoy]

you can buy an external usb sound card that allows optical/ coax output to your amp..say creative soundblaster live 24..£30 and the signal is not touched by the cheap card just passed thru

[Johnnie]

I would love a mac mini, but they cost £400 and I'm not even sure if they're powerful enough to play all HD files.

The old DELL has been lying around for months, as had the graphics card, so it won't cost me much, if anything to use it.

It's actually pretty quiet, there only seems to be a fan to cool the PSU and one on the CPU heatsink, I might swap these for some quiet fans and maybe increase the memory from 256mb to something less embarrassing:eek:

There is quite a decent spec 2nd hand optiplex on ebay for £82

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DELL-OPTIPLEX-GX280-DESKTOP-P4-2-8GHZ-HT-256MB-40GB-XP_W0QQitemZ150194329376QQihZ005QQcategoryZ179QQss PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[scooby_doo]

maybe increase the memory from 256mb to something less embarrassing:eek:

If you went for a linux distro instead of windows then you might get away with the 256?

[Johnnie]

Well I've added more ram, got 512mb now! and have positioned it vertically behind my TV rack.

It's running xp and media portal, with the 'foofaraw' skin and it looks amazing even on my 28" crt tv. (so much better and tweakable than MCE)

http://www.team-mediaportal.com/files/Download/Skins/16:9/Foofaraw16:9Skin(1.0.8)/

I've asked for a Logitech MX Air mouse from santa, so next week I should really be laughing!:thumbsup:

Surely this has got to be a better solution than any of the media streaming devices available?

[rhubarbe]

Well, it depends on what you want to watch. I just scrapped HTPC MKVI because I couldn't get any of the MCE alternatives to play my AVCHD camcorder files, or my ISO's, or frankly, most of my mpegs.

The Tvix M-6500A or the Popcornhour AV-100 will play all of these, out of the box.

[Johnnie]

Apparently there is a daemon tool plugin you can get for Media Portal to make it work with iso files.

As for AVCHD, this seems to be a difficult format for most software to playback.

I really wanted to get away from my HTPC setup, but I've ended up returning to using a computer as I couldn't find any better alternative in terms of interface and price.

I'm sure the devices you mention are great, but how much are they?

The fact that I'm able to use a virtually obsolete PC and free software and create a HTPC (a low spec none HD playback one) is quite rewarding.

The trouble is I'm already hungry for more power and then the whole noise/cooling problem arises!

That's why my original idea of a Home Theatre laptop or maybe I should create a new acronym 'HTLT', seemed appealing, a small device that could be positioned in your AV rack but would be quiet yet powerful enough to act as a media centre.

I had looked at HTPC cases and suitable components but it would just be cheaper and easier to get a laptop now they are so cheap.

[rhubarbe]

The Tvix M-4100SH can be had for £250. Its successor, the M-6500A is £281 with the MPCClub buy-in; the Popcorn Hour A-100 is a shade under £200 with the same MPCClub buy-in.

They will decode anything you are likely to want and output it via HDMI to your HDTV.

[mcdermott_c]

The Tvix M-4100SH can be had for £250. Its successor, the M-6500A is £281 with the MPCClub buy-in; the Popcorn Hour A-100 is a shade under £200 with the same MPCClub buy-in.

They will decode anything you are likely to want and output it via HDMI to your HDTV.

hi where can you buy a popcorn hour from and for £200

thanks

[Matt_C]

I purchased a KISS 1600 and returned it the following day as I thought it was rubbish for browsing files and was unresponsive.

My main priority is an easy to use media browser for playing my mp3's in my living room through my hi-fi.

All the media streaming devices I've looked at seem to have poor interfaces and the ones with better interfaces seem to rely on a PC to be connected over a network which needs to be running all the time.

I'm now considering using an old(ish) laptop with either MCE or Linux with a HTPC frontend which I can slide into my AV rack (with the screen closed!) and use the s-video output to my TV.

This means I wouldn't need any streaming device and would have a very easy to use interface.

Has anyone tried this?


Thats basically the same set up as my "Ghetto" HTPC - it's just a SFF desktop hooked up to the TV vis S-vid (CRT TV) and to the amp via optical, and all it's used for is music playback and video playback. I do have it connected to a NAS drive and don't store any data on it, but thats just for ease of file management...

S-Vid isn't the BEST way to view a PC on a TV, due to the crappy resolution, but it works for Windows Media Player (what I use for music) and video playback is pretty much unaffected no matter what player (Zoomplayer, Media Player Classic, WMP, VLC etc)

As for control, I use a Keysonic RF control pad (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=433757) as I don't have MCE, but I pressume if you had MCE you could use the MCE remote with a USB IR (http://www.kenable.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/531) ?

As for it being a lappy - personally, unless you have an old laptop kicking about that you could use for the job, I'd get a cheap SFF desktop. Easier to mess with components (put in bigger HDD, change soundcard, change video card, change DVD drive etc) and more importantly, can be much cheaper than a laptop!