What can attach to NAS and output to TV and HIFI?

[Drummond]

Hello,

I'm not really sure where to post as I am just starting out.

There are a couple of us and we each have out own Windows laptop.

I would like to stick a hard drive somewhere both of us can access wirelessly on our laptops.

I would also like the files on that hard drive (video, audio & photos) to be able to be played on the TV and a Hifi.

I think I will need some kind of 'server' or 'streamer' to plug the hard drive into to make it accessible to the laptops but that device must also have output for connection to the hifi and the TV (which are next to each other).

One problem I can see with that is that how would I browse the music files on the hard drive and get them to play on a hifi that is attached to the streamer?

If I view the files on the laptop and play them then the sound is going to come out the laptop which is not what I want as its not attached to the hifi.

Would I have to get something like the iPort Express to send it back to the amp?

Would I need a pretty hefty Wifi router to support all these connections and traffic?

How do you guys manage your setups?

Thanks!

Bit like this but output to TV too:

 

[next010]

Out of the box for everything a Tvix Slim S1 would do that (click feature tab to see details).
* Can take an internal HDD and share it out over the network
* Has a web remote that works with smartphones and web browsers (just type in IP of media player into PC web browser) this will make the media player play those files.

Unless the videos are rather low resolution playing on your PC from the HDD in the media player isnt that great an idea over wireless, wired really needed for video but music and pictures should be fine.

 

[Drummond]

Thanks, that looks good.

I do have an ipod touch which it looks like I could use as a remote.

Would the Western Digital WD TV Live do what I want?

It does have a remote but no screen so not sure how I could access the audio?

 

[next010]

The WDTV Live may also work,
* you can plug in a USB hard drive and it will mount that on the network
* there is a WDTV Live remote on the iOS store but I dont think its a proper web remote rather it pushes content from DLNA servers to the WDTV Live so it will play it. It wont work in the context your describing unless you purchase a NAS with a DLNA server built in.
* I think (not sure) there is a web remote built into the hacked WDTV Live firmwares but never checked this out myself maybe someone else can say so.

 

[nacmacfeegle]

The WDTV Live may also work,
* you can plug in a USB hard drive and it will mount that on the network
* there is a WDTV Live remote on the iOS store but I dont think its a proper web remote rather it pushes content from DLNA servers to the WDTV Live so it will play it. It wont work in the context your describing unless you purchase a NAS with a DLNA server built in.
* I think (not sure) there is a web remote built into the hacked WDTV Live firmwares but never checked this out myself maybe someone else can say so.

Hacked WDTV Live user here.

Nexty is pretty much on the money.
The WDTV Live will act as a basic NAS, so will share any drives attached to it. Software is included that will automatically map your WDTV attached drives to your laptop for you. Laptop will then see the attached drive as if it were a local USB, more or less. It will play music to a Hifi etc, and video to an attached TV. Easiest and most basic way would involve switching on the TV to access and browse your music and video files, a simple IR remote control does this for you..
Personally I prefer to use a Squeezebox for my music, its a much nicer experience and gives access to all sorts of musical goodness like Napster, LastFM and a bewildering choice of internet radio, plus your own music library. It has much better music management and a very good remote for the Iphone (Ipeng).

The WDTV Istore app is indeed a pusher and I really don't like it that much, but may try again to get my couple of quid's worth of usage from it. It does need a server/nas with a built in DLNA service, but its actually quite hard to buy a standard NAS without this feature these days.

edit...
"* I think (not sure) there is a web remote built into the hacked WDTV Live firmwares but never checked this out myself maybe someone else can say so. "
Its not built in, but can be added as an "app.bin" which is a bit like a plug-in. I have no experience of it and didn't know it existed until Next010's comment prompted me to do a bit of digging.

Edit again, it is built in, and works fine over both 'remote PC' and via Iphone, its directly accessed through the Webend. Basically its a photo of the IR remote and it behaves exactly like an IR, but obviously sends instructions over the Lan/Wifi.

I reckon the WDTV Live will do most of what you want out of the box and won't need hacking (which is easier than it sounds). Hacking is requred to enable the Webend though.

 

[Drummond]

Thanks for the replies.

What Squeezebox do you use for your audio setup?

If I can use the ipod touch as a remote I would be happy as it probably can handle the functionality I require (an easy to read screen).

Cheers!

 

[nacmacfeegle]

I have 3 SB classics, a Boom and a Touch (soon to add a Radio). Yes, I like my Squeezeboxes.
I reckon a Touch would suit you best as it can run standalone from a cheap powered USB drive (can run from USB powered drives but is picky about models). No other server or complex NAS configuration is required, you can then add other models, if you need to, quite simply.
Iphone app is called Ipeng
iPeng, the Ultimate Squeezebox iPhone Remote has some screenshots etc, its as easy to follow as the regular Iphone music player, and is much more useful.
Its developer regularly posts over on the music streaming forum and is very helpful, but I've needed to ask him anything serious.

For your movies, just about any media player would serve you well, WDTV LIve, ACRyan Playon, etc, etc, the list is large and quite bewildering.