Re: OT- Video computer?
- From: "Nate" <nsaptaemcscpnanm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:56:23 -0700
"Tom T" <tominkirkland@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:RF%pk.120$UX.101@xxxxxxxxxxx
There is a lot of content on the internet for video these days. StarzPlay, Netflix, Hulu, Movielink, and some stations offer their own HG feeds, to name just a few. I currently use StarzPlay and Netflix Instant. I recently bought a Roku Netflix player and am impressed except I think I get better quality using my laptop plugged into my wide-screen TV, however I do like the ease of use of the Roku player as it is a tiny box, connects to my LAN via wifi G, connects to my TV using HDMI and has a remote control. The main issue I have with it is that it only works with Netflix at this time.
What I would really like is a dedicated video box like the Roku but that would work on any internet source. So it would have to be a real (traditional) computer and allow navigation with a remote along with being fairly inexpensive and small (for example, the Roku was 100 bucks new and is about 6" x 6" x 1.5"). Is there a solution out there like that I just don't know about? Ideally, I'd like a small box, no bigger than a VCR, that would be dedicated to internet video feeds, connect to my TV via HDMI or component video, ability to navigate with a remote control, wifi connection to the net, fairly inexpensive and easy to set up. This would be a dedicated video solution, not intended as a computer so it would not require a lot of hard drive space or even require Windows for that matter.
My goal is to get rid of cable service all together. The blood suckers are not worth the near 100 bucks per month that they charge. Right now I get all local broadcast networks in HD but do have interruptions when a little windy. I want to have a viable option to use the internet in a capacity to view programming via most any source available..
Anyone know of a product like this or have suggestions?
Tom
I'm using a D-Link DSM 510 right now. It has it's problems though.
It's a small box...about the size of a wireless router. It connects wirelessly to the lan, but in wireless mode you won't get high def movies to your screen efficiently. I decided to run a Cat 5 to the living room and it works a lot better.
I looked at the Roku media player and it was a bit pricey and friends told me it had the same deficiencies as the D-Link DSM-510.
Someday soon I expect the industry to put a box out that will do the job correctly. For now I live with the DSM 510.
I found that if I record a high def TV show in the highest resolution I lose the audio when I pipe it to the TV via the DSM-510. A discussion with D-Link led me to setting the resolution or frame rates lower, but still considered HD. The audio and video sync just fine now.
If I am watching a high def movie via the DSM-510 and I hit the pause or fast forward the DSM-510 locks up. It requires a hard reset by unplugging the power cord, wait 15 seconds and replug it in. That's annoying. But if you can stand just watching the movie from start to finish...no potty breaks...it works wonderfully. But that is not the purpose of digitally recording the movies in the first place, so it is a major problem with the unit.
D Link also has a DSM 320 Media Lounge that is a bit more expensive. I'm not ready to try it. There are some other media players that work in concert with MS Media Center. Those units allow you to control the Media Center from the Player, while the DSM-510 only allows you to run the video file stored on the computer using it's own proprietary player. That seems more appealing to me...but again...I'm not ready to try it. I think we need some more R&D on these technologies before I start throwing my money into the pit.
For now, I have a spare laptop connected to my plasma via VGA to Component. I share the folder that the movies are stored on in the office PC and allow the laptop to play them. The laptop becomes my media player. It has it's own GPU so it doesn't try to pipe that resource over the LAN. But to do this it requires using a $1,000 piece of equipment to do a so-so job. I can use that laptop top surf the internet, balance my checkbook or anything else a computer might od, while viewing it on the large screen. But I find myself migrating to the office for those things anyhow. So really...the laptop is just used for playing movies now.
Nate
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