[Q] Media Streamer / HTPC / Media Centre - General Questions and Answers

Hi folks,
I am very confused regarding the world of media centres / htpc's / media streamers.... so confused in fact that I don't even know the right name to call them.
Anyway at the moment I have loads of videos on my HTC one that I want to be able to watch easily on my TV. Obviously my TV has HDMI and perhaps not so obviously a USB which it can play videos through but it isn't a smart tv.
Since my HTC One only has 32GB then I would like to be able to transfer videos onto the HDD (via my wi-fi network so either plugged into router or into another device) and then play from that or if not then to play directly from my phone onto my TV.
I have been looking at the Now TV box with Plex on and also the Raspberry Pi with XBMC on but I am not sure if either of these can do what I want them to do. Does anyone on here have a home cinema setup along those lines that can advise.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Related

HTC Inspire and the mythical DLNA

It's odd that HTC would put this lilttle tid bit of info up on their site ....
HTC said:
Phone screen meets flatscreen. With built-in DLNA connectivity, you can stream videos, photos, and music wirelessly, from your phone to your flatscreen. So instead of huddling around a phone screen, everyone can kick back on the couch and watch the show.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
... and I'm not even able to stream my media content through my xbox slim
What is the deal with DLNA and the xbox360.
Has anyone gotten it to connect without using a 3rd party media server like Twonky?
Play videos on Xbox 360 (video is stored on phone):
My xbox > windows media center. (it will then require a pc running media center to be on the network and it will connect to the pc).
At this point you should be looking at Windows Media Center on your xbox.
Now on your phone open Connected Media > Video (or other choice) > select the video > Wait for it to find your 360 (this is usually instant, but when I was doing this just now I had to back out of connected media and try again. On the second try it automatically stared to play back on my 360 as it was the only dlna device found.)
Thanks, I'll try this when I get home
shawn1224 said:
It's odd that HTC would put this lilttle tid bit of info up on their site ....
... and I'm not even able to stream my media content through my xbox slim
What is the deal with DLNA and the xbox360.
Has anyone gotten it to connect without using a 3rd party media server like Twonky?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have. If you go through connected media app and pick what you want to stream it will ask you what player you want to use.Then from xbox go to the appropriate media blade(vid,music,or pics) and it should show up.I will say that I had problems doing it at a friends house and I do have my network setup for media servers(setting up ports) so maybe that could be where to look if you still experience problems.
booty hater said:
I have. If you go through connected media app and pick what you want to stream it will ask you what player you want to use.Then from xbox go to the appropriate media blade(vid,music,or pics) and it should show up.I will say that I had problems doing it at a friends house and I do have my network setup for media servers(setting up ports) so maybe that could be where to look if you still experience problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've tried this method numerous times after tampering with different settings and it never shows up. I've gotten Twonky and a few other alternatives to work but the video quality is sub-par.

Stream pictures and videos to tablet from Mac?

So I was wondering if there was a way to stream my pictures and videos from my Mac to my Transformer. I have google music for my music so that isn't really an issue, however I'd like to be able to hook my tablet to any tv and view the pictures on my Mac. I know it's probably easier done over LANwifi but it'd be nice if I could do it anywhere.
I assume once I get my mini hdmi cable it will be easy to hook it up to the TV, but getting the media is where I am stuck.
I use Subsonic (http://www.subsonic.org) to stream all my music and video's to my phone and tablet (or any other device)...
The server can be a mac, you can access your media via the web or via an android, iphone, pc widget/app... there is a lot out there...
It doesn't support image viewing (by default), but there is a mod which enables picture viewing support...
You can take a look at http://media.schattorie.nl, apps are available in the market...
does it cost monthly?
So I just got Plex, seems to work thus far. 4.99 for the app and the server on my mac is a free d/l. Just need to see if it works over 3g now...

Sync Video/Audio From PC To Android

Ok everyone something new that I am trying to setup, something to the effect of a home media streaming server.
The server it self is a laptop intel i5 6gb ram win 7 connected to tv via HDMI, I used this to play netflix, torrents, ect and basically cut off my cable bill.
What I would like to do now is to stream the video/audio via wifi to other android devices that are connected to other tv's through out the house.
for the client side, I will be useing MK802 II android 4.0. connected via HDMI,
question to everyone is ... Has anyone else already accomplish this? and can you give any pointers. I know I can simply share files, ect but I want to sync the video signal to the other televisions so If a video is on in the living room , the same exact video is playing in the kitchen.
And being I want to do this via Android Im here at xda to pick some brains
Thank you in advance
Search at playstore for bubleUpNp
Sent from my LG-P500

Can I stream netflix over 4g from my s3 to a Samsung blu ray player with allshare?

I had been waiting for the allshare cast dongle, however it is a bit pricey. If I purchase a samsung smart blu-ray player with allshare built in, can I stream netflix from my allshare enabled s3 to the blu ray player and watch it on my tv? Or, does allshare only allow you to share files that are saved on your phone? I come from motorola and I am used to the mini hdmi port on the phone. I understand that I can purchase the mhl adapter, but I would prefer to share via allshare so that I can sit back and play plants vs. zombies or watch netflix from my phone without the bulky wires. Basically I want to know if it allows you to mirror what is on your screen. If I am searching the web or text messaging on my phone, can it be shared via allshare wirelessly through an allshare enabled blu ray player and mirrored on the tv?
bump. Has anyone tried to stream netflix directly to their tv or through a blu ray player from their phone using allshare?
This is really gonna piss Verizon off. I say do it and report back. You may be the first. **** 'em!
tappidytappidytaptaptap
I'd like to know as well, I use the MHL, but it would be nice to go wireless.
I doubt it, and not because it can't be done, but something tells me Netflix wouldn't allow it. Why not tether to your blu ray player and watch Netflix that way? It will look better.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
I do not have the blu ray player, but I was going to buy one depending on the answers I received. I do not watch many blu ray movies but I would have purchased one as opposed to paying 90 dollars for the allshare cast dongle. So basically, allshare does not just mirror what is on your phone screen to the tv? If I can not use allshare to watch netflix or youtube on my tv through a blu ray player then I will just buy the mhl adapter. Allshare is very limited in my opinion if all it allows you to do is watch content that is saved on your device. Is that really the case?
Net flix, hbo go, and similar apps will not allow this to work no matter what hardware your running. On some droids however, the hdmi out cable would work, but bad resolution. Have not tried with Samsung's usb to hdmi, but I'm thinking it's a no.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium
All share is just a dlna server.
Get a dlna bluray player and get playon going on your pc. Tether with the phone if thats your internet source.
Playon will stream most anything over dlna including netflix and hulu.
Man, you've been feed a lot of useless information. In case someone else stumbles across this thread and wants some good info:
First, no app "lets" or "won't let" let allshare work. Allshare is also not a dlna server. Apps have no control over allshare, alls apps are mirrored.
Second, I was under the same impressions you, that allshare would allow multitasking, but it doesn't.
So here is the real skinny. All content is mirrored to the secondary screen with (usually) acceptable amounts of delay.
If you are playing solitaire, or reading web pages you won't even care about the delay.
That being said; if you are trying to watch video content or playing fast pased games that require realtime adjustments you will find yourself in one of two cases:
1. Your app supports a second display over allshare. In this case you will find that audio to video will be in sync and you will have an enjoyable experience.
2. Your app does not support a second display over allshare. In this case you will find that your screen and video content ARE displayed over allshare; however, audio and video are not going to be in sync and you will hate your self flr spending $100 on the device.
Netflix, youtube, chrome, and prety much everything accept the video player built into samsung devices all fall into category #2.
you want your content to be in sync you need to use the hdmi dongle or by the docking station for the note (it has 3 usb ports and an hdmi port).
Wrapping it all up:
All share is good for slow paced apps, video with no audio, and video if you put the video on the phone or sd card.
HDMI is required for all other video viewing/gaming purposes.

Android TV box/stick to stream from laptop

Hello,
I'm new here so please pardon my 'newbiness' .
I've been searching around for an affordable tv box/stick that would enable me to:
1. Stream my laptop's desktop on my Smart TV. My idea is to use a wireless keyboard and mouse and do some work on my laptop, but sitting on the couch and looking my Smart TV.
2. Stream my xbmc from my laptop in HD quality to my Smart TV. I would love to stream Movies and TV series from my laptop's XBMC to my Smart Tv in HD quality without any lap or errors.
Is this doable with a TV stick or TV box that is affordable?
Thank you for your time and looking forward to your replays.
Kind Regards,
Luka
I am pretty new to TV streaming etc and am having a lot of fun with a cheap UBOX I bought. reading what you say though suggests to me that you don't need to spend any money at all!
if you are happy using your laptop in the way that you say (and assuming it has an hdmi slot) -why not simply run an HDMI cable to the TV and clone the screens?
perhaps I'm being dumb here, but methinks you are complicating matters -
all the many cheap boxes one can get will simply plug into your tv, pick up your wifi, run kodi etc and away you go -
so why bother with the laptop at all?
Also what do you class as "cheap"? What's your budget?
just these simple usages,u ve got 2 ways,1st,buy a wifi display stick,2nd,hdmi direct plug

Categories

Resources