DLNA

[PetrolTed]

I've got a TV with an ethernet connection and DLNA capability.

We've got various PCs with photos and videos on them. What's the easiest way to

1) Get the TV hooked into my wireless network

2) Get the PCs to act as media servers to the TV?

TIA

[Plotloss]

You need a DNLA server (Twonky for example) on one machine, with drives mapped to the other machines with media on, exposing it to a DLNA client, which in your case is the television.

To do it to your television wirelessly you need an ethernet bridge, if you've got a Squeezebox they can operate in bridge mode.

[PetrolTed]

[tig]

Have you looked at the Apple TV ? You'll need to run iTunes on the PCs but if 'easiest' is important I reckon its hard to beat

[PetrolTed]

tig said:

Have you looked at the Apple TV ? You'll need to run iTunes on the PCs but if 'easiest' is important I reckon its hard to beat

Yep, I'd consider that. We have iTunes running on them anyway.

Is it as simple as it claims?

[tig]

When I got mine I wasn't entirely sure why I'd bought it (this seems to be common with the apple TV !). But it all becomes clear once its connected to your pc's/macs and you're browsing pictures/music/video. Setup really was childs play - typical apple.

Mines hardwired through ethernet but it will connect by wifi too. You pair the apple tv to the itunes pc and it appears in itunes like a permanently connected ipod. You then choose what itunes content is to be sync'd or streamed to the tv and thats about it. If you've got an ipod touch / iphone you can use it as a remote control on the apple tv.

Just waiting for apple to finally put a web browser on the apple tv as standard - although there are 3rd party apps for this. PH on your TV ?

[PetrolTed]

Sounds great. Might give that a bash.

[Plotloss]

Have a look at the popcorn hour a-110, c-200 or the hdx1000.

All of them offer significantly better file support and features than the apple tv

[Frankeh]

This is what I use:
http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_i...

It has a DLNA server, bittorrent client (So you can download with your PC off), FTP server, access files from remote locations.
All in all a great little package.
I worked out the saving in power was £200 a year because my computer is a monster gaming rig, so draws a hell of a lot of power..
Rather than the 15 odd watts that draws.

[paulmurr]

I've got a Buffalo Linkstation Live NAS drive, which acts as a DLNA server and my PS3 which acts as a DLNA client. All the media from the NAS can stream wirelessly to my PS3 which is linked to the TV and hifi. It works beautifully

[TonyHetherington]

Plotloss said:

Have a look at the popcorn hour a-110, c-200 or the hdx1000.

All of them offer significantly better file support and features than the apple tv

I've just bought one of these (purely on Matt's reccomendation ) - the A110 - and I must say it is very good - literally plays anything, which I understand with some media extenders can be a problem sometimes, especially if you're downloading lots of different films/programmes etc.

Though I've not really used it in anger yet (I bought it in preparation for moving in with Gina in September, when we'll be buying ourselves a rather lovely tv), what it does it does very well. The interface is not as great as I'd hoped - I was hoping for something far more "Gina friendly" if you know what I mean, but you can very quickly and simply play with the index.html files and the skins and wotnot and have it looking exactly as you wish.

You can put a hard drive in the A110 (doesn't come as standard, but £60 for a 1tb you really can't not!) and so you can put files directly on there and use it as a media server, or download to it using it's onboard torrent client. It really is universally acclaimed - nobody's had a bad word to say about it that I've found - which is why I went for it.

[tig]

Trust me - the apple TV is extremely Gina-friendly. I've got a Gina too and she has no problems with it. I think some of the other options may be more 'enthusiast' oriented from the sound of it

[Plotloss]

TonyHetherington said:

I was hoping for something far more "Gina friendly" if you know what I mean

Now you need to be introduced to YAMJ

Its a box cover interface...

[CraigW]

as an aside, Ted, is that your BMW E60 estate with the huge ph logo on it I saw on sat in Thames Ditton area?

[TonyHetherington]

Plotloss said:

TonyHetherington said:

I was hoping for something far more "Gina friendly" if you know what I mean

Now you need to be introduced to YAMJ

Its a box cover interface...

Isnt that another type of media streamer, or is it some sort of front end that I can put on the popcorn?

Ironically, I've just received an e-mail from PopCorn Hour saying the C-100 is available to order from tomorrow (their new, and supposedly even more amazing, product).

edit' plotty, you're a star; http://code.google.com/p/moviejukebox/w/list

Edited by TonyHetherington on Wednesday 26th August 15:17

[TonyHetherington]

tig said:

I think some of the other options may be more 'enthusiast' oriented from the sound of it

I think you're right, but in fairness a part of me loves that, that I can play and customise and learn - it's just that front end. I think she'll be ok with it, but I will try to make it better and more simple.

[PetrolTed]

CraigW said:

as an aside, Ted, is that your BMW E60 estate with the huge ph logo on it I saw on sat in Thames Ditton area?

Nope, my logos are quite small these days

[Frankeh]

No point getting a set top box of any kind.
He has a built in DLNA client in his TV, so all he needs is a DLNA server of some sort.

[PetrolTed]

True. Have to say it's a bit of an arse having to strap an ethernet bridge to the back of the TV though.

I do quite like the idea of the Apple TV as it's ok to look at and the user interface fits with our usage of iTunes etc.

[Plotloss]

You could run a bit of wire in, depending on wall construction etc.

No need for the bridge then.