Media centre / streaming setup

[theboyfold]

I'm trying to get my head around the best solution to store all my DVDs (not BluRay) and CDs centrally and access them from clients around the house, but I'm a little stuck at the best way of executing it.

What I'd like to achieve is this:

• All music in a central location with all clients that log on able to see the latest updates to the library (and ideally playlists etc)
• Same deal with my DVDs, however, I'd also like to be able to put these onto my iPad for when I'm on a plane / train etc etc

So it's quite simple, but I'm a little lost on the details.

Which audio codec should I use? I'd like to get as near to CD quality as possible. So I'm thinking, WAV (too much in the way of storage), Apple Lossless (ties me to iTunes) or FLAC means I can't use it on my iPod.

The reason I don't want to be tied to iTunes is that I don't know how to use it with multiple clients, I know of home sharing, but my music will be on a Qnap NAS, and that doesn't have a very good media server on it.

Same question with the video, I'm guessing I go with H264 (I'm willing to go with the pain of the transcode, I have a dual core i7 sat at work I can use ). So which software should I use for this? Is Handbrake the best option? Should all this be stored on the Qnap or should I invest in a proper server?

Finally, which client should I use for the playout of the video? I'm not interested in storage on the client, but along with the DVDs I'd ideally like to be able to use iPlayer, 4OD etc etc. So I'm thinking an ASRock ION330PRO. Or should I look at Popcorn Hour? I'm just worried it won't work with iPlayer and the more media rich web.

Any thoughts?

[Bullett]

I do pretty much what you want.

Music - All my CD's are currently in mp3 on a server (in a RAID array, it also has video and photos) the server runs both itunes and Squeezeserver. Around the house I have squeezeboxes which I control from either my touch app, their own control panel or via a web interface on any PC. This gives me full access to all CD's, internet radio, last.fm, bbc etc.
I am considering moving my CD's to either flac or applelossless, the Squeezebox will play either. If I moved to flac I'd keep a seperate ipod library.

Sono would also be an option (but more expensive)

Video - I considered a popcorn hour but decided it was alot of money for not much functionality. I now use my PS3 to connect at the TV end. Several options for getting this working, any DLNA server will feed a PS3 but Twonky, tversity and ps3mediaplayer are the leading choices. These are easy to set up on any PC and will supply video, music and photos to the ps3. The ps3 handles vobs and most other codecs without issue. The only problem seems to be it can't read subtitles unless hardcoded. Some of those apps will also transcode on the fly if the file isn't in a native format.

Another option if you are computer savvy, is to set up YAMJ and a web server, which are apps developed for Popcorn hour but allow you to browser your movie collection via box art in the web browser, then stream the movie directly. I've got this working but it's a little clonky (but looks really cool!).

[Dupont666]

A few of my threads trying out similar... not gone for any yet but will be shortly once I have done more work on the flat

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Thudd]

Daft question, but is there a simple easy method for ripping your own DVD's to Divx?
It's ridiculous that the easiest way to get a digital copy of stuff you already own is to download it.

[Dupont666]

Thudd said:

Daft question, but is there a simple easy method for ripping your own DVD's to Divx?
It's ridiculous that the easiest way to get a digital copy of stuff you already own is to download it.

And put it through a program as DVDs will not be avi format, but essentially yes.

[Nimbus]

theboyfold said:

The reason I don't want to be tied to iTunes is that I don't know how to use it with multiple clients, I know of home sharing, but my music will be on a Qnap NAS, and that doesn't have a very good media server on it.

---

cut ----------------

Finally, which client should I use for the playout of the video? I'm not interested in storage on the client, but along with the DVDs I'd ideally like to be able to use iPlayer, 4OD etc etc. So I'm thinking an ASRock ION330PRO. Or should I look at Popcorn Hour? I'm just worried it won't work with iPlayer and the more media rich web.

Any thoughts?

whats wrong with the media server on the qnap, its twonkymedia, which should do everything you need ? I believe you can also run itunes server, or a slimserver if you like,

re: clients, how about a convert xbox ( costs about £20 ), or else an atom based silent pc, using xbmc client.

handles everything, cheap, and futureproof..

I've been running essentially what you are after with the above setup for about 2 years..
ie, qnap209, with twonkymedia server, streaming to either a pc, a laptop, or an xbmc enabled xbox. works fine with all my films and music

oh, and I can watch iplayer and utube via the xbox as well, not bothered with the sorting the other channels equivalents yet..

[Plotloss]

Squeezeboxes and Popcorn Hours

Then essentially all the PC is is a dataserver.

[Dupont666]

Plotloss said:

Squeezeboxes and Popcorn Hours

Then essentially all the PC is is a dataserver.

CAn you use them with a NAS and get the same result rather than a PC?

[marctwo]

I have a Qnap TS-210 with my iTunes libabry in 320kbps mp3, and DVDs as h264 mp4 files.

I went for a PS3 front end as it does iPlayer, plays CDs and DVDs (if needed) as well as games, blu-ray and streams all my media.

I also recently installed Squeezeplay on one of my O2 Jogglers which turns it into a Squeezebox touch, so I put Squeezebox Server on the Qnap and it works brilliantly.

I understand the Popcornhour plays more media types, but if it's only your DVD collection you want to play, just encode it all as mp4 and the PS3 will play it just fine from Twonky on the Qnap.

[Dupont666]

marctwo said:

I have a Qnap TS-210 with my iTunes libabry in 320kbps mp3, and DVDs as h264 mp4 files.

I went for a PS3 front end as it does iPlayer, plays CDs and DVDs (if needed) as well as games, blu-ray and streams all my media.

I also recently installed Squeezeplay on one of my O2 Jogglers which turns it into a Squeezebox touch, so I put Squeezebox Server on the Qnap and it works brilliantly.

I understand the Popcornhour plays more media types, but if it's only your DVD collection you want to play, just encode it all as mp4 and the PS3 will play it just fine from Twonky on the Qnap.

Sounds like I need a PS3...

I have an xbox 360 but the noise would drive me crazy.

[marctwo]

Dupont666 said:

marctwo said:

I have a Qnap TS-210 with my iTunes libabry in 320kbps mp3, and DVDs as h264 mp4 files.

I went for a PS3 front end as it does iPlayer, plays CDs and DVDs (if needed) as well as games, blu-ray and streams all my media.

I also recently installed Squeezeplay on one of my O2 Jogglers which turns it into a Squeezebox touch, so I put Squeezebox Server on the Qnap and it works brilliantly.

I understand the Popcornhour plays more media types, but if it's only your DVD collection you want to play, just encode it all as mp4 and the PS3 will play it just fine from Twonky on the Qnap.

Sounds like I need a PS3...

I have an xbox 360 but the noise would drive me crazy.

My PS3 (slim) is pretty noisy

[Plotloss]

Dupont666 said:

Plotloss said:

Squeezeboxes and Popcorn Hours

Then essentially all the PC is is a dataserver.

CAn you use them with a NAS and get the same result rather than a PC?

Yes you can. There is a version of SqueezeCentre which runs on NAS devices and most NAS products have a uPnp server or the Popcorn Hour can access network shares directly.

[Nimbus]

I was talking about an old school xbox, not xbox360... cause they are dirt cheap and take about 5 minutes to convert to an xbmc client..
so if you dont like it, you can bin it, and it hasnt cost you £££
they are pretty loud tho..

if you want silent, then you want an atom based mini pc, and stick the linux xbmc client on it..
xbmc plays everything...

I've got all the bits to do this myself now, except I'm still running a crt tv, that needs scart input..once the crt dies, I'll be getting a new tv, and using that

[Dupont666]

Nimbus said:

I was talking about an old school xbox, not xbox360... cause they are dirt cheap and take about 5 minutes to convert to an xbmc client..
so if you dont like it, you can bin it, and it hasnt cost you £££
they are pretty loud tho..

if you want silent, then you want an atom based mini pc, and stick the linux xbmc client on it..
xbmc plays everything...

I've got all the bits to do this myself now, except I'm still running a crt tv, that needs scart input..once the crt dies, I'll be getting a new tv, and using that

Also need to be able to hook a mac up to it so might look at that too

[theboyfold]

Nimbus said:

I was talking about an old school xbox, not xbox360... cause they are dirt cheap and take about 5 minutes to convert to an xbmc client..
so if you dont like it, you can bin it, and it hasnt cost you £££
they are pretty loud tho..

if you want silent, then you want an atom based mini pc, and stick the linux xbmc client on it..
xbmc plays everything...

I've got all the bits to do this myself now, except I'm still running a crt tv, that needs scart input..once the crt dies, I'll be getting a new tv, and using that

that's the route I'm most tempted with as my 'client'. Buying an atom based system and running Ubuntu.

[tankplanker]

I used to stream content (MP3s and AVIs) to Xbox V1s running XBMC and Xbox 360s, this was fine until we started upgrading screens to HD and I wanted to switch to HD Video when we started replacing TVs with newer HD compatible ones, neither really seem to support mkvs properly. Now we have Atom ION based mini PCs (ASRock ones, costs about £200 without Blu-ray and around £300 with), supports blu-ray and my ripped HD content in full 1080p via a dedicated HDMI socket and is pretty much silent.

I much prefer PCs as they are considerably more flexible than dedicated media players, and you can run whatever front end takes your fancy rather than being stuck with what it comes with or can be upgraded to. Size wise they are also a lot smaller than either version of Xbox or a PS3.

Biggest issue we had was getting decent wireless keyboards, went with Logitec diNovo mini keyboards, these are ace. Not much bigger than a smart phone, come with a long life rechargeable battery and the reception is via blue tooth so tends to be flawless rather than prone to reception wobbles than none blue tooth ones operating at a distance.

[Nimbus]

theboyfold said:

that's the route I'm most tempted with as my 'client'. Buying an atom based system and running Ubuntu.

thats a nice solution, if expensive, and finding a 'nice' small case may be tricky.

I managed to secure an old Viper hypermedia case of ebay a while back in preparation.
Looks like a dvd player

[xbmc evangelist]
I'd seriously look at installing the live version of xbmc on it over basic ubuntu tho
http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=XBMC_Live
You can even run it off usb to start with to see if you like it..
Or try it on a laptop now
[/xbmc evangelist]

ok, I'll shut up about xbmc for a bit now

[scovette]

Nimbus said:

theboyfold said:

that's the route I'm most tempted with as my 'client'. Buying an atom based system and running Ubuntu.

thats a nice solution, if expensive, and finding a 'nice' small case may be tricky.

An Acer Revo comes with a vesa mount so you can stick it on the back of a TV. (And then just suspend/resume with a remote to save you reaching round the back of the TV.)

[dvs_dave]

Dupont666 said:

marctwo said:

I have a Qnap TS-210 with my iTunes libabry in 320kbps mp3, and DVDs as h264 mp4 files.

I went for a PS3 front end as it does iPlayer, plays CDs and DVDs (if needed) as well as games, blu-ray and streams all my media.

I also recently installed Squeezeplay on one of my O2 Jogglers which turns it into a Squeezebox touch, so I put Squeezebox Server on the Qnap and it works brilliantly.

I understand the Popcornhour plays more media types, but if it's only your DVD collection you want to play, just encode it all as mp4 and the PS3 will play it just fine from Twonky on the Qnap.

Sounds like I need a PS3...

I have an xbox 360 but the noise would drive me crazy.

I prefer PS3 media server over Twonky. It's much smaller, more efficient and does loads more.....and it's open source.

[marctwo]

Dupont666 said:

I prefer PS3 media server over Twonky. It's much smaller, more efficient and does loads more.....and it's open source.

... and doesn't run on my Qnap

There is no doubt that PSMS is the best, and as soon as someone makes a QPKG version I shall install it.

Edited by marctwo on Thursday 6th May 13:13