Bob Fossil's "New to AV" oddysey... help!
Discussion
I'm just about to move house, and have claimed this as my opportunity to get sort out my AV / digital media situation. I'm a big believer in having a go at things yourself and so have tried to work out what best suits my needs... but would appreciate the thoughts of the PH AV gurus.
Before I start, my motivation in doing this isn't to get the *best* set up (I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, and don't watch a load of TV / films) - I just want the neatest, most easily integrated all-round solution.
Key for me is to be able to integrate TV, Music, PVR, TV / Film downloads as well as having the ability to digitise everything (saving space). Since the arrival of BF Jnr in June I no longer have the time for gaming, so the PS3, Wii and xBox 360 have all been sold. In summary, to give me what I need I think I'll need the following:
LOUNGE:
Existing Samsung 1080p LCD TV (wall mounted), connected to a Yamaha YSP (900?) for sound. TV connected via HDMI to a new Mac Mini (with an Elgato TV card) with a Lacie "Starck" 1TB HDD attached.
Hopefully, by pointing the Elgato card to iTunes I'll be able to use the iTunes / Mac Mini as a set-top box / PVR, as well as being able to play all my music / photos / digital content through the TV? iPad / Pod dock attached to Mac Mini so I can charge / sync them easily. All controlled via existing iPod touch. Some kind of ripping software will be employed to enable me to digitise all DVD content.
MAIN BEDROOM:
New WiFi enabled TV (wall-mounted), synced to Mac Mini - controlled via existing iPad (which I got for free - bonus!). iPad will have a dock on the bedside table.
Does that lot make sense? I'll be having all the cables chased into the walls (in trunking in case I ever need to extract / replace one) - the aim being the minimum of anything on display.
I'll leave you with some questions:
1. Will it work, or am I totally up the wrong path?
2. Are there any better ways of doing it?
3. What's the best way to protect the all my stored media data against loss? Mirror the HDD to another?
4. Will I be able to "split" the AV so that I could watch TV downstairs, and SWMBO can watch a film / listen to music upstairs?
5. Will all this mean I can watch HD channels through the TV tuner?
6. Will I need really quick broadband for all this?
7. Would I be better off pointing it all at something like Boxee?
Think that's it for now... and thanks!
Before I start, my motivation in doing this isn't to get the *best* set up (I'm not an audiophile by any stretch, and don't watch a load of TV / films) - I just want the neatest, most easily integrated all-round solution.
Key for me is to be able to integrate TV, Music, PVR, TV / Film downloads as well as having the ability to digitise everything (saving space). Since the arrival of BF Jnr in June I no longer have the time for gaming, so the PS3, Wii and xBox 360 have all been sold. In summary, to give me what I need I think I'll need the following:
LOUNGE:
Existing Samsung 1080p LCD TV (wall mounted), connected to a Yamaha YSP (900?) for sound. TV connected via HDMI to a new Mac Mini (with an Elgato TV card) with a Lacie "Starck" 1TB HDD attached.
Hopefully, by pointing the Elgato card to iTunes I'll be able to use the iTunes / Mac Mini as a set-top box / PVR, as well as being able to play all my music / photos / digital content through the TV? iPad / Pod dock attached to Mac Mini so I can charge / sync them easily. All controlled via existing iPod touch. Some kind of ripping software will be employed to enable me to digitise all DVD content.
MAIN BEDROOM:
New WiFi enabled TV (wall-mounted), synced to Mac Mini - controlled via existing iPad (which I got for free - bonus!). iPad will have a dock on the bedside table.
Does that lot make sense? I'll be having all the cables chased into the walls (in trunking in case I ever need to extract / replace one) - the aim being the minimum of anything on display.
I'll leave you with some questions:
1. Will it work, or am I totally up the wrong path?
2. Are there any better ways of doing it?
3. What's the best way to protect the all my stored media data against loss? Mirror the HDD to another?
4. Will I be able to "split" the AV so that I could watch TV downstairs, and SWMBO can watch a film / listen to music upstairs?
5. Will all this mean I can watch HD channels through the TV tuner?
6. Will I need really quick broadband for all this?
7. Would I be better off pointing it all at something like Boxee?
Think that's it for now... and thanks!
Edited by Bob Fossil on Friday 17th September 17:06
im no expert here. but i live with my friend and i grabbed a lg 32'4000 and bd370 br player for the lounge. cheap and cheerful.
my friend is an apple nut. iphone 4, mac and ipad. i then came home one day and found an apple tv plugged into the back of my lg. it streams direct from his mac book/ipad, music video and net. its a neat solution.
if i were you id get a mac book rather than one of their stand alones. but then you have the problem of portable storage.
the best thing in my life atm is spotify. but for this iv a lowly cable from laptop to stereo. simples
my friend is an apple nut. iphone 4, mac and ipad. i then came home one day and found an apple tv plugged into the back of my lg. it streams direct from his mac book/ipad, music video and net. its a neat solution.
if i were you id get a mac book rather than one of their stand alones. but then you have the problem of portable storage.
the best thing in my life atm is spotify. but for this iv a lowly cable from laptop to stereo. simples
\/\This/\/\
WiFi is bloody awful and should only be used for mobile devices / laptops. If everything else is in a fixed location wire it in to your router / switch.
To answer your questions:
You are along the right lines
Possibly
You need a 2 bay NAS set up in a RAID 1 config. Data is mirrored so should disk 1 go down, it’s backed up on disk 2
You will only be able to split the TV signal if you have 2 outputs on your Mac Mini. Shouldn’t be a problem otherwise with TV upstairs / music downstairs or vice versa
Only if your TV card has an integrated HD tuner
You won’t need especially quick broadband, but you will want a gigabit switch/router if you want to stream HD TV around the house.
I don’t have experience of a Mac Mini or Boxee, my system comprises a 2 bay NAS as the server, a PS3 (which you have unfortunately sold) to stream to the TV, Sky HD and Squeezebox for music, all of which I can thoroughly recommend.
I have heard very good things about the Popcorn Hour, which would replace the PS3 in my system or the Mac Mini in yours.
BTW, what will you use to play Blu-rays, does your Mac come with a Blue ray drive?
WiFi is bloody awful and should only be used for mobile devices / laptops. If everything else is in a fixed location wire it in to your router / switch.
To answer your questions:
You are along the right lines
Possibly
You need a 2 bay NAS set up in a RAID 1 config. Data is mirrored so should disk 1 go down, it’s backed up on disk 2
You will only be able to split the TV signal if you have 2 outputs on your Mac Mini. Shouldn’t be a problem otherwise with TV upstairs / music downstairs or vice versa
Only if your TV card has an integrated HD tuner
You won’t need especially quick broadband, but you will want a gigabit switch/router if you want to stream HD TV around the house.
I don’t have experience of a Mac Mini or Boxee, my system comprises a 2 bay NAS as the server, a PS3 (which you have unfortunately sold) to stream to the TV, Sky HD and Squeezebox for music, all of which I can thoroughly recommend.
I have heard very good things about the Popcorn Hour, which would replace the PS3 in my system or the Mac Mini in yours.
BTW, what will you use to play Blu-rays, does your Mac come with a Blue ray drive?
Gassing Station | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff