MisterMin 1 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) i setup a MB server on a computer and now i want to connect it with my TV. At the moment the TV is connected with an ancient PC (2GB ram, intel E4500, Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS 128MB). Like expected any movie above DVD-quality is not running smoothly (tbh DVD-Quality either) Obviously I have to change something. I wanna run 1080p without framedrops and it would be nice if i can control the MB with a remote. I read something about Roku, is this a solution for me? (TV has a HDMI-port but no lan connection or smarttv) Is there any other device or possibility out there that i can use, or is upgrading the Computer easier/better? (and what components would be necessary) i would prefer a cheap solution edit im living in germany, perhaps there are restrictions with some devices Edited June 27, 2014 by MisterMin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaefurr 1337 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 If you want a cheap solution you could either get a Roku or android mini PC to connect to your TV. Both would be $40-$100. Upgrading the CPU, motherboard and ram on your PC Would be over $100 guaranteed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceboy 2508 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 I'd say roku needs Ethernet if you want good quality, it's fine wireless but not perfect. Otherwise I'd highly recommend a roku Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterMin 1 Posted June 27, 2014 Author Share Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) If you want a cheap solution you could either get a Roku or android mini PC to connect to your TV. what is the advantage of an android mini PC? Do i need this Roku Stick or a whole machine? how is the audio transferred in this cases? with the hdmi cable or over a second cable? I'd say roku needs Ethernet if you want good quality, it's fine wireless but not perfect. Otherwise I'd highly recommend a roku Ethernet connection is possible Also i didnt mention that i am living in germany, so perhaps there are restrictions with some devices/adapters Edited June 27, 2014 by MisterMin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaefurr 1337 Posted June 27, 2014 Share Posted June 27, 2014 (edited) I dont have a Roku so I cant compare the two for pros and cons. Android mini PC is like connecting an android tablet to your TV, so you can use the Mediabrowser app from the play store. The Roku stick is just a smaller Roku model, though if you want an ethernet port you'll have to get the $99 version. And yeah the audio is transferred over the HDMI cable. Edited June 27, 2014 by shaefurr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterMin 1 Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 would this be enought for 1080p rendering? http://www.dx.com/p/dual-core-android-4-2-mini-pc-google-tv-player-w-1gb-ram-8gb-rom-av-spdif-ethernet-sd-206316#.U66KHfl_t8E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saajan4u 79 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) Roku is great for bedroom ect but you can't really show off the full potential off media browsers like the backdrop video themes with songs etc.. It does add really touch to the living room telly.. I have an over kill for htpc it's built using an antec fusion case with an i7 8core cpu with 1 6gigs ram.. And boots off an ssd it does wow my guests and they always ask what the hell is that it looks awsome.. As I have the htpc set to work on remote only and all native pc look has been taken out.. Cant remember when the last time I plugged in a keyboard and mouse to it. My mb server is an i3 machine never has any issues streaming which I leave it on 24/7 with auto shutdown and power on software no issues transcoding and that's hidden under my staircase . Roku as a device is faultless but the menu and transition seems a bit dull.. Its not media browsers fault that's just how the device works.. But works like a charm. Edited June 28, 2014 by saajan4u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A8HTPC 38 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) If you get a Roku, make sure its Roku 3+ since it supports HDMI pass thru audio. Otherwise, your stuck with 2ch AAC audio for direct play. There are better units out there. If this is for your living room, go with something else other than Roku. Dolby Digital and DTS are only supported via pass thru so if there is a sound track with DTS-HD, TrueHD or LPCM you probably can't use it at all. Edited June 28, 2014 by A8HTPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A8HTPC 38 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) In the specs it supports 1080P and TrueHD which is pretty good. Not sure how to get MB on there though. It is based on Android so maybe you can download the MB android app. Anyone else know anything about this? would this be enought for 1080p rendering? http://www.dx.com/p/dual-core-android-4-2-mini-pc-google-tv-player-w-1gb-ram-8gb-rom-av-spdif-ethernet-sd-206316#.U66KHfl_t8E Edited June 28, 2014 by A8HTPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koleckai Silvestri 1150 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 For MBT, try changing its configuration back to what worked for you previously. The developers added a "Custom Presenter" in to the software a few versions back. For me it caused no end of problems. The issues includes pixelation, flickering, a weird grid like overlay on anything higher than DVD quality. Never got any support from the developers on how to fix it except to say there was this new custom presenter. To fix all this, I had to turn if off in MBT's configuration file. To do this go to: %appdata%\MediaBrowser-Theater\config. Open up system.xml. Find the line that says UseCustomPresenter and change its value from True to False. See if that helps. Also for your HTPC, you might get away with just updating the video card for better performance. As for Roku vs. Android. I personally prefer the Roku myself. It isn't perfect but is is nicely self-contained and sets up in seconds. Currently have three Rokus including one in my Living Room and they work for my family's needs. We're not big audiophiles though and don't even have surround speakers installed at the moment. Just a 2.1 channel Sound Bar. But then it fits our needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaefurr 1337 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) would this be enought for 1080p rendering? http://www.dx.com/p/dual-core-android-4-2-mini-pc-google-tv-player-w-1gb-ram-8gb-rom-av-spdif-ethernet-sd-206316#.U66KHfl_t8E In the specs it supports 1080P and TrueHD which is pretty good. Not sure how to get MB on there though. It is based on Android so maybe you can download the MB android app. Anyone else know anything about this? Yeah all you need to do is go into the play store and buy the MB app and you're good to go. I use one in the back of my house, mine is a slower $40 one and even it plays 1080p just fine, though it constantly buffers since the wifi on it is terrible. Works fine when its in the same room as my router though. So over ethernet it should be fine. Edited June 28, 2014 by shaefurr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koleckai Silvestri 1150 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Rendering 1080p video doesn't actually require a lot of processing power. That is the beauty of the H.264 codec. Even the Raspberry Pi which uses a SOC that is a couple of years old can render 1080p without problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techywarrior 688 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Rendering 1080p video doesn't actually require a lot of processing power. That is the beauty of the H.264 codec. Even the Raspberry Pi which uses a SOC that is a couple of years old can render 1080p without problems. Actually, rendering 1080p h264 video actually does require a lot of processing power. BUT most SoCs and any GPU in the last (like 5 years) have hardware decoding of h264 so it doesn't a require powerful CPU. Just want to clarify since it does technically require a lot of processing... just most things have specialized decode units/paths to drastically reduce CPU power needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterMin 1 Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 If you get a Roku, make sure its Roku 3+ its pretty hard to get a Roku in germany. I have no credit card for foreign services, and the roku doesnt get sold in germany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A8HTPC 38 Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Ah didn't know you were in Germany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now