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What type of media player?

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  • 02-06-2014 8:33pm
    #1
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭


    Hi, just looking for some advice on what type player and set up I need. I have a 1tb media player with kids series and movies but I can only play this on my laptop. Hooking the laptop up to the TV is awkward and the sound is on laptop not TV. Just want to find out the best way to watch these on a media player or similar device


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    #2
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,016 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    A Raspberry Pi running XBMC would be my advice. They make a great media player. If you want an "off the shelf" solution something like this should do it.

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #3
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭lobber


    yoyo wrote: »
    A Raspberry Pi running XBMC would be my advice. They make a great media player. If you want an "off the shelf" solution something like this should do it.

    Nick

    Thanks Nick, any useful tutorials on setting up a raspberry pi? Am not very technical!


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    #4
    byte
    Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 19,122 Mod ✭✭✭✭byte
    byte


    Perhaps a Chromecast would suit your needs?

    They're quite cheap at £30stg on Amazon with free delivery.

    Might need a small bit of fiddling with Plex or something to stream local media from your laptop.


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    #5
    Firblog
    Registered Users Posts: 2,033 ✭✭✭Firblog


    It's a bit more than a media player, but you might like this


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    #6
    Stone Deaf 4evr
    Registered Users Posts: 8,000 ✭✭✭Stone Deaf 4evr


    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CL61A5A?cache=16dd132f26a14d8306f33ff4750b1a9c&pi=AC_SX110_SY165&qid=1401836621&sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4


    I have this myself, it can be found online for about half the price of the one I linked.


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    #7
    Rucking_Fetard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Rucking_Fetard


    Pi isin't that easy to set up and not cheap either after you get everything you'll need.


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    #8
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭lobber


    byte wrote: »
    Perhaps a Chromecast would suit your needs?

    They're quite cheap at £30stg on Amazon with free delivery.

    Might need a small bit of fiddling with Plex or something to stream local media from your laptop.

    Was considering a chrome cast but I already have an Apple TV for Netflix.
    Also tried to stream movies to my Xbox using windows media centre but I am having trouble with the extender component.


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    #9
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭lobber


    Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CL61A5A?cache=16dd132f26a14d8306f33ff4750b1a9c&pi=AC_SX110_SY165&qid=1401836621&sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4


    I have this myself, it can be found online for about half the price of the one I linked.

    Does it have storage or would it read files from another hard drive?


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    #10
    BionicRasher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,807 ✭✭✭BionicRasher


    lobber wrote: »
    Was considering a chrome cast but I already have an Apple TV for Netflix.
    Also tried to stream movies to my Xbox using windows media centre but I am having trouble with the extender component.

    Xbox is a very capable media player. It will run Windows Media Center or if you have Plex on your laptop hit the Xbox menu button and Plex will be listed under System Video Player and system music player to play all your files.
    Xbox is great also in that it has lots of apps and you will be able to access loads of gaming and entertainment apps, including Netflix, RTE Player, TV3 Player, 4OD, Youtube etc
    You can even go in to Youtube on your Android or iPhone and fling the video to your Xbox.

    I would start by exploring the Xbox more before you go and buy a new media player


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    #11
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭lobber


    BionicRasher wrote: »
    Xbox is a very capable media player. It will run Windows Media Center or if you have Plex on your laptop hit the Xbox menu button and Plex will be listed under System Video Player and system music player to play all your files.
    Xbox is great also in that it has lots of apps and you will be able to access loads of gaming and entertainment apps, including Netflix, RTE Player, TV3 Player, 4OD, Youtube etc
    You can even go in to Youtube on your Android or iPhone and fling the video to your Xbox.

    I would start by exploring the Xbox more before you go and buy a new media player

    Thanks for the info. Have you encountered any issues with the extender component before?


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    #12
    BionicRasher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,807 ✭✭✭BionicRasher


    lobber wrote: »
    Thanks for the info. Have you encountered any issues with the extender component before?

    I re-imaged my PC a few months back and thats the only time I had an issue as I had to re join the PC and the XBOX again but no major issues really

    What types of things are you see or what errors are you getting?


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    #13
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭lobber


    I will try it again later and send you what it is saying


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    #14
    TimeToShine
    Registered Users Posts: 4,881 ✭✭✭TimeToShine


    Awfully convoluted advice for someone who isn't technical!

    OP, why don't you just connect your laptop to the TV via HDMI cable? Use VLC media player or even windows media player, fire it up on the laptop and it'll work on the TV. If the sound is coming out of the laptop then it's easy to fix that!


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    #15
    yoyo
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,016 Mod ✭✭✭✭yoyo


    TimeToShine wrote: »
    Awfully convoluted advice for someone who isn't technical!

    OP, why don't you just connect your laptop to the TV via HDMI cable? Use VLC media player or even windows media player, fire it up on the laptop and it'll work on the TV. If the sound is coming out of the laptop then it's easy to fix that!
    op wrote:
    Hooking the laptop up to the TV is awkward and the sound is on laptop not TV.

    Unfortunately things have to be more technical. A plug-in media player where you plug the external hard disk into is likely the simplest of solutions for the OP

    Nick

    My Beer Glass collection site 🍺

    My Irish Callcards site



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    #16
    lobber
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭lobber


    TimeToShine wrote: »
    Awfully convoluted advice for someone who isn't technical!

    OP, why don't you just connect your laptop to the TV via HDMI cable? Use VLC media player or even windows media player, fire it up on the laptop and it'll work on the TV. If the sound is coming out of the laptop then it's easy to fix that!

    Would if I could, no hdmi on laptop unfortunately. Also I need something that is fairly easy to use for others in the house!


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    #17
    BionicRasher
    Registered Users Posts: 2,807 ✭✭✭BionicRasher


    TimeToShine wrote: »
    Awfully convoluted advice for someone who isn't technical!

    What advice are you referring to?

    Pretty easy to either connect a media player or similar to the TV. Normally just a HDMI cable.
    As for the Xbox that's pretty straight forward also. Seems OP has an Xbox already so I would imagine that it's not beyond them to use it as a media player.


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