Alternatives to Extenders

[cobrew]

I really need an extender, but since that is out of the question I am looking for something to keep the wife happy. We currently have a roku in the bathroom that she uses to watch netflix while in the tub. I am looking for something that will replace the roku with the following:

- play netflix (required)
- play imported video from network share and display fan art (must have) (all .mkv, .avi, .mp4, NO dvd rips or iso)
- small form factor; think hd300 or roku size (required)
- wireless capability (required)
- easily usable interface (required for the non-techie wife)
- under $200 (preferred)
- play recorded tv from sage (optional)
- hulu (optional)
- can play live tv with basic cable coax input (optional)
- hdmi or component is fine

Thanks is advance!

* merged *

[ThePaladinTech]

oops - no no oops it was merged on me...

I've been looking and it looks like the WD HD plus might be what you are looking for?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136593

It is based on the same chipset as the hd300 and someone on the forum says it will play anything he has thrown at it.

There is also the possibility that someone may figure out how to install the HD-300 firmware on it.

There is also the hauppuage HD MVP which also uses the same chipset as the HD-300

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116051

Neither are wireless but you could get a wireless bridge
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156258

[ThePaladinTech]

Originally Posted by drewg

I'm a fairly competent *nix hacker, and when I get time, I'm thinking to pick up a WDTV Live+ to play with. It *might* just be a matter of copying over the sagetv specific stuff (most of the stuff in /app). Then again, there could be some kind of hardware handshake that locks apps to particular sigma OEM boards. Or SageTV could require a special graphics or IR driver, or something odd, which could make it hard or impossible.

The ironic thing is that I'm moving in the next month or so, and I was going to pick up a few HD300s, as we're moving to a larger house, and I was going to add some TVs. But, because of the move, I don't have any time to hack on things, as I'm neck-deep in sawdust doing renovations on my current house to try to sell it in this crappy market. Sigh.

Drew

Is there any benefit to going with the Hauppauge HD MVP over the WDTV Live+ or vice versa? they are both the same chipset, but would one be eaiser to hack?

[mr_lore]

Didn't see this posted yet, but Boxee/ Boxee Box ($200 ea) will now have an app for sling box which obviously adds live TV/DVR capability to a platform that already is proven in netflix/pandora/mlb/blu ray/DVD, etc+


http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/21/s...ands-on-video/


If somebody needs something right now I'd look at this, but I am taking the wait and see approach.

[lfilomeno]

Originally Posted by ThePaladinTech

oops - no no oops it was merged on me...

I've been looking and it looks like the WD HD plus might be what you are looking for?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136593

It is based on the same chipset as the hd300 and someone on the forum says it will play anything he has thrown at it.

There is also the possibility that someone may figure out how to install the HD-300 firmware on it.

There is also the hauppuage HD MVP which also uses the same chipset as the HD-300

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116051

Neither are wireless but you could get a wireless bridge
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833156258

Paladin: IT would be sweet if someone figures out how to how to install the HD-300 firmware on the WD HD!!

[drewg]

Originally Posted by ThePaladinTech

Is there any benefit to going with the Hauppauge HD MVP over the WDTV Live+ or vice versa? they are both the same chipset, but would one be eaiser to hack?

There seems to be a rather vibrant hacking community for the WDTV Live+.
See http://forum.wdlxtv.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4627

Let's see if I get any replies..

Drew

[ThePaladinTech]

Originally Posted by drewg

There seems to be a rather vibrant hacking community for the WDTV Live+.
See http://forum.wdlxtv.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4627

Let's see if I get any replies..

Drew

Drew-

Thanks that was exactly what I was wondering, funny the original MediaMVP was so open to hacking and the new one isn't. Keep us posted on what you find out. I may just have to get one of those (I might have to get one even if you don't have success, at least it could play the media SageTV recorded)

Jeff

[Evil_Attorney]

Yea, thanks for finding this. Since the units aren't too expensive, I am willing to pick one up and experiment with it, if it would help.

[BobbyDing]

I picked up a WD Live at Best Buy (on sale till Saturday for $79). So far it's played all the usual codecs fine including DVD ISO's. It does Netflix well. It notified me immediately that there was a firmware update available. That installed fine. The UI is simplistic. The remote is tiny and hard for me to manipulate. The unit will connect to UPnP servers.

Too bad the SageTV software isn't UPnP. Maybe a super plugin is needed to create a UPnP server for the SageTV software? Just a thought.

Bobby

[Evil_Attorney]

Will it handle bluray rips?

[Yalbik]

Originally Posted by Evil_Attorney

Will it handle bluray rips?

Based on this link

Yes, it will.

Now if someone could develop a reasonable Sage interface for it, I'd buy 2!

[brainbone]

How about just getting a Logitech Review, rooting it, and installing taSage?

[Yalbik]

Originally Posted by brainbone

How about just getting a Logitech Review, rooting it, and installing taSage?

Nice! $220 USD, through Amazon...so a little pricier than old price of an HD300, but not bad at all...and much less than the current price of an HD300!

Anyone know if a taSage / Revue combo works reasonably?

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Yalbik

Nice! $220 USD, through Amazon...so a little pricier than old price of an HD300, but not bad at all...and much less than the current price of an HD300!

Anyone know if a taSage / Revue combo works reasonably?

It will be transcoded so the quality will not be great.

[Evil_Attorney]

And it's my understanding that it doesn't stream HDPVR recordings well and probably won't stream 1080i recordings at all.

[brainbone]

It's a long-shot, but perhaps GoogleTV has better codec support than your typical android phone? If it does, perhaps Fonceur would be willing to make some changes to support it.

Anyone have a rooted Revue?

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by brainbone

It's a long-shot, but perhaps GoogleTV has better codec support than your typical android phone? If it does, perhaps Fonceur would be willing to make some changes to support it.

Anyone have a rooted Revue?

That doesn't matter on codec support iirc he is still transcoding at the server for all I remember. Plus you are using a remote ui.

It may work not saying it won't but it won't be at all comparable to the hd300.

[brainbone]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

It may work not saying it won't but it won't be at all comparable to the hd300.

No, it wouldn't give you the sage UI, but assuming Fonceur is willing to put any effort into it (given the status of SageTV, I could understand reluctance), it could end up being a workable option for some.

[MattHelm]

I really like this:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/21/s...-hd-in-a-tiny/

Of course, it assumes you can get a good connection on HomePlug AND we can get a client.

How about something like using the SageTV web interface to "scrap" data, then a custom web client on the box??????? In other words, use a web browser in the box to just read a SageTV like web page, then just hand of the stream to whatever player that is built into the box?????? I know it wouldn't be the same, or as smooth, but better than nothing.

[brainbone]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

How about something like using the SageTV web interface to "scrap" data, then a custom web client on the box?

I think an HTML5 interface is a good idea, though there could/would be issues with codecs, etc.

ZincTV does this ( http://pc.zinc.tv/get-zinc ), but unfortunately it appears to have been abandoned. (not that it would have been directly applicable here anyway)