What TV media player?

[MajorFubar]

Guys, I'm looking for a streaming media player for a 32" Samsung TV that I've recently got off my dad and put in the bedroom. I want it for streaming live TV and catch-up via iPlayer (ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5 would be a nice bonus) and also MP4 movies from my NAS. The TV is a bit old but it does have HDMI so I don't think I'll have any interface issues.

I was in Curry's and Maplin's last weekend looking at a few, mainly the Roku LT, Ruku 2 and Western Digital TV Live. I explained to the assistants that I wanted a box which would stream iPlayer (etc) and play MP4 movies from my home NAS, but that last requirement to stream MP4 movies from my NAS across my LAN was the sticking-point because no-one in either shop had enough product-knowledge to say yay or nay.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Would the NOW TV box work (only asking because it is so cheap - yet is a "Roku" if I read correctly)?

 

[MajorFubar]

I'd already checked the WHF review of the Now TV box and it doesn't appear to have any kind of local-network streaming, only internet.

 

[daveh75]

NowTV is am emasculated Roku...

 

[John Duncan]

What do you mean by 'streaming live TV'? Does it only have an analogue tuner or something?

 

[daveh75]

What do you mean by 'streaming live TV'? Does it only have an analogue tuner or something?

No aerial in that room at a guess.

 

[omnibeard]

What's wrong with another Mac mini, or am I missing the point?

 

[daveh75]

Guys, I'm looking for a streaming media player for a 32" Samsung TV that I've recently got off my dad and put in the bedroom. I want it for streaming live TV and catch-up via iPlayer (ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5 would be a nice bonus) and also MP4 movies from my NAS. The TV is a bit old but it does have HDMI so I don't think I'll have any interface issues.

WDTV will stream from a NAS.

Roku can, but you'll need to install/run a media server either on a PC, or on the NAS if it supports it.

The other problem is live streaming etc, Roku (and other players) have apps/plugins/channels for BBC etc, but for catch up, not live streaming.

There are often unofficial workarounds, but are usually unreliable, break or stop being developed.

Have you considered a Raspberry Pi running Rasbian/OpenELEC/Xbian?

 

[MajorFubar]

What do you mean by 'streaming live TV'? Does it only have an analogue tuner or something?

No aerial in that room at a guess.

Spot on.

Thanks for the tips re the WDTV, I'll do some research on that.

What's wrong with another Mac mini, or am I missing the point?

I was hoping for a solution which wouldn't set me back another five hundred quid!

 

[omnibeard]

I was hoping for a solution which wouldn't set me back another five hundred quid!

The last one I picked up that is good enough to do what you seem to need was about £130.

 

[MajorFubar]

You are obviously a jammy so and so because Apple 'scene tax' seems to ensure that empty boxes go for more than that normally. It's unlikely I'd be so lucky.

 

[RobinKidderminster]

Love my wd tv. Cheap and does everything I need

 

[omnibeard]

You are obviously a jammy so and so because Apple 'scene tax' seems to ensure that empty boxes go for more than that normally. It's unlikely I'd be so lucky.

It's not particularly new, but new enough to run snow leopard, which I think is the decisive factor. You just need to keep an eye on ebay, there's the odd Buy It Now where someone wants rid quickly and for not a lot of money, and gumtree, which can have serious bargains. In fact I picked up one on there for £80. Admittedly I spend about another £20 or so on maxing out RAM but there are def bargains to be had.

With the extra RAM both machines are now nippy enough to run XBMC, itunes, anything you want to throw at them really. 3D rendering might be out of the question though, damnit.

 

[andrewmillner]

It seems that WD TV is the only unit that will also connect and stream from my DNLA or UPnP NAS. There are other but they are much more expensive. Whilst I am interested in the Internet streaming service I am more interested in NAS streaming.

 

[faye]

I am finding for a treaming media box as well.

Is there any Live Channel that available at the media player that you guy suggest?

The Roku LT and Roku 2 is it?

 

[cheeseboy]

There is only one XBMC... all others usually have some form of compromise or require a network DNLA server or similar running.

You could knock one up either using an older mac mini or using something like a small desktop/nettop like the acer revo http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/content/series/revol

It's hard to reccomend anything else once you've used it as it's fully customisable to the n'th degree. (it's a pretty good music player as well, given it can do wasapi and you can control it from one's tablet as well)

edit - not the greatest demo but gives you an idea of what it can look like when it's all set up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZN4pO7P8jo

 

[andrewmillner]

I have the WD Live and it works well. It streams my video from my NAS but also offers other media player support. I prefer to connect over Ethernet but it is flexible. I think you will like it.

 

[andrewmillner]

I have the WD Live and it works well. It streams my video from my NAS but also offers other media player support. I prefer to connect over Ethernet but it is flexible. I think you will like it.

 

[Maca5631]

If it weren't for the catch-up requirement, I would have suggested any of the Dune 'Smart' series of streamers. Catch-up is pretty much non-existent but streaming capabilities are spot on. If you don't mind a bit of time and effort, you could go down the HTPC route and get exactly what you want and need. More costly though. I recently purchased a WD Live TV streamer, and was so impressed I bought 2 more. It only has iPlayer, but does have Netflix. It can be skinned as well. For £70 you can't go wrong. Cheers.