Which is the best choice of media server and set up?

[admin_exported]

Currently renovating/rewiring the house and was looking to put all the Music/DVD's/Pictures on some kind of storage system but didnt know the best way to go and what was out there? Can these new servers work with Blu Ray/HD and upscaling old DVD's? What about wireless connection?

What about the surround didnt want lots of speakers and have seen the Yamaha YSP1100 are they really a 1 box solution?

 

[Anonymous]

The best solution I've tried (and I've tried a few) is Nullriver Medialink (running on my iMac in the office / spare room at the back of the house. The media itself lives on a 3Gb Drobo external drive array. Previously I've tried Twonky on the same iMac (I wasn't impressed), as well as LaCie Network Space and Ethernet Disk Mini network drives (both of which were ok). All of these streamed movies, music and photos to my PS3. Before that I had a Pixel Magic MB200 HD Mediabox (awful) which plugged straight into my receiver via HDMI.

You'll need wireless N to stream HD video, but frankly your better off with a 100Mbps (or better) wired connection. ÿ

I hope this helps.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Use Mac Mini or Apple TV and Front Row in the living room.

Have a server or big NAS elsewhere in the house to store everything. An old computer would be nice, as it could be the ripper.

Use iTunes for the music management, and Handbrake for the DVDs.

 

[Anonymous]

Pretty much the same here. Thecus > iMac > ÿ(Nullriver Conect360) >ÿXbox 360 > TV. Very happy.

 

[John Duncan]

Oh re: previous discussion Octo, can't find my remote (probably down back of sofa somewhere) so no idea if Front row is slow or not

 

[Alec]

Eddie Pound:

Use Mac Mini or Apple TV and Front Row in the living room.

Have a server or big NAS elsewhere in the house to store everything. An old computer would be nice, as it could be the ripper.

Use iTunes for the music management, and Handbrake for the DVDs.

or the mac mini can be its own ripper.

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:Oh re: previous discussion Octo, can't find my remote (probably down back of sofa somewhere) so no idea if Front row is slow or not

You can have mine if you want. I won't be needing it.ÿ

 

[cram]

The Op has asked about Blurays - how you doing that on the Mac?

Me

I've got a number of setups

Windows Vista PC - Thecus NAS - Media Centre for DVDs/TV Arcsoft TMT for blurays (integrates with Media Centre). Itunes mainly for music but can also use vista media centre

Play room setup - Mac Pro - Thecus NAS - Front Row for DVD, Itunes for music.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not. Although I'm sure it's technically possible to rip them to disk then stream them, I can't really spare 25-50GB per movie. So for Blu Ray movies, I have to get off the sofa and feed the machine a disc. ÿÿ