Media collection management

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ashman

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Mar 28, 2011
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What do you use to manage your media (TV-Movie) collections with?

When you sit in front of your TV and turn it on, what interface do you use to choose a movie or a tv show. Specifically I am asking those who have their media on a NAS NOT a HTPC, I understand how HTPC's work, just curious as to what people without HTPC's use. I have two Boxee's boxes and I love them but they will die one day, wondering what else, other then Roku and WD Media player, there is.
 
Had a quick look, how does it work though in the absence of a HTPC? With my Boxee, it connects to my TV via HDMI and my lan via ethernet and has its own interface and does everything Mediabrowser does, if I remove my boxee how would I access media browser? Also, pretty strange that Mediabrowser doesnt support OSX or iOS when major competitors like Plex do.
 
ashman said:
Had a quick look, how does it work though in the absence of a HTPC? With my Boxee, it connects to my TV via HDMI and my lan via ethernet and has its own interface and does everything Mediabrowser does, if I remove my boxee how would I access media browser? Also, pretty strange that Mediabrowser doesnt support OSX or iOS when major competitors like Plex do.
Click to expand...

Media Browser 3 is still under development, but the stated goal is clients for just about every platform out there, include OSX/iOS.
 
I use Xbmc to access my media from my nas through an android tv box, I do need to find a program that will index it for me though, there are a few I just don't remember the names but I'll find the magain as soon as I get my nas unpacked.
 
Im with Sinker, i use XBMC however im not your target use case since i do have a HTPC. However my synology nas could do it using Plex.
 
XBMC for me. It automatically pulls in all media information for my files and looks really, really nice with some skins.
 
I use plex, it works pretty good and when you use it on the Roku is looks just like netflix. Free and isn't very taxing on the cpu.
 
Google - Media Center master.

They have a free version which is excellent. The paid version adds some very kool features. I have been using it for years.
 
Windows server running iTunes. Apple TV (3rd gen) does ALL our media viewing, aside from watching local news on antenna. iTunes keeps everything organized. AppleTV has excellent responsiveness. And of course it's dead silent compared to Xbox and PS3 we used previously.
 
plex thin clients with iOS for control
xbmc is great, if you only have 1 HTPC but otherwise...
 
I use Plex Media Server on my file server and the Plex Client on either IOS or Windows to view my media. nice thing with Plex Server it has a web interface to manage the media and then the client simply reads the info from one central source.
 
Currently use just my Dune Smart D1 and NAS. I have Zappiti setup on PC but not transfered to the dune yet.

Also use ITunes and ATV3. Going to setup plex on new NAS
 
My Movies with Windows Media Center. I found it to be slightly more polished than Media Browser (though it looks like it has made great strides recently).
 
I feel like I've tried all the media front-ends by now, but I always just go back to using Explorer to play the files manually.

It's just so much faster and easier in the end for me.
 
SirMaster said:
I feel like I've tried all the media front-ends by now, but I always just go back to using Explorer to play the files manually.

It's just so much faster and easier in the end for me.
Click to expand...

I do the same. The gui looks pretty and all, but in the end it's still faster using explorer.
 
Sinker said:
I use Xbmc to access my media from my nas through an android tv box, I do need to find a program that will index it for me though, there are a few I just don't remember the names but I'll find the magain as soon as I get my nas unpacked.
Click to expand...

What android tv box do you use? I'm looking for something to replace my boxee box. As time goes on I'm finding my boxee box to struggle with higher quality videos.
 
I use PS3 Media server to stream movies from my PC to my TV. My biggest issue was always that my wifi never seemed to be fast enough to play 1080p video, even when heavily compressed.

Now I use a HTPC with XBMC. There's really nothing better.
 
I'm running an Apple TV 3rd gen for local home streaming, and Plex for when I'm on the road or at my parents' (Roku + myPlex).
 
Used XBMC for a couple of years, but turned to Plex 2 years ago and there's no turning back. It's probably the best freeware I've come to know.

I run Plex Media server in a VM, and stream to 2 Google TV devices, HTPC and one Roku at home. I use it often to stream offsite both via the web interface (which is superb), to my phone and my tablet.

Then there are about 35 active users that have access to my server via MyPlex.

Although I use MediaCenterMaster for autodownloading, automoving and renaming of files, and to download some portion of the metadata.
 
I use the gbox midnight mx2 it does everything I need it to and more and is rooted and had xbmc installed it of the box
 
I use xbmc that's pointed to my storage server. I've got a RaspberryPi hooked up to my TV. Plays just about every BlueRay I've got.
 
I was using YAMMM+media browser with MC7 for years. I've recently switched over to JRiver media center ($50) and LOVE it.
 
Two WDTV Live SMP streaming from the network share an my Synology NAS. No transcoding needed. Works great.
 
ashman said:
What do you use to manage your media (TV-Movie) collections with?

When you sit in front of your TV and turn it on, what interface do you use to choose a movie or a tv show. Specifically I am asking those who have their media on a NAS NOT a HTPC, I understand how HTPC's work, just curious as to what people without HTPC's use. I have two Boxee's boxes and I love them but they will die one day, wondering what else, other then Roku and WD Media player, there is.
Click to expand...

In the absence of a HTPC, I use a wdtv on my non smart LCD tv and the built-in dlna enabled app on my smart tv. The built-in app is a very basic file explorer, without any artwork or descriptions of the file. My xbox360 and ps3 can also be used. All connect directly to a network shared folder or via ps3media server/soon to be plex server.
 
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