Parents Need PC/TV device. Suggestions?

[harsaphes]

Hey guys....my parents would like to be able to watch downloaded content on their TV. They arent looking for a streaming device, so I have already eliminated the Apple TV. I am thinking about a Mac Mini, but Im open to suggestions on the PC side. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Ok ...seems I had wrong information. You do actually rent from the Apple TV but you dont purchase to own.?

 

[AntiSocialMunky]

So some sort of HTPC. You could pick up a cheap pentium sandybridge (Starts with G) with a really cheap graphics card or a llano.

 

[Machupo]

Hey guys....my parents would like to be able to watch downloaded content on their TV. They arent looking for a streaming device, so I have already eliminated the Apple TV. I am thinking about a Mac Mini, but Im open to suggestions on the PC side. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Ok ...seems I had wrong information. You do actually rent from the Apple TV but you dont purchase to own.?

How much downloaded content at what resolution/quality? What codecs?

That's going to drive a lot of your requirements for the system (drives / add-on cards) and thus form factor

 

[jgoewert]

Hey guys....my parents would like to be able to watch downloaded content on their TV. They arent looking for a streaming device, so I have already eliminated the Apple TV.

Well, depending on video and codecs that they have...

I connected a WD TV Live Plus to each tv which are networked to my file downloader/server WD TV Live boxes

They can handle h264 mp4s without a hitch and can run off an attached USB drive, however I have a fileserver that I run everything off of. I tried adding a usb wifi adapter at first, but the speed for 1080i and p just wasn't there. So I ended up running cat6 throughout the house. Picked those boxes up for $60 a piece. Far cheaper then an overpowered-for-the-job Mac Mini and they get the job done. Modding them can bring out even more potential than the stock firmware, though I read good things about WD's latest HD one.

Although, it seems like every company on the face of the earth is got into these this year.

Logitech Revue
Netgear NeoTV
Slingbox
Freeagent GoFlexTV

And yeah, last year saw Google's crappy attempt at it and the Apple TV... meh.

TV Media Players are becoming big. I'd expect to see more of these things permanently integrated into the TV by the end of 2012.

 

[rhansen5_99]

Depends on what you need, but I have one of these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119050) foxconn e-350 mini computers hooked up as my media center with a 4gb so-dimm and a 1tb drive for storage, and it runs Windows 7 great. There are a few hickups with 1080p netflix (silverlight needs to off load render to gpu). I think in total spent maybe 230 on parts including cheapo logited wireless keyboard mouse.

But in all reality you might be better off with a streaming device like mentioned above, I think some blu-ray players offer streaming as well now too. It really just depends on usage...