xbox 360 vs PS3 for media streaming

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Loki008

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I currently have a 360 for one TV in my house, and am finishing up a home theater that i will want to be able to stream media to as well. My question is basically is if the ps3 is up to use as an HTPC for streaming yet or if i should just wait for the price drop and pick up a second 360? Some googling seems to imply the codec support is not up to par with the 360.

I will be streaming from Windows Home Server, xvid, divx mostly.

I would love to get the ps3 for the bluray and since i already have a 360, but seeing as this will become my main area for watching movies and such (96" screen with a sanyo z5 projector) the media playback is a large concern for me.
 
I use Tversity to stream media through my 360. It converts stuff as it streams to get it to work with the 360. So i'm happy with the end result

Here's the guide I used
 
f1y said:
I use Tversity to stream media through my 360. It converts stuff as it streams to get it to work with the 360. So i'm happy with the end result

Here's the guide I used
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, but i am not going to be using a transcoder. I am using Windows Home Server to set up media shares and am counting on the xbox to do the decoding, which i know it can do currently. My question is if the ps3 can do so reliabily as well?
 
Loki008 said:
Thanks for the reply, but i am not going to be using a transcoder. I am using Windows Home Server to set up media shares and am counting on the xbox to do the decoding, which i know it can do currently. My question is if the ps3 can do so reliabily as well?
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They're much the same.
 
I've got both, and honestly, if you're using Windows Media sharing, the Xbox 360 is the one to get, handles XViD very nicely.
 
I have both units in my home theater system and they are both quite capable machines for streaming video. The 360 is going to have the edge just because it can handle Xvid while the PS3 has issues with it. Both do a great job with Divx and you will get the added bonus of Blu-Ray with the PS3 so you may need to weigh the options of what you find to be most important.
 
Of course... if you do decide to use tversity instead then you don't have to worry about any of that. :)
 
Psychotext said:
Of course... if you do decide to use tversity instead then you don't have to worry about any of that. :)
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yeah, the issue is the machine hosting the files is a lower powered file server designed around running Windows Home Server and likley isnt powerfully enough to do on the fly transcoding.
 
PS3 works great for me, does xvid too I'm pretty sure. However, the major downside is the XMB (the menu system) really, really sucks. It's just awkwardly designed, and is pretty damn ugly.
 
Loki008 said:
I would love to get the ps3 for the bluray and since i already have a 360, but seeing as this will become my main area for watching movies and such (96" screen with a sanyo z5 projector) the media playback is a large concern for me.
Click to expand...

If the media playback is the major concern, the 360 is cheaper and does xvid's and divx's perfectly, so that would be the obvious choice. Definitely, if you have the money and think somewhere down the line you would also be interested in Bluray or any PS3 exclusive games, go with the PS3. I don't have a PS3, but my understanding is that it also has integrated wireless, so that would be a major advantage for networking.
 
pigpen said:
If the media playback is the major concern, the 360 is cheaper and does xvid's and divx's perfectly, so that would be the obvious choice. Definitely, if you have the money and think somewhere down the line you would also be interested in Bluray or any PS3 exclusive games, go with the PS3.
Click to expand...

If the codec support has caught up with the 360 on the ps3 i would opt for that one since i already have a 360. However if the 360 is still superior to the ps3 in terms of media playback then i will go with a second 360
 
Loki008 said:
If the codec support has caught up with the 360 on the ps3 i would opt for that one since i already have a 360. However if the 360 is still superior to the ps3 in terms of media playback then i will go with a second 360
Click to expand...

I have both a PS3 and 360 and I bought the PS3 with the thought of putting it in my theater room to hook up to my project to steam video to and I would rather have a second 360 to do the job just because I think it does it better and seems to handle more formats.

(dont get me wrong i like having a PS3 for the games I cant get on my 360)
 
Can use the PS3 to browse the internet and watch YouTube on your TV.
 
I feel like the PS3 has far more possibilities for streaming and will eventually be better because of how much of an open platform it is. Along with the built-in wireless and Blu-ray I figure it to be the better choice.

Seeing as you already have an X360 I don't see the reason for not getting the PS3

Xrave said:
Can use the PS3 to browse the internet and watch YouTube on your TV.
Click to expand...
yes
 
CopyCat said:
I feel like the PS3 has far more possibilities for streaming and will eventually be better because of how much of an open platform it is.
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Well no... not really. You're either limited by what Sony does with the firmware or left with a linux install that can't access the functions of the GPU.
 
360, using its native software, is pure shit. For some god awful reason, videos that play through the video blade work, while videos played through the media center do not because of unsupported codec, and vice versa. That's just mind bogglingly stupid.
 
Psychotext said:
Well no... not really. You're either limited by what Sony does with the firmware or left with a linux install that can't access the functions of the GPU.
Click to expand...

Those same limitations and more appear on the X360, correct?
 
CopyCat said:
Those same limitations and more appear on the X360, correct?
Click to expand...
Of course (not sure where you're getting the more from though)... but you're saying that the open platform would help when it really doesn't because all the useful stuff is locked out.

No-one would like to see a next gen XBMC more than me, but sadly until Sony gives access to the tasty stuff (probably never) or someone cracks the machine (probably never) it's not going to happen.
 
I just used windows media player 11, turned on library sharing within, then did a search for media server on my PS3 and I had to 'OK' the ps3 access on my wmp system and I started streaming. It has to be in in ps3 usable formats though.
 
Technoob said:
360, using its native software, is pure shit. For some god awful reason, videos that play through the video blade work, while videos played through the media center do not because of unsupported codec, and vice versa. That's just mind bogglingly stupid.
Click to expand...

Which codec are you talking about?
 
It might cost a little more, but it would almost be a better idea to go with a full-fledged HTPC. That way you have complete codec control, and you can add a blu-ray drive later if you desire.
 
Psychotext said:
Of course (not sure where you're getting the more from though)... but you're saying that the open platform would help when it really doesn't because all the useful stuff is locked out.

No-one would like to see a next gen XBMC more than me, but sadly until Sony gives access to the tasty stuff (probably never) or someone cracks the machine (probably never) it's not going to happen.
Click to expand...

I would kill to see XBMC360

Technoob said:
360, using its native software, is pure shit. For some god awful reason, videos that play through the video blade work, while videos played through the media center do not because of unsupported codec, and vice versa. That's just mind bogglingly stupid.
Click to expand...

I have seen this a bit, however when using windows home server to share out the file it works fine, i wont be using media center.
 
Wouldnt installing Linux on the PS3 and then using the media through the network work the best? Youd never have to worry about codecs if running on an actual OS.
 
idividebyzero said:
Wouldnt installing Linux on the PS3 and then using the media through the network work the best? Youd never have to worry about codecs if running on an actual OS.
Click to expand...

The problem is that the GPU and hardware acceleration is locked down on the PS3. So you cant really do that, you would be quite limited in what you could do in terms of playback
 
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