@sadexpunk – ok im not so familiar with android. Can you get a connecter from the desire which is hdmi out ? I had one for my iPhone before I got apple tv and used to connect phone direct to tv. You can then run iPlayer app / stream to me from pc on phone and content will be on tv. I still take it on holiday with movies etc on phone/pad and then plug it into hdmi tv when away. I’m not sure if the roku can do streaming from phone and the raspberry pi looks like a box of bits 😳

blimey, looks like more options than i thought, im confused as to whatd be best for me. roku, mk808 (googling also suggests mk809 now), bluray wifi player, chromecast…..
do blurays also play dvds? if not then i cant see us getting one as we have loads of dvds.

we have a dvd recorder with HDD and freeview at the mo, and tv obviously has freeview too. we dont watch too many channels so not fussed about sky/virgin packages.
the thought that i can browse youtube on my laptop and then play vids through tv appeals to me. using the laptop keyboard is far superior to pressing the up/down/left/right button oin a tv remote to choose letters to type.

but mainly itd be for playing videos lent to me by mates, either in mp4 or avi on a stick. and if my tv doesnt see a lot of the files on the stick, and something else does, then thatd suit.

tried installing handbrake on my linux laptop and having all sorts of probs, so rather than converting stuff, id rather have something standalone thatll just deal with what i want, when i want.

does all that lend itself to any particular device?

oh, and working it from my android phone also appeals if theyre all much of a muchness.

thanks a lot

my parents have got the sony bluray smart tv one and its resally nice, if my mum can use it then its gotta be simple

@sadexpunk – yes you want the Android equivalent of an iPhone/iPad plus Apple TV as that’s exactly what that setup does, sitting on sofa using the phone as the controller picking YouTube/Vimeo videos or movies off your computer or BBC iPlayer etc. There must be such a thing.

One of the other posters mentioned “Stream to Me” I googled it and it will convert your files on the fly – so with android app and a device attached to the tv (to be decided) you don’t have to convert in advance.

cheers

so do the chromecast and mk808 do the same thing then, both being android?

thanks

EDIT: just looking on wikipedia and not sure my laptop will work with chromecast as its got linux OS rather than windows, can anyone confirm that?

chromecast can be run from an android phone or tablet, no need of a pc linus or not.

chromecast can be run from an android phone or tablet, no need of a pc linus or not.

Yeah but where are you going to store all the movies? Converting them and putting them on the phone/tablet is a massive faff compared to the setup I described near the top of the page.

Yeah but where are you going to store all the movies? Converting them and putting them on the phone/tablet is a massive faff compared to the setup I described near the top of the page.

@grum – so can @sadexpunk run Stream to Me on his Android phone and send the content to an Apple TV ? If so this will work very nicely assuming @sadexpunk is happy to pay the “Apple premium” and Stream to Me will work with Linux (that might be a big “if”) – FYI Apple have a sale on today only Apple TV is £84 vs £99 normally

ah, chromecast isnt for serving local material. At least not yet. Some geeks have got it working but it’s not native in the chromecast app yet and even when it has been got working in the experimental stage it’s not without its faults.

Apple TV is on Groupon for £75 I’ve just ordered my Xmas pressie.

@grum – so can @sadexpunk run Stream to Me on his Android phone and send the content to an Apple TV ?

I don’t think Stream To Me will work on Linux – can’t see a Linux version of the Serve To Me app you need to run on the computer where the files are stored.

http://zqueue.com/servetome/

This seems to suggest it might exist but is too geeky for me.

https://code.google.com/p/servetome/wiki/StreamToMeWiki

will convert any format I’ve encountered on the fly instantly up to 720p.

By the way just to clarify the above it will play source material that’s higher res than 720p but will only stream it in 720p.

can i just say i detest apple? 😀 used to have an ipod, then lost all my music during a sync (maybe user error, but thats the point, its not user friendly. to me anyway. why cant everything be drag and drop!!)
i just dont like the ‘you can only use apple products with apple products’ thing.
i would use something like an apple tv it was the best option for me and i didnt need a mac or something, i dont know much about them. clueless me always thought when apple tvs were mentioned it meant a proper tv! 🙂 just been googling and seen theyre a little box. so are they like the mk808 or chromecast then, just apple flavoured? or are they better?
and yes, i dont like the premium that you pay for the name too. oh, and everybody has to have one etc etc…… ill shut up now 😀

so, back to the point 🙂 ………..

if chromecast doesnt serve local material, im assuming thats films on my laptop? so thats out? and the apple software doesnt work with linux, so thats out too?

as mentioned, i think my main use will be playing films from either a usb stick or downloaded to laptop in mp4 or avi files.
and itd be nice to be able to watch whatevers on my laptop, on the telly (youtube vids for instance)

thanks again

Right, I’m confused with this.

What I need: dongle that plugs into TV port, and streams locally-stored content from a local PC or NAS by wifi, and potentially things I’m streaming on the PC.

Essentially, something like Chromecast, but with the option to stream local .mp4 or .avi files. Is that what a Roku does (in amongst all its iPlayer, Netflix etc gubbins)?

thats what im still a bit unsure of, what the difference is between them all and which one is more suited to my needs.

woody74 – Member
Any idea if you can stream from an iPad with a WD TV live. How about iPlayer and 4OD?

Yes, yes and yes. There are are also apps available for iPhone/pad android which enable them to be used as remote controls.

My WDTV live has no 4OD or airplay capabilities, otherwise it’s pretty much okay. I may be missing something though?

Yeah, looks like the WDTV live may be the better option if you want to stream from a local content source. Roku, unfortunately, doesn’t really offer that, if I’ve done my research right.

still looking, and wondered if anyone can pick through the bones of these android tv jobbies please. i dont really understand the differences……

here and here

what does android 4.2 give over earlier versions, and which product is most suited for what i need?

thanks

xbmc on a raspberry PI 8) for a tinker-er – very good, but may not pass significant other acceptance testing.

Youview box for plug and play PVR, IPTV and seamless iplayer etc. and some pay content (Sky etc.). If your with BT or Talktalk get if for just about nowt.

Thread update: Roku LT device now under £30 at Currys/PC World

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/audio/digital-media-players/digital-media-players/roku-lt-media-streamer-18386105-pdt.html

Does anyone else get a lot of drop outs when streaming music to Apple TV?
Even when the wifi is excellent strength?

Does anyone else get a lot of drop outs when streaming music to Apple TV?

Not here, but I wouldn’t trust wifi for a constant data stream. Try connecting it with cable and see what happens – I bet I know the answer.

Sky NOW is a Roku LT (from what I’ve seen on the ad) for £9.99

Not sure if you can add channels, can anyone comment?

Bah. There is no perfect solution, or wasn’t last time I looked. Like others, I have various devices:-

AppleTV for renting movies, netflix, airplay my itunes library
RaspberryPI running XMBC for local media over Samba. Occasionally used to work for iplayer but tempramental (haven’t checked in recently.)
Chromecast (from US for pocketmoney) – used once, deemed crap. I’ll check in again when/if they enable local content.
A smart bluray player which hasn’t been switch on since I got the RaspberryPI.

If you want absolutely everything, I think the best but expensive (and high maintenance) option is a Mac mini. I would be interested to see what the newest Rokus manage.

I believe it’s locked down compared to the normal LT.

Does anyone else get a lot of drop outs when streaming music to Apple TV?
Even when the wifi is excellent strength?

Not on phone/iPad. My MacBook has taken to switching from the Airplay output in sys prefs quite often when listening to Spotify though, which is annoying.

brassneck said » Sky NOW is a Roku LT (from what I’ve seen on the ad) for £9.99
Not sure if you can add channels, can anyone comment?

as allthepies says, the Now TV is a Roku LT box with some of the functionality removed (to push the Sky content its subsidised to sell). Ive got one, use it primarily for Iplayer and (now) 4OD, and it comes with a “playto” channel which, having installed the corresponding app on my android tablet, I can stream youtube through. Watched the Road Bike 2 film this evening on the LCD TV using this. The “playto” channel also supports sending local media, but as I dont have any stored I’ve never tried it.

You can also apparently sideload another channel onto it as it is possible to access a developer mode (usually Plex). Again, not tried it but google search will give plenty of info.

Does anyone else get a lot of drop outs when streaming music to Apple TV?
Even when the wifi is excellent strength?

Nope. Mine struggles occasionally with 16gb bru-ray rips, but I cant remember it ever falling-over just from streaming music. Worth noting that there was a recall of some atv 3s that were having connectivity issues, might be worth checking whether yours was in the batch affected.

for those of you interested in the android route, i asked this question on the avforums a few days ago and am currently in the process of downloading their suggestions and probably going with the android stick.

possibly worth a read?

Not here, but I wouldn’t trust wifi for a constant data stream. Try connecting it with cable and see what happens – I bet I know the answer.

Cable connection helps – but still get drop outs …
I will look at the recall thing …

BTW the Apple TV2 also does it – diff location, diff set up

I have an android stick (rikomagic mk80somthign) and Mele F10 remote, connect via cable to router and then to my NAS box. It is pretty reliable, need a reset after running for a week or so, and sometimes has a lag, that only a router, NASA and android reset will solve, but no biggy.
The main issue was a lack of on off switch, so whilst you cna turn off via the screen, but to turn it on means unplugging it, whioch is behind the TV. It was easy solve with a remote controlled plug socket thingy from maplin.

I guess I would like something more robust, Android is good, but to be honest I would prefer a bigger more powerful machine so that there would be no lag issues, like a mini pc running linux or even windows. android does have a lot of APPS but there are compatibility issues that stops some of the good apps from doing their thing, and internet browsing is dog slow. It would be good to stream HD video’s from here and Dirt etc, which you can do but it can be laggy..

if anyones following that link i put in my last post ^^^, theres been a change in plans. chromecast now has plex support or something like that. im currently googling my way through it all to find out what it means to me, but looks like buying a chromecast will now be my preferred option.

I work in technology and I’m properly confused. We have a hybrid of apple and android phones/tablets, windows pcs and macs, old tv, very old pvr recorder thing, blue ray player and an xbox. It’s terrifying just writing it down. Oh and some himax HD thing we never use. Not even sure what it does!

Much as I like the idea of using itunes to rent movies, the ‘best’ option to get netflix on the old TV is a ROKU box. I’m sure there is a better integrated solution, but for watching movies together in one room at Xmas, I’m spending the £40 at curries and getting one.

That airplay stuff is like Elven magic. Looks amazing.

o—–kay…….. more help needed please 🙂

ive got the chromecast, stuck it in hdmi on tv, usb to tv also for power. followed the setup instructions and tried it out. cast a web page to the tv and it works. tried youtube, it works, but is soooo slow and blocky. then i thought that might just be the internet over our wifi being slow, so ill try a movie thats stored locally on my laptop. oops, how do i play a movie in chrome?? then it came to me whilst thinking about it all in the bath. PLEX! i play everything through plex! 🙂

so……. played an mp4 stored on laptop, same as the youtube. sooooo slow its unwatchable.

questions….
1. do i need to have faster wifi for it to work properly (so more monthly cost)
2. what does the monthly subs to plexpass get me that i havent got right now?
3. when ive stopped ‘casting’ the tv screen goes to the chromecast screensaver. but my ‘home’ button on tv remote wont let me choose other modes any more, so i cant put it back to digital tv. i have to physically remove the chromecast to be able to watch tv again. is this normal?

thanks a lot 🙂

If anyone wants a jailbroken atv2… Step into my office

The WiFi is not dependent on the speed of your internet connection rather the hardware (router/modem/laptop)your using.
Most recent routers are N rated same goes for laptops.
If your using older equipment then the slower transfer speed from your laptop/router etc could be what’s causing the blocky playback.

Just to throw a few more options out there,I have as app on my Nexus 7 called ‘allcast’ which can throw media to any device that’s DNLA rated, I have used it with my Xbox 360 and it works fine.

Also I’m using a Netgear router which has a USB socket,plug a USB stick in with films,music,photos on it and it will act as a network media server.
Works fine on my laptop and Nexus tablet not sure if it would work with a Smart TV as I don’t have one to try it with.

sadexpunk, really interesting to hear your experiences. A friend keeps touting the Chromecast as the solution, but I think she’s spouting mainly tech specs, rather than real world experiences.

My gut feel is that, thinking about video, there’s a fair amount of coding/ decoding required to get the content from PC to dongle – would that cause the issue, if the dongle doesn’t have the necessary processing power??

@sadex – what’s the wifi reception like in the room with the tv ? The signal has to go from pc to router to tv box. It might be worth moving the router into the room where the tv is or at least nearby.

@sadex by the way I find YouTube generally slow and blocky on my computer with Ethernet, Vimeo runs much more smoothly. It could be a problem at YouTube / content providers end.

our YouTube improved significantly when I wired the TV rather than wifi-ed it. wifi was throttling it, but this only applies if you have a good broadband connection.

However, I am waching with interest because the only way I can get what I want at the moment is to plug our macbook into the TV, and even then the picture quality isn’t perfect.

What I don’t understand is why this is so hard.