Streaming Devices

[Biff Tannen]

For those that are using them, what do you prefer/reccomend? My wife and I have 2 rokus, but they're pretty limited outside of Netflix, Hulu, Pandora etc. Some people have tried to get me to purchase an apple TV box, but I'm not sold on it yet. Other than building an HTPC, what streaming devices are you guys using/would you reccomend? I have a buttload of VHS ripped 80's movies and TV shows on an external hard drive I'd love to be able to stream on my TV, but other than converting each file or building an HTPC I'm trying to see what other options are out there.

Edit, I should also note, I have streaming "smart" players, in addition to the Roku's, but I'm seeing if there's devices that do more than just stream media from downloaded apps.

[VELOCITY]

I use an LG smart TV and stream directly to the TV now, before I had that TV I used my PS3 for streaming Netflix, Amazon Prime...

[95.0mark]

I use a wifi blu ray player to stream netflix to my tv. And a wii on our other tv.

[MrsRigs]

We just have the desktop computer plugged into the tv through hdmi. We too have a ton of movies on external hard drives and on the computer itself. It's easier to switch to the hdmi channel and pick the hard drive and movie you want to watch

[VELOCITY]

My TV has a USB port for an external Drive and I believe it will stream from that if the movies are the correct format. I'm not sure how it works but I also think my TV can stream from my computer via wifi as well. It's got a ton of features I haven't looked into using.

[badcobra]

I have a couple streaming devices. The Roku is downstairs on my projector system and upstairs I stream via the blu-ray player. The blu-ray player has a USB port and I have ton of downloaded kid movies on a 32GB flash drive I stream that way. Nothing fancy, cheap and works for what I need.

[289Notch]

I was asked recently about what's the best plug and play movie player device. requirements being large storage ~250 GB and OS that will play most formats like MP4, MKV, etc... and have HDMI output. I imagine most tablets have HDMI out and can do this but storage space is usually small.

[Outrun]

Chromecast. 35 bucks. Can't go wrong. I like it more than I thought I would.

[Fernanernie]

Currently Xbox 360 for all the online stuff and using it as a mediaplayer extension for the main PC

[tim]

Chromecast. 35 bucks. Can't go wrong. I like it more than I thought I would.

I was wondering about this. I'll have to give it a shot.

[Biff Tannen]

I have a couple streaming devices. The Roku is downstairs on my projector system and upstairs I stream via the blu-ray player. The blu-ray player has a USB port and I have ton of downloaded kid movies on a 32GB flash drive I stream that way. Nothing fancy, cheap and works for what I need.

Just curious... what file types? .mp4? .Avi? .DiVX?

[badcobra]

Just curious... what file types? .mp4? .Avi? .DiVX?

Most are .mkv, but it will play most file formats. We stream Netflix on this Blu-ray player too. Nothing special, it's just a cheap brand name player we got at Walmart.

[Biff Tannen]

RIght, I have all those. Just wondering about streaming offline videos, like what I have on my PC or external hard drive. My living room and Family room tv's arent close to my office to just run and HDMi to.

I guess I never thought of putting some video files on a thumb drive, and attempt to view them that way.

[shock13]

I use my xbox 360

[Fosters]

I have an android stick on one tv (in the bathroom) a couple of normal PCs in the bedrooms (master bedroom has a small mini-itx one, though it's still "big"), and the living room has an Intel NUC - working on replacing everything else with one. For the money, size and speed, you can't beat it. Mine's the middle of the road core i3; the older model. I wanna get the haswell ones for the rest of the house and relocate the PCs to the garages. I'll have a chromecast soon, but not sure where that'll end up going yet, depends how good of a wifi signal it gets.