What HTPC setup for parents?

-MB- · 2nd August 2012, 1:30 PM

Hey guys

My parents want what i have, to be able to scroll through all your movie covers (The fanart view) and press on one and it plays that movie

I run a custom PC, XBMCbunu and have various tricks to get my harmony One to work

What i want to for them is a simple device, with HDMI that does 1080p rip easily off a internal or external connected hard drive

a device that is small in size and that powers on and off with a remote is important and a $150 budget (Already have the hard drive)

I thought of building them one out of an existing sff PC, but its too much of a pain when things muck up and have to buy too many extras for it. What are your thoughts?

I do like XBMC but if another embedded system offers the fanart style view of XBMC ill go for that in their case

EDIT: looks like a DLINK boxee does this? Does a boxee allow me to plugin a drive full of movies, say titles MOVIE NAME (YEAR) and it go out to the net and download the cover and info for each of them, if so im sold!

-MB- · 2nd August 2012, 1:54 PM

EDIT2: the AC Ryan from scorptec looks like it does this too? anyone care to elaborate?

MagyaR · 2nd August 2012, 2:18 PM

I was after something like this but with a PVR as well, still looking... Check out HDCity's thread in the Sponsor section. .

http://forums.overclockers.com.au/sh...d.php?t=780414

Stooge007 · 2nd August 2012, 2:28 PM

sorry can't help, but interested to hear responses!

andrew_bg · 2nd August 2012, 2:42 PM

in my experience, to date, there isnt anything.
The closest that I have come is an AppleTV, but you will need a machine running iTunes to feed it.

Bottom line is that it is all just too hard for them.

Narcoticx2 · 2nd August 2012, 3:02 PM

A small laptop is what I'd be thinking.

My reasoning stems from my own experience.

I have a Satellite A200 which does literally everything you listed. It even came with a remote and turns on from complete power-off state (not sleeping or hibernating).

The trouble is getting under budget. I have, but that's because I grabbed a faulty one and fixed it. Cost $110 from memory, plus $5 shipped for the replacement chip.

Good luck.

schplade · 3rd August 2012, 11:14 PM

Yes the boxee will do that, or even get the files over the network if thats your thing.

Probably the easiest method to use with the parents, anything goes wrong just get them to reset it.

Cadal · 8th August 2012, 6:27 PM

Hi bm,

I have a simular requirement (thread subbed) . I was thinking a plex client on a roku 2 device or waiting until a good android tv solution came along to use that with plex. Than there is always a preinstalled openelec device...

2nd August 2012, 1:30 PM	#1
-MB- Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 343	What HTPC setup for parents? Hey guys My parents want what i have, to be able to scroll through all your movie covers (The fanart view) and press on one and it plays that movie I run a custom PC, XBMCbunu and have various tricks to get my harmony One to work What i want to for them is a simple device, with HDMI that does 1080p rip easily off a internal or external connected hard drive a device that is small in size and that powers on and off with a remote is important and a $150 budget (Already have the hard drive) I thought of building them one out of an existing sff PC, but its too much of a pain when things muck up and have to buy too many extras for it. What are your thoughts? I do like XBMC but if another embedded system offers the fanart style view of XBMC ill go for that in their case EDIT: looks like a DLINK boxee does this? Does a boxee allow me to plugin a drive full of movies, say titles MOVIE NAME (YEAR) and it go out to the net and download the cover and info for each of them, if so im sold! Last edited by -MB-; 2nd August 2012 at 1:36 PM.

2nd August 2012, 2:28 PM	#4
Stooge007 Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The Shire, Sydney Posts: 5,202	sorry can't help, but interested to hear responses! __________________ Over 140 successful trades, most recent: ilmman, Nafe, PANZERAMD, robertgd, GotTone, JLOH, DanWA, Esposch, BevanMX5, SingAlong, ChaoS-GoD, someon3, ELiTEE, Elfanger, peteed1985, alexis, onbail, xsphera, OAG, Duff Man, skiitz, byson, Cestevenson, ShaunDXB, Piroteknik, myf360f1, Thraxeh, austin nguyen, QLDguy1, cooleagles, Temp16, Haillion, nordica-k2, Barra-oz, austin nguyen, MAXKNOTT, LG456, junkie13, Reveng3, sunjet, 2red, jbomb, OnGsTa, k1ll3r, DEMONDOCTOR, dabell, bumthology, Zee, JWM

2nd August 2012, 2:42 PM	#5
andrew_bg Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kellyville Posts: 980	in my experience, to date, there isnt anything. The closest that I have come is an AppleTV, but you will need a machine running iTunes to feed it. Bottom line is that it is all just too hard for them. __________________ CouponMeUp.com - Find over 380,000 discount coupons for over 101,000 stores. PimpMyBrew.com - Pimp your home brew creation with our temperature controlled fermentation system

2nd August 2012, 3:02 PM	#6
Narcoticx2 Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 4158 Brisbane, Queensland Posts: 3,898	A small laptop is what I'd be thinking. My reasoning stems from my own experience. I have a Satellite A200 which does literally everything you listed. It even came with a remote and turns on from complete power-off state (not sleeping or hibernating). The trouble is getting under budget. I have, but that's because I grabbed a faulty one and fixed it. Cost $110 from memory, plus $5 shipped for the replacement chip. Good luck. __________________ 40+ Successful Trades :: Pixel Art Collaboration - Currently dead ... will be revived Intel Core i7 2720QM - 16GB DDR3 - nVidia Geforce GTX675M 2GB - 256GB Samsung 830 SSD - Ext. DVDRW - 95% Matte 1080p Last edited by Narcoticx2; 2nd August 2012 at 3:05 PM.

8th August 2012, 6:27 PM	#8
Cadal Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Brisbane Posts: 91	Hi bm, I have a simular requirement (thread subbed) . I was thinking a plex client on a roku 2 device or waiting until a good android tv solution came along to use that with plex. Than there is always a preinstalled openelec device... __________________ www.vmug.com

2nd August 2012, 1:54 PM	#2
-MB- Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Australia Posts: 343	EDIT2: the AC Ryan from scorptec looks like it does this too? anyone care to elaborate?

2nd August 2012, 2:18 PM	#3
MagyaR Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Melb Posts: 4,764	I was after something like this but with a PVR as well, still looking... Check out HDCity's thread in the Sponsor section. . http://forums.overclockers.com.au/sh...d.php?t=780414

3rd August 2012, 11:14 PM	#7
schplade Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 173	Yes the boxee will do that, or even get the files over the network if thats your thing. Probably the easiest method to use with the parents, anything goes wrong just get them to reset it.