Let me introduce KODI to you...

[WrightJnr]

Can anyone recommend a mini-PC?

Budget? They tend to be quite expensive. I’m using an Intel NUC and cannot be happier. A really great option is an older laptop. Sometimes one lying around or second hand. Works a treat. Will be half the price on a mini PC.

 

Apple Mac Mini is the ultimate Media PC IMO. Then the Intel NUC.

[mecheng89]

Budget? They tend to be quite expensive. I’m using an Intel NUC and cannot be happier. A really great option is an older laptop. Sometimes one lying around or second hand. Works a treat. Will be half the price on a mini PC.

 

Apple Mac Mini is the ultimate Media PC IMO. Then the Intel NUC.

Well, I'm looking for quad-core, 4GB RAM, SSD capacity not too important. 

Looking to streamline so a laptop will be too bulky. 

[WrightJnr]

Well, I'm looking for quad-core, 4GB RAM, SSD capacity not too important.

Looking to streamline so a laptop will be too bulky.

Also consider connectivity. Will you be using WiFi or cable. Of course nothing beats a cable but if going WiFi make sure the PC supports 5Ghz and not just 2.4Ghz. Also if using WiFi watch where you end up putting the unit to ensure it can make a good connection. We tend to try hide things around the TV, this can make reliable interference free connections tricky.

 

Keyboard and Mouse? Some nice compact units available but once again plan as it will be wireless with a dongle so will use up a USB port. Also keep in mind many of the wireless keyboard/mouse are designed to be used at a desk so their range can be quite limited. (So might not work from the sofa if it’s far).

 

Decide on what OS you will run. OSX is great on Apple as a media pc. Otherwise Windows or Ubuntu? I would stick with Windows to be honest. I’m happy on Win10. But remember you will need to maintain the OS installed.

 

Remember the most important item will be graphics as this will be a media pc. Make sure you happy with the GPU in the unit.

 

UPS, I’ve installed a small UPS and find it most useful during power cuts / spikes. Windows (if you go that way) doesn’t like being rebooted unexpectedly.

 

Happy shopping.

[BryanGT]

If kodi ain’t working so well, I use Popcorn through airserver and stream it to my Xbox, works a charm. Also using vpnvanish, anyone else doing this?

[Grebel]

So I did my FTTH application just after 11am on Tuesday. An Openserve tech was at my house just after 4pm and the line was installed and activated by 7pm. My new router arrived on Wednesday and was plugged in as soon as I got home. Took me less than an hour to swap over the LAN cables and set up the router and by 7pm Wednesday we were up and running!

 

Afrihost FTW!!

 

Selected a Premium Uncapped 10Mbps package which apparently has no threshold (Lets hope they are true to their word...) We are coming off of an ADSL line 20Mbps (Never saw higher than about 12Mbps) with a 400Gb cap and "free time" between 12 - 8am. We usually need to add another 20Gb at the end of the month and probably used about 400Gb of the free time.

 

Lets hope we don't get throttled....

[Joe De Beer]

Exodus 8.0.0 seems to be a ball-ache with dependencies not installing [emoji22]

 

Edit: 

 

https://seo-michael.co.uk/how-to-install-exodus-redux-kodi/

 

 

I'm trying this one. Seems to work and update.

Edited December 1, 2018 by Joe De Beer

[Andrew Steer]

Thoughts on Google Chromecast? Have an older TV in the bedroom, want the Google Chromecaster to basically allow me to stream Netflix and Flixtor in the bedroom... anybody used it? Any thing to worry about?

 

Thanks in advance

[Wil6]

Thoughts on Google Chromecast? Have an older TV in the bedroom, want the Google Chromecaster to basically allow me to stream Netflix and Flixtor in the bedroom... anybody used it? Any thing to worry about?

 

Thanks in advance

I have the Xiaomi Mi Box, and the Chromecast is brilliant. Only use my phone to control and stream shows. 

[Grebel]

So I my Android box has died. It switches on but won't boot to the home screen. (I suspect that all this load shedding didn't do it any favors either...)

 

I was looking at replacing it but then I remembered a Raspberry Pi B+ V1.2 that I had in a box so I dug it out and was wondering if that could be used with some success as a media player?

 

I need to load Kodi as my media server (not for streaming), Netflix, RedbullTV, Youtube, Mobdro and TVTap. 

 

I suppose ideally I would like an Android OS as we have all become used to that interface with the old box and to have access to the apps on the Play Store would make life easier I think.

 

My Pi knowledge is limited so some assistance would be appreciated and maybe a link in the right direction for an OS download?

 

TIA

[Tuxstir]

So I my Android box has died. It switches on but won't boot to the home screen. (I suspect that all this load shedding didn't do it any favors either...)

 

I was looking at replacing it but then I remembered a Raspberry Pi B+ V1.2 that I had in a box so I dug it out and was wondering if that could be used with some success as a media player?

 

I need to load Kodi as my media server (not for streaming), Netflix, RedbullTV, Youtube, Mobdro and TVTap. 

 

I suppose ideally I would like an Android OS as we have all become used to that interface with the old box and to have access to the apps on the Play Store would make life easier I think.

 

My Pi knowledge is limited so some assistance would be appreciated and maybe a link in the right direction for an OS download?

 

TIA

 

 

If you are just doing Kodi.. its easy

LibreElec

however if you are doing the netflix etc and doing the android route, then if my memory serves me correctly the PiB+ is a bit under powered and not the right tool for the job, but try this 

[Grebel]

If you are just doing Kodi.. its easy

LibreElec

however if you are doing the netflix etc and doing the android route, then if my memory serves me correctly the PiB+ is a bit under powered and not the right tool for the job, but try this 

 

That's what I have been reading... Might look at loading Linux with Android SDK as an emulator and see what happens. Otherwise will need to split apps across the TV, PS4 and the Pi (Not ideal but will work I suppose)

[Stretch]

So I my Android box has died. It switches on but won't boot to the home screen. (I suspect that all this load shedding didn't do it any favors either...)

 

I was looking at replacing it but then I remembered a Raspberry Pi B+ V1.2 that I had in a box so I dug it out and was wondering if that could be used with some success as a media player?

 

I need to load Kodi as my media server (not for streaming), Netflix, RedbullTV, Youtube, Mobdro and TVTap.

 

I suppose ideally I would like an Android OS as we have all become used to that interface with the old box and to have access to the apps on the Play Store would make life easier I think.

 

My Pi knowledge is limited so some assistance would be appreciated and maybe a link in the right direction for an OS download?

 

TIA

I was looking at using the latest pi as a Plex server and someone in the office told me they tried it and it was underpowered. Ok.. That's Plex.. But I'm guessing a early generation pi won't have enough power for all you're after. I would just go for a streaming stick. I've been using my Amazon fire stick for almost 4 years now and it runs netflix Kodi etc etc no problem. I'm waiting for the cube to be released to upgrade it.. But for now its still fine Edited April 1, 2019 by Stretch

[Stretch]

Thoughts on Google Chromecast? Have an older TV in the bedroom, want the Google Chromecaster to basically allow me to stream Netflix and Flixtor in the bedroom... anybody used it? Any thing to worry about?

 

Thanks in advance

I have a Chromecast as a handy backup.. I'm not sure I would like it as my primary streaming tool because you are dependant on another device

[bertusras]

you are dependant on another device

 

I'm not sure how this is any different than your media center device? 

 

We only use the Chromecast in our place, despite having an Intel NUC as a primary media server.

[Grebel]

I was looking at ugly the latest pi as a Plex server and someone in the office told me they tried it and it was underpowered. Ok.. That's Plex.. But I'm guessing a early generation pi won't have enough power for all you're after. I would just go for a streaming stick. I've been using my Amazon fire stick for almost 4 years now and it runs netflix Kodi etc etc no problem. I'm waiting for the cube to be released to upgrade it.. But for now its still fine

 

It's the Wifi streaming bit that worries me... I have not had a lot of success with streaming over Wifi. We used to have a media drive on a PC that was connected to our home network and tried streaming over wifi. Too much buffering and audio/video sync issues. Ended up pulling a LAN cable across the house which solved the problem but then the PC needed to be on all the time to access the drive. 

 

We now had an external media drive attached to the router that is accessible through Kodi so anybody can access it from anywhere in the house (TV,PC, Mobile etc)

 

Might just replace the Android box as it did what we needed it to do.

[Stretch]

I'm not sure how this is any different than your media center device?

 

We only use the Chromecast in our place, despite having an Intel NUC as a primary media server.

Very different. With my fire stick I click netflix and watch. With the Chromecast I have to open netflix on my phone and then cast to the chromecast. The biggest issue is when you want to use something like Kodi. I have a HD connected to my router and access the content through Kodi via samba and steam across the network. To do that via Chromecast I have to have my laptop open and fire up VLC and then cast to the chromecast via the laptop. With my fire stick I just open Kodi and watch