Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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I've got 2.5TB of films, loads unseen and started downloading them again now, some are copys of DVDs I own some are just downloaded DVD / Blue Ray Rips.
What is the best way to present them? In a Media Style?
Somebody put up a system on here a while back, and it looked awesome.
At the moment I access my network harddrives over my xbox360, and pick up the file names off there, and can watch them on my 50" plasma, or the 42" 1080p LCD. If I move the xbox, can I send to the TV wirelessly? Although that's another question completely!
I want a system, where I can see the DVD cover, see a synopsis, and possibly search by actors or other variables.
Is there anything that'll let me do this? Don't mind paying for a system, whether it's through my laptop, tv or a piece of hardware.
Post your set up! 
Many Thanks
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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Popcorn Hour offers a decent interface if you want an off the shelf system, otherwise something like a WDTV is a lot cheaper but doesn't really offer much in terms of a fancy interface.
Otherwise build yourself a HTPC system (ATOM+ION board) for a few hundred and then run Windows Media Center with the Media Browser plugin (http://www.mediabrowser.tv/) for the media covers/interface etc.
There are loads of other media system software for Windows, Linux and OSX like Plex, Boxee, XMBC, MythTV etc but unless you're planning multi-slave system (ie: multiple tuners, watch-anything-anywhere type setup) then i still think WMC is the easiest and best option.
Also if you use Windows then i'd download MetaBrowser which is run through your media library and grab covers, banners, background, meta data, trailers etc 
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Thanks for the reply Dom, a lot of that has gone over my head though! Not very up on media tech!!
Going to have a few hours googling the bits you mentioned I think, and having a good read up!!
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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It all depends what you want from it to be honest. Personally i'd op for the HTPC route but only because i'd fill it with a few Freeview/Freesat tuner cards and use it as my PVR as well. Plus there are loads of plugins for WMC like iPlayer, Youtube, in-built browser, RSS feeds, Weather (loads loads more i can't think off).
If you didn't need/want any of that then a Popcorn Hour would be right up your street (decent interface for player DVDs/stored media), plus you could pick one up for a decent price off eBay.
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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I'm loving that!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVlybCElok
Which one would you advise to buy, theres a fair few available??
Does it always have adverts on the UI?
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Whittie
I'm loving that!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwVlybCElok
Which one would you advise to buy, theres a fair few available??
Does it always have adverts on the UI?
C-200 or A-200, major differce is the C-200 plays BDs and has a few more USB ports. Neither are terribly cheap though. I'd pop over the AvForums though as there is a fair amount of info about Popcorn Hours.
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Aye, just been searching on there. What would you go for if money no object for the basic set up? C-200?
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Whittie
Aye, just been searching on there. What would you go for if money no object for the basic set up? C-200?
Suppose, it's a decent system although my opinion is from using one for 10minutes or so rather than owning one (there were a few people on here that had Popcorn Hours). The only issue i found was the UI getting a little choppy after a while and being a little slow to respond, but they might have changed/fixed that in recent firmware.
Might be worth seeing if anyone local stocks them and having a play with one.
Obviously WMC/Boxee etc you can try out on your Windows system before you go ahead and build a dedicated system etc.
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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I just feel a dedicated system would be better for my needs mate, it seems to tick all the boxes, but would like to have a play on one in person before buying it for £200ish.
No idea where will stock them though, might go to maplins or pc world tomorrow and ask.
Thanks again.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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AppleTV? Not 1080p though 
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ajscorsa
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Registered: 30th Apr 02
Location: Perceton, North Ayrshire
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how much would my wdtv be worth? with a 1tb external hard drive with 408 films on it 3400+ music tracks about 30 tv series'
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Probably a fair bit to the right person!
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ajscorsa
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Registered: 30th Apr 02
Location: Perceton, North Ayrshire
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I offered it to my mate for £100 he's thinking about it. Wonder if I should ask for a tad more lol.
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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quote:
Originally posted by ajscorsa
how much would my wdtv be worth? with a 1tb external hard drive with 408 films on it 3400+ music tracks about 30 tv series'
Sorry to hi-jack a bit, but where do you start with doing things like this? I'd be interested if I had a bit of cash, the only reliable way I can watch movies is streaming on line. Not got any idea how to download DVD/ blu ray rips
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by AndyKent
AppleTV? Not 1080p though
Get a first gen Apple TV for fuck all on Ebay. Replace the graphics card with a Broadcom CrystalHD GPU and install XBMC. Isn't all that expensive to do either...
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Russ
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Registered: 14th Mar 04
Location: Armchair
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Alan, torrents.
Basically what dom said, you'll need either something like popcorn hour/wdtv/ac ryan Play on, or a HTPC.
Other option is just use your current pc and use a long HDMI lead 
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Russ
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Registered: 14th Mar 04
Location: Armchair
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as luck would have it i'm selling a lot of gear that you could use to make a media centre pc
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ajscorsa
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Registered: 30th Apr 02
Location: Perceton, North Ayrshire
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quote:
Originally posted by alan-g-w
quote:
Originally posted by ajscorsa
how much would my wdtv be worth? with a 1tb external hard drive with 408 films on it 3400+ music tracks about 30 tv series'
Sorry to hi-jack a bit, but where do you start with doing things like this? I'd be interested if I had a bit of cash, the only reliable way I can watch movies is streaming on line. Not got any idea how to download DVD/ blu ray rips
buy mine lol! use torrents or news groups. torrents is easier but slower.
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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Sound lads, cheers aj but unless you can do me finance on it it's a no lol. I can't get torrents to work. I'm using BitComet and whenever I use it to DL albums it always says it's got about 3 days remaining or something daft. I'll maybe do a thread about it, back on topic here anyway.
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Russ
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Registered: 14th Mar 04
Location: Armchair
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depends on where you get it from.
private trackers you'll download everything as fast as your net can, public ones can be shit/good depends on how many people seeding
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alan-g-w
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Registered: 9th Nov 07
Location: Glasgow
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Cool mate, my mate's good with all that sort of stuff and keeps saying he's going to show me properly. I'll need to get his finger out his arse and learn a bit about it, cheers for the advice
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Bart
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Registered: 19th Aug 02
Location: Midsomer Norton, Bristol Avon
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quote:
Originally posted by Dom
Popcorn Hour offers a decent interface if you want an off the shelf system, otherwise something like a WDTV is a lot cheaper but doesn't really offer much in terms of a fancy interface.
This.
Having owned a HTTPC for a number of years and swapped over to the Popcorn Hour C-200, I can comfortably say I prefer the Popcorn Hour.
Its really each to their own, and depends on what you want.
If your looking for a solid, decent media player (which includes all of the covers etc you've mentioned above), a device that simply "Just works", then the PCH is the device for you.
If you want something with more flexability, something you can install various different software on, and dont mind with having to do windows updates each week and the occasional OS re-install, then a HTTP PC with windows is for you.
Personally, I think the Windows Media Center is waaaaaaay behind in terms of technology and it doesnt offer many playback formats compared to other competitors.
That said, there are lots of other media center software packages available to download.
For me, it had to be simple enough for the wife to use and look good.
PCH
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Fantastic - I'm going to try and find a supplier round here and have a play! Cheers Bart
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Toby
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Registered: 29th Nov 05
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I have an a110th for 2 years now with a 2th hdd inside, hasnt missed a beat but would go for the a200 and yank. I will upload my jukebox in a bit so you can look through it etc and get a feel of the jukebox
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Brilliant
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