The 30 quid media streaming face off
Discussion
I'm trying to find a reasonably universal media streaming solution for my house on a budget.
The house is fully ethernetted, with reasonable WiFi coverage in half of it.
I currently run an old XP PC as a media server (should probably replace this!) to stream DLNA, but also use NetFlix. Clients are currently a Smart TV, various mobile devices, and a PS3, which is the main Netflix client. Main TV is a non smart TV so PS3 streams to that, however the PC3 is not long of this world and noisy, despite trying the various fixes for the fan.
Currently use an old Phillips Audio streaming/internet radio device in the kitchen. I'm a heavy Spotify user which is usually achieved by plugging a mobile device into a trailing lead in whatever room I'm in.
I've been playing with a Chromecast recently and was impressed with how it works natively on iPlayer and Netflix. So that's one solution, however doesn't cater for audio. Really like using an Android device for control. However, to truly replace the PS3 I'd need to stick Plex on My media server.
Other alternative is a RPi(well, several!), running RaspPlex. Haven't played with this yet, but I understand it's not as fluid, but can use a mobile device to control?
I love the simplicity of the ChromeCast, but the RPi seems to cover the audio media base as well. With the advantage I could stick several around the house and use them for audio too.
So, anyone got any input on what would be best? I'd like to use the same solution everywhere if possible. I also despise wireless, so I'd prefer to use hardwire if possible, which leads to RPi territoy...
The house is fully ethernetted, with reasonable WiFi coverage in half of it.
I currently run an old XP PC as a media server (should probably replace this!) to stream DLNA, but also use NetFlix. Clients are currently a Smart TV, various mobile devices, and a PS3, which is the main Netflix client. Main TV is a non smart TV so PS3 streams to that, however the PC3 is not long of this world and noisy, despite trying the various fixes for the fan.
Currently use an old Phillips Audio streaming/internet radio device in the kitchen. I'm a heavy Spotify user which is usually achieved by plugging a mobile device into a trailing lead in whatever room I'm in.
I've been playing with a Chromecast recently and was impressed with how it works natively on iPlayer and Netflix. So that's one solution, however doesn't cater for audio. Really like using an Android device for control. However, to truly replace the PS3 I'd need to stick Plex on My media server.
Other alternative is a RPi(well, several!), running RaspPlex. Haven't played with this yet, but I understand it's not as fluid, but can use a mobile device to control?
I love the simplicity of the ChromeCast, but the RPi seems to cover the audio media base as well. With the advantage I could stick several around the house and use them for audio too.
So, anyone got any input on what would be best? I'd like to use the same solution everywhere if possible. I also despise wireless, so I'd prefer to use hardwire if possible, which leads to RPi territoy...
Cheers y'all. TBh it's more about the client than the server - the server would be a byproduct of the end client choice I guess.
TBH from looking in to it I don't think I'm going to find a 'one size fits all' solution - I think it's going to be a RPi for the audio, and Chromecast for video.
I'm a computer geek by trade, but contrary to some, I don't like mucking about with tech in my spare time, so I'd actually prefer a simple, elegant solution.
TBH from looking in to it I don't think I'm going to find a 'one size fits all' solution - I think it's going to be a RPi for the audio, and Chromecast for video.
I'm a computer geek by trade, but contrary to some, I don't like mucking about with tech in my spare time, so I'd actually prefer a simple, elegant solution.
furtive said:
Double the budget and get Apple TV
That would work fantastically well with the 1 soon to be replaced Apple device i have in the house, and the ease with which is does pretty much none of the other things that I want to do. All sorted...
As great as the one box solution would have been, there was nothing that would do it. I've gone with a ChromeCast for video as my wife and I are both in the Android Ecosystem. Works great, haven't yet mucked about with Plex (as my media server currently runs Serviio on an XP box, will change to Linux and Plex at some point) but Netflix, iPlayer etc all work fantastically well. Only downer is lack of All4 support, but that seems common with everything except the Roku.
The native Android hookup seemed far nicer than the Roku and Fire Stick for ease of use. Very happy with it.
For streaming audio I bought a Raspberry Pi and put Pi MusicBox on it. What can I say, it's blummin' brilliant. So impressed that I've just taken delivery of another two for some other rooms. Does Spotify through a good, useable web interface, Local media, YT audio, SoundCloud, Last.FM and local music over DLNA (amongst others).
Works out so cheap compared to the alternatives. For the kitchen, bathroom, garage and summerhouse the audio is fine. For the lounge I'll invest in a HiFiBerry to sort out the SQ a bit.
I initially bought a Pi2 Model B and it handled it with ease, so I tried a friends' Pi1 B+ and it#'s just as responsive, so I saved a tenner by buying 2 of those for the other slaves. Add on a case for under a fiver, and a fiver for an SD card, along with cables, old amps and power supplies I've already got, and it's under £30 per unit. It's ace, basically.
As great as the one box solution would have been, there was nothing that would do it. I've gone with a ChromeCast for video as my wife and I are both in the Android Ecosystem. Works great, haven't yet mucked about with Plex (as my media server currently runs Serviio on an XP box, will change to Linux and Plex at some point) but Netflix, iPlayer etc all work fantastically well. Only downer is lack of All4 support, but that seems common with everything except the Roku.
The native Android hookup seemed far nicer than the Roku and Fire Stick for ease of use. Very happy with it.
For streaming audio I bought a Raspberry Pi and put Pi MusicBox on it. What can I say, it's blummin' brilliant. So impressed that I've just taken delivery of another two for some other rooms. Does Spotify through a good, useable web interface, Local media, YT audio, SoundCloud, Last.FM and local music over DLNA (amongst others).
Works out so cheap compared to the alternatives. For the kitchen, bathroom, garage and summerhouse the audio is fine. For the lounge I'll invest in a HiFiBerry to sort out the SQ a bit.
I initially bought a Pi2 Model B and it handled it with ease, so I tried a friends' Pi1 B+ and it#'s just as responsive, so I saved a tenner by buying 2 of those for the other slaves. Add on a case for under a fiver, and a fiver for an SD card, along with cables, old amps and power supplies I've already got, and it's under £30 per unit. It's ace, basically.
Yeah, that's why I've been putting off Plex for a bit TBH! I'm a software developer/apps support/integrations person by trade so it's kind of what I do, but by the same token when I spend all day doing that, I have little/no motivation to spend my spare time doing it. That's what I was a bit concerned about with Pi Musicbox, but there's a downloadable image for it which just works. Burn it to an SD card, add in account details for the services of your choice, point it at a network share, add in some URIs for internet radio, and it's all done. Then just take a copy of the card and clone it foe each new device. I reckon the total time for the first install was less than an hour, and that's including the time to assemble the board, burn the SD card, and plug in the cables.
Serviio was dead easy to set up with an old XP box, and if I'm honest, now Netflix, iPlayer, and Spotify are on the scene I hardly use any local media anyways, it's all streamed stuff really.
Like you, the main issue for me was family acceptance! And to be fair I don't expect my other half to have to use some clunky control set to watch telly or listen to music. I don't want to either. And that's what MusicBox does really well. I showed her the Chromecast and she was into it, and used it properly, and then I just introduce the Pi in the same way. Put a link on her phone, and it's all running
Problem is that now I've got a bit caught up in it, so I'm planning on turning an old Rotel amp into a streaming music player by embedding a Pi and supply in the case...
Serviio was dead easy to set up with an old XP box, and if I'm honest, now Netflix, iPlayer, and Spotify are on the scene I hardly use any local media anyways, it's all streamed stuff really.
Like you, the main issue for me was family acceptance! And to be fair I don't expect my other half to have to use some clunky control set to watch telly or listen to music. I don't want to either. And that's what MusicBox does really well. I showed her the Chromecast and she was into it, and used it properly, and then I just introduce the Pi in the same way. Put a link on her phone, and it's all running
Problem is that now I've got a bit caught up in it, so I'm planning on turning an old Rotel amp into a streaming music player by embedding a Pi and supply in the case...
Edited by FD3Si on Monday 20th July 09:22
ZesPak said:
I reccon some rose-tinted spectacles were involved as well .
Chuckle .OK, that may be 'time spent actually doing something'.
But using this guide:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/838501/Raspber...
10 minutes to put the thing together, DL image, set burning to SD (walk off and leave it doing it, have a brew) and it wa honestly that easy
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