Best current hardware media player?

[FurtiveFreddy]

Looking at this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Android-TV-Box-Boxsets-Qu...

for connecting HDMI to a TV to play ripped DVDs from.

Any other boxes I should be considering? Only needs local playback from a USB memory stick or HDD. Streaming not important.

[B17NNS]

The best?

Nvidia Shield running Plex.

https://www.nvidia.co.uk/shield/

[FurtiveFreddy]

Ah yes, I know that's the best but it does waaaay too much for this application.

I just need something to play .mkv files I've ripped from DVDs into the HDMI port of a TV...

[RizzoTheRat]

I use a Pi running OSMC to do that, with a 1TB Pi drive attached it operates as a (slow) NAS as well so my proper NAS isn't clogged up with video files. A Firestick running Kodi (plenty of guides online on how to set them up) also seems to be a popular choice.

Alternatively if you have a smart TV they can often run files directly from a media server on the network, either something like Plex (which is free) running on your computer, or a NAS with a built in media server. Playstation or X-Box can also stream from the network in the same way.

[B17NNS]

Fire TV stick runs Plex.

[scovette]

FurtiveFreddy said:

Looking at this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Android-TV-Box-Boxsets-Qu...

It should work fine for what you want to do with it. Would be worth investigating whether you can put Libreelec on it as it'll speed it up nicely.

B17NNS said:

The best?Nvidia Shield running Plex.

As OP doesn't need streaming services what he's linked is arguably better if it'll run Libreeelc, which I'm pretty sure it should. It'll be slower in the menus, but unlike the Shield it'll have accurate colours when changing from 1080p > 4k content and vice versa without manually having to delve into the menus every time. It'll also sound noticeably better when passing FLAC to an receiver.

[legzr1]

If it’s for DVD and BR up to 1080P and not 2160P/HDR then a little WDTV would work fine.

Available for £20 if you look around.

I used a few of them years ago and never had any issues playing MKV.

[V8mate]

FurtiveFreddy said:

Ah yes, I know that's the best but it does waaaay too much for this application.

I just need something to play .mkv files I've ripped from DVDs into the HDMI port of a TV...

I chuck my mkv files on a USB stick and plug em in the side of the TV.

I have a proper wireless, networked NAS jobbie, but the stick is so much less hassle

[FurtiveFreddy]

I'm doing this for a technically challenged friend of mine who's mum has dementia, so I'm trying to get the most reliable and easy to use method.

They have a Panasonic Viera TV but a bit of searching makes me wonder if it can cope with all video formats. I want to rip the DVDs to mkv if possible and test the setup here before sending it to them, hence that's why i ruled out a USB stick direct into the TV.

I've got a couple of those WD media players here but I thought there might be something else out there now more suitable. looks like the Android box could be the best bet for a new purchase in that case.

[scovette]

For that I'd stick with the WD. New boxes/software are more flexible with a prettier interface, but you'll spend time stripping that back to make it simpler.

[FurtiveFreddy]

Good point, I may very well shift my old WD onto them...

[h0b0]

B17NNS said:

Fire TV stick runs Plex.

I’ve had issues with fire sticks and plex so run Chrimecasts for plex. I think there is an issue with the codecs on fire sticks.

[tenohfive]

FurtiveFreddy said:

I'm doing this for a technically challenged friend of mine who's mum has dementia, so I'm trying to get the most reliable and easy to use method.

They have a Panasonic Viera TV but a bit of searching makes me wonder if it can cope with all video formats. I want to rip the DVDs to mkv if possible and test the setup here before sending it to them, hence that's why i ruled out a USB stick direct into the TV.

I've got a couple of those WD media players here but I thought there might be something else out there now more suitable. looks like the Android box could be the best bet for a new purchase in that case.

I've got an old Panny Viera (G10 - at least 9 years old) and it runs Plex quite happily through the Fire Stick. No codec issues as described elsewhere. All my films are .mkv's, burned with either MakeMKV or Freemake.

I think we paid £25 for ours on a deal. It's simple, the voice remote works well - "Alexa, open Plex," and then pick out whatever. I am still waiting for Amazon to integrate other Echo devices with the Fire Stick which could make useful (i.e. getting the TV turned on and Plex open with hands full with dinner etc) but it sounds like that's unlikely to be an issue in this case.

[h0b0]

That integration is done by Logitech harmony. You can do everything with Alexa

[tenohfive]

h0b0 said:

That integration is done by Logitech harmony. You can do everything with Alexa

It is currently, but it's due to be an onboard feature within the Echo/Kindle ecosystem. I believe from a thread on here that the ability to control Fire TV by Echo has roll out in the US already.