Hardware: Streaming music *and* movies
Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:44 pm
Currently, I have a Netgear MP101 wireless music player connected to my stereo in the lounge. It's actually wired to my EPIA 500 micro-ATX media PC with 500 GB storage. Right now it only has 5000 MP3s on it. It's wired because it isn't very reliable on the wireless, and often drops the connection, and when that happens it doesn't pick it up again automatically and begin playing again. (That system is effectively wired network #2 in the house, and I use VNC over the 802.11g to connect to the media server.)
Now I want to begin streaming the movies (I have discovered Bit Torrent, and I have 40GB a month
) I have to the wide-screen in the lounge as well as my music, so I need a new piece of kit:
1) Streams mp3, Divx, XvID, and preferably WMA/WMV also, but this is not necessary as I avoid MS formats whereever possible.
2) Displays info using OSD on the TV, preferably has an LCD panel on the front so it can be used when the TV is off.
3) Must be capable of sorting through thousands of files at good speed. If I sort by Genre, or want to list all the Marilyn Manson tracks, then I want that to happen PRONTO. Scrolling speed on the OSD must be good, also.
So - anyone have any ideas? I've Googled until my head hurts, and all I've come up with is the Philips SL 400i and the D-Link DSM320.
The D-Link device seems to be mostly poor reviews, while the Philips item seem to collect either very positive or very negative reviews. No one locally sells these units, so I'll be buying sight unseen, and I'm looking for some more options to consider.
Got anything for me to check out? Cheers!
Now I want to begin streaming the movies (I have discovered Bit Torrent, and I have 40GB a month
) I have to the wide-screen in the lounge as well as my music, so I need a new piece of kit:1) Streams mp3, Divx, XvID, and preferably WMA/WMV also, but this is not necessary as I avoid MS formats whereever possible.
2) Displays info using OSD on the TV, preferably has an LCD panel on the front so it can be used when the TV is off.
3) Must be capable of sorting through thousands of files at good speed. If I sort by Genre, or want to list all the Marilyn Manson tracks, then I want that to happen PRONTO. Scrolling speed on the OSD must be good, also.
So - anyone have any ideas? I've Googled until my head hurts, and all I've come up with is the Philips SL 400i and the D-Link DSM320.
The D-Link device seems to be mostly poor reviews, while the Philips item seem to collect either very positive or very negative reviews. No one locally sells these units, so I'll be buying sight unseen, and I'm looking for some more options to consider.
Got anything for me to check out? Cheers!