Best option for streaming media to the living room

chillxnate · September 14, 2015

Long story short I currently use and old Xbox 360 to connect to my PC via our home network to access my movie library to stream to our TV in the living room. However, this kinda sucks and I'd like to add some additional functionality to our living room multi-media experience. With that said, is an HTPC overkill? I do all my gaming on the PC, so it wouldn't be happening in the living room. Though being able to stream games may be nice once in a while. If I primarily wanted to stream movies, music, browse the web, etc. what would you guys recommend? a NUC? Intel Stick? Zbox? Please let me know your thoughts, and thanks in advance.

michrech · September 14, 2015

We'll need more information about your desires / goals for this setup. Lacking that information:

I suppose my answer would depend on the method you're using to store / provide access to your media (or if you're planning on adding a dedicated server of some form if you don't already have one), and if you want to add Netflix / Hulu / similar into the mix. If you have a Kodi / Plex server, and want to add third-party streaming, I'd suggest something like a Roku / Android TV (I'm currently liking my Nexus Player).

In *my* case, I have an HP Z800 with ESXi 6.x in my 'electronics closet' in a spare bedroom. One of the VM's is a WHS2011 VM, on which I have Plex Media Server, Sonarr, and sabnzbd. That VM has the internal Intel 6 port SATA/SAS controller attached to it, as well as an ASMedia eSATA controller. I have two 1TB 3.5" HDD's on the Intel controller, and 5 1TB HDD's in an external enclosure (I'll be upgrading these as my needs grow). I 'pool' the HDDs together with StableBit's DrivePool (it works like a Drobo, functionally, but is *far* cheaper).

In the living room, I have the Nexus Player attached with a couple of these : http://amzn.com/B00404YKZI : to the back of my TV. I route the power / HDMI cables to the middle of the TV, and down behind the TV stand, to keep the clutter down. The Nexus Player has a BT remote, so it doesn't require line of site. The Nexus Player has the Plex client, Netflix, Pandora, and SlingTV installed, which takes care of 100% of my media consumption needs.

In the bedroom, I have an Amazon FireTV Stick (I hate this device -- it's so damned slow, but works well enough in the bedroom). It has the same apps installed. The only reason I have this device is I got in on the half off 'Prime members pre-sale' Amazon did.

My firewall is configured to allow remote access to the Plex Media Server. This allows me to take the FireTV stick to hotels with me, and to use my Android tablet away from home *without* having to store any of my media on whatever device I'm using.

techguru · September 14, 2015

Long story short I currently use and old Xbox 360 to connect to my PC via our home network to access my movie library to stream to our TV in the living room. However, this kinda sucks and I'd like to add some additional functionality to our living room multi-media experience. With that said, is an HTPC overkill? I do all my gaming on the PC, so it wouldn't be happening in the living room. Though being able to stream games may be nice once in a while. If I primarily wanted to stream movies, music, browse the web, etc. what would you guys recommend? a NUC? Intel Stick? Zbox? Please let me know your thoughts, and thanks in advance.

a cheap second hand pc..you make into a HTPC would be best for this