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[bommerts]

I'm looking for advice if anyone can offer some.

I have 3 TVs in my house.  TV1 is the Windows Media Center.  TV2 & 3 are on Xbox extenders.  This works great except development for WMC has stopped and support for video file formats is horrible - especially on the Xboxes.

So - I would like to switch my setup to JRiver.  What do you suggest I use as "extenders?"  They need to be easy-to-use - power up and it's at the menu to watch recorded tv or videos.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[rec head]

In theory you can use the Xbox's but I can't get it to work. I started a thread about how MC server crashes if I hit pause on the Xbox but nobody can help so maybe my setup is a fluke. You should give it a try first since it's pretty easy to setup.

I think my solution will be to sell the Xbox and get an ATV and hack it with XBMC so that my computer doesn't have to stream at all.

[MrHaugen]

Remember that an XBOX will only work as a dumbed down DLNA playback unit. It's nowhere near a full MC experience in my opinion. I would purchase some small Windows PC units like ASRock or similar and add MC18 Library clients on those. Using the central PC as a server version. This would allow you to play media to and from each device in the house.

I'm sure that Xbox DLNA playback should work. But you might have to set some advanced settings. Yaobing might be able to help you with specific problems if you encounter any.

[bommerts]

I'm not tied to the Xboxes in any way and am willing to replace them with an alternative.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.  To make it user friendly, I'm looking for small, silent devices that will boot immediately to the Media Center options like recorded tv and videos.  It sounds like a small PC would do this?

[csimon]

They're very expensive but decent, silent (fanless), small HTPCs are now beginning to appear, e.g. http://www.tinygreenpc.com/. Not too expensive though if you only need audio or don't need high-end video.

There are many small HTPC devices like ASRock, Asus, Zotac etc but up to now they've all had a fan.

[bommerts]

The xboxes have been great because they 1) are simple, 2) work, 3) are small and quiet, and 4) are cheap.  Maybe I can build a couple of small, silent PCs for around $200 each for JRiver.

[MrHaugen]

Maybe I can build a couple of small, silent PCs for around $200 each for JRiver.

I would recommend not to. I would rather recommend looking at a cheap prebuilt one. I've built several HTPC over the years, and I've never been all that satisfied. I bought the ASRock 3D a couple of years ago, and I have never looked back. I will never spent that amount of research, time and frustration to build my own HTPC any more. Gaming rig and servers, SURE. HTPC. No! It's just a pain to get it fast, small, silent and cool. There are companies that have spent many hours on doing that research, designed solutions to make it all fit. Most of these devices are so small, silent, cool and quiet and packed with features that most IT pros would probably have a problem doing better.

[bommerts]

Thanks for the suggestion, but wow those ASRock 3D boxes are expensive as extenders!  I am looking for $200 or less extenders.  I already have main HTPC hardware so I'm set there.

[MrHaugen]

Some of them are quite expensive, yes. But I'm sure there are cheaper brands out there. What about the Intel NUC? It might suffice for normal video quality playback?