Thread: Android box with HDMI for the television

If you already have a computer, just get a $30 ChromeCast and you can stream from Youtube, Chrome, or any files that are on your computer or on network devices you can see from your computer using a plug-in called Videostream (there are also other appearing all the time).

If you specifically want a dedicated solution, the best I have found for playing absolutely everything I can throw at it believe it or not is the old WDTV-LIVE with a custom image called WDLXTV, but generally most of the time I use a Mede8er X3D because it's easier to navigate within a particular file.

Oh, and I found the Chromecast can handle 3D content, you just tell the TV it's 3D and away you go (if you have a 3D telly that is).

good links, baldrick, thanks

thinking about ordering one to replace the now defunct Mac Mini,

Bought ChromeCast to try out, what a sad POS it was. No surprise that Harry would recommend it, he falls for every silly unusable gadgets out there, probably too much free time and doing nothing useful with his tech toys.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

good links, baldrick, thanks

thinking about ordering one to replace the now defunct Mac Mini,

Bought ChromeCast to try out, what a sad POS it was. No surprise that Harry would recommend it, he falls for every silly unusable gadgets out there, probably too much free time and doing nothing useful with his tech toys.

I have eight of them running now, five of them 24x7.

Are they too complicated for you? What was the problem?

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Bought ChromeCast to try out, what a sad POS it was. No surprise that Harry would recommend it, he falls for every silly unusable gadgets out there

Trust Butters to contradict himself in the same breath...

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Bought ChromeCast to try out, what a sad POS it was. No surprise that Harry would recommend it, he falls for every silly unusable gadgets out there

Trust Butters to contradict himself in the same breath...

All it really means is he's too dumb to follow simple instructions to get it to work, and now he's taking it out on me.

If he'd been nice I would have told him how to edit the registry to get it working.

I am interested to know how to edit the registry.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I have eight of them running now, five of them 24x7.

priceless, the trademark of a basement boy

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Are they too complicated for you? What was the problem?

don't be silly harry, they are useless toys, yes they are working, but it's too fucking limited for what it is. Best to buy a Raspberry PI with WIFI

I am using Chromecast with PLEX and my Samsung Tab so it does work, but it's still a disappointment.

The PLEX Server thing is brilliant though. Give it a try, you might like it.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Are they too complicated for you? What was the problem?

don't be silly harry, they are useless toys, yes they are working, but it's too fucking limited for what it is. Best to buy a Raspberry PI with WIFI

I am using Chromecast with PLEX and my Samsung Tab so it does work, but it's still a disappointment.

The PLEX Server thing is brilliant though. Give it a try, you might like it.

Why do you need Plex?

Just play it straight off your network man.

I just use Servioo to publish all my stored stuff to UPNP, pick a file and away you go.

Even streams Live TV from the phone anywhere there's WIFI and a TV.

For $30 it can't be beat.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Just play it straight off your network man.

I just use Servioo to publish all my stored stuff to UPNP, pick a file and away you go.

maybe the version distributed in Europe is different but you can't play anything outside YouTube, NetFlix, and some local French TV thing. The only exception is PLEX. There is no "local player". This is documented on different ChromeCast forums so not sure how you could have missed that.

Or are you saying that there was a recent upgrade and we can play locally files now over the network ? if that's so, I will get it out of the box and give it another try.

Your input are welcome on the matter, just so I can OwN your ass later on it if you lie again and make up stories about it.

Have you tried the new Plex Server ? it's awesome, can serve multiple devices (DLNA compatible) from one server

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

The only thing that would be perfect for me would be a Windows based HTPC with VLC media player and all the codecs loaded. Small and quiet with dedicated storage and an SSD for the operating system and programs.

I think that would be perfect for everyone.

My solution has been to just have a pc connected to both of my tvs that can share files between themselves and all of the devices in the house (phones, tablets, pcs) via the house wifi.

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

I don't have to worry about encoding/decoding and the lag this can introduce especially on 1080p content over WIFI. I also don't like the quality loss that the re encoding process introduces.

that's basically what Chromecast does, very annoying

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

The only thing that would be perfect for me would be a Windows based HTPC with VLC media player and all the codecs loaded. Small and quiet with dedicated storage and an SSD for the operating system and programs.

Raspberry PI with WIFI and HDMI module

Originally Posted by Butterfly

maybe the version distributed in Europe is different but you can't play anything outside YouTube, NetFlix, and some local French TV thing. The only exception is PLEX. There is no "local player". This is documented on different ChromeCast forums so not sure how you could have missed that.

Or are you saying that there was a recent upgrade and we can play locally files now over the network ? if that's so, I will get it out of the box and give it another try.

Have you tried the new Plex Server ? it's awesome, can serve multiple devices (DLNA compatible) from one server

Funnily enough there is a c*nting update today, I've just spent the afternoon installing it <heh> But it doesn't offer any new functionality apart from Youtube playlists or something.

In the Chrome browser, download the VideoStream extension and you can select and play any file off your network. Piece of piss and it works fine; and you can stream a 20Gb BluRay without it stuttering if you have a fast enough Wifi network (I have 802.11ac everywhere).

There are other local players in the Chrome store as well, that handles things like subtitles.

On the phone the latest Chromecast app has a "Cast Screen" option so you can mirror what's on the screen, but look for an app called "Cast Store" which lists all the apps that are Chrome enabled (usual caveats apply for excessive permissions, etc.).

Quite handy for watching England beat the Swiss the other night, it was on ITV1 which is on the FilmOn app - which now has a familiar Chromecast option so you can screen it straight to your TV.

I got rid of Plex because I no longer use it.

Just XMBC on the GBox and Chromecasts in every TV for anything else.

Your input are welcome on the matter, just so I can OwN your ass later on it if you lie again and make up stories about it.

You silly cnut, as if.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

In the Chrome browser, download the VideoStream extension and you can select and play any file off your network. Piece of piss and it works fine; and you can stream a 20Gb BluRay without it stuttering if you have a fast enough Wifi network (I have 802.11ac everywhere).

I have 802.11n, hopefully that's enough

still you have to go to your PC and run it on your browser to stream it on your TV, sounds a bit awkward and silly to do and not very convenient when you are in bed half asleep,

hence why not go the full Server route with PLEX Server ? Your tablet or your phone become your Remote Control and TV Guide and control the PLEX Server on your network that will network directly to your TV, not need to get out of bed to launch your PC and open a new file in your Chrome browser.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

On the phone the latest Chromecast app has a "Cast Screen" option so you can mirror what's on the screen,

quite a buggy app, doesn't always work with every app or phone.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I got rid of Plex because I no longer use it.

Give it a try again, the new version is a different animal, you will never get back to anything else after it, certainly not having to use a PC to "open" a file on a browser is a much better option.

https://plex.tv/

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

You silly cnut, as if.

told you, OwNED your ass !!!

Originally Posted by Butterfly

told you, OwNED your ass

are you a secret muslim ? I thought coveting anothers livestock was verbotten ?

I will be testing out the Minix x8 on sunday ( I have a 1 TB WD "ultradrive" to attach ) - also I am interested in how the airmouse thingy handles

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

In the Chrome browser, download the VideoStream extension and you can select and play any file off your network. Piece of piss and it works fine; and you can stream a 20Gb BluRay without it stuttering if you have a fast enough Wifi network (I have 802.11ac everywhere).

I have 802.11n, hopefully that's enough

still you have to go to your PC and run it on your browser to stream it on your TV, sounds a bit awkward and silly to do and not very convenient when you are in bed half asleep,

hence why not go the full Server route with PLEX Server ? Your tablet or your phone become your Remote Control and TV Guide and control the PLEX Server on your network that will network directly to your TV, not need to get out of bed to launch your PC and open a new file in your Chrome browser.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

On the phone the latest Chromecast app has a "Cast Screen" option so you can mirror what's on the screen,

quite a buggy app, doesn't always work with every app or phone.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I got rid of Plex because I no longer use it.

Give it a try again, the new version is a different animal, you will never get back to anything else after it, certainly not having to use a PC to "open" a file on a browser is a much better option.

It's hard to understand someone who complains about having to open a file on a PC to cast it, yet later make up some shit about Chromecast being buggy because he just realised I said you can cast from a mobile.

It works on a Huawei Mate 2, a rooted Note 3, an S4, so fuck knows what piece of crap you're running it on. An Alcatel?



Fuck Plex, I'm a Kodi man.

Might want to check out the intel nuk. Nice little box that will blow away any chromecast box. Hell its a full fledged pc. Can even get it with an I7.

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

Might want to check out the intel nuk. Nice little box that will blow away any chromecast box. Hell its a full fledged pc. Can even get it with an I7.

Oh dear, you haven't got a clue have you?

Intel Nuc:



Chromecast (which is not a box):

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

Might want to check out the intel nuk. Nice little box that will blow away any chromecast box. Hell its a full fledged pc. Can even get it with an I7.

Oh dear, you haven't got a clue have you?

Intel Nuc:



Chromecast (which is not a box):

Actually op was looking for an android box with hdmi to use as a media player correct?

The nuc would be a better option than that lame stick as a htpc.

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

The nuc would be a better option

except for the price - about 300 USD without ram or HD

the chrome stick would be too underpowered and also require a NAS

I am hoping the minix x8-h (dual band N wifi ) with a HD attached will do what I want

Originally Posted by baldrick

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

The nuc would be a better option

except for the price - about 300 USD without ram or HD

the chrome stick would be too underpowered and also require a NAS

I am hoping the minix x8-h (dual band N wifi ) with a HD attached will do what I want

That looks really nice. Specs look good for the price. Only question I have is the same as yours. How good does it play from a hd and not streaming? USB is only 2.0 and it runs android which I dont have as much experience playing videos in hardware with.