Plz help with media sharing....

[Imrahn]

This is the scenario:

I have a Samsung 46" LCD TV upstairs- connected to HTPC having all my movies via HDMI cable and Yamaha AVR in my sig.

Got a 50" Samsung Plasma for the main hall- want to share the movies in the HTPC upstairs with this TV as well.No AVR here but will be getting one soon hopefully.

Whats the most convenient/aesthetic path to take?I don't think all those media players will work out for me since all of my movies are mkvs with DTS/DTS-HDMA and i would like to hear them out the way they are meant to be.

Should i setup a small HTPC downstairs as well(but its the main hall) and network the 2 PCs?

Thanx in advance for any sort of help mates....

Regards

 

[NetFreak]

You can purchase Xtreamer Pro Media player. It supports sound DTS and other audio formats and can out them via HDMI / Optical.

Additionally it can play media in MKV containers as well. You can share media over LAN and access it from Xtreamer.

 

[Imrahn]

Ok, so can i connect it via WiFi with the HTPC upstairs and stream 1080p content over to it *flawlessly*?

 

[borg]

it will be difficult, here is some info

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=18813016

 

[NetFreak]

Ok, so can i connect it via WiFi with the HTPC upstairs and stream 1080p content over to it *flawlessly*?

Not over WiFi. This is a common problem and would be there even if you use a different media player or HTPS with WiFI dongle. You will need LAN connection between two. To avoid LAN wiring, you have three options:

1. Buy a decent WiFi N router and set it in "repeater mode". And connect media player / htpc to to LAN port on router. Connection would look like:

PC->Primary Wifi Router--> Repeater Router --> LAN --> Media Player

(This is what I do for my setup) WiFi routers have more powerful transmitters and will give you better and more stable connection and this works fine with 1080p content.

2. Buy "Ethernet over Power" adapters. This will extend LAN over exiting electrical socket. So you will not need to draw new wires.

3. Attach a 1 TB HDD to media player itself. And use that to store media.

 

[sivakuru]

Not over WiFi. This is a common problem and would be there even if you use a different media player or HTPS with WiFI dongle. You will need LAN connection between two. To avoid LAN wiring, you have three options:

1. Buy a decent WiFi N router and set it in "repeater mode". And connect media player / htpc to to LAN port on router. Connection would look like:

PC->Primary Wifi Router--> Repeater Router --> LAN --> Media Player

(This is what I do for my setup) WiFi routers have more powerful transmitters and will give you better and more stable connection and this works fine with 1080p content.

Absolutely true. Like NetFreak has mentioned please make sure the router can be configured in repeater mode. I dont know about the newer N spec routers but in the earlier G spec routers some did not have this option. I found this recently when I tried to convert my DLink G router to use as a WIFI dongle (just like NetFreak has mentioned).

 

[Imrahn]

Thanx mates, so if i am open to Lan wiring, all i have to do is connect LAN cable from the HTPC network card upstairs to the media player and it should be able to browse the PC and play files fine?Am asking coz am really a noob at all this.

Also, if i get an AVR later, will the media player output raw audio so that the AVR can process it? In that respect, which is the best media player out there?

 

[chirag007]

xT pro comes with optional wifi antenna. I connect to my wireless router through it. Sometime I stream youtube through it. Also, I access internal hard disk ( inside xT pro) through this link. It is slow but serves purpose.

However, I have not tried streaming throuh my pc on this wireless link, but it is possible.

 

[NetFreak]

Thanx mates, so if i am open to Lan wiring, all i have to do is connect LAN cable from the HTPC network card upstairs to the media player and it should be able to browse the PC and play files fine?Am asking coz am really a noob at all this.

Yes that will work fine.

Also, if i get an AVR later, will the media player output raw audio so that the AVR can process it? In that respect, which is the best media player out there?

Some media players will not output raw audio and downmix to stereo (E.g. DTS MA HD is downmixed to stereo)

Others (Like newer version of xtreamer) does send raw audio to AVR. This feature is called "pass-through".

xT pro comes with optional wifi antenna. I connect to my wireless router through it. Sometime I stream youtube through it. Also, I access internal hard disk ( inside xT pro) through this link. It is slow but serves purpose.

However, I have not tried streaming throuh my pc on this wireless link, but it is possible.

This works for low-res video files. 1080p video + HD Audio would not work smoothly over WiFi.

 

[sivakuru]

Thanx mates, so if i am open to Lan wiring, all i have to do is connect LAN cable from the HTPC network card upstairs to the media player and it should be able to browse the PC and play files fine?Am asking coz am really a noob at all this.

Also, if i get an AVR later, will the media player output raw audio so that the AVR can process it? In that respect, which is the best media player out there?

I am not sure if I totally understood what you have understood from the conversation and mentioned above.

Anyways here is what NetFreak and myself are trying to explain to you.

downstairs
PC->Primary Wifi Router

upstairs
Repeater Router --> Media Player

No physical wires between downstairs and upstairs.

If you are OK with wiring then you dont even need any repeater router.
It would something like PC -> Router -> A very long network wire running
from downstairs to upstairs to your media player.

With the repeater router you are setting up a wireless network between
PC/router downstairs and mediaplayer upstairs.

The only reason NetFreak and I recommend a Wifi N Router instead of a wifi USB dongle is because 1080p streaming will be demanding and if all the components do not cope up with the speed requirement, you will face stuttering of video/audio. For non 1080p stuff a wifi USB dongle should be more than sufficient.

To process audio using AVR, all you need is an AVR that can decode digital signals (which all AVRs do anyway). If you are worried about HD audio make sure your AVR has HDMI inputs in it. For non HD audio a coaxial/optical digital input in the AVR is sufficient.

I dont know what media player you have or planning to buy. Most popular ones such as WDTV, Xtreamer, PlayOn etc have coaxial or digital out. However in the budget ones only PlayOn (double confirm when you buy - some sold are still old stock) and Xtreamer PRO/SW pass HD audio via HDMI (to an AVR).