Please Help This Elder Millennial Detach Himself from The Windows Media Center Teat

LAndrew0415 on 13/04/2023 - 16:25

So my faithful old HTPC is slowly dying. I've been using WMC with Emby on Windows 7 for an embarrassingly long time and, after a few hardware upgrades, I'm at the point where I'm holding it all together with spit and glue. Here's why:

  • Wife-friendly and only one remote.
  • Single, easy-to-navigate front end.
  • Watching and, more importantly, recording FTA television, primarily sports and reality shows. Very important.
  • Watching stuff stored locally or from my Google Drive.
  • Can play blu-rays on the rare occasion the in-laws bring over a movie.
  • All of this is contained within one black box that sits by my television.

I'd like to build a big and beefy gaming/media PC which will sit in our study and then access my library through some sort of network connection to our living room television. I'd also really like to somehow continue to do the above stuff too, if that's possible. And I'd like to do it without having seventeen remotes or destroying my marriage. I use a Chromecast and know a little about Plex and Kodi but I'm not exactly technically proficient, as might already be patently obvious. If anyone can help me figure out what the best solution for my needs might be, I'd appreciate it. Knowing what set-ups other people are currently using to achieve the above might be quite helpful.

Thanks all!

Computing Media Player

Comments

  • lachhelix on 13/04/2023 - 16:31
    +4

    +1 for your title

    I feel like most of these features you need can be provided by some kind of Android TV box - maybe something like Fetch TV (although I have never used it) and some kind of SMB/DLNA server (or something like Plex) for running blurays/video files
    Not sure about the recording TV bit, maybe Fetch or equiv does this?

    • spackbace on 13/04/2023 - 16:45
      +4

      Maybe on the main PC in study, have Plex attached to a TV tuner - that takes care of the FTA side of things, plus media playback

      Then in the living room have an Nvidia Shield etc for all the apps

      • lachhelix on 13/04/2023 - 18:33

        Good thinking 99

    • ThirdRonnie on 14/04/2023 - 11:29

      I second the Fetch. I have been using one for a number of years now and it really does all those things you listed in one box, with one remote.

  • AustriaBargain on 13/04/2023 - 17:43
    +1

    I do this, gaming PC and media server in one. I use Infuse on an Apple TV 4K. It's just like Plex and those other media server apps, except all the media sorting and stuff is done on the app rather than on your server PC. Your server PC just uses normal file sharing and the Infuse app sorts out the rest. The only snag is you have to know how to set up reliable file sharing which can be a learning process. But once you've done it and you know how you did it, the system supports itself from there out. This is assuming you're still all in on downloading movies and shows and don't want to pay for multiple streaming apps to simplify your life even further, though there will always be some movie or show missing from the streaming apps no matter how many you pay for. But it is so much more convenient and there are apps that centralise your viewing across multiple streaming apps, like Apple's Apple TV app and I think Prime Video might sync with other apps too or maybe just certain apps.

    • thatonethere on 13/04/2023 - 19:03

      Agree. Ive tried a few things including xbmx on the original xbox. However Infuse Pro/NAS on Apple TV has been great.

  • Baa on 13/04/2023 - 17:56
    +1

    I used to use a trust old HP Microserver as my trust HTPC and NAS, and got a good 10 years out of it but similarly it was starting to sturggly, inparticular with higher res media.

    While I have android boxes in all the other rooms, it is nice to have a full PC operating out of the family room (IE we want to sit and look things up with the kids, or brainstorming holidays) and as such a NUC ended up being the best choice.

    The only thing I never ended up doing was synching it to work as well with the remote, but I think not using XMBC anymore the benefit to use a remote was reduced anyway.

    • rumblytangara on 13/04/2023 - 18:49

      +1 on the Microserver- great machines. Mine's just a file server and a VLC player, so it's not exactly working hard.

  • pharkurnell on 13/04/2023 - 18:18

    I'd like to build a big and beefy gaming/media PC

    Budget?
    He with most remotes rules the house…. dont forget that.

  • Wiede on 13/04/2023 - 18:33
    +1

    Reddit Plex forum should sort you out, they are super helpful. I have been using Plex for ages now and never looked back.

    • AustriaBargain on 13/04/2023 - 18:55
      -1

      Plex îs a nightmare to set up unless you make a Plex account in my experience.

      • spackbace on 13/04/2023 - 19:36
        +2

        What's wrong with an account, which is free?

        Pretty easy to setup actually. Point it to where the files are and off it goes.

        • AustriaBargain on 13/04/2023 - 19:37
          +1

          Just odd that having an account somehow makes local streaming easier. Would be better if it just worked.

          • Wiede on 14/04/2023 - 20:15

            @AustriaBargain: They have to make money somehow. Plex is damn easy to setup, even easier than WMC

            • spackbace on 15/04/2023 - 00:04

              @Wiede: Don't even need the paid account unless wanting to stream to devices outside your network

              • Wiede on 15/04/2023 - 11:12

                @spackbace: Does download work with free account? I have lifetime so i dont know

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 13/04/2023 - 18:51
    +1

    Nvidia Shield. The end.

    Watching and, more importantly, recording FTA television, primarily sports and reality shows. Very important.

    No you don't. Get Kayo and use the free FTA apps. It's not 2006 anymore.

    • Nugs on 13/04/2023 - 22:38

      Catch-up tv apps suck, no or limited skipping through ads.
      Not everyone has good internet, we've got 1+km of copper FTTN so have to use lower quality stream
      .

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 16/04/2023 - 19:19
        -1

        Starlink exists you know.

        • Nugs on 16/04/2023 - 20:00
          +1

          From whistle out
          "Starlink plans will set you back $139 per month regardless of where you're located in Australia. "
          I'll keep my slow internet thanks
          .

          • Nugs on 16/04/2023 - 20:09
            +1

            @Nugs: Holy sh1t
            ”How much you pay for hardware, depends on where you're located. Starlink usually charges $924 but this is currently heavily discounted to just $199 for select rural areas in Australia and $599 for everywhere else."
            .

          • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 17/04/2023 - 13:17
            -1

            @Nugs: So you DO have good internet available but you're just a cheapskate. Duly noted.

  • pinchies on 13/04/2023 - 21:47

    What is the problem you are facing at the moment specifically? To be honest, if recording FTA is important, your current system sounds like it meets your needs?

    Otherwise you should have a play around with the freeview apps on Android and on Apple TV — recording is not really possible easily these days, you would have to settle for "catch up services" or "watch on demand".

  • pjetson on 13/04/2023 - 22:15

    A millennial is what, 40yo max? That's an elder now?

    • JumperC on 13/04/2023 - 22:30
      +2

      27-42, ‘elder millennial’ (eg late 30s to early 40s) not ‘elder’.

      • Nillionaire on 15/04/2023 - 02:06

        I'm 24… am I young millennial or elder gen z? 🤨

  • Kangal on 13/04/2023 - 22:40

    I don't think it's do-able.
    Wife-friendly, single-interface, single-remote is somewhat difficult to do already on Windows.
    Then you add stuff like: play BluRay, watch/record FTA, and others… yeah, nah.

    Best thing would be to build a nice new HTPC*, with a BluRay drive, and play locally stored content.
    You may have to find a cracked version of WMC that works on Windows10 Pro. And look online for what other enthusiasts have done. Then have a different device for the wife, probably an Apple TV or Nvidia Shield.

    If you want to compromise both, I'd suggest an Xbox Series X.
    It'll do all your streaming stuff, and works pretty well with Plex too, while it does "both" it's very compromised since it can't do everything as you're going for.

    *I'd recommend Logitech K400, XsX controller, Fractal Ridge Case, RX6800, r5 7600, B650, 32GB DDR5-6000 cl30, Samsung PRO nVme, Crucial P3+ SSD, and SeaGate HDDs.

  • ThithLord on 14/04/2023 - 08:39
    +1

    A millenial recording FTA TV? I'll be damned

  • Andrew0415 on 14/04/2023 - 09:17

    Thanks for the responses, all. Sounds like there's no single perfect solution but NVIDIA Shield for streaming with some separate system for FTA seems the best option. I do have an Xbox Series X for blurays but that's another remote/controller I was trying to avoid.

    Makes me a little sad that WMC and HTPCs have fallen by the wayside given how versatile they were. In the early days I was even playing new release AAA games on it, so it did absolutely everything.

    • spackbace on 14/04/2023 - 12:50

      I do have an Xbox Series X

      It's a shame they didn't carry over the TV tuner from the Xbox One to the Series models. Likely didn't sell many, but it would've solved your use case

      https://www.ebgames.com.au/product/xbox-one/208191-xbox-one-…
      (in case you wanted an xbox one as well!)

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 17/04/2023 - 13:19

      You sound like my uncle when he brings up carburettors lol.

    • PVA on 06/05/2023 - 11:14

      Or just a chrome cast, either HD (just bought for $42 at office works) or the 4K one for I think $80.
      Watch FTA apps and a few streaming services. The one remote also controls the TV including power on/off. (Or if you have a smart TV then that’s all built in. )

      I understand why you want recording, my wife likes it .. can fast forward through adverts, watch when you want even if it’s only an hour after aired (catch up apps is not straight away). That’s why we still have a Foxtel box, got all services for $59 (some Telstra thing they gave me everything for the price of the basic). And I take that cost to be part of the hardware if I needed to buy something else (like you are looking to do). You can also have other streaming apps go through it so just the one remote.
      People say boo Foxtel but I watch movies on it then check Netflix and find the same new ones so will drop Netflix and it’s $23 soon.

      Have a PlayStation so can watch bluray if need be. But that would be a different remote.

  • Orrelljet on 18/04/2023 - 00:09

    I say keep using it. I do.

    Tried in vain to find something that does FTA as well and failed. If you don’t need extenders, there’s an installable version of MCE that runs just fine on W11 (link below) but I still have 3 mint Xbox 360s in the house (2 for spares) so run W8.1 with Media Center as a VM (virtual machine) with a HD Homerun Quatro network tuner. Works flawlessly :-)

    https://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=14…

  • QuickToThePointless on 04/05/2023 - 20:30

    i used to have WMC setup with xbox 360 extenders on windows 7 from about 2010 to end of life 2019.

    since then just use plex exclusively which serves content to iphone/ipad/chromecast/android tv/xbox one/ another pc as client/roku (teltra tv)…all really easily and simply set up withj loads of how to's on youtube an don plex forum etc

    Telstra TV / Roku is great for your WAF…. also has all the catch up FTA TV apps in a simple to navigate format in a tiny box with dedicated remote for the main tv

    i dont use it much but plex has functional EPG and recording capabilities.

    get a cheap Kayo subscription (10-15$ per month) and you wont need ot worry about (most ) sports, all on catch up across all platofrm mentioned above.

    and your xbox series x can play the odd blu ray no?

    • Andrew0415 on 05/05/2023 - 12:44

      All good advice, many thanks. Was unaware of Plex having an EPG and recording. Does that work for FTA if I were to install the app on a Smart TV?

      • spackbace on 05/05/2023 - 15:49

        From memory, plex only supports fta/epg if you use a usb tuner on your server

        Yep:
        https://support.plex.tv/articles/225877347-live-tv-dvr/

      • QuickToThePointless on 05/05/2023 - 20:31

        FTA PCI tuner card in htpc hooked up to coax cable / roof antenna…iyou can use iphone/apps to scghedule recordings but as i said, i gave up on recording years ago…pretty much gave up on FTA except for live news and sport (if not on Kayo)…but 7/9/10/SBS/ABS catch up services are pretty good, with less ads than FTA TV

      • QuickToThePointless on 05/05/2023 - 21:01

        these links should get you setup DVR on plex - i bet if you tried it out, youd be happy…i loved WMC but dont miss it at all, plex server + client devices i mentioned above is awesome setup, suparsses WMC in many ways - really great for music too

        https://support.plex.tv/articles/using-an-xmltv-guide/

        https://www.xmltv.net/free-epg-xml-links-for-australia/

      • spackbace on 06/05/2023 - 10:51

        Wait wait wait…

        I remember setting up FTA channels on Plex without the use of a tv tuner

        Something like this I think:
        https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/es9mdc/live_tv_dvr_se…

        It'll allow you to just use the direct stream of the footage, but all goes through Plex, with full EPG, DVR etc

        I'd suggest doing some looking around for something like that. Then all you need is to stream to Plex apps (TV, Shield, console etc)

        • Andrew0415 on 06/05/2023 - 10:55

          Interesting. I was looking to do something similar through an IPTV app like Tivimate but it would be good to have everything running in Plex for simplicity's sake, especially if recording is possible.

          • spackbace on 06/05/2023 - 11:01
            +1

            @Andrew0415: As I said, have a look over it and just see if there's any newer articles on the process. Might take a lil bit to setup, but once done it's done

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