# XBMC client box



## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (Jan 1, 2013)

Hi guys. 
Im trying to put together a few inexpensive xbmc client boxes. Id like to stay less than 100 if possible. They need to be wireless and handle 1080p smoothly. Any suggestions?


----------



## Guitar (Jan 1, 2013)

Android phones with HDMI out.


----------



## TRWOV (Jan 1, 2013)

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

+

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cyntech-Ras...6204?pt=US_Computer_Cases&hash=item416eb31c5c

=

Profit?


EDIT: scratch that. Didn't read the wireless requirement.


----------



## Guitar (Jan 2, 2013)

TRWOV said:


> http://www.raspberrypi.org/
> 
> +
> 
> ...



http://adafruit.com/products/814?gclid=CKaa9LCByrQCFQ2znQodMmUA2A

Done. I thought of the Pi but wasn't sure if it would run XBMC well, but I guess it does.


----------



## TRWOV (Jan 2, 2013)

The latest RC build works on the Pi. How well is the question.


----------



## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (Jan 2, 2013)

Guitarrassdeamor said:


> http://adafruit.com/products/814?gclid=CKaa9LCByrQCFQ2znQodMmUA2A
> 
> Done. I thought of the Pi but wasn't sure if it would run XBMC well, but I guess it does.



what about the actual performance. Im building this for a guy. Im building his server running XBMC that will store his 800+ Movies and TV shows. It will then serve them up to his 5 or so TVs in HD. So, I need to make sure it is cost effective and reasonable.


----------



## Jetster (Jan 2, 2013)

Personally I would rather have something a bit more substantial. Also Wireless 1080 is a challenge 

Raspbmc RC5 Review! - YouTube


----------



## Guitar (Jan 2, 2013)

I don't know, check out: http://forum.xbmc.org/forumdisplay.php?fid=166
But if someone is streaming content to 5 HDTVs regularly, I wouldn't think cost would be a huge issue...


----------



## silkstone (Jan 2, 2013)

Do you have an idea of a price in mind?


----------



## TRWOV (Jan 2, 2013)

1080p wireless would be fine with a n network I think. Maybe you could buy a Pi + wireless module for testimg?


----------



## newtekie1 (Jan 2, 2013)

I use a Pivos Xios DS, it runs Android ICS natively with the XBMC app.  However, you can flash it to native XBMC, which is what I did since XBMC for android isn't as nice as native XBMC.

Pivos ULTRA SLIM XIOS DS HD Wi-Fi Media Player w/ ...

It is just out of your price range, but I think it is the best solution for what you want.


----------



## Easy Rhino (Jan 2, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> I use a Pivos Xios DS, it runs Android ICS natively with the XBMC app.  However, you can flash it to native XBMC, which is what I did since XBMC for android isn't as nice as native XBMC.
> 
> Pivos ULTRA SLIM XIOS DS HD Wi-Fi Media Player w/ ...
> 
> It is just out of your price range, but I think it is the best solution for what you want.



wow, i have never seen that before. 

interesting though they excluded a 10/100/1000 connection. you won't get a solid 1080p video stream without the ability to hit 150mbit/s. or you could compress it down to piss making it pointless at 1080p.


----------



## newtekie1 (Jan 2, 2013)

Easy Rhino said:


> wow, i have never seen that before.
> 
> interesting though they excluded a 10/100/1000 connection. you won't get a solid 1080p video stream without the ability to hit 150mbit/s. or you could compress it down to piss making it pointless at 1080p.



I've never had a problem with 1080p X264 over 100M.


----------



## Easy Rhino (Jan 2, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> I've never had a problem with 1080p X264 over 100M.



really? i must be doing something wrong then because i always had buffering issues.


----------



## TRWOV (Jan 2, 2013)

Blu-ray uses 36Mbit/s IIRC, 100M should be enough unless you're using extremely high bitrates.


----------



## Guitar (Jan 2, 2013)

Yeah I was wondering about that...I mean unless you're streaming completely uncompressed Blu-ray, and even then, I think you'd be fine.


----------



## Easy Rhino (Jan 2, 2013)

TRWOV said:


> Blu-ray uses 36Mbit/s IIRC, 100M should be enough unless you're using extremely high bitrates.



36mbit/s is record rate not read rate. max a/v rate is 48mbit/s.

yes, that is still obviously under 100mbit/s. i must have some strange overhead on my routers or something is broken on the 100mbit port i had


----------



## Jetster (Jan 2, 2013)

Easy Rhino said:


> 36mbit/s is record rate not read rate. max a/v rate is 48mbit/s.
> 
> yes, that is still obviously under 100mbit/s. i must have some strange overhead on my routers or something is broken on the 100mbit port i had



There are a lot of variables that come into play


----------



## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (Jan 2, 2013)

well, my plan is to build an AMD A10 media server with ~8-16GB of DDR3 and running XMBCLive or XBMCbuntu on an 8GB SSD with several WD Red drives for the Storage. IIRC XMBC has a streaming Media Server uPnP DLNA thing right? I know it can read those servers. It will go through a good router running wifi-N. The idea is that each TV would be able to watch a separate movie/show from all the others. At the same time. I don't know if I need to build the guy a 4core PfSense router as well or not. It will all be wireless except that the Server will be wired to the router via Gigabit. They guy said that the price is not important. Just that the working reliable system is. I also have to train him how to use it.


----------



## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (Mar 15, 2013)

So, I have simplified the method to this: MediaServr

I am going with all WD products for simplicity unless someone can provide a better setup that is cost effective. It would be great if WD could do XBMC


----------



## CJCerny (Mar 15, 2013)

New Roku 3 box is worth a look before you launch on this project.


----------



## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (Apr 5, 2013)

looking for a cheap but reliable xbmc box. ~100USD. with wifi. Looking to get one for my dad's BDay.


----------



## chinmi (Apr 5, 2013)

The ouya looks like a viable option


----------



## Killer_Rubber_Ducky (Apr 5, 2013)

chinmi said:


> The ouya looks like a viable option



The Ouya is a game console


----------



## whatwentwrong (Jun 3, 2014)

I know this thread is very old but if anyone is interested, ive done this at home myself. I have an asus rt-n66u router with a 3tb hard drive attached to it via usb. The router shares files through smb share in the house or as an ftp server so my tablets and phone can still connect to it outside the house. I have 2tb of films music and tv on it. I have three ouyas. I have never played a game on them but they are without question the best xbmc box and in england theyre £80 in game now. They all have showbox installled and play 1080p video perfect. Theyre wifi is very poor, ive had to go for powerline adapters for now. I also have a dreambox 800 hdse wich is classed as a multi tuner device. With this you can put your nornal sky card ib and use it instead of the box sky send. This box will also allow 10 extra devices to connect to it through your network and watch a different channel on each. Xbmc now supports dvr and the enigma 2 boxes (which is what a dreambox is) are supported. So each of the ouyas play my full selection of sky channels through the network using xbmc as the front end player. The router i mentioned before also allows for a vpn connection to be set up. So while im out the house my ipad can connect to my hime network and xbmc installed on it can still play thr channels/2tb of films from home


----------



## whatwentwrong (Jun 3, 2014)

I have just bought a foxconn i1250 from ebay which is a mini pc. The idea for this is to be the main living room xbmc box, but it will also have utorrent insyalled on it with the family's favourite tv shows set to automatically download them via rss feeds. I know it sounds expensive but its not. The router was £120 the ouyas 80 each the hard drive was 69 on amazon the dreambox is 160 and i bought the mini pc second hand for 120 so £710 pound. The dreambox also allows card sharing so for a 100 one off payment.you can get sky free for life. So for £810 i have full sky including sky sports and movies, shared with 10 different deviced either inside or outside the house (using vpn). Otherwise called sky go. I also have a 2tb collection of on denand tv and films tgat i can yse in the same way. Including 3 multi room. Its well worth it. I can also connect and use thw home pc remotely with the ipad using win 7 pro and the vpn


----------

