Streaming Movie Network? Any Experts/

[Penangfreak]

Hi Tech Freaks - Planning my new home and would love to include in my technical specs a central network computer/media-center? that stores my movies, music etc., which then my friends on the pool, my kids in their rooms, my wife in the kitchen and myself in my office can access wirelessly via their devices and ultimately can play on their ipods, TV's, computers etc. Could several people actually pull their individual movies at the same time? Or listen to misc. music? Is this possible for a reasonable cost? Any experts that could explain a simple setup in simple words. i would like to stream it via my 4 access points which I will set-up on my property and in my house. Thank you much.

[Chicog]

Depends on the quality you are going to be streaming, wifi won't cut it when you get up to Bluray.

Certainly you can feed that many access points, and something like the QSnap NAS with the right switch would be an ideal storage unit (will be my next purchase).

Wire is cheap. I'd use more wire. Network your house.

Also not so prone to interference.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I use TWONKY on my hardware media server and Potato server on my PC.

Most Tablets and smart phones can see these servers over wi-fi using Twonky and Remote Media Center apps.

(or most other DNLA players). MyMediaHub app for Windows 8 phones.

Edited May 18, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[Tywais]

Use wireless N 5GHz (802.11n). This gives you higher throughput due to multiple antennas/channels and multiple data streams. Also, no interference/crosstalk from 802.11g wifi (2.4GHz) devices.

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wifihomenetworking/a/upgrade-your-home-network-to-wireless-n.htm

[avander]

Just an example of my current setup which works ok. I have no trouble with a wireless setup using a Linksys WAG320N wireless 'N' router modem. My wife watches SEESANTV in the family room while the kids are watching YOUTUBE or whatever elsewhere all through an ADSL2+ internet connection to the modem.

While that's happening the router can also be handling the TV wirelessly connected to my main desktop PC via the Router again to watch already downloaded movies. These are on external storage on the desktop PC which uses SERVIIO DLNA media server which is a great media server app. One day I will go NAS.

That all works fine but if I start to hog bandwidth on the desktop by downloading movies etc at the same time the family is watching it can cause stops and starts so I limit my downloads to overnight.

Hope the example helps.

[2unique]

With Windows 7 you can make a home network in moments.

I use 1 pc as a server and share files to everyone as read only. I've filled this pc with 4 hard drives. This pc is attached to the living room tv and sits always on downloading. I use utorrent and utorrent remote.

On tablets I've started to use hd movie upnp 64 baht I think as it shows the movie details. There is also a free version.

I also use bubble upnp with mx player as my goto set up.

I've not found a decent iPhone DLNA player yet so the wife uses her laptop or uses the hdmi out on my S3 to stream to the bedroom tv.

I also bought the wifi adaptor for our Samsung tv which brings allshare and anynet into play.

Sent from Android please excuse errors in type or judgement

[astral]

Moved to main computer forum

More of a networking issue, than HiFi

[Psych01]

You could find some good help here:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57485724-1/home-networking-explained-part-1-heres-the-url-for-you/

Also, if a WiFi network is not possible and you want to look at cable network, you may want to use your electric wiring within the house. Power Adaptors, only problem is, I am not sure whether you can get these here in Thailand.

[Tywais]

Power Adaptors, only problem is, I am not sure whether you can get these here in Thailand.

Looks like they may be available. A Thai D-Link video.

[Psych01]

@Tywais, thanks for that.

[Chicog]

You could find some good help here:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57485724-1/home-networking-explained-part-1-heres-the-url-for-you/

Also, if a WiFi network is not possible and you want to look at cable network, you may want to use your electric wiring within the house. Power Adaptors, only problem is, I am not sure whether you can get these here in Thailand.

You can get them but IIRC there are issues if you run them on different rings <?> I'm not a sparky so I don't know the details.

[Chicog]

My concern with streaming, as opposed to file sharing, would be the drain on bandwidth.

He's talking about streaming from a media center according to the OP.

But you're right, he can run a Wifi network for portability and a wired network where he definitely needs regular and permanent access, and have the best of both worlds.

[Tywais]

An article on power line communications - http://gallinazo.flightgear.org/technology/wifi-versus-powerline-networking/

[FrankBKK]

I think that's what you are looking for: www.plexapp.com

[BB1950]

Warning!

For those considering HomePlug Networking devices {a.k.a. Ethernet over PowerLines, PowerLine Networking (PLN), PowerLine
Adapters (PLA), PowerLine Carrier (PLC), PowerLine Transmission (PLT), Broadband overPowerLine Communication (BPL), etc...}, mentioned above in earlier posts.

There are possible security weaknesses in this type of networking, which could result in your LAN being accessed by other computers without your knowledge!

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HomePlug:

Since signals may travel outside the user's residence or business and be eavesdropped on, HomePlug includes the ability to set an encryption password. The HomePlug specification requires that all devices are set to a default out-of-box password — although a common one. Users should change this password. On many new powerline adapters that come as a boxed pair, a unique security key has already been established and the user does not need to change the password, unless using these with existing powerline adapters, or adding new adapters. Some manufacturers supply adapters with security key buttons on them, allowing users to easily set unique security keys by plugging each unit in one at a time and pressing the button on the front (see more detailed instructions that come with the units).

To simplify the process of configuring passwords on a HomePlug network, each device has a built-in master password, chosen at random by the manufacturer and hard-wired into the device, which is used only for setting the encryption passwords. A printed label on the device lists its master password.

The data at either end (Ethernet side) of the HomePlug link is not encrypted (unless an encrypted higher-layer protocol such as TLS or IPsec is being used), only the link between HomePlug devices is encrypted. The HomePlug AV standard uses 128-bit AES, while the older versions use the less secure DES.

Since HomePlug devices typically function as transparent network bridges, computers running any operating system can use them for network access. However, some manufacturers only supply the password-setup software in a Microsoft Windows version; in other words, enabling encryption requires a computer running Windows. Once the encryption password has been configured, Windows will no longer be needed, so in the case of a network where all computers run other systems a borrowed laptop could be used for initial setup purposes.

[Psych01]

This may be of help too, thought I had it saved as a bookmark, but didn't. So had to try and remember where I had read it before. http://howto.cnet.com/8334-11310_39-57578562/how-to-set-up-the-ultimate-home-theater-pc/

Also @BB1950, thanks for that reminder of the security issue.

[Penangfreak]

THX. to everybody! Great feedback! PF.

[varun]

Start with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPlay

[frankold]

It's totally dependant on the content you want to stream and available bandwidth.

Wifi won't even handle a proper 1080p content a lot of the time. 500mbps Powerline ethernet will, but not multiple instances as the real life throughput is closer to 150mbps. If you want to be future proof at least for a few years, the only way to go is gigabit ethernet.

[Dork]

I have to agree with Chicog & Frankold. Wired LAN is the way to go, Powerline in a pinch but streaming HD over WiFi is painful.

Wireless has the advantage over wired in that it doesn't need a cable. That's obvious. But in every other way wireless is inferior to wired - performance, reliability, durability & simplicity.

Especially if you're building a house. That is the time to have LAN cable run throughout because it's so cheap & easy to do. If you run LAN cable into every room from one central point, you will have a lot of flexibility in the future.

[negreanu]

NAS Synology DS1512+ for example for storage and backup.

Asus RT-66AC routers (802.11AC) - Streams Blu-ray wirelessly flawlessly. Although you will need further RT-66AC routers to act as media bridges or Dlink wireless AC Media bridge.

[Chicog]

Just an example of my current setup which works ok. I have no trouble with a wireless setup using a Linksys WAG320N wireless 'N' router modem. My wife watches SEESANTV in the family room while the kids are watching YOUTUBE or whatever elsewhere all through an ADSL2+ internet connection to the modem.

While that's happening the router can also be handling the TV wirelessly connected to my main desktop PC via the Router again to watch already downloaded movies. These are on external storage on the desktop PC which uses SERVIIO DLNA media server which is a great media server app. One day I will go NAS.

That all works fine but if I start to hog bandwidth on the desktop by downloading movies etc at the same time the family is watching it can cause stops and starts so I limit my downloads to overnight.

Hope the example helps.

If you are streaming TV from the internet and downloading at the same time, it will cause a problem. Buy a Router with QoS (Quality of Service) and you can specify which one gets priority, and how much.

(added bonus, if you have kids you can block it at night so they don't spend all night on Facebook!).