Best tv media device for watching movies?

[davejonesbkk]

So I download a lot movies and usually watch them via my PS3 however some formats don't work and it can be annoying sometimes, what kind of media devices are available that I can attach to my tv and then plug a USB into with my movie files on? What's available and what are the prices etc?

Thanks

[isawasnake]

I plug my external hard drive right into my tv, and every single movie i have ever downloaded has played on there. I don't understand why people pay a lot for these players, I guess they have their reasons. I'd rather get a new TV myself that will take a hard drive input. You could also get a dongle and stream movies to the TV, or do it through a DVD/bluray player, which could put internet on the TV as well. Too many good things to be spending money on to buy a device that simply plays movie files.

[MilesofSmiles]

Is your laptop or PC an option ?

Just use a HDMI or VGA Cable to connect.

Detect the TV(s) as additional monitors, select the source on the TV to HDMI/VGA, and then put the movie on that monitor (the TV), fullscreen it, and voila.

[FiftyTwo]

I plug my external hard drive right into my tv, and every single movie i have ever downloaded has played on there. I don't understand why people pay a lot for these players, I guess they have their reasons. I'd rather get a new TV myself that will take a hard drive input. You could also get a dongle and stream movies to the TV, or do it through a DVD/bluray player, which could put internet on the TV as well. Too many good things to be spending money on to buy a device that simply plays movie files.

you paid over the top for your tv.

box is cheaper and easier to upgrade.

living room i use western digital live hub.

bedroom i use minix neo x7

wdlh cost 5k and has 1tb hard drive.

minix cost 4k and uses wdlh as wireless server.

[chris2004]

I use an Egreat media player. Plays anything. Cost 3,000 baht.

[Digitalbanana]

I don't understand why people pay a lot for these players, I guess they have their reasons. I'd rather get a new TV myself that will take a hard drive input.

A new TV will be expensive and less portable than an HDMI device (some only stick size selling for under 50USD) that will play anything, and plug into any TV with an HDMI port.

[WhizBang]

I use a WDTV Live box. I bought it in the USA for less than $90. I have seen them in Pantip and Fortune, but didn't price them.

I like the WDTV box as it plays just about everything, including MKV, MPG, AVI, MOV, MP4 and a variety of camera transport stream formats. As well as many audio and image (photo) formats too.

Check it out here... http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=330

Be aware there are a couple of versions of this. An older unit uses a small remote, while the newer (and much better) unit uses a larger, more normal sized remote.

It also has WiFi builtin and a free remorte control Android app.

[DavoTheGun]

A Devise called Cyclone Micro is by far the best product, very universal, try EBAY.

[muratremix]

i recommend realtek 1186 chip media players. They play everything including 3d bluray iso files.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Suradit69]

I plug my external hard drive right into my tv, and every single movie i have ever downloaded has played on there. I don't understand why people pay a lot for these players, I guess they have their reasons. I'd rather get a new TV myself that will take a hard drive input. You could also get a dongle and stream movies to the TV, or do it through a DVD/bluray player, which could put internet on the TV as well. Too many good things to be spending money on to buy a device that simply plays movie files.

Yes, I just got a new HD Samsung TV that wasn't all that expensive. Download movies, put them on a USB flash drive, have several that are either 16 or 32 GB, and plug it into one of two USB slots on the TV or the one USB drive slot on my DVD player. No problems.

[isawasnake]

I plug my external hard drive right into my tv, and every single movie i have ever downloaded has played on there. I don't understand why people pay a lot for these players, I guess they have their reasons. I'd rather get a new TV myself that will take a hard drive input. You could also get a dongle and stream movies to the TV, or do it through a DVD/bluray player, which could put internet on the TV as well. Too many good things to be spending money on to buy a device that simply plays movie files.

Yes, I just got a new HD Samsung TV that wasn't all that expensive. Download movies, put them on a USB flash drive, have several that are either 16 or 32 GB, and plug it into one of two USB slots on the TV or the one USB drive slot on my DVD player. No problems.

A 40" LCD runs about 10k baht. Smaller run a lot less. LED's are more expensive, and imo no worth the extra money, just newer technology. It is so easy to run HDMI to the TV too, and play literally anything you want as long as you have VLC. Op didn't say what his TV was like, but i'd rather spend 10k on a tv rather than 3 or 4 k on a video file player.

Edited January 12, 2014 by isawasnake

[muratremix]

USB movie play in LG/Samsung TV can't be compared to fully featured media player. Not everybody likes to watch movies in TV speakers or with small subtitles that can't be configured. You can connect TV to home theater via optic cable but it may not support DTS-HD or other HD sound formats in bypass mode.

These media players can do much more than your semi-smart TV. However, there is nothing wrong to use TV for playback if it fulfills your needs.

I'll stick to HTPC + Home theater (HDMI) + TV solution.

[isawasnake]

USB movie play in LG/Samsung TV can't be compared to fully featured media player. Not everybody likes to watch movies in TV speakers or with small subtitles that can't be configured. You can connect TV to home theater via optic cable but it may not support DTS-HD or other HD sound formats in bypass mode.

These media players can do much more than your semi-smart TV. However, there is nothing wrong to use TV for playback if it fulfills your needs.

I'll stick to HTPC + Home theater (HDMI) + TV solution.

Well, as you elude to, I spent about 20k baht on a yamaha receiver and some nice speakers. This, to me, is money well spent, but to each their own I suppose. I just don't see, for me, what a video file player would do to help my setup, but I guess others are in a different boat Also, there is the fact that if I can't do something with my setup, which has virtually never happened, all I'd do is just hook a hdmi cable from my computer to the TV. I guess I just dont get the media players, unless you have a huge library of images or something like that. but, no harm no foul, I am just offering an opiniion that they aint worth the dough.

[Chicog]

Personally I've had great results with this:

http://www.brite-view.com/product.php?P=10

[davejonesbkk]

thanks for the advice, my HDTV doesnt have a USB port, yes I suppose I could buy another tv for not much more money but Id rather not. Ive never had one of these media players before anyway and getting a new toy excites me

I will check out the above devices, CinemaGo and WDTV look pretty good

[astral]

I recommend the Minix Neo X7

With its quad core processor it plays everything

I recommend the MX Player Pro a $5 download

for best results, though the free video players included may suffice for you.

PS I also have an old WDTV player.

It is OK, but very dated now

the modern boxes can do so much more!!

[FiftyTwo]

I recommend the Minix Neo X7

With its quad core processor it plays everything

I recommend the MX Player Pro a $5 download

for best results, though the free players included may suffice for you.

PS I also have an old WDTV player.

It is OK, but very dated now

the modern boxes can do so much more!!

The Minix Neo X7 is a piece of junk compared to the WDLive.

I have both.

The Minix has, wifi problems, limited bluetooth range, crashes if you use an air mouse, and a whole host of problems out of the box. Unless you are happy to constantly tinker with different ROMs, forget the Minix. The WDLive in all it's incarnations just works the moment you plug it in.

Oh yeh, it's great if you are an XDA Android developer fanboy, hours of endless fun trying to get it to do the simplest thing.

Not to mention, according to Minix, 1 in 3 are faulty and have to be returned, no fun at all if you live in Thailand, not a problem if you live in the USA and buy from Amazon.

I paid $150 for the WDLive Hub that included a 1TB drive (plays everything at full 1080HD).

I paid $135 for the Minix Neo X7 that included a generous 16GB. (you have to root it to connect a hard drive)(struggles to play 720p HD)

Edited January 13, 2014 by FiftyTwo

[muratremix]

I recommend the Minix Neo X7

With its quad core processor it plays everything

I recommend the MX Player Pro a $5 download

for best results, though the free players included may suffice for you.

PS I also have an old WDTV player.

It is OK, but very dated now

the modern boxes can do so much more!!

It doesnt do 24p. Rk3188 is not good for movie playback. Minix x7 is very expensive. 4850 baht can get you zotac id18 htpc, add ram and 2gb usb stick and you get xbmc on dual core intel cpu, perfect solution.

[astral]

I paid $135 for the Minix Neo X7 that included a generous 16GB. (you have to root it to connect a hard drive)(struggles to play 720p HD)

No need to root.

Just plug in an external usb drive and away you go

BTW there are 4 usb sockets to choose from

No problem with 1920 x 1080 movies either

Sounds to me that you got one of those duff ones you mention?

[FiftyTwo]

I paid $135 for the Minix Neo X7 that included a generous 16GB. (you have to root it to connect a hard drive)(struggles to play 720p HD)

No need to root.

Just plug in an external usb drive and away you go

BTW there are 4 usb sockets to choose from

No problem with 1920 x 1080 movies either

Sounds to me that you got one of those duff ones you mention?

They have only recently released a full hd rom.

You were watching 720p upscaled to 1080.

The 1080 kernal drops frames unless you overclock it.

My minix couldnt see my 2tb usb drive until i rooted it and ran paragon ntfs .... like most other android devices.

[rhythmworx]

Download PS3 media server and you can stream from your PC...MKV files work too but you need other tools.

Don't pay for that shit...its all available as freeware.

USB pluggged in to your TV will not have a fast enough transfer rate for MKV (matroska container...bluray).

Wait 14 hours or so till I wake up sober and I will check on my other system the programs I used to use and post back here.

Save youself some baht...no need to buy any hardware.

[sniffdog]

There are ways to stream movies or other content to your TV. I use several methods.

One of my devices is a WD Live Hub which is connected to my network. Also connected are a Sony Home Theater, a Apple TV and Buffalo NAS. Computers connected are a PC and a Mini Mac.

So I can stream from either device being an IPad, phone or one of the the computers. I particularly like the WD device as it's reads many formats among them ISO.

Edited January 17, 2014 by sniffdog

[Chicog]

This is a sexy little beast, especially if you want 3D.

http://www.amazon.com/Arrival-KDLINKS-HD700-Built-In-HD-Audio/dp/B008CBQSKU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389952327&sr=8-1&keywords=kdlink

[rwdrwdrwd]

I stream everything to my TV over wifi from my computer with Twonky - your TV needs to be DLNA compliant though.

The PS3 supports DLNA as well, once it is set up your files on your computer in the Twonky library appear under Media Server - no need for USB and so far as I am aware the decoding is done on the computer so I can't remember ever having file problems. I have however had problems with the Cinavia detection on PS3 preventing playback, which is why I just use my TV.

[sniffdog]

If you have DLNA and a PC, there is no need for a media server like Twonky. You can stream directly from your shared folder (mostly 'My Videos').

If you have a Mac, then Twonky or an Apple TV is a necessity. I tried to stream directly from my Mac by making folders shared, but that doesn't work.

People who think that using USB is easy, try streaming. I found USB always to be a hassle.

Edited January 18, 2014 by sniffdog

[astral]

No problem with 1920 x 1080 movies either

Sounds to me that you got one of those duff ones you mention?

They have only recently released a full hd rom.

You were watching 720p upscaled to 1080.

The 1080 kernal drops frames unless you overclock it.

My minix couldnt see my 2tb usb drive until i rooted it and ran paragon ntfs .... like most other android devices.

No I am on the latest 1080 ROM

It was a little jerky on pan shots with the stock version

but overclocking the memory to 667 seems to have solved that

See discussion on over-clocking

[FiftyTwo]

Minix have withdrawn all their 1080 Roms (7e and 8 last week) and rolled back to firmware 6b.
Too problematic for video replay (overlay didn't work) they say.

[astral]

Thanks for that update

[Psychic]

I've tried a few media players but the best, by far, was the XStreamer. Plays pretty much any format. I have the original basic version but they have many different models.

[Chicog]

I've tried a few media players but the best, by far, was the XStreamer. Plays pretty much any format. I have the original basic version but they have many different models.

They are a bit pricey though, you can get the same features elsewhere for a lot less money.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Chicog