Home Media Center?

[Danny133]

Okay - im a little stuck now and need you Gurus to step in.

First ill explain what i have and where i want to go.

Downstairs....

TV, Mac Mini (Plex Server), VM Superhub, TiVo

Upstairs....

TV, TiVo

Now i want ALL of my Plex content to stream upstairs to my TV. So i need a client (Apple TV?)


That bit is nice and easy. BUT does the ATV upstairs need to be hard wired into the network or will it work wireless?

Secondly - i need some storage for all this media as i have LOTS. Do i

a) Get a 2TB External HD plug into my Mini and let it stream that around the house via Plex.

b) Get a 2TB NAS plugged into my router and let the Mini pick that up so that Plex can see them.

I do not have any other PCs or laptops around the house so the Mini is the only one which will make use of the storage. Does this mean a NAS is pointless?

 

[AK]

How do you get your content?

 

[Danny133]

Ripping my Blu Rays, iTunes & iPhoto

 

[Krispwee]

The downside to Plex is you need a server to run it which means leaving your Mac Mini on all day long. If your doing it this way then just buy a USB hard drive and attach as the NAS would be a waste of money.

ATV works through WiFi if you want although you will need to make sure that it gets a decent signal upstairs as the VM hub isn't the best for WiFi speeds over distance and when your streaming HD rips you'll need decent speeds.

The other option you have is installing XBMC on to the ATV (can make it work like Plex), buying a NAS to hold all the media and then telling XBMC where your media is stored on your NAS which means you don't need to leave the Mac Mini on all day long as XBMC doesn't require a server to do all the conversion.

 

[AK]

Or save money on the ATV and buy Raspberry PI for XBMC.

 

[Danny133]

The downside to Plex is you need a server to run it which means leaving your Mac Mini on all day long. If your doing it this way then just buy a USB hard drive and attach as the NAS would be a waste of money.

ATV works through WiFi if you want although you will need to make sure that it gets a decent signal upstairs as the VM hub isn't the best for WiFi speeds over distance and when your streaming HD rips you'll need decent speeds.

The other option you have is installing XBMC on to the ATV (can make it work like Plex), buying a NAS to hold all the media and then telling XBMC where your media is stored on your NAS which means you don't need to leave the Mac Mini on all day long as XBMC doesn't require a server to do all the conversion.

Thank you sir!

My Mini is on 24/7 though so its not really a biggy but i guess you are right with the NAS it is a waste.

I hate XBMC because it looks crap next to Plex but as you say Plex does need a server. Its upsides are i can watch content on my iPhone and iPad anywhere i am though.

Glad to hear ATV is WIFI - I consistently get 30+MBPS upstairs wirelessly so i shouldn't imagine it being a problem. (Im on 50MM BB - 100MB in April)

 

[JonnyK]

30mbps as a network speed would be crap.

your bb speed does not matter.

 

[iain187]

if you are happy with the Mac Mini being switched on 24/7 then you could get a USB external however, if it breaks how angry will you be at losing 2TB of media? Angry enough to consider investing in a NAS with more than 1 drive for back up purposes? up to you but that's the decision I think.