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+--- Thread: Hardware for a Traveller. (/showthread.php?tid=217314)
Hardware for a Traveller. - adithyav - 2015-02-04
Hi Everyone,
I've spent the last few days here on this forum trying to look at the different options that are out there but I can't seem to decide on a single solution. I'll tell you what my needs are and what I'm doing currently and I'd love to know if there are any suggestions.
I travel a lot for work and I carry a chunk of my media (mostly mkvs in 1080p DTS, some DTS HD-MA) on a portable drive.
Currently, I'm using my laptop as a portable plex server and a chromecast.
I'm not a big fan of the plex interface and I don't do plex-pass (even if it would be ideal) because the internet connections back in India are really not of sufficient bandwidth for this. I also don't like that I currently need to have my laptop out and the plex server running whenever I want to watch something.
So what I'm looking for is a small Kodi device that can do the following
- It has to be small and portable
- Not too heavy and shouldn't need a big power supply
- Read data from a local USB hard drive
- Play 1080p mkvs with DTSHD-MA audio without any issues or need for transcoding/decoding
Optional
- Netflix and Hulu Plus would be nice but my Chromecast can handle these just fine from my phone
- Upscaling of local SD/720p content
- This might be asking for too much but 4k support so that I can use it even when I'm at home
- Optical out
Not really needed
- TV tuning
- IR/BT Remote compatibility since I'll be using YATSE
Here are the various devices I've thought about so far -
FireTV Stick - not really that much advantage over my Chromecast for me and I can't connect a hard drive directly
Roku - Doesn't have Kodi and local file compatibility is average at best
FireTV - not the biggest fan of the interface but seemed like a good option. Only issue is that it is getting harder than ever to find ones that can be rooted. I don't want to waste time looking for one that is rootable. (Also, can openelec be installed on this hardware or does everyone just sideload Kodi and use the USB once rooted?)
Chromebox/Zotac BI-320 - Tempting (especially the Zotac) given that these can handle everything I want, including 4k. But something smaller, lighter, cheaper is ideally what I'm looking for. (I have a feeling this is what I'll keep getting recommended by most and I might have to put up with the size/weight in exchange for all the functionality I want)
WD TV Live - This is what I currently have at home (I don't carry it when I travel). Poor and sluggish interface but truly the best local file support.
Raspberry Pi 2 - Another very tempting option. I keep reading in these forums that it is an excellent option if you're streaming it over the network. I know the B+ wasn't great for local drives, any idea if this will do better?
Looking forward to any advice that you all can provide. I'm currently in the US and will be purchasing/building whatever I finally decide on when I'm here. Thanks in advance for the replies.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - grey - 2015-02-04
Vero?
oh, you need 4K so no.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - adithyav - 2015-02-04
4k is optional. Not a dealbreaker for me.
EDIT: Just looked at the Vero, outside of the price, it does indeed look like it covers everything. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely keep it in mind
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - ozkhan1 - 2015-02-04
You need something you can plug your USB drive into. So a rooted FTV will work fine. Or you can always go with the pi. Small and portable enough.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - Ned Scott - 2015-02-04
Windows 8 tablet? (and I'm a Mac/iOS guy!)
http://www.microcenter.com/product/439773/TW700_Tablet_-_Black
$60 USD, HDMI out, USB, and an actual intel processor. You can even do optical output on it using a cheap ($5-10 USD) USB dongle. Don't think of it as a tablet. Think of it is a small HTPC that just so happens to come with an optional screen and battery. Since it's just a 7 inch tablet, it's going to be around the same mass as other mini PCs or Android-based boxes.
Plus, it can act as a second screen for your laptop, complete with dragging and dropping between them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldb0RvmXzsA (the instructions should work with nearly anything that runs Splashtop, including iOS or Android). That's really awesome for any laptop power user/road warrior.
Obviously, it's a fairly slow tablet and probably not great for Office or games or whatever, but Kodi barely needs any power to run really well. The performance should be slightly better than your average Android box as far as menus and playback go.
According to FexEx, mine should arrive any minute
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - adithyav - 2015-02-04
(2015-02-04, 19:50)ozkhan1 Wrote: You need something you can plug your USB drive into. So a rooted FTV will work fine. Or you can always go with the pi. Small and portable enough.
The pi is definitely an attractive option at the price but how is the performance of local USB vs over the network? A lot of what I've read on here suggests it's best suited to the latter which doesn't work for me.
FireTV is one I'm considering but it's getting increasingly difficult to find one that can be rooted. Even the couple that a best buy near me had on sale recently were from a more recent serial number which are unlikely to be rootable.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - adithyav - 2015-02-04
(2015-02-04, 20:09)Ned Scott Wrote: Windows 8 tablet? (and I'm a Mac/iOS guy!)
http://www.microcenter.com/product/439773/TW700_Tablet_-_Black
$60 USD, HDMI out, USB, and an actual intel processor. You can even do optical output on it using a cheap ($5-10 USD) USB dongle. Don't think of it as a tablet. Think of it is a small HTPC that just so happens to come with an optional screen and battery. Since it's just a 7 inch tablet, it's going to be around the same mass as other mini PCs or Android-based boxes.
Plus, it can act as a second screen for your laptop, complete with dragging and dropping between them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldb0RvmXzsA (the instructions should work with nearly anything that runs Splashtop, including iOS or Android). That's really awesome for any laptop power user/road warrior.
Obviously, it's a fairly slow tablet and probably not great for Office or games or whatever, but Kodi barely needs any power to run really well. The performance should be slightly better than your average Android box as far as menus and playback go.
According to FexEx, mine should arrive any minute
Interesting suggestion but I'd prefer not to have another tablet.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - popcornmix - 2015-02-04
(2015-02-04, 21:16)adithyav Wrote: The pi is definitely an attractive option at the price but how is the performance of local USB vs over the network? A lot of what I've read on here suggests it's best suited to the latter which doesn't work for me.
Performance of Pi (Pi1 or Pi2) is always better playing content from local USB disk compared to streaming from network.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - Numus - 2015-02-04
May want to wait a little and see when this will be released - http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-compute-stick.html
Not sure about the 4k tho
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - grey - 2015-02-04
well, i did see this intel stick on sale somewhere in the internet... can't remember where, though (
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - adithyav - 2015-02-04
(2015-02-04, 21:31)popcornmix Wrote:(2015-02-04, 21:16)adithyav Wrote: The pi is definitely an attractive option at the price but how is the performance of local USB vs over the network? A lot of what I've read on here suggests it's best suited to the latter which doesn't work for me.
Performance of Pi (Pi1 or Pi2) is always better playing content from local USB disk compared to streaming from network.
If that's the case, then that immediately pushes the Pi2 to the top of my list given its combination of price and portability. Thanks!
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - adithyav - 2015-02-04
(2015-02-04, 21:41)Numus Wrote: May want to wait a little and see when this will be released - http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-compute-stick.html
Not sure about the 4k tho
Thanks for the suggestion. Looks like a NUC stuffed into a stick format. I'll keep an eye out for it
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - Numus - 2015-02-04
(2015-02-04, 21:58)adithyav Wrote:(2015-02-04, 21:41)Numus Wrote: May want to wait a little and see when this will be released - http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/compute-stick/intel-compute-stick.html
Not sure about the 4k tho
Thanks for the suggestion. Looks like a NUC stuffed into a stick format. I'll keep an eye out for it
NUCs use core i procs.... this is using a quad core atom.
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - shabuboy - 2015-02-04
Hated the AFTV interface as well. I am now using this launcher, which shows sideloaded apps. Works great! Shows Kodi right at the home screen.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2782307
RE: Hardware for a Traveller. - Ned Scott - 2015-02-04
This Win 8 tablet is basically the intel stick for less money. Nearly identical specs, but the tablet is $60.
If it helps, you can paint the screen black and pretend it's not a tablet and just use the HDMI port. It's actually smaller than some of my Android boxes.
I'm waiting for mine to catch on fire or explode, because I have no idea why they're selling them for $60.