XBMC server and other rooms.
#1
I am building a HTPC and i want to know something before i continue. I want to build and store all my content on one pc but I also want to be able to access my content in my bedroom as well. I don't have an applt tv as there are no jailbreaks for it. So what do i need to do, build another media center? This is all new to me so I'm curious before i continue. Do i really need a NAS or can i just use HTPC I'm building thats going directly to my tv in my living room? What are the benefits?

Any help is required.
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#2
anyone please
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#3
Ok, build xbmc htpc
Convert to mysql from sqllite
Buy a raspberry pi ($35+ adapter).
Put raspbmc on it.
Point it at same db as your htpc

They sync, see the total library and work seperately in both rooms.
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#4
i heard the raspberry wasnt as good.
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#5
maybe upnp?
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#6
If you're happy to leave your HTPC in the main room switched on all the time, and deal with the noise from multiple mechanical hard drives, then you don't need anything else - you can set up everything you need on this one box.

Many people use a NAS or separate server to 1) keep noisy hard drives out of their living room, 2) have something lower powered which can stay switched on all the time
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#7
The raspberry pi is not as good as a full blown HTPC, so you will not be able to run heavy interfaces on it. But it will still play 1080p video and 2-channel sound.
It can even do 5.1 sound provided you have a receiver attached to it.

It is not very good at cpu-intensive tasks like showing a heavy interface or downmixing 5.1 sound to 2.0.
But hey, it is only 35$ and can stream loads of stuff over a networkcable Smile It is also completely silent.

In my opinion it is great for a secondary machine, like a bedroom machine.
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#8
I have a Pi in my kitchen, it works perfectly for what I need it to (it's headless so only used for music)
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#9
so u guys wouldn't recommend another computer or a laptop that I have hanging around. I want to put a tunner on my HTPC can a pi access the tunner and watch regular TV?
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#10
You have many choices once you build your HTPC and set up file sharing for the network.

Hopefully you can hardwire the connection to you bedroom. Wireless = annoyance much of the time.

Look at your needs and budget and see what fits

A WD Live would be reasonable cost and easy and include extras like Netflix if that interests you... but no tuner capability
A Rasp-Pi with RaspBMC or OpenELEC will require more effort and patience.
A small HTPC with windows will cost a bit more but be most flexible. Use OpenELEC and save a few bucks on OS and HDD/SSD, could be real easy or you may hit some bumps in the road. If you have existing hardware, then its worth a try and the way to go if you are using a network tuner like HDHomerun. But you will need Windows if you plan to use a cablecard tuner.
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#11
(2013-05-17, 18:01)teegray1124 Wrote: so u guys wouldn't recommend another computer or a laptop that I have hanging around. I want to put a tunner on my HTPC can a pi access the tunner and watch regular TV?

My configuration in full is:-
In the basement I have some really old machines - we're talking Pentium 4 with 1GB ram that were cobbled together from bits and pieces laying around! Anyway, I have a total of 4 of these things ...
Server 1 - Runs Mythbuntu and has a Hauppage Nota TD500 twin freeview TV tuner.
Server 2 - Has a couple of TB HDDs in, running Centos it simply provides SMB shares for Music, Music Videos and Movies.
Server 3 - Has three 1TB HDDs in, running FreeNAS, this holds my TV Series.
Server 4 - Has a 500GB drive, it's got LAMP configured and does my torrents.

In my living room, I have an Acer Aspire Revo, it's a pretty basic machine but its perfect for sitting quitely under my TV. This runs Windows 7, has XBMC configured and talks to my Myth TV backend. I chose a Windows platform as it's nice to play games and stuff on the big-screen.

In the kitchen, we have a Pi with OpenElec. As I said earlier, it's just hooked up to some 2.0 speakers and is controlled via iPhone app.

In my bedroom, I have a pretty basic desktop PC, running Windows 7, this has XBMC installed and has a Huppage U80 USB Freeview TV card connected. The machine also has Myth TV client installed outside of XBMC.

Finally, in my children's room, there's another PC, this one runs Windows XP, has XMBC installed and connects to the Myth TV backend for Live TV.

All of these use wired RJ46 Gigabit network as I also found that Live TV over Wireless isn't worth the hassle!
Our mobile devices, iPhone, Nexus etc all have XBMC remote installed which are on the WLAN.

In all my experience, the ONLY problem I ever had with the Pi was when it first came out, the Flash player wasn't included in the distro and it was a pain in the backside to get it installed (handy for UK radio stations which aren't on shoutcast). Other then that, it connected to my LAN in a few clicks and was up and running with XBMC literally within an hour!

To summarise (sorry, I tend to waffle!), if you have an old machine laying around, it can be used in one way or another, but you're best sticking to wired networking.
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#12
(2013-05-17, 22:06)badger_fruit Wrote: In the kitchen, we have a Pi with OpenElec. As I said earlier, it's just hooked up to some 2.0 speakers and is controlled via iPhone app.

Off topic but curious... are you using the analog out, and how good is the sound quality that way?
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