Need help with optimal media streaming setup
#1
Hi -

Over the last month I've combed thru forums and the internet in general as I've attempted to set-up media streaming in our home and I have learned a lot, but there is just so much to learn, I decided to ask for help from those who have already gone through this in hopes of saving some time/money/headaches in getting the optimal set-up for our home.

Goal:
Stream mostly ripped DVD's and music (over 1 TB of media) to 3 locations in the home with a unified interface - I like XBMC's interface the best and hope to use it, which is why I posted here..

Locations + Current Hardware:

1) Basement
  • 109" Screen
  • Panasonic 1080p projector
  • Denon AVR-4306
  • XBOX 360s

2) Family Room
  • Samsung 42" HD DLP TV
  • Denon AVR-4306 AV Receiver
  • Samsung BD-C6500 Blu Ray Player - Wireless Network Connection - currently using upnp for streaming from Stora NAS

3) Master Bedroom
  • Akai 42" Plasma 720p TV
  • Samsung BD-C6900 Blu Ray Player - Wireless Network Connection
  • Sony PlayStation3 - Wireless Network Connection - currently using upnp for streaming from Stora NAS


Current Setup/Issues:

I have purchased a NetGear Stora ms2100 NAS
(http://www.netgear.com/upload/product/ms...1feb10.pdf) which works most of the time, but the interface is lousy and the Samsung Blu-Ray players do not always see it.

I've also tried starting XBMC on the Win 7 Pro 64-bit machine and streaming, but although the Samsung Blu Ray players see the device, I get an error message when I try to play a movie.

I guess what I'm asking is what is the best way to accomplish the following:
1) Stream movies/music to the three locations listed above with a common interface (preferrably XBMC). Would like to see thumbnails, fan art and trailers.
2) Have all media stored in one place

I have an extra PC that I could use and I have about $500 to spend.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!!!!
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#2
XBMC is designed to be used AS the player, which means you'd need XBMC machines at each location. The cheapest full machines you'll find are NVIDIA ION machines made by companies like Zotac and Acer, but those typically cost about $250 per machine. You could also buy and jailbreak the Apple TV 2. Each of those costs $99, so you'd be in your budget, but if you're going to do that, I recommend reading about jailbreaking BEFORE buying, especially if you are a Windows user.

Note, asking about jailbreaking here is not kosher.
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