Media Player For Parents

faniebraai

faniebraai

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Hey Guys,

Need some recommendations of media players for the folks. They currently running a raspberry pi, but they are technically at n00b level, so they find it a bit overwhelming to use. Any recommendations on good media players? Just looking for something that will be able to play all formats and if it's upgradeable to keep it up to date with developments in the codec department it would be awesome.

Thinking the budget is not more than 1k. No internal hdd needed, they have a 1TB usb3.0 WD 2.5"

Shot!

Let me know if you have any experience with the players below:

Considerations so far:
MyGica ATV585
http://www.takealot.com/mygica-atv-585-hdtv-box-media-player/PLID34163659
http://mygica.com/html/Enjoy_TV/20141111/98.html
 
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I got the Samsung 5100 Blu ray player for my dad this week (first Shop 829, Takealot 849, house and home 889), takes USB input. Put it on on Wednesday and wrote down 6 steps to navigate through the menus that he could read from, it's played every file so far (divx hd, mkv) and he knows the process out of his head (he is 75).
 
faniedry said:
Hey Guys,

Need some recommendations of media players for the folks. They currently running a raspberry pi, but they are technically at n00b level, so they find it a bit overwhelming to use. Any recommendations on good media players? Just looking for something that will be able to play all formats and if it's upgradeable to keep it up to date with developments in the codec department it would be awesome.

Thinking the budget is not more than 1k. No internal hdd needed, they have a 1TB usb3.0 WD 2.5"

Shot!

Let me know if you have any experience with the players below:

Considerations so far:
MyGica ATV585
http://www.takealot.com/mygica-atv-585-hdtv-box-media-player/PLID34163659
http://mygica.com/html/Enjoy_TV/20141111/98.html
Click to expand...

http://www.takealot.com/wd-tv-media-player/PLID32801459
 
Bighit said:
I got the Samsung 5100 Blu ray player for my dad this week (first Shop 829, Takealot 849, house and home 889), takes USB input. Put it on on Wednesday and wrote down 6 steps to navigate through the menus that he could read from, it's played every file so far (divx hd, mkv) and he knows the process out of his head (he is 75).
Click to expand...

Does it work with an external HDD?


Also, know its a longshot, but any media players with network/wifi connection, and a internal hdd bay?
 
eg2505 said:
Does it need a external power cord, or does the usb supply enough juice to run one without the external power supply?
Click to expand...

Only ever tried it with a USB 3.0 tb wd 500gb external HD and it got power from the Blu Ray player. My 2tb has a power supply though.
 
Chevron said:
http://www.takealot.com/wd-tv-media-player/PLID32801459
Click to expand...

faniedry said:
Any specific reason you recommend the WD over the one I had in the OP?

The already know the xbmc/kodi interface
Click to expand...

Don't listen to his bad advice fanie!
Your MyGica choice is the perfect choice and A LOOOOOOOOOOOT better than a WD.

DroidTV is better than that WD piece of rubbish in every way.
Price, GUI, Coverart Scraping, Pre-installed Apps, App store, Firmware support, you name it.

I've had enough of people recommending shlt products to people asking for advice on MyBB. They aren't helping anyone.
I don't know why they do it. Maybe they bought that product themselves due to being clueless, and now just recommend it everywhere to feel better about the product they themselves bought.

You can check out the DroidTV thread if you need more info on these awesome little devices.

Get the MyGica DroidTV!
Farm-Fresh_thumb_up.png
 
Keeper said:
Don't listen to his bad advice fanie!
Your MyGica choice is the perfect choice and A LOOOOOOOOOOOT better than a WD.

DroidTV is better than that WD piece of rubbish in every way.
Price, GUI, Coverart Scraping, Pre-installed Apps, App store, Firmware support, you name it.

I've had enough of people recommending shlt products to people asking for advice on MyBB. They aren't helping anyone.
I don't know why they do it. Maybe they bought that product themselves due to being clueless, and now just recommend it everywhere to feel better about the product they themselves bought.

You can check out the DroidTV thread if you need more info on these awesome little devices.

Get the MyGica DroidTV!
Farm-Fresh_thumb_up.png
Click to expand...

This is actually pretty cool, wish I saw it earlier.
 
Keeper said:
Don't listen to his bad advice fanie!
Your MyGica choice is the perfect choice and A LOOOOOOOOOOOT better than a WD.

DroidTV is better than that WD piece of rubbish in every way.
Price, GUI, Coverart Scraping, Pre-installed Apps, App store, Firmware support, you name it.

I've had enough of people recommending shlt products to people asking for advice on MyBB. They aren't helping anyone.
I don't know why they do it. Maybe they bought that product themselves due to being clueless, and now just recommend it everywhere to feel better about the product they themselves bought.

You can check out the DroidTV thread if you need more info on these awesome little devices.

Get the MyGica DroidTV!
Farm-Fresh_thumb_up.png
Click to expand...

I hooked my parents up with a DroidTV MX3 and WD Live TV, and they only use the WD. They're completely in love with the BBC iPlayer, and the WD has an amazing iPlayer app. It might be possible to install it on the DroidTV, but all I found was a crappy XBMC addon.
 
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Do not but the media player I suggested: Samsung F5100. Just took it back to Makro because the USB input stopped working.

This is what I've done because my dad is used to the Samsung UI: Hardware Bargain
 
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DroidTV with mxlinux, boots right into XBMC, no need to ever fiddle.
 
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