Plex vs Kodi

[HavocXphere]

Well not really planning on buying more gear given that the laptop should be in theory be more powerful than most HTPC boxes out there anyway.

Sorted the volume issue I think - Win10 has separate vol sliders per app so that should work.

But starting to think Netflix/Prime integration is perhaps not happening. Not a deal breaker.

 

[Neoprod]

Well not really planning on buying more gear given that the laptop should be in theory be more powerful than most HTPC boxes out there anyway.

Sorted the volume issue I think - Win10 has separate vol sliders per app so that should work.

But starting to think Netflix/Prime integration is perhaps not happening. Not a deal breaker.

I still use the browser for that on my old HTPC in the bedroom...I have an Nvidia Shield for the living room with Plex, Youtube, Spotify, Netflix etc.

Pondering checking if installing an Android environment (like Bluestacks) on the bedroom PC will deliver a Shield-like experience...will take a look next weekend.

 

[crawler]

Noooo this is terrible advice, unless you have a mac and are paying for development mac OS at 99 Dollars a year already the Apple TV is pretty dead (pretty much becomes an expensive Netflix player).

I upgrade from a Old PC to a Apple TV 4k to Mi box (bought one for my Mom then had to buy one for myself) its a better experience then anything else I have tried. Have heard good things about the Nvidia shield.

@OP on your pc download nox player (best Android emulator in my opinion) https://www.bignox.com/ then get Terrarium Tv https://ln.sync.com/dl/05aff7010/ymz4r88d-2rb8nvau-agyn324e-7qppbrsv add free version. Drag terrarium into nox to install, install Mx player/vlc and see if you like that setup. Also try Mobdro.


If you like the way it works then consider a Mi box for R1200 from takealot doesn't break the bank and can do anything kodi, terrarium, Dstv Now, Netflix, plex, has a 4k output and your wireless keyboard just plugs and plays.

Never knew dstv Now worked on it

As some android players pick up as Rooted

What difference between mibox and shield, as price is significant

 

[Scary_Turtle]

Never knew dstv Now worked on it

As some android players pick up as Rooted

What difference between mibox and shield, as price is significant

I believe the Nvidia Shield is the most powerful Android device out there (great for games) plus can do other things (all the media stuff). On the other hand its Nvidia so its probably double the price it should be

 

[Heisenborg]

The telkom lit box is awesome. I have kodi with plex addon. Everything streams perfectly. It just works. I dont use netflix etc so cant comment on that

 

[CamiKaze]

I believe the Nvidia Shield is the most powerful Android device out there (great for games) plus can do other things (all the media stuff). On the other hand its Nvidia so its probably double the price it should be

Have you used it in terms of that gamecast function where you stream your PC games to the shield?
Does Is it work well?
Does an XBOX One PC control work on it?

 

[Scary_Turtle]

Have you used it in terms of that gamecast function where you stream your PC games to the shield?
Does Is it work well?
Does an XBOX One PC control work on it?

I don't own one maybe someone else can answer that.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Have you used it in terms of that gamecast function where you stream your PC games to the shield?
Does Is it work well?
Does an XBOX One PC control work on it?

I've used Gamestream, it works as expected. I've had some issues with it detecting my network incorrectly on the auto settings but that's easy to fix in the settings.

It works well but so does Steam In-home streaming, I'm not sure if one is really better than the other. The Nvidia one may be a little more refined as the games have to included as Gamestream-ready by Nvidia.

Additional controller support is apparently coming in the update which is currently rolling out, seems it should work but I haven't tried it myself because I just use the included controller:

Improved support for game controllers:

Customize SHIELD controller thumbstick dead zones (Settings-> Apps-> Input viewer)
Xbox 360 and DualShock 4 v2 controllers
DualShock 4 controllers using USB wireless adapter
Resolves pairing issues with Xbox One controllers after system restart

 

[CamiKaze]

I've used Gamestream, it works as expected. I've had some issues with it detecting my network incorrectly on the auto settings but that's easy to fix in the settings.

It works well but so does Steam In-home streaming, I'm not sure if one is really better than the other. The Nvidia one may be a little more refined as the games have to included as Gamestream-ready by Nvidia.

Additional controller support is apparently coming in the update which is currently rolling out, seems it should work but I haven't tried it myself because I just use the included controller:

The controller receivers will be in a other room, so how will that work perfectly?
I had no idea that Steam could stream games. Do I need any additional software on my TV or something? Are there requirements?

The controller support I assume is only for Bluetooth controls, where the XBox One PC Control uses a wifi connection I think. Won't that be a problem?

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

The controller receivers will be in a other room, so how will that work perfectly?

Not entirely sure what you mean, why are they in separate rooms?

I had no idea that Steam could stream games. Do I need any additional software on my TV or something? Are there requirements?

Steam desktop apps have had this functionality for ages, so if you have two machines with Steam installed you can stream a game from one system to another if you don't have it installed locally on that one.

They also just release their beta app for Android (there is an iOS one but Apple blocked it): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.valvesoftware.steamlink

The controller support I assume is only for Bluetooth controls, where the XBox One PC Control uses a wifi connection I think. Won't that be a problem?

I'm guessing bt and usb, I doubt wifi direct controllers would work but never tried and I don't have one.

 

[CamiKaze]

Not entirely sure what you mean, why are they in separate rooms?



Steam desktop apps have had this functionality for ages, so if you have two machines with Steam installed you can stream a game from one system to another if you don't have it installed locally on that one.

They also just release their beta app for Android (there is an iOS one but Apple blocked it): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.valvesoftware.steamlink



I'm guessing bt and usb, I doubt wifi direct controllers would work but never tried and I don't have one.

My plan is to buy a shield, have it in my living room connected to the TV and stream games from the pc in a different room to the living room TV.

Secondly, my WiFi direct controllers won't work as I think that these are Bluetooth controller updates.

 

[Soul Assassin]

My plan is to buy a shield, have it in my living room connected to the TV and stream games from the pc in a different room to the living room TV.

Secondly, my WiFi direct controllers won't work as I think that these are Bluetooth controller updates.

The controllers don't connect to your PC in the other room, they connect to the Shield and I'm pretty sure the Shield supports both the DS4 and the Xbox One controller, the newer one not the one that launched with the original Xbox One, the one that came with the Xbox One S.

 

[Neoprod]

My plan is to buy a shield, have it in my living room connected to the TV and stream games from the pc in a different room to the living room TV.

Secondly, my WiFi direct controllers won't work as I think that these are Bluetooth controller updates.

The controller's talk to the Shield (or second PC for Steam streaming) which sends the input back to your PC. So while they all claim to work with WiFi, a wired network is best to minimise latency.

I have a Shield but I don't use it for streaming games...prefer sitting at my pc for gaming. I did Steam streaming to watch CSGO on my TV in the lounge when I had an HTPC there - that worked quite well but the input latency wasn't that great for FPS gaming.

 

[Mars]

I started with Kodi (XBMC) and went to plex for years, but now its becoming so bloated with other crap and all the hoops you have to jump through I'm thinking of moving back to Kodi.

 

[AfricanTech]

Plex works very well with the Roku

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

but now its becoming so bloated with other crap and all the hoops you have to jump through ...

Could you elaborate? If the bloat you are referring to is the online media part like News and Podcasts you can turn those off completely for your account.

I'd like to know the hoops you're referring to though, if that's something that can be fixed it should get fixed.

 

[Mars]

Could you elaborate? If the bloat you are referring to is the online media part like News and Podcasts you can turn those off completely for your account.

I'd like to know the hoops you're referring to though, if that's something that can be fixed it should get fixed.

No. It used to be that I could run this on my local server, connect to it from any of my devices - android, ios or my smart tv app, and it would just work, no issue.

Now I have to have an account, have to have it logged in, and then I need to actually be online for it to work properly. Then it keeps kicking me out, I need to go to their website and put in the code on my tv the whole time. If I do log in (I keep jumping though hoops to avoid that) then the clients need to be logged into the same account or they cant access the server.

It seems to me that theyre more focused on people making their own little netflix services and allowing off site users to access media than just working. Now its got VR support (Seriously?), alexa, bla bla bla. Jesus. I just want to watch the damn movie without jumping through the hoops.

All I want is it to serve media to my local network without all the bull. Maybe that happens if you pay the subscription? I tried it for a year to test out the parental controls, but it honestly didnt work that well.

I was going to buy the lifetime thing at one stage but its just become to "big brother" and PITA for me.

 

[CamiKaze]

The controller's talk to the Shield (or second PC for Steam streaming) which sends the input back to your PC. So while they all claim to work with WiFi, a wired network is best to minimise latency.

I have a Shield but I don't use it for streaming games...prefer sitting at my pc for gaming. I did Steam streaming to watch CSGO on my TV in the lounge when I had an HTPC there - that worked quite well but the input latency wasn't that great for FPS gaming.

Do you then I should pull the plug and but or is there hopefully a Shield 2 in the works?

 

[Neoprod]

Do you then I should pull the plug and but or is there hopefully a Shield 2 in the works?

Honestly, I don't know. I'm a PC gamer...I don't even have any games on my phone .

I would say there are challenges to streaming games across a network that impact both Steam and Nvidia's Gamestream...even an ideal network won't feel as good as playing directly on your console or PC. That's a niggle that's always going to be there.

If you have spare hardware or a laptop available, I'd say try Steam home streaming out and make up your own mind...the lounge machine only needs to be powerful enough to decode an X264 stream.

 

[Soul Assassin]

No. It used to be that I could run this on my local server, connect to it from any of my devices - android, ios or my smart tv app, and it would just work, no issue.

Now I have to have an account, have to have it logged in, and then I need to actually be online for it to work properly. Then it keeps kicking me out, I need to go to their website and put in the code on my tv the whole time. If I do log in (I keep jumping though hoops to avoid that) then the clients need to be logged into the same account or they cant access the server.

It seems to me that theyre more focused on people making their own little netflix services and allowing off site users to access media than just working. Now its got VR support (Seriously?), alexa, bla bla bla. Jesus. I just want to watch the damn movie without jumping through the hoops.

All I want is it to serve media to my local network without all the bull. Maybe that happens if you pay the subscription? I tried it for a year to test out the parental controls, but it honestly didnt work that well.

I was going to buy the lifetime thing at one stage but its just become to "big brother" and PITA for me.

Go to your Plex Media Server settings and under network add your IP range to "List of IP addresses and networks that are allowed without auth" or add the server IP in manual connection from the TV/app.