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I have a very healthy setup for my primary room: ION box, 8 TB unRaid box, mySql database on the ION. I am looking to add an additional box upstairs and wanted a low-cost option. I would consider using an Apple TV or Apple TV2 but want to get a better feel for the functionality there.
I could go with another ION box, but the extra $100-200 seems silly if I can get the same SD performance from a less expensive box.
I have no issues transcoding some HD content down to either box, if necessary. Does either support component out at 480p? Otherwise, I might pair it with a cheap projector.
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magao
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If you can find someone with an original XBOX, XBMC4XBOX works remarkably well. Hotswapping is fairly easy, the only difficulty being that you really want a computer with 2 IDE ports (it's possible with 1 on some motherboards, but tricky due to cable lengths). With the component cable the XBOX will output 720p (it's not capable of playing back 720 h264 though ... MPEG-2 it can usually manage).
Remember to turn the fan down to 10% in the XBMC options!
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How is it you think you're going to transcode and keep XBMC one library functionality?
I've just recently built three small (shoebox sized actually) XBMC boxes running from an x2 250 to an x4 640 or something like that built around the m4a88t-i deluxe mobo's in a mi-008 case. Around $300 - $400 depending on whether I went 2GB / dual core or 4GB / quad core .
If you're running ION though, you obviously aren't enamoured of packing a lot of grunt into a box, so why not something like the xs35gt?
Otherwise any cheap old P4 + a video card that will do DXVA will do fine ....
I'd suggest going used though as buying a P4 today doesn't make tonnes of sense.
How much did your ION box set you back that you want to get cheaper than it?
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I have an XBMC4xbox installed and technically its driving an old SD tv, but its very, very, rarely used and is from before I implemented a centralized mysql multi-seat setup in the house. I'm not sure if it can be configured to connect to mysql.
XBMC 4 xbox is great and the effort and community is good too. However
having a library that isnt universal (no proper watched status, yuck) because of the inability to play even 720p h264 is a pretty big gotcha, at least to me.
Also, there's the whole issue of the repository's and plugin systems diverging.
Alternatively you trade that xbox for an old P4 (or maybe you've got one lieing around), throw a video card in, and now you've got a 10x better experience, with a seamless library with proper watched status, and you don't need to burn the time and money (in electricity) encoding your stuff into two copies and then paying to keep enough storage to hold it all.
If you really wan't go down that road, I've had good results configuring tversity to encode on the fly and feeding xbmc for xbox so at least you don't have the PITA of re encoding your stuff. The overall experience is still a little lacking though because that would be through UPNP. Although I suppose you wouldn't be able to run it on your RAID box since its not windows.
But all in all, if you figure an old P4 and a video card could be had, for, what, $100? and suddenly all that re-encoding goes away, all your plugins can be utilized easily and properly, no more by hand editing copying or anything else, and your library is completely synced across the house ... sounds like a better end experience to me. Assuming you can get an HDMI & component video card or a cheap adapter so that you'd be future proofed to when you have a second HDTV ...
FWIW of course it goes without saying that only you know best where the friction is in your setup and what the sweet spot will be for solutions.
Obviously there are times where free + drawbacks is still way better than inexpensive + easier.