[LTParis]

About 2.5 years ago I took the plunge and built myself a XBMC box that was geared as an all-in-one unit for our bedroom, and would occasionally stream to my kids computer. The build was fleshed out here (http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...#pid524681) and it's been generally rock steady, first as a XBMC live box, then XBMCbuntu, now OpenELEC. My library has grown past the 1.5TB drive, and I just installed (really thrown in my case, I had no 5.25 rails for it) a 3TB drive and moving my movies to that now.

Since my build I have also bought a home, and it's making me think of a new strategy. I will have the need to view content at two locations right now (720p/1080p), and likely others in the future.

So I am considering a complete rethought of my storage and delivery side. I could take a pretty old, but still operable 2.8 GHz / 8GB box that I had assigned to the kids and turn that into an unRAID server, I could take my current XBMC box, put it into a smaller case (the current case is been a PITA), and then maybe go with a Raspberry PI or some other device for another playback machine. But it makes me wonder is the PI the best solution in this case, should I go with some Zotac boxes, Apple TV? I would rather low cost, low profile, low noise boxes for playback and stick my file server in the basement.

Choices. What have you guys done in expanding your XBMC footprint?

[bry]

I would go zotac/revo style box right now over pi/atv personally. The unraid box is a good idea.

[BORIStheBLADE]

If the old PC is a custom built PC Id go for it and make it a server. If its not I would just build a new server.

[vinistois]

I toyed with the idea of having one central PC and only having screens remotely.

I have used these modules at work:



http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Ethernet...B007YIV1DQ

They are fairly cheap. Pair that up with an HDMI splitter, and you can run a single system to multiple locations easily and control them all using IR remotes. The boxes extend HDMI, IR, and Ethernet, all over a single CAT5e. The boxes themselves are ethernet switches, with 3 ports at each end - so you can plug your 'smart tv', or xbox, or whatever at the other end as well.

The advantage here is combining software, the money spent on the HDMI distribution is quickly made up by not having to buy individual xbmc boxes for each location. The downside obviously is that you can only watch one show at a time. However, for this use, you can easily toss in a little ras-pi box and view/control it remotely as well.

I was planning this route because I had a nice equipment closet, out of the way, with pre-existing CAT5 distribution. I ran out of money to implement it (cant afford more than one TV anyways), and moved to a smaller house.

The other advantage here is you can have one single bad-ass HTPC / Server combo system, and you can access it from anywhere you like. Easy to setup a workstation somewhere, kitchen monitor, etc. The only challenge I saw was adding remote usb accessories - the usb over ethernet stuff gets pricey.

food for thought!

[T800]

I have a HDMI network in my house for Xbox360 and PS3 and works very well, it took a while to set up with all the automatic switches and splitters involved.
I felt it was worth doing so I could use the same consoles and save games anywhere in the house. Plus the gamepads are wireless and let you know the console is on.
I only ever use it for watching media on if one of my HTPC's is down. An AppleTV1 with Crytsalbuntu is connected to the HDMI network as a back up and controlled via my phone.

I wouldn't do it with a HTPC. You will need the TV/amps to be the same around the house otherwise you are then into different profiles for each room to account for different resolutions and audio decoders. You could control with a Harmony with RF or an Android tablet but you have top remember to take it with you and they are so expensive you might as well buy additional devices.


Once you add IR remotes and switches every now and again you will turn on the screen upstairs and have no picture. Is the PC on? Are the switches working? Has it lost HDMI handshake? Is the right input on?

HDMI networks are great if you keep it simple. I used to have my SkyHD box (cable) connected to it but the amount of times I was running up and downstairs trying to figure out what wasn't working when all the wife wanted to to do watch a 30 minute programme before bed was painful!

Plus what happens when your combo system has a problem? Everything stops!

If it's just you then it might work but if there are any other people involved like a wife, girlfriend, kids, parents I wouldn't bother.

[Malosar]

Is there ever any problem with HDCP when using splitters or extenders?

[T800]

I did 6 years ago. The newer stuff is much better.

[IsleOfMan]

For the price of a pair of those extenders you could easily build a basic HTPC or even get your hands on an ATV2... add in the necessary matrix switches and such, you should be able to put together low cost client boxes for two or three displays. Anywhere you have an equipment rack/shelf/cabinet/closet/etc you could put an older SFF PC (P4, Celeron, Core2 Duo, etc) with a modern graphics card (Geforce 210) and have a client built for well under $100 (or under $50 in some cases). Unless you want multiple sources switched between multiple displays I wouldn't go down the matrix switch and extender road as it can get complex and expensive quickly.