[Prinler]

Like the previous posters from years past I need my own help answering a common question.
Do i get a new box or use what i have?

I own an Apple TV 2 and love it. I really enjoy the airplay and the fact it doesnt make any noise. I dont like that its 720p and the menus are so slow. Also that small remote leaves me wanting more. (not an option to move from bedroom).

I currently am using an old laptop with a single or dual core Celeron, 3gb ram, intel graphics. Its loud at times when streaming 1080P and its driving me nuts having to make my family reach behind the tv pull the laptop out open the lid to start the laptop. It works ok but seems to never play any content in high def. I just installed openelec 5.0 with helix and same issues. Slow menus when using a remote...buffering issues... its very frustrating.

I am hard wired to a switch, then across the room to a buffalo router and connected via 15mb cable internet.
I use a USB FLIRC from FLIRC.TV

I have been reading the forums and other sites, watching youtube reviews.... So many devices and so many reviews... When i see videos from "streamer team" in canada selling there onD android box. The menus are rocket fast and the videos load seamlessly. I find myself drooling over stuff like this because mine take 3-5X as long to load even on my laptop.

I want:
Turn on the box via a remote.
1080P
Ethernet
Nice remote with keyboard like the one in the photo. *** I know nothing about remotes or how they are compatible with each device ***
This remote is only $19.99
Cheap $150ish and my wife wont complain

I wont use Windows less i have to. I love ubuntu and am enjoying OpenELEC due to its ease of EVERYTHING
Im looking at boxes like CuBox's
The onD
or heck any android box from newegg
I have seen the NUC and i like that its a real computer but am unsure if that large price is worth the extra money for what im asking.

I want a really good quality piece of equipment at a good price.

[wrxtasy]

Most users that upgrade from the ATV2 end up buying a Amazon Fire TV as they want Kodi and Netflix, Hulu and all those extra apps accessible easily from the Home screen.

Plus its pretty much plug and play and comes with a quality remote.
Good support here in the Kodi forum too which is very important.

http://www.aftvnews.com/

The other options would be the ASUS Chromebox which is wildly popular for very good reason.
Those that want Netflix and others use a dual boot setup, switchable via a cheap RF Wireless Keyboard.
Chrome OS for Netflix etc, and Openelec - Kodi as the other OS.
As you already have Flirc, just buy a quality Harmony 650 remote to control Kodi. Another recommended one is Xbox 360 Media remote. Both work well with Flirc.

Stay away from Cheap Android boxes if you want quality, video mode flexibility, reliability and good support here on the forums.
I cannot emphasise how important support here is.
Also that remote you pictured has problems if i recall, someone has posted here in the hardware section before about it.

See Below for good info on Chromebox vs Fire TV info:
!!
!!
V

[Prinler]

Thanks for the reply.
Netflix and Hulu and Plex are heavily used on my "smart TV" apps. I'm ok with the smart apps on my Vizio.
I can also run them on my ps3 if need be but i simply want a powerful XBMC box with speedy menus and great remote. Preferably with a keyboard on the remote.
There is something so frustrating with typing out gold rush on my remote just to search for a show i want to watch!
I used to run a Raspberry pi, but again the menus are so slow and at time chunky video.

I found this guy, not bad, i can see why people like these. Comes with the Ram and SSD... BAM Open Box

I will look into the amazon fire now.

[wrxtasy]

Snap up that Chromebox NOW its a VERY good price. All you will ever need. Perfect for Kodi - Openelec.

You won't find anything better at that price.
Harmony 650 and Flirc is a quality combo as well.

You are aware that with the XBMC / Kodi Smartphone apps or even Yatse for Android. It is very easy to scroll through a large video library and find movies very quickly and easily.

[SwampDonkey]

I posted earlier looking for a good box. After a lot of discussion it seems like the chrome box is the way to go. I know the asus chrome box has been well received

[Prinler]

Done, got the chromebox AND a Referb 650 for $40 on ebay. Boom. I hope its quiet! I understand you cant turn this on from the remote right?

[Matt Devo]

Done, got the chromebox AND a Referb 650 for $40 on ebay. Boom. I hope its quiet! I understand you cant turn this on from the remote right?

only from suspend (S3), not from cold off (S5). You'll also need an IR receiver, since the ChromeBox doesn't have one built-in. Check the wiki for more info

[wrxtasy]

Congrats. Now your good to go.

For the easiest IR receiver setup just get a USB FLIRC
Highly recommended.

[Matt Devo]

Congrats. Now your good to go.

For the easiest IR receiver setup just get a USB FLIRC
Highly recommended.

we'll have to agree to disagree here

[MauiSteve]

Don't leave us hangin Matt...

As a new Chromebox standalone OpenElec user I'm still using my iPhone to control my system. After a work day when I wanna come home and enjoy my entertainment center during dinner there's not much battery left to the iPhone so I'm thinking of spending on a proper remote.

If the easiest one is not the usb Flirc, what's your favorite? I definitely respect your opinion after reading your Chromebox wiki and related posts.

[Matt Devo]

I use a PS3 bluetooth remote on my dev box, and a Harmony One programmed as a Microsoft Media Center Extender with a MCE IR receiver on my main setup.

I've set up the Flirc for a customer's box. I like it for use with a non-programmable remote (eg, an Xbox one media remote), but not with the Harmony, where use with a MCE receiver gives you greater functionality (since it uses IR codes, not keyboard codes, whereas the Flirc is limited to mapping to keyboard keys). Also, mapping the keys for suspend/wake was problematic - at least way more effort than I wanted to expend, whereas it works OOTB with a MCE remote/receiver.

[wrxtasy]

I would agree with the difficulty setting up the Harmony 650 + Flirc initially, thats why this was written:

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=...pid1860395

The very big advantage with a Harmony 650 though is things called "Activities".
The Chromebox has no HDMI CEC control.
Its not like a Raspberry Pi where you wake it from standby and your Amp and TV turn on automatically and are already on the correct inputs.

With the Harmony 650 and the Chromebox, you can hit one button on the remote and that will turn on your Amp, select it to the correct input, Turn on the TV, again correct input, turn on the Air-Conditioning, dim the lights etc etc.

Matt please explain the differences between IR codes and Keyboard codes as they relate to Kodi functionality, what other shortcuts or similar tricks do IR codes give you ?

[Matt Devo]

I like and have used the 650 on customer's boxes, I just prefer not having to program/configure the receiver as well. In addition to a single on/off button, there are a handful of other functions (like the info button) which are slightly different.

[wrxtasy]

It all boils down to - do you want to customise your remote control / Kodi interaction with your preferred remote and buttons on that remote or just take the generic setup given out of the box.
If so then a bit of extra work is needed. It not hard with Flirc + Harmony, there is just an extra few steps needed.

Flirc is dead easy to use to customise any IR remote you may have, you just have to know the correct combination of keyboard controls to be able to control Kodi properly.