[FoxForceFive]

Debating getting an Apple TV 1st/2nd gen (whichever suits my needs) to use XBMC & first wanna check if it'll suit my needs.

I currently run XBMC under Windows 7 through my main house PC, but I want a standalone solution at minimal cost.

My main concerns are whether it will run 720p mkvs with DTS & 5.1 audio, & it I can have it scan my main media HDDs stored on my Windows 7 PC, which can be hard wired in (Cat5) as it's only a couple of meters away.

Is it possible to set it up to do this? I have minimal Linux experience but dont mind getting my hands dirty & configuring it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[garyi]

Just use your home router for the comms, other than that yes all those things you said.

[thnmnt]

accessing your windows 7 shares won't require any linux experience. set up the drive / folders as a share in windows 7 and then set your workgroup name and browse/add shares through the XBMC gui with your remote. Make sure you set the content type of the share to ensure proper scraping i.e. 'movies' or 'television'.

[FoxForceFive]

accessing your windows 7 shares won't require any linux experience. set up the drive / folders as a share in windows 7 and then set your workgroup name and browse/add shares through the XBMC gui with your remote. Make sure you set the content type of the share to ensure proper scraping i.e. 'movies' or 'television'.

Ace, that sounds very straightforward!

Would I need the Broadcom Crystal HD installed to play 720p mkvs?

[Jimmer]

Ace, that sounds very straightforward!

Would I need the Broadcom Crystal HD installed to play 720p mkvs?

That would depend on how hardcore the encoding is.... I have found that xbmc on ATV-Linux will play things it won't on ATV-OS... however the crystalhd with the right version of the drivers (I have found r161 to be best, others swear by r154...) will handle everything up to stupidly high bitrate 1080p encodes.... If you're going to get an ATV and whack Linux on it, you may as well find a cheap crystalhd - then you'll have a silent, low-energy device that can handle almost any content....

I notice in your first post you mention the 2nd gen ATV... you don't mean the new one, do you? This will definitely not run xbmc...

Jim

[FoxForceFive]

That would depend on how hardcore the encoding is.... I have found that xbmc on ATV-Linux will play things it won't on ATV-OS... however the crystalhd with the right version of the drivers (I have found r161 to be best, others swear by r154...) will handle everything up to stupidly high bitrate 1080p encodes.... If you're going to get an ATV and whack Linux on it, you may as well find a cheap crystalhd - then you'll have a silent, low-energy device that can handle almost any content....

I notice in your first post you mention the 2nd gen ATV... you don't mean the new one, do you? This will definitely not run xbmc...

Jim

I'll only be using 720p mkvs, nothing higher so I assume it'd be ok.

I'm looking at a BCM970015 Broadcom HD Decoder shipping from HK on ebay, can I assume these are ok or are there fakes about?

Ok, 2nd gen doesnt run XBMC, 1st gen it is, that's all good, there's a few bargains about!