(2016-01-06, 11:41)noggin Wrote: @brazen1 Many of us initially went down the HTPC route you suggest. The reality is that a PC with 20TB of storage is never silent. I much prefer to site my server in a location where noise is not an issue, and play content from it to various devices around my house. A Raspberry Pi 2 works for me as a client, as does a Chromebox. I have an HTPC in one location (Pentium Sandy Bridge based) acting purely as a Windows Media Center TV solution. This solves a different problem for me. We all have different requirements, different tolerance levels (I would never get away with a 20TB server in my living room...) It's horses for courses.
With all due respect, and complete understanding of different strokes for different folks, statements like this immediately shy away those considering building an all in one htpc. This is misleading imo. I feel a little defense for windows is appropriate. Reality is, I cannot tell if my box is on without looking at the power light because it is so quiet. It is within arms reach as I'm typing. Nothing special to achieve this other than elbow grease. I assume your comment about 20TB's refers to multiple hard drives. Windows has always had a spin down setting. It works perfectly and when a drive does spin up for playback, at 15 feet I can't hear it and when I put my ear to it, the decibels is minimal. Perhaps this might be a problem for the sensitive but 99% of titles have few silent moments and the audio covers up the loudest of machines. The ssd, the only drive running constantly, is silent. As you've stated about your noisy server in another room, this box serves clients too and is the main playback machine as well. The point is, noise is not an issue for me and if I overcame it, the resourceful user I am, anyone could.
(2016-01-06, 12:42)opeters Wrote: (2016-01-06, 11:41)noggin Wrote: @brazen1 Many of us initially went down the HTPC route you suggest. The reality is that a PC with 20TB of storage is never silent. I much prefer to site my server in a location where noise is not an issue, and play content from it to various devices around my house. A Raspberry Pi 2 works for me as a client, as does a Chromebox. I have an HTPC in one location (Pentium Sandy Bridge based) acting purely as a Windows Media Center TV solution. This solves a different problem for me. We all have different requirements, different tolerance levels (I would never get away with a 20TB server in my living room...) It's horses for courses.
@brazen1 I also come from a HTPC solution. My need is proper 3D ISO support and that can't be done via Windows and PowerDVD, cause there is Cinevia. Then I always did have issues with Windows playing media like audio/sub sync issues, framerate issues, HDMI handshake issues after reboot etc. That's why I went for an other media player.
Can't help it but I need to make this remark again: MVC 3DMKV is not mature, since it does not have a way to support 3D PGS subtitles.
Some titles require cinavia removal when backing up to digital copy. Doesn't just about every non US software to rip a disc have this built in as well as on the fly software? It's not an additional expense. If you're ripping, you're using something. I have no cinavia using Windows and PDVD so to say it can't be done is simply not true. Not sure what is so hard to adjust audio/sub/framerate/ sync issues? Kodi has settings. PDVD has settings. Panels have settings. GPU's have settings. AVR's have settings, etc. The settings are there for a reason. I achieve perfect audio sync using DTSmaster and Dolby True HD at 23.976 2D and 3D after adjusting settings once. Never had sub problems and can change on the fly during playback using dvdplayer or PDVD from the remote. Subs are in perfect plane in 3D, MVC iso, SBS, TAB, etc. No idea about reboot problems? When the PC isn't in use or serving, it's in a complete shutdown state. When it's usage time for this htpc or duty time for a client, it boots via the client or the remote and goes to work and hibernates when finished or its manually shut down waiting for the next job. I never leave apps like Kodi open. I use the shutdown function and turn off the system. All appliances turn off. The minute or so it takes from cold shutdown to watching something is ok with me. No need to have the PC on 24/7 and have Kodi constantly running in my case. If speed is an issue, I guess a little box has it's advantages.
(2016-01-06, 14:34)bobneal81 Wrote: I've only had my Raspberry Pi2 / OpenELEC box for a few days and it's been awesome for 3D iso. I'd like to try Kodi on a Windows machine as well. I'm using a Windows 7 machine with a pretty fast i7 processor and I just ordered an ATI Radeon HD6450 that supposedly supports 3D movie playback. Can anyone offer tips? I had to use the Milhouse 01/04 build for 3D iso's to work on the Pi2...is there a special build to use for windows? Maybe one of these?:
http://mirrors.kodi.tv/nightlies/win32/
Anything else to know about Kodi / Windows / 3D iso? Thanks!
I should get a Pi2 using newer builds to see how it works in the real world for me. Have an older 512Mb model clocked at 1100. Folks exclaimed how cool it was to stream content. Tried many builds and O/S. At 1st I WiFi'd and it just buffered constantly using N tech at the time. No problem with compressed rips but they looked terrible. Tried high bitrate full copy rips in the 40-50 range and they started to play, buffered and eventually dropped the connection. Went Ethernet. Same thing. Discovered Pi port was 10/100 only and not 10/100/1000 like all my other client ports that didn't have a problem and chalked it up to that. Strange thing is WiFi on the other clients was fine, but using same adapter on the Pi didn't work? Was told 10\100 was overkill for 50 bitrate playback and not the problem. No idea what else it could have been? Noticed output never lit up DTSHDMA or TrueHD so I gave it away. Your success streaming native supported 3D iso perks up my interest again. I would consider Nvidia if I was you to take advantage of it's stereovision and nvstlink capabilities if you lean toward automated input vs manual. You don't need a high end card unless your gaming, something I know nothing about.
(2016-01-06, 14:57)opeters Wrote: (2016-01-06, 14:34)bobneal81 Wrote: Anything else to know about Kodi / Windows / 3D iso? Thanks!
There is currently no native 3D ISO support for Windows.
As far as I understand due to lack of information and interest "coders" are not able to use the 3D API's from the Intel, AMD and NVIDIA cards and the Pi is the only platform that is working natively.
Not really concerned about native unless everything else works (meaning my bad experiences in the past streaming). This is fantastic breakthrough though thanks to dedicated coder talents. Kudos! Good use for those seeking an economical client and no need for HD audio perfection. Fwiw, a few confirmations in 3D guide thread that Intel, AMD and NVIDIA, using non native external players, are not a problem in W10 + PDVD15.
(2016-01-06, 16:06)hdmkv Wrote: I used to have a Windows 3D set-up a couple of years ago (forgetting which h/w) with TotalMedia Theater as my external player. It was under Windows 7, and the solution felt kludgy, and didn't have that just-turn-on-and-use set-top box experience.
Happy to add a column in the chart in post #1 for Windows-based h/w + s/w-combo solutions that support both full 3D and HD audio passthrough. I understand latter has been problematic for many.
Not really sure what a kludgy feeling is? Either it works or it doesn't? I don't care what's happening behind the scenes as long as it plays a complete Blu-ray in 2D and 3D and every feature is working without any special ripping other than copy full disc. Software offers rip to iso or rip to file structure. I suggest iso for diy windows. When I'm focused on a title in Kodi and press enter, it's playing flawless in seconds, assuming the PC is booted and understand the ready to go will be missing since there is boot wait time (if the pc happened to be shut down). 2D or 3D. Passthrough is also flawless with settings in Kodi, AVR, and PDVD set and forget once.
Imo, the inclusion for a diy windows based solution in your chart would be fair since new users introduced to Kodi migrate to this, the best forum for hardware reco's. I mean fair is fair. There are plenty of folks that want to use Kodi front end to it's full potential and are swayed into thinking purchasing a preloaded box is the only way to get everything hassle free which we all know is just not 100% true. I'm sure there are plenty that want to spend their money wisely.... once, and would enthusiastically do their own labor tailored exactly for themselves. Maybe somehow include it's not for the timid but not overly complicated. Thanks for offering. I think it would show you and your testing are not biased and present every alternative for each unique user to digest.
