[User 309201]

Raspberry Pi2: Recommended Set-up:

• Easiest is to get one of the kits on Amazon, eBay, etc. for $70. Usually comes with Pi2 card + mSD card (8GB or 16GB recommended) + case + power supply. Some kits also include wi-fi dongle, HDMI cable, etc. Or, put together your own; its easy.

Just one dumb question if I may: I don't see any controller device in that list, so how do you actually control the thing? Is there an IR remote, or do you need to plug in a keyboard/mouse, or is it controlled from an application running on another device on the network, or what?

[noggin]

Raspberry Pi2: Recommended Set-up:

• Easiest is to get one of the kits on Amazon, eBay, etc. for $70. Usually comes with Pi2 card + mSD card (8GB or 16GB recommended) + case + power supply. Some kits also include wi-fi dongle, HDMI cable, etc. Or, put together your own; its easy.

Just one dumb question if I may: I don't see any controller device in that list, so how do you actually control the thing? Is there an IR remote, or do you need to plug in a keyboard/mouse, or is it controlled from an application running on another device on the network, or what?

If you have a reasonably modern TV then CEC control (where your TV remote sends remote control signals down the HDMI cable to the Pi 2) is often good enough. Otherwise you can buy a large number of IR remote+receiver combos (FLIRC + any remote you have, MCE RC6 IR USB receiver and remote etc.), use an RF keyboard and trackpad like a Rii, or set up with a USB keyboard and mouse and then use a remote app on your Android or iOS device.

[Kendos]

Raspberry Pi2: Recommended Set-up:

• Easiest is to get one of the kits on Amazon, eBay, etc. for $70. Usually comes with Pi2 card + mSD card (8GB or 16GB recommended) + case + power supply. Some kits also include wi-fi dongle, HDMI cable, etc. Or, put together your own; its easy.

Just one dumb question if I may: I don't see any controller device in that list, so how do you actually control the thing? Is there an IR remote, or do you need to plug in a keyboard/mouse, or is it controlled from an application running on another device on the network, or what?

I have the TSOP4838 IR with the XBox One Media Remote.
With the TSOP4838 you can use all IR remotes.

[noggin]

Raspberry Pi2: Recommended Set-up:

• Easiest is to get one of the kits on Amazon, eBay, etc. for $70. Usually comes with Pi2 card + mSD card (8GB or 16GB recommended) + case + power supply. Some kits also include wi-fi dongle, HDMI cable, etc. Or, put together your own; its easy.

Just one dumb question if I may: I don't see any controller device in that list, so how do you actually control the thing? Is there an IR remote, or do you need to plug in a keyboard/mouse, or is it controlled from an application running on another device on the network, or what?

I have the TSOP4838 IR with the XBox One Media Remote.
With the TSOP4838 you can use all IR remotes.

Yep - you can connect a TSOP IR receiver module to a Pi 2 GPIO and use a large variety of IR remotes (useful if you have an old DVD player remote etc. you no longer use)

[DarrenHill]

https://learn.adafruit.com/using-an-ir-r...r/overview

One example there, Google "GPIO remote" for many others.

I have one connected up on my Pi zero and it works a treat.

[walkersway]

Hi All.

I currently have a Minix X8-H downstairs and have been 80% happy with this. Biggest niggles are poor standard remote control. Air mouse is better. Kodi will not work with my AV amp and surround sound. Minix very slow at updating official app from XBMC to Kodi :-(

Thinking of replacing this and move the Minix upstairs to the bedroom as my Pisox Xios is not working now and my misses wants this replacing.

Anyway looking for a good replacement.

Requirements are:

• Support for my RX-V667 amp to passthough, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD.
  
• Very good Kodi support
  
• 3D
  
• Good IR remote control that also works well with Kodi
  
• Able to program this in to my Logitech harmony ultimate remote.
  
• 1080p (not too bothered about 4K at this time).
  
• Android based. Would consider windows based but want a simple solution so there would have to be a good reason to go to windows.
  
• Ability to add Netflix with HD stream support.
  

I don't want anything too complicated which is why I am going with Android. This has to be a rock solid setup as I have a disabled son with learning difficulties.

I can wait a few weeks if something new I about to be released.

Cost wise not too much of an issue but don't want to spend silly money so perhaps up to £200 but I'm flexible.

[hdmkv]

Ability to add Netflix with HD stream support.

This rules out any 3D box currently available. W/o HD (made for TV) Netflix, HiMedia Q5/Q10 will meet your requirements, assuming you're okay w/an external player being used for most video playback, with Kodi really used just as a front-end to manage your movie/TV libraries.

[noggin]

Ability to add Netflix with HD stream support.

This rules out any 3D box currently available. W/o HD (made for TV) Netflix, HiMedia Q5/Q10 will meet your requirements, assuming you're okay w/an external player being used for most video playback, with Kodi really used just as a front-end to manage your movie/TV libraries.

Yep - the only solution is probably a Windows machine with a 3D Blu-ray app as an external player? That will give you HD Netflix with DD+ audio, HD Audio bitstreamed (subject to driver support for the CPU in question), 3D MVC and Frame Packed output etc. (subject to CPU support)

[walkersway]

Ok Netflix I can live without as the bluray player I have supports this.

I was thinking of the HiMedia Q5 bit confused as I think they have a new generation they are releasing that comes with Kodi. Old one appears to come with XBMC. I'm not keen on video playback using an external player, as reviews say once finished you then have to reload Kodi.

I am considering a Raspberry pi 2 solution. However getting enough parts to just test this is going to be a gamble.

• FLIRC - RPi USB XBMC IR Remote Receiver £19.99
  
• Power Supply £4.99
  
• Anidées Unibody Silver Aluminium Raspberry Pi Case B+/2 £29.99
  
• Raspberry Pi 2 - Model B (NEW) & 8GB MicroSD Card Bundle Raspberry Pi 2 - Model B (NEW) & 8GB MicroSD Card Bundle £34.00
  

I suppose I could drop the case and order one later if this does work as I want. And I could order the PI without the SD card as my pivos has a 16GB Sandisk ultra in it. I may even have a 2a USB charger kicking around.

[popcornmix]

I suppose I could drop the case and order one later if this does work as I want. And I could order the PI without the SD card as my pivos has a 16GB Sandisk ultra in it. I may even have a 2a USB charger kicking around.

No need to buy the FLIRC now. Presumably you have an Android or iOS device you could use as a temporary remote?
And you may find your TV remove remote just works through CEC.

[hdmkv]

I was thinking of the HiMedia Q5 bit confused as I think they have a new generation they are releasing that comes with Kodi. Old one appears to come with XBMC. I'm not keen on video playback using an external player, as reviews say once finished you then have to reload Kodi.

Nope, any version of Kodi can be used on current-gen HiMedia Q5/Q10 as it's mostly used to manage your movie/TV files, and not used for actual playback. And, no, after movie playback is done, Kodi doesn't have to be reloaded... it just kicks you back to Kodi (which stays running in the background).

Here's an old video I did that shows how it works...

---

We rarely discuss 3D movie experiences here, but watched two first-rate movies with family recently:

• The Martian: Medium to sometimes strong 3D. A moving human ingenuity drama (borrows from 'Apollo 13' some), even funny at times. Just a really enjoyable experience, made even better by 3D. Ridley Scott is a 3D fan, and he has used it to good effect here, just as in 'Prometheus'.
  
• The Walk: Often strong 3D. Excellent movie w/amazing last half hour! This movie got decent reviews, but didn't seem that talked about. Deserves new life on video, especially 3D as it was clearly filmed with 3D in mind.
  

[walkersway]

Thanks hdmkv, I am very tempted for the Q5. Can you configure what does get played via the external player?

Am i right in thinking they are about to release a next gen version of this?

[walkersway]

I suppose I could drop the case and order one later if this does work as I want. And I could order the PI without the SD card as my pivos has a 16GB Sandisk ultra in it. I may even have a 2a USB charger kicking around.

No need to buy the FLIRC now. Presumably you have an Android or iOS device you could use as a temporary remote?
And you may find your TV remove remote just works through CEC.

Only issue is my son, don't trust him to use our phones :-(

CEC may be an option have to check if the TV supports this. I think it does but i disabled it as i caused me loads of issues getting everything running correctly via the AV amp.

[hdmkv]

Thanks hdmkv, I am very tempted for the Q5. Can you configure what does get played via the external player?

Am i right in thinking they are about to release a next gen version of this?

Yes, likely April. Preliminary info. here.

Re: current-gen Q5/Q10, yes, you can configure which types of videos use the the HiSilicon external player & which Kodi's internal videoplayer in two ways:

1. Modify HiMedia's playercorefactory.xml. Couple of examples here & here, and/or
   
2. Highlight video in Kodi and bring up context menu to pick which player.
   

[noggin]

I suppose I could drop the case and order one later if this does work as I want. And I could order the PI without the SD card as my pivos has a 16GB Sandisk ultra in it. I may even have a 2a USB charger kicking around.

No need to buy the FLIRC now. Presumably you have an Android or iOS device you could use as a temporary remote?
And you may find your TV remove remote just works through CEC.

Only issue is my son, don't trust him to use our phones :-(

CEC may be an option have to check if the TV supports this. I think it does but i disabled it as i caused me loads of issues getting everything running correctly via the AV amp.

If you're in the UK and have Sky HD you may also have disabled CEC. (I have). The Sky HD boxes got an upgrade a while back which uses CEC to switch TVs to the right input when you hit the Sky button. But our Sony TV then sends TV remote instructions to the Sky box (which it ignores) rather than interpreting them in the TV. Which is REALLY annoying...