I am looking into setting up a media server and put all my TV on DVD DVD's into that server where my family of 4 can access any TV show they want at any time.

Which Media Streamer does the best job or streaming .vob files of ripped DVD's?

I read that the Linksys streamers can't stream .vob. So what would be my best option? If the streamer can also play xvid files, that would be a great plus too.

Edit:
I've heard some people rip DVD's into ISO format as well. Has anyone else done this and streamed successfully?

I've got a popcorn hour and it's been playing vobs and iso files with no problem.

Good luck trying to get one as the waiting list is about a month from what I heard.


The positives are that it's cheap, plays pretty much everything you can throw at it and it's improving with everyfirmware release.

the drawbacks are that interface isn't as pretty as say xbmc, and network speed isn't the fastest. but it'll def handle iso/vob ripped from a dvd.

I've got a popcorn hour and it's been playing vobs and iso files with no problem.

Good luck trying to get one as the waiting list is about a month from what I heard.


The positives are that it's cheap, plays pretty much everything you can throw at it and it's improving with everyfirmware release.

the drawbacks are that interface isn't as pretty as say xbmc, and network speed isn't the fastest. but it'll def handle iso/vob ripped from a dvd.

This would be perfect, unfortunately there's a 2 month waiting period :(. Any other solutions?

the drawbacks are that interface isn't as pretty as say xbmc, and network speed isn't the fastest. but it'll def handle iso/vob ripped from a dvd.

So I'll just throw this out there, and others can complain about how the xbmc crowd has invaded yet another thread :)

XBMC

A plus is that it's interface is as pretty as xbmc.
Plays vobs and isos over the wire with aplomb.

So will the popcorn allow me to connect to my windows file server and access the vob files on it for play back on my TV?

So will the popcorn allow me to connect to my windows file server and access the vob files on it for play back on my TV?

Yes you can either stream with http://www.networkedmediatank.com/download/myihome.html

or stream with via samba or nfs.

But if you're only going to stream vobs and isos there are plenty of alternatives that are already out now without the long waiting time.

Popcorn would be useful if you want HD support.

Hi mate

I have a TviX 5000A (the older version) and I have no problems streaming ISO files
XviD, DivX files from PC to it. It also holds a HDD woth 500GB that is full of films in
.VOB format...Dunno the price of these suckers today but they are probably cheaper
than they were 15 months ago ;-)

Popcorn would be useful if you want HD support.

Ya I will want that as more and more TV shows end up in HD on BD.

Ya I will want that as more and more TV shows end up in HD on BD.

Well then right now then your best bet for future proof would be the tvix 6500 or the popcorn.

Both can play iso/vob and can do HD content.

But both are still works in progress, and hard to get.

you could also go with this one http://www.istarhd.com/

you could also go with this one http://www.istarhd.com/

Why does that ad read like a cheap ripoff of Popcorn Hour? (http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/index.php?module=onlinestore&pluginoption=catalog)

Some quick surfing leads me to guess that Popcorn Hour is the "official" product of Syabas, and ISTARHD is a "customer" of Syabas. Is that the gist of it?

XBMC:
Hardware: $59.99 at game stop.
Software: One weekend geeking out.
End result....Finest (non HD) media streamer you will ever get.

It answers ALL of the OP's requests cheaply, and is rock-solid, and available now.

So continue to ignore the advice. Or specify in your posts that you are not interested in xboxen.

XBMC:
Hardware: $59.99 at game stop.
Software: One weekend geeking out.
End result....Finest (non HD) media streamer you will ever get.

It answers ALL of the OP's requests cheaply, and is rock-solid, and available now.

So continue to ignore the advice. Or specify in your posts that you are not interested in xboxen.

He also said that HD streamer was a positive as more shows are coming out on HD DVD and blu ray.

So the xbmc won't work there.

He also said that HD streamer was a positive as more shows are coming out on HD DVD and blu ray.

So the xbmc won't work there.

Not said in the OP.

I have PCH and TViX and Neuros and AppleTV and EVA8000. The only one that plays ISOs flawlessly is EVA800. PCH requires a media server which can play them, which I don't have for my NASs. TViX and Neuros just generally suck and Apple TV requires a hack to do this badly.

XBMC:
Hardware: $59.99 at game stop.
Software: One weekend geeking out.
End result....Finest (non HD) media streamer you will ever get.

It answers ALL of the OP's requests cheaply, and is rock-solid, and available now.

So continue to ignore the advice. Or specify in your posts that you are not interested in xboxen.

Has XBMC solved the problem it has with handling native 50i and 60i content?

I gave up on it when I discovered it wouldn't output interlaced video content properly - and de-interlaced to 25p or 30p before re-interlacing, meaning all the fluid movement was zapped... Not a problem for people who watch movie DVDs - but I have quite a few DVDs of TV shows shot on tape that I wanted to watch properly. It also stopped me streaming off-air TV recordings for the same reason. I tried a few systems after the XBox + XBMC and the Popcorn hour is the best I've found - particularly for off-air digital TV recordings and DVD VOBs/ISOs.

The XBMC solution is great for playing Divx, Xvid etc. content and does lots of nice things - particularly in UI terms - that the hardware solutions don't - but in video quality terms I found it lacking for interlaced content. (Of course it is a non-starter for HD)

This was a limitation of the mplayer core XBMC was based on - the native DVD player application on the XBox was OK in this regard.

mcrex, I'm in the same position as you, so I decided to put my name down for a popcorn hour. But for the time being I am softmoding an xbox something I will have less than 75.00 in after I'm done so it's worth it IMO. Like you I'm also concerned with HD content and thats why in the long run I will buy a popcorn hour, but I will then move the XBMC into my bedroom and stream to that also. Just some food for thought