AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › Ultra Hi-End HT Gear ($20,000+) › Media Servers worthy of high end
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Media Servers worthy of high end - Page 12

post #331 of 512
8/31/12 at 10:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

What about auto-frame rate switching? I think back when I tried, you set it's output (e.g. 24hz) and that's what you got.

Rate switching b/w 60 and 24Hz variants works.

I keep the MM library on a SMB share, performance isn't great (like it is on a PC) but it's acceptable. You should be able to use a drive in the Dune as a SMB share from the MM system, so the library can be local to the device if you're not happy with the performance.
Reply
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #332 of 512
8/31/12 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

A couple of weeks?? What caused them to need a reboot 2 weeks ago? My idea of reliable is no reboot should be required, ever. That said, I would also expect to power it off after use, back on when I want to use it so it would get fairly regular "restarts" Remind me tough, I'm thinking it has a "sleep" mode and never really powers off. Power off put it to "sleep", but when I had issues with networking etc, it required a hard power cycle (pull plug). I remember pricing remote control plugs so I could power cycle it if I was going to keep it. When you say "reboot" which do you mean?
.

Sorry..I should have been more clear. I've never had to reboot the dune player due to an issue. I had to reboot to change an IP address or update firmware..other than that it's been fine either in sleep mode, or turned off.
Reply
Reply
post #333 of 512
8/31/12 at 11:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram View Post

I rip to .MKV, but .ISO works as well (did rip a few this way). Either is supported. Bit-streaming, forced subtitles, secondary audio tracks all work with .MKV....

Forced subs don't work properly with MKV, though you can tell the Dune to always enable either internal or external subs. So if you rip it carefully (ie, only include subs if they're supposed to be forced) then you can make Dune work right. But it ignores the forced flag on the MKV subs. (*Disclaimer: I'm running old Feb 2011 firmware, but I've been watching the firmware changelogs and forum discussions, and I've seen nothing change in regards to this.)

I have a fairly complex setup for my Dune (and a wiki describing it). My goal was high WAF and I believe I've achieved that on the playback side. (Ripping is another matter.) But it is still no Kaleidescape. The interface is still rather primitive compared to K.
Reply
Reply
post #334 of 512
8/31/12 at 11:30am
I dropped a small cheap SATA drive in the Dune to store the metadata. The initial download of the meta-data does take some time. But, as noted before, adding titles is now a snap. With the SATA drive, browsing through the titles is extremely fast..on par with the K unit I've seen. It did seem a bit slower when I was using a USB drive...so I've stuck with the SATA drive.

Again, another nice feature is the Ipad/Android app. I will check to see if it does indicate a movie has been watched...as you are correct I don't think the Dune interface has this indication. Since all of my rips are movies I own, I've pretty much watched them all at some point, so I've never really had much use for that feature.
Reply
Reply
post #335 of 512
8/31/12 at 11:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottJ View Post

The interface is still rather primitive compared to K.

Could you elaborate on this? Are you talking about the main Dune interface, or the interface once MyMovies is started? As noted, I dropped a custom background and changed to coverart showing to 7X3 and I'm not certain what could be improved once in my movies (2 clicks).
Reply
Reply
post #336 of 512
8/31/12 at 11:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

1) There was no way to have a "watched" indicator. Has this changed with the new interface?

No, not with MyMovies. I do this manually with a "Never Seen" category which I update in MyMovies on my PC after I watch a movie.
Quote:
2) To update the interface on the Dune, and have decent response on the device, you needed to add a flash drive and any time you made a change to the collection, copy the setup back to the Dune. That was tedious, but there was a user who worked out how to do it with Rsync. At the time SMB share access was buggy and required fairly regular reboots. Also a lot of times the Dune would lose visibility on the network so it couldn't be updated without a reboot. This working better now?

I haven't heard of these SMB problems you're talking about. I use rsync, but you could just as easily have MyMovies write to the Dune directly over SMB. Lots of people do it that way.

There have been a few times where MyMovies didn't update the index (on my NAS accessed via SMB) when it should have. I think it's a MM bug. Solution was to force MM to recreate the whole index (slow).

I think my Dune has needed a reboot only once in over two years when it locked up while playing a file. That was a long time ago so I don't remember the details.
Reply
Reply
post #337 of 512
8/31/12 at 11:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram View Post

Could you elaborate on this? Are you talking about the main Dune interface, or the interface once MyMovies is started? As noted, I dropped a custom background and changed to coverart showing to 7X3 and I'm not certain what could be improved once in my movies (2 clicks).

The main Dune interface is just a glorified file browser, and I never use it. I have mine set to start in the MyMovies index.

The K interface has lots of slick animations that Dune doesn't have. It has an easier way to browse movies that are related ("if you like this movie, you'll love ..."). It has a better way to search/sort by actor. You can jump directly to favorite scenes. I assume there's a way to view the trailer for a movie. It has a separate interface for kids. Dune+MM has none of these.

And K handles music which MM does not.
Reply
Reply
post #338 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottJ View Post

The main Dune interface is just a glorified file browser, and I never use it. I have mine set to start in the MyMovies index.
The K interface has lots of slick animations that Dune doesn't have. It has an easier way to browse movies that are related ("if you like this movie, you'll love ..."). It has a better way to search/sort by actor. You can jump directly to favorite scenes. I assume there's a way to view the trailer for a movie. It has a separate interface for kids. Dune+MM has none of these.
And K handles music which MM does not.

Yep agreed. Those extras from K are nice..but I don't see myself using many of those outside of related movies. Can you give me some idea of how you set yours to start in the MyMovies index. I've been trying to figure out if that is possible or not.
Reply
Reply
post #339 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:12pm
Hi Scott:

I am more concerned about video performance than K type interface. Does the Dune actually play the Native content of ISO file if you set it correctly to 24Por 60I?

I have been told that the K player has source direct, anf that the K Player can play Native content. Scott can you confirm that the K player does actually play Native content and would you be kind enough to compare video performance between K player and Dune? Much appreciated.
Edited by LJG - 8/31/12 at 12:20pm
Reply
Reply
post #340 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LJG View Post

Does the Dune actually play the Native content of ISO file if you set it correctly to 24Por 60I?

24p BD = yes
24p DVD (via IVTC) = no
Reply
Reply
post #341 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram View Post

Yep agreed. Those extras from K are nice..but I don't see myself using many of those outside of related movies. Can you give me some idea of how you set yours to start in the MyMovies index. I've been trying to figure out if that is possible or not.

I did it using my Harmony, but I have another potential solution in the works using only the Dune. PM me if you'd like to try it out.
Reply
Reply
post #342 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by babgvant View Post

24p BD = yes
24p DVD (via IVTC) = no

And 1080I60 video(I am rounding off numbers)
Reply
Reply
post #343 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LJG View Post

And 1080I60 video(I am rounding off numbers)

Gets DI'd (to 1080p60) unless you manually select 1080i before starting playback.
Reply
Reply
post #344 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:37pm
Thread Starter 
Still has it's warts then. I have a LOT of movies I haven't watched yet, or old movies I've recollected and haven't had time to re-watch yet (e.g. The Trouble With Harry). Maybe a hundred +. Being able to filter those out is a big deal for me. I realize it's a personal criteria, but important IMO. Especially if you hav ea big collection and you add a few movies, hunting for them is a pain.

Havign to manually update a database every time I take action is also a pain IMO.

So it's usually back to the MM interface which does all of this, if one can live with the HTPC's warts.

Still a game of pick your poison.
Reply
Reply
post #345 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LJG View Post

Hi Scott:
I am more concerned about video performance than K type interface. Does the Dune actually play the Native content of ISO file if you set it correctly to 24Por 60I?
I have been told that the K player has source direct, anf that the K Player can play Native content. Scott can you confirm that the K player does actually play Native content and would you be kind enough to compare video performance between K player and Dune? Much appreciated.

I don't have a Kaleidescape and I've never actually seen one, just screenshots and youtube videos.

I'm not sure what you mean by "native content"; I know there are a few folks unhappy about Dune's video performance. Something to do with unnecessary colorspace conversions? I don't really understand. It looks good to me, on my mid-grade plasma, but so does any Blu-ray player.

It will play full BD ISO with menus and all, but I find full BD to be obnoxious, even on my Oppo, because it is absurdly slow (even with the Oppo being one of the fastest players built) and every time I put a disc in I have to fight with it to get the movie to start playing. For playing full BD-ISO, the Dune is worse than Oppo, and has had many compatibility issues over the years. But that's true for most normal Blu-ray players and especially true for the few streamers that support full BD-ISO.

(I use ClownBD ISOs myself.)

Anyway, despite my ranting, I'm very happy with my Dune, though Kaliedescape is still in another league.
Reply
Reply
post #346 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:42pm
Thread Starter 
I spoke at length today to company I've signed up to be a dealer for. They have a software package that they are going to try to integrate with the Dune. Basically the architecture in a nutshell will be a PC program that runs the jukebox, like MyMovies, etc. Only when you pick a movie, it in turns sends the appropriate commands to the Dune to play the chosen media whatever it is. It will would fundamentally remove the interface from the Dune and use the Dune as a playback slave. Since most of my issues with the Dune are interface related, this sounds promising. Very promising. I think I could sell that. And be happy with it in my personal theater. But alas, not ready yet.
Reply
Reply
post #347 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

I spoke at length today to company I've signed up to be a dealer for. They have a software package that they are going to try to integrate with the Dune. Basically the architecture in a nutshell will be a PC program that runs the jukebox, like MyMovies, etc. Only when you pick a movie, it in turns sends the appropriate commands to the Dune to play the chosen media whatever it is. It will would fundamentally remove the interface from the Dune and use the Dune as a playback slave. Since most of my issues with the Dune are interface related, this sounds promising. Very promising. I think I could sell that. And be happy with it in my personal theater. But alas, not ready yet.

So you'd have to switch sources to the Dune once you pick a movie?

If you were willing to use an iPad as the sole movie-picking interface, there are some other options that you might like better than MyMovies. (like 10Muse)
Reply
Reply
post #348 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:49pm
Looks like you can filter watched/not watched movies on the Ipad/Android App. Still not certain what you mean that you have to update a data base every time you take an action?? When I add a movie in collection management (or it gets automatically added by folder monitoring) I just click save title and it shows up on the Dune. Is it really less steps than than on a HTPC?

Agreed..pick your poison. For me, not having to (EVER) mess with a HTPC and software blu-ray playback, drivers, etc again is worth some of the thing you give up for the set top Dune setup.

Great discussion!
Reply
Reply
post #349 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

I spoke at length today to company I've signed up to be a dealer for. They have a software package that they are going to try to integrate with the Dune. Basically the architecture in a nutshell will be a PC program that runs the jukebox, like MyMovies, etc. Only when you pick a movie, it in turns sends the appropriate commands to the Dune to play the chosen media whatever it is. It will would fundamentally remove the interface from the Dune and use the Dune as a playback slave. Since most of my issues with the Dune are interface related, this sounds promising. Very promising. I think I could sell that. And be happy with it in my personal theater. But alas, not ready yet.

This sounds very promising, please keep me informed
Reply
Reply
post #350 of 512
8/31/12 at 12:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottJ View Post

So you'd have to switch sources to the Dune once you pick a movie?
If you were willing to use an iPad as the sole movie-picking interface, there are some other options that you might like better than MyMovies. (like 10Muse)
Yes, you'd pick a movie, it tells the Dune to start playing it via IP commands, tells your Pre-pro (or whatever) to switch sources to the Dune. Dune engages, plays movie. Ends. Dune shows splash screen of Main software. Back to Software app to paly another movie, view catalog, etc.

I am trying to not have to have a iDevice to run the theater. At least not as a requirement.
Reply
Reply
post #351 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

.
I am trying to not have to have a iDevice to run the theater. At least not as a requirement.

What is needed to run the software you speak about above? A PC/Computer that needs to be on??
Reply
Reply
post #352 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:10pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram View Post

Looks like you can filter watched/not watched movies on the Ipad/Android App. Still not certain what you mean that you have to update a data base every time you take an action??
Apologies, it's been a while since I used the Dune, forget the terminology. I mean if you added a movies to your database, you had to manually update teh index on the flash drive at the Dune. Thats what I meant.
Quote:
When I add a movie in collection management (or it gets automatically added by folder monitoring) I just click save title and it shows up on the Dune.
That's new. Unless you have the index on teh server, which I didn't becasue it was sloow.
Quote:
Agreed..pick your poison. For me, not having to (EVER) mess with a HTPC and software blu-ray playback, drivers, etc again is worth some of the thing you give up for the set top Dune setup.
Great discussion!
It has it's attractiveness. I always keep in on the radar at least a little. What got my attention (again) was Vidabox using it.

Missed a bunch of replies somehow...


Lon: Last time I asked K about source direct they were clueless. Best technical guy there said he "didn't think so". As their Anamorphic mode is them scaling, I am confident they aren't about video source direct as much as the interface. I'll get beat up for that remark.

re K, I don't care at all about it's spiffy animations. But I do want cover atr with meta data browsing and a screen full of enough covers to make it easy to browse.

As far as metadata, I have kids so rating is important, and for me Watched, or not is important. K also does not (did not) have watched flags. Spoke to them at length about that last year.
Reply
Reply
post #353 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram View Post

What is needed to run the software you speak about above? A PC/Computer that needs to be on??
Yes. Does more than Movies, (can do about any control function) but Movie server functions are my focus.
Reply
Reply
post #354 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:21pm
Quote:
That's new. Unless you have the index on teh server, which I didn't becasue it was sloow.

Yes. Works this way if the index is on the sever. As noted above, a SATA drive vs a usb makes if quite snappy (screen transitions are almost instant).
Reply
Reply
post #355 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by barhoram View Post

Looks like you can filter watched/not watched movies on the Ipad/Android App.

Thie is true, but the "Watched" flag is not updated if you pick a movie using the Dune interface. So it won't be accurate.
Reply
Reply
post #356 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

That's new. Unless you have the index on teh server, which I didn't becasue it was sloow.

To MyMovies, whether the index is on a file server or on the Dune, it looks the same. After all, the Dune is an SMB server just like a NAS.

So you can point MM to the Dune's local drive and it will keep the index there updated.
Reply
Reply
post #357 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottJ View Post

I don't have a Kaleidescape and I've never actually seen one, just screenshots and youtube videos.
I'm not sure what you mean by "native content"; I know there are a few folks unhappy about Dune's video performance. Something to do with unnecessary colorspace conversions? I don't really understand. It looks good to me, on my mid-grade plasma, but so does any Blu-ray player.
It will play full BD ISO with menus and all, but I find full BD to be obnoxious, even on my Oppo, because it is absurdly slow (even with the Oppo being one of the fastest players built) and every time I put a disc in I have to fight with it to get the movie to start playing. For playing full BD-ISO, the Dune is worse than Oppo, and has had many compatibility issues over the years. But that's true for most normal Blu-ray players and especially true for the few streamers that support full BD-ISO.
(I use ClownBD ISOs myself.)
Anyway, despite my ranting, I'm very happy with my Dune, though Kaliedescape is still in another league.
I'll be the last one to defend HTPCs, but FWIW, I very rarely have any disc startup issues with my MyMovies client and BR iso's. It's runnign the latest TMT5.
Reply
Reply
post #358 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:39pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottJ View Post

To MyMovies, whether the index is on a file server or on the Dune, it looks the same. After all, the Dune is an SMB server just like a NAS.
So you can point MM to the Dune's local drive and it will keep the index there updated.
I understand. That definately was not an option when I tried last.
Reply
Reply
post #359 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:42pm
Thread Starter 
Andy: "via IVTC" What is IVTC? I know I'll say duh when you tell me but anyway.... smile.gif
Reply
Reply
post #360 of 512
8/31/12 at 1:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GetGray View Post

Andy: "via IVTC" What is IVTC? I know I'll say duh when you tell me but anyway.... smile.gif

Inverse telecine. There were only a handful of players that would ever play DVD as 24p. My Oppo can, but I quit using it as it had more problems that it was worth. (Doesn't work well with subtitles, or poorly authored discs.)
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Ultra Hi-End HT Gear ($20,000+)

Gear mentioned in this thread:

AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › Ultra Hi-End HT Gear ($20,000+) › Media Servers worthy of high end