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12-16-2020, 10:32 AM
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Location: McAllen, TX
4,927 posts, read 3,420,449 times
Reputation: 5835
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrine
If going the Shield TV route i'd suggest Plex. It was designed from the ground up to specifically work with your own media,
https://www.plex.tv/ |
I know what plex is and I've used it in the past. In fact, I've used it to play movies stored on my PC from my mother's house which is across town. It's also not completely free and open source like Kodi.
Kodi is a Media Center and better suited to play local content in my opinion. That is why I recommended it. Technically it is not streaming, it's like playing video on your PC except that it is all nicely layed out for you and you can operate it with a simple remote. I'm sure you remember Windows Media Center? Kodi is like that but much better.
Plex would also work. It's up to the OP. He may not even need either one. I have no idea what kind of content he has.
Last edited by gguerra; 12-16-2020 at 10:47 AM..
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12-16-2020, 10:34 AM
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Location: McAllen, TX
4,927 posts, read 3,420,449 times
Reputation: 5835
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noodlecat
I have a flash drive plugged into the USB port on my router. I then use VLC downloaded to my Fire Stick to access and play my videos. Very easy, and works great.
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That would work as well. That setup is much like a NAS. You need Wifi or a network connection for that and a little more technical knowhow. |
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12-16-2020, 11:43 AM
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1,416 posts, read 860,273 times
Reputation: 2484
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Forgot to mention that many newer smart TV's have USB ports to allow you to connect the drive directly to the TV. The limiting factor there might be the software on the TV which may not be updated regularly and therefore might not recognize some newer video formats.
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12-16-2020, 12:02 PM
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Location: McAllen, TX
4,927 posts, read 3,420,449 times
Reputation: 5835
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noodlecat
Forgot to mention that many newer smart TV's have USB ports to allow you to connect the drive directly to the TV. The limiting factor there might be the software on the TV which may not be updated regularly and therefore might not recognize some newer video formats.
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That and many DVD and BD players also have USB ports. I think the OP was having compatibility issues with certain formats.
He could also convert existing videos to something more compatible.
Many ways to do it. |
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12-16-2020, 01:10 PM
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Location: Cleveland, Ohio
13,016 posts, read 15,122,402 times
Reputation: 9124
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gguerra
I know what plex is and I've used it in the past.
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Didn't imply that you didn't know what it is.
Quote:
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Kodi is a Media Center and better suited to play local content in my opinion. That is why I recommended it. Technically it is not streaming, it's like playing video on your PC except that it is all nicely layed out for you and you can operate it with a simple remote. I'm sure you remember Windows Media Center? Kodi is like that but much better.
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I've used Kodi as well. I like the Plex interface better. I think it's pretty and easier to use.
Yea, I remember WMC alright. I even had the official remote. Plex which was called something else came in to being to compete with WMC.
The server is 100% free. You only have to pay to add some streaming bits for the Plex Pass.
https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/ |
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12-16-2020, 02:07 PM
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Location: McAllen, TX
4,927 posts, read 3,420,449 times
Reputation: 5835
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrine
Didn't imply that you didn't know what it is.
I've used Kodi as well. I like the Plex interface better. I think it's pretty and easier to use.
Yea, I remember WMC alright. I even had the official remote. Plex which was called something else came in to being to compete with WMC.
The server is 100% free. You only have to pay to add some streaming bits for the Plex Pass.
https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/ |
What's prettier about it?
Kodi
Plex
It's the same as far as I can tell when we are talking about movies. Again, I have no idea if the OP has movies or his own personal videos in which case it would not matter. You may prefer the Plex interface but that's simply a matter of taste. I think the Kodi screens are prettier.
In fact, Kodi has plugins for Plex. You wouldn't need them for local content obviously, just for streaming from a Plex Server which you also need to make Plex work even if it's on the same device. Plex uses the Client/Server model, Kodi is direct and to the point.
When it comes to local playback, Plex has no clear advantage over Kodi. It's rather the opposite. Way more customization, wider range of video and audio formats supported, will play from physical media, etc etc. Kodi also has TONS of add-ons for streaming and many other functions Do I need to go into more details about it?
But hey, the OP could use both and decide for him/herself. |
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12-16-2020, 03:23 PM
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Location: Cleveland, Ohio
13,016 posts, read 15,122,402 times
Reputation: 9124
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Looks a bit different then I remember.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gguerra
Do I need to go into more details about it?
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Nah, we're good.
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But hey, the OP could use both and decide for him/herself.
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Yea.  |
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12-17-2020, 12:21 PM
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44 posts, read 19,788 times
Reputation: 38
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Thanks everyone for your valuable advices. I ended up secretly open the gift for my son's birthday (next March). It's a Xbox One S All Digital. As it turns out, it can play all the movie and access large external HDD quickly. It can automatically turn the video view upside down, side ways if needed. I like it a lot because my family members don't know much about playing the files from PC.
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12-17-2020, 12:23 PM
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44 posts, read 19,788 times
Reputation: 38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gguerra
What's prettier about it?
Kodi
Plex
It's the same as far as I can tell when we are talking about movies. Again, I have no idea if the OP has movies or his own personal videos in which case it would not matter. You may prefer the Plex interface but that's simply a matter of taste. I think the Kodi screens are prettier.
In fact, Kodi has plugins for Plex. You wouldn't need them for local content obviously, just for streaming from a Plex Server which you also need to make Plex work even if it's on the same device. Plex uses the Client/Server model, Kodi is direct and to the point.
When it comes to local playback, Plex has no clear advantage over Kodi. It's rather the opposite. Way more customization, wider range of video and audio formats supported, will play from physical media, etc etc. Kodi also has TONS of add-ons for streaming and many other functions Do I need to go into more details about it?
But hey, the OP could use both and decide for him/herself.
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I think I will re-install Kodi on my Fire stick again. Did it long time ago but didn't have time to watch movies. Plus, my fire stick got no use ever since I use 7 chromecasts in the house. |
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12-17-2020, 12:25 PM
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44 posts, read 19,788 times
Reputation: 38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrine
No. You play the video on the PC and using VLC you CAST the video to the Chromecast wirelessly. That's kind of the whole point of the first generation Chromecast which I assume you have?!? As long as the app supports it (VLC does).
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Thanks for the idea. I was able to install VLC on my phone and cast the movies on my Chromecast. Now the next step is to figure out how to root my spare android phone to read my 5tb external HDD via otg cable. |
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