best upgrade from Hauppage MVP?

[oppland]

I've been using the MVP for 3-4 years now and it mostly works well. Is there something that isn't too expensive out there that would be a significant upgrade? All I need is wired ethernet and the ability to play MPEG2 and Xvid videos from a Windows (BTV) server.

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by oppland

I've been using the MVP for 3-4 years now and it mostly works well. Is there something that isn't too expensive out there that would be a significant upgrade? All I need is wired ethernet and the ability to play MPEG2 and Xvid videos from a Windows (BTV) server.

Depends.
Using BeyondTV there isn't any hardware-based extender available that provides the BeyondTV interface with the exception of the user-supported MediaMVP.

Cat6man uses some network-based boxes that give him access to the content recorded by BeyondTV, but it isn't the BTV interface. EDIT Cat6man uses Ziova/Zensonic Z500, Ziova CS505 and is testing a Ziova CS615 according to his forum sig.

SageTV has an excellent HD Extender (HD100) that handles HD and HD-PVR output perfectly, but it only works with SageTV.
There are also several Windows VistaMC extenders that work with Vista Media Center, but again don't work with BTV or any other HTPC software.

[tscales]

I use inexpensive small computers with BTVLink. More than an extender, but a lot more powerful.

[bits]

Originally Posted by tscales

I use inexpensive small computers with BTVLink. More than an extender, but a lot more powerful.

True more powerful but also more of a pain in as#.

[tscales]

In what way? They sit there and work. Don't require anything once setup.

[bits]

Originally Posted by tscales

In what way? They sit there and work. Don't require anything once setup.

I have done both media streamer and HTPC and in my experience and that of many others the HTPC takes a lot more skill and trial and error to setup and to maintain. You do not just plug an HTPC in and start watching video (SD and HD) and never have to do any other setup or maintenance. I know you love your little Dell Optiplex but you have truly forgotten what it took to get it to where it is now(setup and what it takes to maintain it) and you are probably assuming most everyone is as computer savvy as yourself.

Have you ever had a streamer and if so which one(s)?

If you had said something like; If you are computer savvy, do not mind a more complex setup, then maybe you should consider an HTPC because it ultimately is more powerful. I would have no issue but to just say it is more powerful with no other qualification IMO implies that it is every bit as easy to setup and maintain as a good networked media player, which is misleading and is simply not true.

[RiderFan]

I have used media extenders in the past, and you do not just plug them in and start watching video. They can be flakey, and buggy and you may be limited to what you can play. You are at the merci of the manufacturer with future upgrades.

My "PC extender" is in a small case, quiet and not much bigger than an off the shelf extender. It cost me $300 and plays every type of file that I can throw at it. I set it up around 3 years ogo, it's been running 24/7 with almost no "maintenence".

Building your own "extender" is definately worth it, and in my view, a much better experience.

[bits]

Originally Posted by RiderFan

I have used media extenders in the past, and you do not just plug them in and start watching video. They can be flakey, and buggy and you may be limited to what you can play. You are at the merci of the manufacturer with future upgrades.

My "PC extender" is in a small case, quiet and not much bigger than an off the shelf extender. It cost me $300 and plays every type of file that I can throw at it. I set it up around 3 years ogo, it's been running 24/7 with almost no "maintenence".

Building your own "extender" is definately worth it, and in my view, a much better experience.

Well there you go...another HTPC guy who has forgotten what it actually cost and what it actually took to setup (I am specifically talking about an HTPC that does both SD and HD ts-high bitrate stuff). I am sorry that you bought a bumb network media player but I have had (3) different brands and they have ALL been much easier to setup and maintain than an HTPC. My experience is probably what it is because I am NOT computer savvy! I am more like the REST of the world!

[cfaslave]

I'm somewhat computer savvy (that term is a little squishy) and I have a HTPC I built which works very well, is pretty quiet and plenty powerful enough - plus expandable. I also have several MVP's and another extender (one that doesn't work with BTV).

My opinion is that both options are great, but there are obvious advantages and disadvantages to both:
HTPC: can be more powerful, can be quiet & small, can be relatively inexpensive, can do more than most extenders. But also typically costs more, takes much more time to set up, can be difficult to get set up just right - especially if you aren't computer savvy.

Extender: Typically cheaper, always easier to set up, more plug & play, silent and small. But sometimes more limited in functionality, sometimes buggy (although the one I use isn't).

In my house I like to have both. If I had to choose though, I'd pick the extender for every TV every time. I know this is only a personal choice, but it's hard to argue against the extender in my house....

[RiderFan]

I haven't forgotten anything. $300 and about 8 hours for complete setup. The extenders that I bought were not bumb network media players. The first was a lynksys media extender, and then a Prismiq. Both were highly reviewed products. I 100% agree that if you do not know how to build a PC, then this obviously is not the way to go. It is a viable option, that I thought I would share with the OP.

[Jakesty]

I've put together probably over 100 different computers in my career, maybe 50 in the last 3 years, but everyone doesn't need to know how to build a computer in order to install BTV LINK. My kids even know how to install it now because dad is always upgrading to the next beta. It takes about 3 mins, a serial number, and power/data cables like any device. I'd like the idea of an extender, but I can see the day when a new media format comes out that it wouldn't work with. Look at the Media MVP that so many (and me) are now getting stuck with due to it's lack of support and limited abilities. A PC doesn't have that problem, just upgrade the link software which for a few years has been free to registered owners.
Now building an HTPC server wasn't as difficult as getting all of the settings and software configured along with the learning curve of how it works and what works with your system. Honestly if you're not computer savvy at all, probably should be in the TIVO market with the other less savvy users.

[Nick Burns]

If I understand correctly, and please, correct me if I'm wrong, is that the MVP is not capable of playing HD content from BTV, yes?

So, I if I wanted an "extender" that has the same UI as BTV, building a BTVLink computer was my only option. Which I've actually just ordered the parts today.. a MicroATX machine with a case that's just slightly bigger than a VCR -- 12.8" x 3.8" x 15.8". I can't wait to get my hands on it to build!

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by Nick Burns

If I understand correctly, and please, correct me if I'm wrong, is that the MVP is not capable of playing HD content from BTV, yes?

So, I if I wanted an "extender" that has the same UI as BTV, building a BTVLink computer was my only option. Which I've actually just ordered the parts today.. a MicroATX machine with a case that's just slightly bigger than a VCR -- 12.8" x 3.8" x 15.8". I can't wait to get my hands on it to build!

Yes - and don't let BITS scare you away. You can either build your HTPC or you can buy one like TSCALES. In either case, once you have a working PC (Open the box and turn it on if you bought it), installing link and having HD at your finger tips is the easy part. Just make sure that what you buy is up to spec - at least a GB (recommend 2) of memory and a high end video card (I currently use 8600GTs - around $100). I've just built four link clients (for my daughter, two sons, and mother) in the last month and all are running flawlessly.

I have the same bad experiences as Riderfan with extenders (MediaMVP, PrismIQ, and Dlink) and none of them were ever "stable" and all required almost a dedicated PC for video processing, so the cost is the extender plus the PC to run the server software.

I've also got some cable strategies that can help you put the link PC in another room than the TV if noise is an issue. All of my BTV servers and links are in a central closet in my basement and my "entertainment centers" are all over my house.

[tscales]

Setting up my GX620 took about 45 minutes. Most to load a fresh copy of XP (Dells come, of course, with real XP disks). Works with SD and HD out of the box (at 1080p). Uses the BTV interface. Allows me to schedule shows from my extender and watch Live TV. SD and HD.

Now, remind me, which extender for BTV allows me to do all those things?

I own a MediaMVP that is in a box somewhere. Works OK for SD. Doesn't work at all for HD. It has been awhile, but the server component was flaky as heck. Didn't support AVI (sort of does now). Doesn't let you schedule. If you want the BTV interface you have to use 'user supported code'. Certainly took a heck of a lot more time to setup than my HTPC.

Oh, and I haven't forgotten anything. Maybe I'm just better at it?

[cfaslave]

Originally Posted by tscales

Now, remind me, which extender for BTV allows me to do all those things?

None. You're right that there is no "extender" that has BTV's interface and works well. There should be one, but there isn't.

I own a MediaMVP that is in a box somewhere. Works OK for SD. Doesn't work at all for HD. It has been awhile, but the server component was flaky as heck. Didn't support AVI (sort of does now). Doesn't let you schedule. If you want the BTV interface you have to use 'user supported code'. Certainly took a heck of a lot more time to setup than my HTPC.

I was never happy with the MediaMVP "skin" for BTV. I now use two MVP's with another HTPC software that gives me the exact same interface as on my main HTPC's, does SD perfectly and uses the server to transcode the HD shows. Access to all movies, music and online video content. The downside is the server has a much higher load on it because its transcoding when viewing HD TV shows, but it works and works well. This is an excellent solution for me, cost very little (thanks Ebay and another SS forum member ) and is small and silent. It took me less than three minutes to plug in and get working.

As I said in a post above, I think you can do what you want to by building or buying an HTPC computer, installing BTV Link and configuring that PC. I'm using that very thing with my PC in the living room. I don't think it's right though to say that an extender isn't a good idea. If you have a good extender solution that handles all types of video/audio files, is small, silent and mostly plug in and go it's very difficult to say it's not a better option for many or most people - even those computer savvy people.

I'd love to see Snapstream support an HD extender because I think it would broaden the software's appeal and be a success for them. It has to be done right, but it's been proven to work for others. For now though there is no good extender solution for BTV.