inexpensive H.264 hardware media renderer

[benjatelcom]

Now that I have twonky running well on my Buffalo LS2, and sound bridge rendering my music collection, I would like to add a AV renderer that can accept h.264 video in .mp4 containers... All of my content is NTSC resolution, 480p, with either 2ch AAC-LC or 6ch AAC-LC.

Is there anything inexpensive (not even HD). I can take component, 1080i/p DVI and HDMI and analog audio at -10 or +4 into my amplifiers.

Anyone know of a upnp network media renderer that will play AVC video (thats perhaps a little less expensive then PS3)?

[mgillespie]

I have not seen anything that works as well as the PS3 (even the 360).

Whilst it may look pricey, you may be able to sell existing kit that it replaces, to part fund it. It's a great upscaling DVD player, and if your European, there is a HD TV recorder option coming soon.

I rearranged my setup, I now have a SkyHD box, and a PS3 under the TV, and that does EVERYTHING I need, HD gaming, HD streaming, HD recording.

[cbhwr]

I have not seen anything that works as well as the PS3 (even the 360).

Whilst it may look pricey, you may be able to sell existing kit that it replaces, to part fund it. It's a great upscaling DVD player, and if your European, there is a HD TV recorder option coming soon.

I rearranged my setup, I now have a SkyHD box, and a PS3 under the TV, and that does EVERYTHING I need, HD gaming, HD streaming, HD recording.

Just checking: Mark, you SURE you not affiliated with Sony?

That said, a PS3 is a very nice box, and it plays some formats very well. MPEG4/AVC/AAC very well, except for issues zooming "properly/logically".

I would consider shopping for a old MS XBox, chipped and modded to play all sorts of content. It is normal-resolution (not HD/DVI/HDMI), I do not know any providers, I cannot remember the name of the software to install and I cannot promise if it is legal where you live. It is in most of Europe, but not in certain 3rd world countries which may include the US.

/G

[sjm]

I have not seen anything that works as well as the PS3 (even the 360).

Whilst it may look pricey, you may be able to sell existing kit that it replaces, to part fund it. It's a great upscaling DVD player, and if your European, there is a HD TV recorder option coming soon.

I rearranged my setup, I now have a SkyHD box, and a PS3 under the TV, and that does EVERYTHING I need, HD gaming, HD streaming, HD recording.

Just checking: Mark, you SURE you not affiliated with Sony?

That said, a PS3 is a very nice box, and it plays some formats very well. MPEG4/AVC/AAC very well, except for issues zooming "properly/logically".

I would consider shopping for a old MS XBox, chipped and modded to play all sorts of content. It is normal-resolution (not HD/DVI/HDMI), I do not know any providers, I cannot remember the name of the software to install and I cannot promise if it is legal where you live. It is in most of Europe, but not in certain 3rd world countries which may include the US.

/G

Mark talked me into a PS3. It took some convincing, but everything he said was true. I couldn't be happier with it!

The XBOX conversion is http://xboxmediacenter.com/ Looks like a very nice setup as well. It would be a fun project to try out.

[benjatelcom]

But as a BD player, is anyone concerned about the limitations of the HDMI transmitter chip not being able to push dolby true HD or DTS master audio out to your home theater receiver? Will I be forced to listen to the core AC3 or DTS non-hd soundtrack forever?

[cbhwr]

But as a BD player, is anyone concerned about the limitations of the HDMI transmitter chip not being able to push dolby true HD or DTS master audio out to your home theater receiver? Will I be forced to listen to the core AC3 or DTS non-hd soundtrack forever?

Dolby TrueHD not supported in HDMI 1.3?

[mgillespie]

But as a BD player, is anyone concerned about the limitations of the HDMI transmitter chip not being able to push dolby true HD or DTS master audio out to your home theater receiver? Will I be forced to listen to the core AC3 or DTS non-hd soundtrack forever?

Firstly, I don't work for Sony, and believe it or not, I don't love everything Sony makes ( I have a new Walkman, which I am very disappointed with). The PS3 is however an awesome bit of kit, a fantastic Blu-Ray player, a fantastic game console, a fantastic DVD upscaler, a fantastic UPnP Media renderer client, and decent SACD player. All in one quiet, stylish box.

Why do I recommend the PS3 for media streaming client? Well having seen and played with UPnP video clients in the £150-£200 mark, I have been less than impressed, they are clunky, look horrible, and are unreliable. If you can stretch your budget to £400, you get all the £200 features, implemented in a much better way, that actually work, plus you get the Blu-Ray player, game console and DVD upscaler and SACD aspects. Whilst I appreciate £400 is beyond many peoples budget, there is current no decent UPnP hardware video clients that I would be 100% happy with, and as the PS3 price drops, so it becomes a better deal, as just a UPnP video client.

The rumours that the PS3 can't pass TrueHD or DTS:MA through the HDMI port, is nothing more than a unsubstantiated rumour, in all likelihood by Xbox Elite owners disappointed by Microsoft's choice to use HDMI 1.2 in the Elite.

The facts are:

The PS3 can output bit stream, so whatever, an amp will be able to decode these formats.

The PS3 does not use the chip in question anyway (the Silicon Image Si9133), it uses a variation of the Si9134 chip for consoles, which can output these audio formats.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/printthr ... =152&pp=30

Like I said, nobody has proved the PS3 can't output these formats, it's just idle speculation, in all likelihood dug up my Xbox/ HD DVD owners looking for something bad to post about the PS3, in the light of the 360's / HD DVD numerous problems. The evidence suggests it's just fine.