Cheap XBMC

[STRBramley]

I currently run my XBMC from my PC to my TV using HDMI as a second monitor. I'd like to sell my PC as I could live without it and just use my laptop but the. I would be without XBMC and Plex.

Does anyone know of a good cheap solution that can run Plex with XBMC?
I'm looking for something small that I can FTP to, hook up HDMI and optical for 5.1, easily play 1080p and connect up my external 3tb hdd which is where all my media will be played from.

I've seen these ouya consoles? In GAME and noticed they work with plex and xbmc, are they any good?

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Yes, a Raspberry Pi running Raspbmc. Works well for me

 

[STRBramley]

Yes, a Raspberry Pi running Raspbmc. Works well for me

Thanks. If I got the board do you have any suggestions of a bundle I could get to go with it? Case, card remote etc?

 

[STRBramley]

Also, would it work with plex?

 

[STRBramley]

Priced one up on RS for £43 for board, case and power cable. Model B.

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Not sure if it would work with plex, I have never used it! What features does plex have over xbmc?

Plenty of stuff on CPC (Farnell) as they are the other UK distributor along with RS Components. See more here! http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/bespoke/...C/makerspace/raspberrypi.html&isRedirect=true

 

[WhiteHartMart]

I think XBMC has an add-on called Plexbmc from memory?

I had problems using a Pi no matter what I did with power supplies etc - just didn't like my AV set up at all? Used one of the Pivos type boxes (My Gica 510b) which was decent for £60 all in but probably ultimately not quite as quick as an overclocked Pi.

The Little Black Box seems a decent, well supported bit of hardware although possibly a tad overpriced at £99.

Using a Mac Mini for mine now - probably end up using Plex exclusively on it now - picked it up 2nd hand for £120 and its perfect for XBMC also. Had a Celeron Intel NUC for a while too and that ran XBMC faultlessly no matter what skin - a tad more at about £150 though.

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

I think XBMC has an add-on called Plexbmc from memory?

I had problems using a Pi no matter what I did with power supplies etc - just didn't like my AV set up at all? Used one of the Pivos type boxes (My Gica 510b) which was decent for £60 all in but probably ultimately not quite as quick as an overclocked Pi.

The Little Black Box seems a decent, well supported bit of hardware although possibly a tad overpriced at £99.

Using a Mac Mini for mine now - probably end up using Plex exclusively on it now - picked it up 2nd hand for £120 and its perfect for XBMC also. Had a Celeron Intel NUC for a while too and that ran XBMC faultlessly no matter what skin - a tad more at about £150 though.

What issues did you have with the Pi?

 

[WhiteHartMart]

Just had general display issues, crashing and audio issues - researched it and a lot of people said it was power supply related but I tried 3 of the damn things lol

Then tried one again a few months later and that one had problems gaining the ID of my TV via my AV Amp - got fed up by that time, tried a few fixes I read online then got rid.

If it works for you though - its easily the best value XBMC option.

 

[ThomasBrentnall]

Just had general display issues, crashing and audio issues - researched it and a lot of people said it was power supply related but I tried 3 of the damn things lol

Then tried one again a few months later and that one had problems gaining the ID of my TV via my AV Amp - got fed up by that time, tried a few fixes I read online then got rid.

If it works for you though - its easily the best value XBMC option.

Fair enough, power supplies can be a pain in the ass on these. Apple iPad chargers work well as they're high output! I think another rev of Raspbmc has come out lately too!

 

[Rasclart]

Another vote for Raspberry Pi. Latest revisions of Openelec have been great. I run a RBP with Openelec (XBMC) with all my media served from a NAS. Quite happily handles 720P, 1080P. Not had any problems with stability. Certainly worth a punt for the cash.

I also have another RBP that basically checks for new downloads of various TV shoes. Downloads, unpacks onto the NAS and then the other with Openelec auto updates the library every 3 hours so they are sat waiting for me when I get home