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Google proves they can't get anything right
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Looks like Apple "accidentally" leaked their stuff to combat this.
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Honestly, the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 look really, really nice. Google might be dropping the ball on its streaming devices, but the phone and tablet should generate some positive buzz.
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In some ways Chromecast IS better than the AppleTV, it's definitely more versatile (if not more reliable).
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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What baffles me about the Nexus 6 is that it's nearly the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus, but the thinner bezels and lack of home button mean that they can fit the 5.9" display.
Ridiculous. Also tempting.
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For reference:
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by Shaddim
In some ways Chromecast IS better than the AppleTV, it's definitely more versatile (if not more reliable).
Hardly.
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Clinically Insane
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Fine rebuttal, I'm convinced.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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My Chromecast streams far more reliably than my Apple TV, sorry Starman, especially video. Where my Apple TV struggles to play the BBC iPlayer, Chromecast has no such issues, on the same wifi network.
The Nexus 6 looks great, too.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by Shaddim
Fine rebuttal, I'm convinced.
About as good as your statement with nothing to back it up.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by Phileas
My Chromecast streams far more reliably than my Apple TV, sorry Starman, especially video. Where my Apple TV struggles to play the BBC iPlayer, Chromecast has no such issues, on the same wifi network.
The Nexus 6 looks great, too.
We use the Apple TV every day. Literally. It streams fine. What does "reliable" even mean?
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Originally Posted by starman
About as good as your statement with nothing to back it up.
Hardly.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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Originally Posted by Shaddim
Hardly.
How about some evidence? What? NO?
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Our Apple TV streams just fine for as long as you're streaming directly from it, using a native app like Netflix or YouTube. That's not the problem. Where it struggles, and Chromecast doesn't, is when you try and stream video from a laptop. There is no native BBC iPlayer for the Apple TV, for example, so when we want to watch UK programing I can either connect a laptop directly to the TV or I can stream via Chromecast. Streaming via the Apple TV results in a stalled stream pretty much all the time.
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Looks like it does not have an Ethernet port - new Wifi is fast but with so many devices accessing home routers now, a direct connection for 1080p streaming is always welcome - and only HDMI out for audio, which is not unexpected but again, more options are great.
But I would get one of these in a heartbeat over the AppleTV because of the non-closed ecosystem - i.e. ability to run something like Plex. For example I have a large DVD collection of classic movies - courtesy of stumbling onto several hundred DVDs from the estate of an older couple who loved classic flicks - that I ripped in very high quality. When I was using the ATV there was no easy way to list and play them as part of my movies...it was really frustrating at the time.
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My sister adores her chromecast for the same reasons as the above two posters.
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I'm mainly in the streaming devices market for Plex frontend clients and I am pretty interested in this.
Every client I've used so far as some annoying caveat:
• Apple TV does not have a native client, forcing you to AirPlay to the ATV from an iOS device. It doesn't fully hand-off this stream, so if you are using an iPhone and someone calls you, stream interrupted.
• Roku 1/3/Stick: All are fine devices, though Direct Play is not possible even on the LAN for most of my media; Direct Streams are more common, which isn't horrible. The Plex Channel interface is also pretty shitty and the biggest ding.
• Chromecast: No onscreen navigation. Also won't handle 5.1/7.1. Very suitable if you are OK with using a phone/tablet for navigation and do not care about surround sound.
• Amazon Fire TV: Easily the best interface for Plex, hands down. Direct Play not possible for certain formats and a very annoying bug where it will not pass surround sound. This an issue with the device itself, not the Plex app.
• Plex Home Theater on OS X/Windows/Linux: Very nice interface, though running it on a full fledged computer is definitely the most expensive of the bunch. No problems with Direct Play or surround sound. Only real knock is the price to build.
If this Nexus Play has great support for various media containers (can Direct Play content over the LAN) and doesn't have any issues with passing surround sound, this will be the best device for Plex. Wifi only is a little surprising, but not a dealbreaker by any means. I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on this.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
Looks like it does not have an Ethernet port - new Wifi is fast but with so many devices accessing home routers now, a direct connection for 1080p streaming is always welcome - and only HDMI out for audio, which is not unexpected but again, more options are great.
But I would get one of these in a heartbeat over the AppleTV because of the non-closed ecosystem - i.e. ability to run something like Plex. For example I have a large DVD collection of classic movies - courtesy of stumbling onto several hundred DVDs from the estate of an older couple who loved classic flicks - that I ripped in very high quality. When I was using the ATV there was no easy way to list and play them as part of my movies...it was really frustrating at the time.
You don't need Plex. Just use iTunes. I have hundreds of videos shared that way. I don't see why you would need Plex. I tried Plex and it's a horrid mess. First off, it crashes all the damn time. Second, its UI needs a lot of work. And like I said, iTunes does it all for you.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by starman
You don't need Plex. Just use iTunes. I have hundreds of videos shared that way. I don't see why you would need Plex. I tried Plex and it's a horrid mess. First off, it crashes all the damn time. Second, its UI needs a lot of work. And like I said, iTunes does it all for you.
As I said, more flexibility (more streaming and app options), less overall stability.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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Originally Posted by starman
You don't need Plex. Just use iTunes. I have hundreds of videos shared that way. I don't see why you would need Plex. I tried Plex and it's a horrid mess. First off, it crashes all the damn time. Second, its UI needs a lot of work. And like I said, iTunes does it all for you.
First, would I then need to re-rip or convert video files to specific iTunes-approved format(s)? IIRC iTunes did not like the rips I had used. Secondly...iTunes is a damn bloated mess, and moreso all the time. Cramming massive movie and music libraries in a single window is terribad. I dislike using it for both, or even at all nowadays, and Apple should have found a better solution years ago.
To piggyback on abbazabba's post, I did end up using a Mini as a dedicated HTPC using Plex Server and Plex Home Theatre. OSX PHT very rarely crashes and the interface (for movies at least) is excellent for remote control.
The largest downside for me in using remote-box devices is a downgrade in audio quality. ATV for example only outputs 16-bit audio no matter what. In this day and age of exploding hi-res audio files, it's a total waste.
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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Clinically Insane
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Movies and music in one window is "terribad"?
I guess you don't use tabs in your browser?
Come on, that's such a lame reason.
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I assume you have used iTunes recently...? It's a bloated and frustrating UI mess that has barely changed since it was Soundjam - except now it's trying to do far more things. Using it to visually organize and watch your movie collection when something amazing like Plex Home Theatre exists is mind-boggling to me.
Of course, PHT sucks for music. So there's that.
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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They've made the search worse. I can't choose an album with out it changing the list view. I mean, WTF
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
I assume you have used iTunes recently...? It's a bloated and frustrating UI mess that has barely changed since it was Soundjam - except now it's trying to do far more things. Using it to visually organize and watch your movie collection when something amazing like Plex Home Theatre exists is mind-boggling to me.
Of course, PHT sucks for music. So there's that.
I use iTunes every day. How is it "bloated"? Does it do its job? Yes. Is it hogging memory? Well, how big of a music collection do you have? I have 22,000 songs. So it's doing more things, how is that a problem? Is it organized well or would you rather have a direct input to your cerebral cortex?
Seriously, I don't get the iTunes hate. It launches fast, works, does what it's designed to.
Tell me how Plex is better? It can't find the damn title properly (it thought Airplane! was some foreign film), its UI is a disaster, crashes (as I said), doesn't work well with my Oppo, works passingly with my PS3.
Whereas with iTunes/AppleTV, it....just works.
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
They've made the search worse. I can't choose an album with out it changing the list view. I mean, WTF
I just chose an album in album view.
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Games Meister
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Originally Posted by starman
I just chose an album in album view.
That's not what I said. Use List view and choose an album.
Edit: I'll clarify. List view for me is "song view". Choose an album in search and it changes view.
The funny thing is I reflexively command=[ to get out of it like its a bad webpage.
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Clinically Insane
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Ok, I still don't understand the problem.
I'm in Song view as default also.
I search for "Led Zeppelin".
It gives me the same Song view, but only Led Zep songs.
What is the problem?
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Originally Posted by starman
I use iTunes every day. How is it "bloated"? Does it do its job? Yes. Is it hogging memory? Well, how big of a music collection do you have? I have 22,000 songs. So it's doing more things, how is that a problem? Is it organized well or would you rather have a direct input to your cerebral cortex?
I have around 21,000 songs and just under 1,000 movies. But apparently iTunes still can't download and match complete metadata to tons of my movie and song files. And why the hell doesn't it search the IMDB/Allmusic databases and do this automatically, anyway?
Seriously, I don't get the iTunes hate. It launches fast, works, does what it's designed to.
Tell me how Plex is better? It can't find the damn title properly (it thought Airplane! was some foreign film), its UI is a disaster, crashes (as I said), doesn't work well with my Oppo, works passingly with my PS3.
So...you're using one of the client versions, not the OS X Plex Home Theatre version. All my movies are recognized (including Airplane! FWIW), it automatically downloads cover art and information blurbs about each movie on a pretty splash screen. Everything is automatically organized beautifully....
Whereas with iTunes/AppleTV, it....just works.
Didn't I say at the beginning that it didn't work? Seriously...go open a .mkv rip and try to play it on AppleTV. Or a 24-bit FLAC or DSD file...?
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
I have around 21,000 songs and just under 1,000 movies. But apparently iTunes still can't download and match complete metadata to tons of my movie and song files. And why the hell doesn't it search the IMDB/Allmusic databases and do this automatically, anyway?
So...you're using one of the client versions, not the OS X Plex Home Theatre version. All my movies are recognized (including Airplane! FWIW), it automatically downloads cover art and information blurbs about each movie on a pretty splash screen. Everything is automatically organized beautifully....
Didn't I say at the beginning that it didn't work? Seriously...go open a .mkv rip and try to play it on AppleTV. Or a 24-bit FLAC or DSD file...?
In my home theater room I have an Oppo BDP. I don't need Plex to play those files, the Oppo does it directly.
Yay for less software.
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Games Meister
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Originally Posted by starman
Ok, I still don't understand the problem.
I'm in Song view as default also.
I search for "Led Zeppelin".
It gives me the same Song view, but only Led Zep songs.
What is the problem?
It doesn't matter. I'm not going to post pics just to satisfy someone who won't give a shit in the end.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
It doesn't matter. I'm not going to post pics just to satisfy someone who won't give a shit in the end.
Right on
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Games Meister
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Originally Posted by starman
Right on
What, for you being acting as inquisitor to a problem you'll just hand-wave away if it gets demonstrated? What are you trying to prove here? Your opinion is fact?
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Originally Posted by starman
In my home theater room I have an Oppo BDP. I don't need Plex to play those files, the Oppo does it directly.
Yay for less software.
I....I'm confused. You're defending the ATV against cheaper or as-cheap alternatives that play more media formats....but you have a $900 3rd-party player to accomplish the exact same thing, while claiming "less software"?
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
I....I'm confused. You're defending the ATV against cheaper or as-cheap alternatives that play more media formats....but you have a $900 3rd-party player to accomplish the exact same thing, while claiming "less software"?
It's what I use ATV for. It's upstairs for the family, not running my home theater. The Oppo also plays 3D, the ATV can't do that.
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
What, for you being acting as inquisitor to a problem you'll just hand-wave away if it gets demonstrated? What are you trying to prove here? Your opinion is fact?
I'm telling you that I don't understand your issue the way you described it.
Choose an album in search and it changes view.
Into...what? Rainbow and unicorn view?
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Posting Junkie
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
I....I'm confused. You're defending the ATV against cheaper or as-cheap alternatives that play more media formats....but you have a $900 3rd-party player to accomplish the exact same thing, while claiming "less software"?
Wondered the same thing myself. Then I remembered Apple is the best at everything and the cheaper/more flexible options from Google are inferior in every conceivable way.
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No, the flexible option is the new iPhone sek. Come on.
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Originally Posted by starman
It's what I use ATV for. It's upstairs for the family, not running my home theater. The Oppo also plays 3D, the ATV can't do that.
Well despite your original position, I assume your use of two separate devices means you might just be able to understand why Goodle and Roku devices also sell like hot cakes even though they basically seem like less-elegant, albeit more flexible, ATVs?
3D is a manufactured joke fad that no one cared about anyway. Great way for slumping industries to sell more expensive movie tickets and TVs.
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Mankind's only chance is to harness the power of stupid.
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Originally Posted by starman
I'm telling you that I don't understand your issue the way you described it.
…and I'm telling you that I don't think you'd care of you did understand.
Originally Posted by starman
Into...what? Rainbow and unicorn view?
Case in point. Is this attitude supposed to convince me that this is some type of rational conversation?
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Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton
3D is a manufactured joke fad that no one cared about anyway.
We did some work for a 3D video company a couple of years back. We just managed to get all of our invoices paid before they went bust. I still have a JVC 3D video camera in the closet.
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Games Meister
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You know, it occurs to me starman, we've seen a lot more of you lately than we have in recent years. Did you get banned from some other forum you were frequenting much more often for this kind of behavior or something?
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Clinically Insane
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Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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And every post is all super-defensive of Apple.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
You know, it occurs to me starman, we've seen a lot more of you lately than we have in recent years. Did you get banned from some other forum you were frequenting much more often for this kind of behavior or something?
No, and there's no need to be obnoxious about it just because you can't describe your problem properly.
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Games Meister
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Originally Posted by starman
No, and there's no need to be obnoxious about it just because you can't describe your problem properly.
Just fighting fire with fire, Mr. Rainbows and unicorns.
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Originally Posted by Laminar
And every post is all super-defensive of Apple.
It's like Sphere hacked into his account or something.
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Slick shoes?! Are you crazy?!
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
Just fighting fire with fire, Mr. Rainbows and unicorns.
Ok, Mister "I'm not going to post pics just to satisfy someone who won't give a shit in the end."
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Games Meister
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Originally Posted by starman
Ok, Mister "I'm not going to post pics just to satisfy someone who won't give a shit in the end."
Let me put it this way: Do you think I'm lying, stupid, or right?
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by The Final Dakar
Let me put it this way: Do you think I'm lying, stupid, or right?
Neither. I think you just didn't explain the problem properly.
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Mac Elite
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Originally Posted by starman
Neither. I think you just didn't explain the problem properly.
I read his post and figured out exactly what he was talking about. Your mileage must vary.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by Stogieman
It's like Sphere hacked into his account or something.
You only remember the posts you want to.
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