This is my thread

[S O F I]

for chromecast, can you stream anything to your TV or just like specific apps?

In other words, would it work for a random website that streams video?

 

[Pittsey]

I have a Galaxy phone with shitty Samsung tweaks and a smart TV,35$ and some extra convenience saved

That's because you always do things the Eastern European way. I don't intend to use Chromecast to watch films. I just want to have a play, and then give it to my pensioner of a father who isn't PC literate and doesn't want an XBMC setup.

I run a nettop with XBMC on and optical out. Because I want to watch films at a decent resolution with a professional looking GUI and to listen to the soundtrack in HD-DTS. But you won't see that, because you need to start looking past CPU execution times and at real world use.

And I have spent 5 times $35 on a round of drinks many a time.

for chromecast, can you stream anything to your TV or just like specific apps?

In other words, would it work for a random website that streams video?

I think, and that is all it is, as I don't know. You can stream all online media. No use to me though. As you can't stream from a server.

 

[S O F I]

That's because you always do things the Eastern European way. I don't intend to use Chromecast to watch films. I just want to have a play, and then give it to my pensioner of a father who isn't PC literate and doesn't want an XBMC setup.

I run a nettop with XBMC on and optical out. Because I want to watch films at a decent resolution with a professional looking GUI and to listen to the soundtrack in HD-DTS. But you won't see that, because you need to start looking past CPU execution times and at real world use.

And I have spent 5 times $35 on a round of drinks many a time.



I think, and that is all it is, as I don't know. You can stream all online media. No use to me though. As you can't stream from a server.

Yeah, reason I ask is because all my mom does is stream Serbian channels online and her laptop's pretty much dead so I thought I'd get her a tablet + chromecast. Before chromecast, I was thinking apple tv.

 

[Pittsey]

I am sure you'll get your money back if it doesn't. Stick it on ebay and ship worldwide. People are paying more as they are exclusive to the USA currently.

 

[Jokerman]

for chromecast, can you stream anything to your TV or just like specific apps? In other words, would it work for a random website that streams video?

From what I understand, only a Chromecast-enabled app can beam videos to your TV. So far, there are only 3 such apps: Netflix, YouTube, and Google Play. Google says other content providers are working on it (esp. Serbian channel ones).

 

[masta247]

That's because you always do things the Eastern European way. I don't intend to use Chromecast to watch films. I just want to have a play, and then give it to my pensioner of a father who isn't PC literate and doesn't want an XBMC setup.

I run a nettop with XBMC on and optical out. Because I want to watch films at a decent resolution with a professional looking GUI and to listen to the soundtrack in HD-DTS. But you won't see that, because you need to start looking past CPU execution times and at real world use.

I guess that's more like Korean way though. Tweaking stuff by yourself is the Eastern European way (did you know a huge part of team XBMC are Polish?).
You can get high resolution through Samsung's setup, although it's exactly for the same thing - just to play with. Be it Youtube, Netflix or any other big streaming service, but you can also play videos captured by the phone or any TV channel through your STB, in which case it works like a smart multi-remote.

I don't really watch movies at home and I often spend more during a movie night in a cinema, so no big deal here, even though I have a room with good TV and audio setups hooked up to my PC, so I can get better quality if I invite someone over for a movie after all.
Samsung's software does provide some cool features though. If anything, I can shut down my whole system with my phone if I decide to sleep on the couch, or turn everything on and watch something. That's all. It has IR and works like a multi-remote too. You don't get any of that stuff in stock Android and that's the type of features I quite like in the Samsung ROM.

My home setup is mostly for PC (and sometimes Xbox) though. That provides much better experience to me than a separate lower end XBMC box. I would have one if my PC was standing far from my TV setup and if I was a TV series fan to auto-download and sort huge amounts of video files, which is the only thing XBMC would be good for to me. But I don't collect media other than music and really great movies, I have no need for automatic downloads too. A good PC (doesn't have to run XBMC) hooked up to a good audio and video setup is the best way to go as far as convenience and quality go, yeah. That's obvious. But sometimes it has to do with CPU execution times too, and definitely the type of hardware you're running

 

[Pittsey]

I guess that's more like Korean way though. Tweaking stuff by yourself is the Eastern European way (did you know a huge part of team XBMC are Polish?).
You can get high resolution through Samsung's setup, although it's exactly for the same thing - just to play with. Be it Youtube, Netflix or any other big streaming service, but you can also play videos captured by the phone or any TV channel through your STB, in which case it works like a smart multi-remote.

I don't really watch movies at home and I often spend more during a movie night in a cinema, so no big deal here, even though I have a room with good TV and audio setups hooked up to my PC, so I can get better quality if I invite someone over for a movie after all.
Samsung's software does provide some cool features though. If anything, I can shut down my whole system with my phone if I decide to sleep on the couch, or turn everything on and watch something. That's all. It has IR and works like a multi-remote too. You don't get any of that stuff in stock Android and that's the type of features I quite like in the Samsung ROM.

My home setup is mostly for PC (and sometimes Xbox) though. That provides much better experience to me than a separate lower end XBMC box. I would have one if my PC was standing far from my TV setup and if I was a TV series fan to auto-download and sort huge amounts of video files, which is the only thing XBMC would be good for to me. But I don't collect media other than music and really great movies, I have no need for automatic downloads too. A good PC (doesn't have to run XBMC) hooked up to a good audio and video setup is the best way to go as far as convenience and quality go, yeah. That's obvious. But sometimes it has to do with CPU execution times too, and definitely the type of hardware you're running

I'm not going to debate it with you, because you are very stubborn. I also don't want to turn this light hearted thread into a series of long posts.

But.... Does your PC have a fan? If so, it is shit as a HTPC.

All the features you have listed above I can do on XBMC with my phone.... And more.

Anyone who knows anything about home media will pick XBMC as the leading software. It's why Apple TV 2 is selling for far more than Apple TV 3 on ebay.

Anyone who uses netflix or a similar streaming service to watch films, doesn't care about video and audio quality.


I agree with you about the cinema. And each to their own. But I hate people and there are plenty of them in the cinema. Therefore I hate the cinema.



And they're my final comments. It would be boring if we were all the same. And your favourite phone is exactly that. I'd be happy with an S4. But I would root it. But.... There is no choice between XBMC or XBOX. I used the Xbox about 8 years ago. It was shit. It still is, as a media player. It's loud and doesn't play all media types and neither does the PS3. Anyone who tries to convince me otherwise will lose my respect for their technical knowledge.

 

[masta247]

But.... Does your PC have a fan? If so, it is shit as a HTPC.

It's almost entirely passively cooled. Technically there are 2 fans on the CPU and PSU but I made them only start up on very heavy loads, for example during heavy gaming. But they're silent models running at low RPM, so they're inaudible. I went an extra mile making a pretty hot GPU passively cooled.

Anyone who knows anything about home media will pick XBMC as the leading software. It's why Apple TV 2 is selling for far more than Apple TV 3 on ebay.

It's down to what you need. If you're getting Apple TV you're obviously looking to consume lots of media, and in that case XBMC might be useful, depending on how you like watching things. It's not always that it's the best choice for everyone who knows anything about media and they will naturally go for it. I know I don't need it, for example. I don't use any programs for cataloging my media, even music.
I'd recommend XBMC to people with certain media needs though,for example instead of a different (usually shitty) TV box for their living room. Or if you like watching TV shows/series or otherwise huge amounts of media and want it relatively easy and in a convenient way.

Anyone who uses netflix or a similar streaming service to watch films, doesn't care about video and audio quality.

Yeah, obviously. I stream movies on my laptop. I watch youtube videos because they're youtube videos. If I'm serious about watching movies I watch blu-rays or high quality downloaded movies.
That said, youtube in HD is still better than my cable TV in "HD", which pisses me off. It's 720p and compression is even higher.

But.... There is no choice between XBMC or XBOX.

I only use Xbox for gaming, nothing else. To me a gaming console should be just for that.

It would be boring if we were all the same. And your favourite phone is exactly that. I'd be happy with an S4. But I would root it.

That was a kinda tongue in cheek comment about "shitty tweaks". I'm likely to end up flashing stock Android in the end. For now I really like Samsung's additions. I enjoy playing with some and some just extend Android's functionality. There are certain things that Google should have implemented long ago, but still they aren't there. Usually little things that enhance customization and convenience or add some options.
Samsung's ROM also performs fine and I don't have any problems with it on the S4.
For some things there are still no third party apps and for those that are I prefer having those features included in settings without having my app tray full of icons (I removed most bloatware too). I'm likely to end up using a stock-ish ROM with some of those most important things built in if there is one but I'm really good the way it is for now.

 

[dilla]

The mini review of the 7.2 is up by Anandtech. Gonna read it now.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7176/nexus-7-2013-mini-review

 

[masta247]

The mini review of the 7.2 is up by Anandtech. Gonna read it now.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7176/nexus-7-2013-mini-review

I just read the tests. That new Nexus 7 is awesome and pricing is incredible for what it offers.
Hardware is really top notch and it makes me wonder how they managed to keep the price so low. The display panel is the same that is found in the best version of HTC One, but it's 7 inch of it. Chipset too, but clocked 200mhz lower.
They did storage tests because the first gen N7's weakest link was storage memory I/O which was the performance limiter. Now the memory is entirely different, much better.

 

[Pittsey]

I think I'll pick up a nexus 7 "for my son", for Christmas.

 

[ARon]

My friends is a real estate agent and I've been helping him out lately showing homes to people (which explains my scenic snapchats) and today I'm going to show a house worth 6 mil. Should be cool

 

[S O F I]

bro, I destroyed you with that one snapchat. you showed buttfuck, colorado and I came back with beach is better lol (c) jigga

 

[ARon]

I showed you some foothills with some buffalo roaming around, which you couldn't even see, but yeah I like the beach more . Mountains are fun though

 

[Da_Funk]

Well I've been partying with some guys from Geelong as of late, and after seeing how hard they get on it, I understand why Woody and Stred get so fucked.

 

[Pittsey]

Bit of a long shot this. But does anyone in the US have an NBC account that allows them to stream sport? And (this is the long shot bit) will allow me to access it?

 

[ARon]

I'm sure I can do that but I probably have to set up an account. I'll look into it for you

 

[S O F I]

I find it cool that Jay would rap about Emory being in prison and now raps about Emory being out. It's been like 7 years since Do You Wanna Ride.

 

[masta247]

I finally checked the whole new Jay-Z album. I think it's mediocre at best but some beats are good - I'd say they went wasted.
I kinda like Nickels and Dimes though.
Remember that awesome beat they were playing at the beginning of the trailer though ? Might be silly, but I picked up this album because of it expecting some awesome new song on it.. and ended up very disappointed. Justin Timberlake, seriously? It has to be one of few cases of amazing-starting beats ending up to be a shitty song.

 

[dilla]

I liked Crown. That's about it.