Effectively DITCHING cable (roku, playon, etc.)

[GilaMinumBeer]

Oh man, sounding like a winner.

Android and wii setup of playon requires a PC.

Roku appears to be freestanding setup.

I thought you still had to have a PC to install the server to. Edit: Yes, you still have to have a PC to run the PlayOn server app.

 

[edmanster]

I thought you still had to have a PC to install the server to.

+1.. did i miss that? forgot cheezy doesnt have a pc.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I thought you still had to have a PC to install the server to.

Long story, but I am operating with a Droid, a Wii, a TV, and wireless internet.

Even with a computer not sure I could transcode anything.

Like I said, long story. I will get a computer soon, but it will be a mac.

 

[EllisTX]

My contract is up with DirecTV in October. I would love to drop it but I need my football.

 

[KingRichard]

Love the Roku! I've been a "cord cutter" for almost three years and love it. Here's a hint.... Get the Nowhere channel on Roku for some "BrewingTV" goodness.

I also use an older TivoHD box for OTA HD timeshifting. Unfortunately the newer TiVo models don't support OTA.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

yeah, i was going to mention that.. also playon has a app for ios and android and it work fairly well.. its nice getting all your content from the home computer on your phone and tablet to show friends and family because it does pictures from my files plugin also

Just looked at the My Media function again. It has seriously matured. It was still in beta when I used it last. Didn't have any metadata scraping or anything.

This may be a game changer for me. Ripping .iso to HDD is a snap, I've just been very limited on what devices I could play an .iso to and have had to transcode everything for the Roku to display them.

 

[edmanster]

Like I said, long story. I will get a computer soon, but it will be a mac.

you should put together a pos dualcore for just playon.. i see one in my classifieds for $50..lol

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

+1.. did i miss that? forgot cheezy doesnt have a pc.

Like I said, long story. I will get a computer soon, but it will be a mac.

Yeah. Sorry cheesy, that will be a deal breaker for you. Cannot run PlayOn without a PC to run the server on. Not even with Roku.

With teh Roku, as long as the server on teh pc is running you need not have any other interaction with the PC in that Roku can call it all up. But without the server PlayOn Roku is a brick.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I thought you still had to have a PC to install the server to. Edit: Yes, you still have to have a PC to run the PlayOn server app.

The roku set-up doesn't mention a PC. Most things can be done on the droid browser that can be done on PC.

You still think I need one for a roku?

 

[edmanster]

This may be a game changer for me. Ripping .iso to HDD is a snap, I've just been very limited on what devices I could play an .iso to and have had to transcode everything for the Roku to display them.

lol.. i play my iso's on my directv recever even with the small buffer ability it doesnt skip.. i remember when first xbmc hack came out trying to get even a avi file not to skip on the xbox.. that was funny

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

The roku set-up doesn't mention a PC. Most things can be done on the droid browser that can be done on PC.

You still think I need one for a roku?

"Using PlayOn is intuitive and easy. Just start the PlayOn media server on your PC then follow a few simple instructions for your Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 or another device to find the PlayOn media server on your device. Before you know it, you'll be watching your favorite internet shows on your TV or mobile phone! "



The PlayOn server is a shell for VideoLan (VLC Player). It uses that app at the core for the transcoding and then serves it all up via uPnP/DLNA to any device listed/compatible.

 

[cheezydemon3]

"In order to get the PlayOn channel on your Roku, go to https://owner.roku.com/Add/MYPLAYON and add the private channel code MYPLAYON. Follow the simple instructions that will be provided once the code is entered and that's all there is to it. Now sit back and enjoy PlayOn on your Roku! "

All of the other instructions specifically mention a PC and a download. Think they botched this description?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

"In order to get the PlayOn channel on your Roku, go to https://owner.roku.com/Add/MYPLAYON and add the private channel code MYPLAYON. Follow the simple instructions that will be provided once the code is entered and that's all there is to it. Now sit back and enjoy PlayOn on your Roku! "

All of the other instructions specifically mention a PC and a download. Think they botched this description?

No. In this description they are only addressing getting the PlayOn "channel" into teh Roku. All a channel is, is a script telling PlayOn what media formats it supports and telling Roku how to connect to the local server. If PlayOn were an online application you would be fine but since it runs as a local host Roku will look but won't find anything.

Same thing for channels on PlayOn. All the channels are is a script telling the server where to look for the content.

I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Sorry cheesy, I too am baffled by how limited media access is these days despite the power of our devices.

I thought setting up a home media server would be a snap and I hit all manner of road blocks along the way. Stupid **** like 1 app can read the files but can't stream them to all my devices, other apps could stream them to all my devices but couldn't read the files in their native format. Bah!

It gets worse if you delve into torrents (again, requires a pc) as stuff like Xbox will work native with Windows Media but WMP can't do Matroska (a popular format).

Roku, however, will work without a PC so long as you have wired or wireless internet.

 

[edmanster]

No. In this description they are only addressing getting the PlayOn "channel" into teh Roku. All a channel is, is a script telling PlayOn what media formats it supports and telling Roku how to connect to the local server. If PlayOn were an online application you would be fine but since it runs as a local host Roku will look but won't find anything.

Same thing for channels on PlayOn. All the channels are is a script telling the server where to look for the content.

I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

correct, it a sure method for getting to the main list of content without going through hoops.. me, i go through dlna so its network, dlna, bedroom pc, playon and then i get the list..

 

[dfc]

Roku looks interesting, Playon has a free trial I will start tonight.

I have a wii and Netflix streaming is freaking awesome.

Anyone have opinions on Roku and Playon?

If any 2 of these work out I am ecstatic.

anything else I should know about?

Get a digital antenna. You can pick up the digital stations for free and there's no need to pay for cable. The wife and I switched to a faster internet connection and got rid of cable quite some time ago. With netflix and the digital antenna she gets pretty much any TV show she wants to watch. With the faster internet connection I get to pwn n00bs at MW3...

Eff cable. I don't even really watch TV, but we'll never have cable again.

I also have no experience with Roku or Playon so unfortunately I can't be of any assistance there.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Get a digital antenna. You can pick up the digital stations for free and there's no need to pay for cable. The wife and I switched to a faster internet connection and got rid of cable quite some time ago. With netflix and the digital antenna she gets pretty much any TV show she wants to watch. With the faster internet connection I get to pwn n00bs at MW3...

Eff cable. I don't even really watch TV, but we'll never have cable again.

I also have no experience with Roku or Playon so unfortunately I can't be of any assistance there.

Interesting.

I DO have wireless internet Gila, but the PC is required to start it up?

 

[edmanster]

have you guys seen this yet? HDMI thumb drive turns your tv into a smart android device.. i remember seeing them on dealextreme.com a while back before they were known about..

 

[MisterTipsy]

I have a Roku box and can tell you that it is well worth $50. Use it for Netflix, Hulu and there are several other channels that you can add for free. Some channels cost money, but many are free. Some of the free channels are movie channels that actually have good movies, but they play ads a few times per movie. If you like old sci-fi/horror B-movies, there are plenty of free channels where you can watch classics like the Brain that Wouldn't Die, Etc.

I don't have a fast connection (dsl 3mbps) and it streams flawlessly most of the time.

 

[PlayOnTV]

Hey All, This is the PlayOn Team. First of all, thanks for checking out PlayOn. Beer and PlayOn make for a great combination.

You do need a PC in order to use PlayOn. The software turns your PC into a media server. You can use it with a gaming console, Roku, Android phone/tablet, or an iPhone/iPad. We have a fully functional free 14-day trial on our site. If you already have a Roku you can get a lifetime license for only $39.99 (http://www.playon.tv/po/buy/roku-discount/). If you don't already have a Roku we have a variety of purchase options. You can learn more at www.playon.tv.

BUT...the MyMedia, YouTube, and HBO Go channels are free in PlayOn. You, of course, have to be eligible for HBO Go through your cable provider though in order to use that channel.

We also have PlayLater which is our latest product that allows you to record Netflix, Hulu, or any other channels PlayOn supports. You can learn more about that here: www.playlater.tv. If you have any additional questions I can answer them here, or you can email me at [email protected]. We're happy to help.

 

[MisterTipsy]

Can I install playon on my Android and stream from the phone to roku?

 

[edmanster]

Hey All, This is the PlayOn Team. First of all, thanks for checking out PlayOn. Beer and PlayOn make for a great combination.

You do need a PC in order to use PlayOn. The software turns your PC into a media server. You can use it with a gaming console, Roku, Android phone/tablet, or an iPhone/iPad. We have a fully functional free 14-day trial on our site. If you already have a Roku you can get a lifetime license for only $39.99 (http://www.playon.tv/po/buy/roku-discount/). If you don't already have a Roku we have a variety of purchase options. You can learn more at www.playon.tv.

BUT...the MyMedia, YouTube, and HBO Go channels are free in PlayOn. You, of course, have to be eligible for HBO Go through your cable provider though in order to use that channel.

We also have PlayLater which is our latest product that allows you to record Netflix, Hulu, or any other channels PlayOn supports. You can learn more about that here: www.playlater.tv. If you have any additional questions I can answer them here, or you can email me at [email protected]. We're happy to help.

ive been with you guys for 3 years and you just keep getting better and better.. witch plugin/script would you say is best for tv series since tvlinks got broken? watchseries is awesome but not nearly the data base that tvlinks had...

 

[cheezydemon3]

Hey All, This is the PlayOn Team. First of all, thanks for checking out PlayOn. Beer and PlayOn make for a great combination.

You do need a PC in order to use PlayOn. The software turns your PC into a media server. You can use it with a gaming console, Roku, Android phone/tablet, or an iPhone/iPad. We have a fully functional free 14-day trial on our site. If you already have a Roku you can get a lifetime license for only $39.99 (http://www.playon.tv/po/buy/roku-discount/). If you don't already have a Roku we have a variety of purchase options. You can learn more at www.playon.tv.

BUT...the MyMedia, YouTube, and HBO Go channels are free in PlayOn. You, of course, have to be eligible for HBO Go through your cable provider though in order to use that channel.

We also have PlayLater which is our latest product that allows you to record Netflix, Hulu, or any other channels PlayOn supports. You can learn more about that here: www.playlater.tv. If you have any additional questions I can answer them here, or you can email me at [email protected]. We're happy to help.

........yikes!

thanks for the clarification. Sounds cool, but I will never own a pc ever again. Mac virtual will have to work.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

i love my Roku with netflix and amazon prime. I had hulu+, but i canceled it. I would re-up once we actually cut the cable.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Interesting.

I DO have wireless internet Gila, but the PC is required to start it up?

Yes

have you guys seen this yet? HDMI thumb drive turns your tv into a smart android device.. i remember seeing them on dealextreme.com a while back before they were known about..

The next gen Roku is said to be a thumbdrive.

........yikes!

thanks for the clarification. Sounds cool, but I will never own a pc ever again. Mac virtual will have to work.

yikes is right. Hella fast pick up on the topic. I was actually going to suggest you email them to verify but ....

 

[onthekeg]

If you have a computer with internet access. And you can brew beer. I don't think you need to pay for much else, unless you like to visit people elsewhere.

 

[dfc]

Interesting.

I DO have wireless internet Gila, but the PC is required to start it up?

I guess I should have specified. Since we weren't paying for cable we used the money that went towards cable to pay for faster internet speeds. She can now stream Netflix while I'm playing XBOX online and we have no issues with the connection.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I guess I should have specified. Since we weren't paying for cable we used the money that went towards cable to pay for faster internet speeds. She can now stream Netflix while I'm playing XBOX online and we have no issues with the connection.

Right on!

Considering a dilapidated PC just to sit in the corner and meet my retarded computer needs.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Right on!

Considering a dilapidated PC just to sit in the corner and meet my retarded computer needs.

Honestly, a dedicated media PC doesn't take much outside of storage. But even then, external drives are MUCH better than they used to be.

Thanks to you I've given PlayOn a second chance, I've not looked at teh channels yet but last night I gave the My Media function a go. And it worked flawlessly on every device. They truely have delivered on their promises, it just took a while to get there.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Honestly, a dedicated media PC doesn't take much outside of storage. But even then, external drives are MUCH better than they used to be.

Thanks to you I've given PlayOn a second chance, I've not looked at teh channels yet but last night I gave the My Media function a go. And it worked flawlessly on every device. They truely have delivered on their promises, it just took a while to get there.

I am a maverick among people I know "YOU DON'T HAVE CABLE????" but I know that I know very little other than the fact that cable is a sick and ending bloated beast.

Unless it completely evolves to "on demand" it will die.

I might have looked a little more before I leaped but, again, long story

I will land way ahead of most people.