anyone transferring from xbmc?

[zsilak]

Hi all,

I've been using my xbox media center (xbmc) for some time now. I read so much good about the popcorn hour media tank that I that I bought one.
I can't find words for my disappointment. XBMC is way better than this box in any ways. Ok, it's noisier. Nothing works right on this thing, the interface is awful and slow. I really don't get get all the hype about it.

Anyone with the similar experience?

[bleb]

The interface doesn't compare. Frankly, the XBMC interface is second to none. However, the capabilities of the PCH are far, far greater than that of XBMC, largely because of the XBox. So, it really depends on what you're looking for in a media player.

The hype only really applies if you have high-def content, or want a noiseless (as in, actually silent, not so-quiet-you-can't-hear-it-in-a-room-with-normal-ambient-noise silent that all hardware manufacturers use as their standard for 'silent') media player.

[bhccrash]

I have converted to the media tank over the xbox for a few reasons, Hi def playback of coarse, smaller footprint, quiet operation, less power to run it, I like the remote better than using a very basic dvd remote for the xbox, or a clumsy controller. option for bittorrent.. usb ports for external hard drives.. I think the xbox is better at playing music, and viewing photos.. and has a slicker faster user interface.. Hi Def playback seals the deal for me, although I still have an xbox in the bedroom.

[chris57]

If you havent read it yet read this thread helps in understanding the differences and why:-
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/viewtopic.php?t=5301

[zombiefood]

I suggest you return it seeing as you are so disappointed, And return to the XBMC to enjoy the SD experience or spend a small fortune on a noisy HTPC

Shame you wasted your first post on something that is is explained in the sticky post

[cheaper_popcorn]

We all have different needs. Personally I think the Popcorn Hour works really well for playing back movies, and that is why I bought it.

The user interface and music and photo functions are quite basic at the moment, yes, but they will improve with time, and other options for the user interface are already available if you look at the user apps, for example llink, SwissCenter, and the three different movie jukeboxes.

Have you tried those out at all?

[zsilak]

cheaper_popcorn Wrote:We all have different needs. Personally I think the Popcorn Hour works really well for playing back movies, and that is why I bought it.

The user interface and music and photo functions are quite basic at the moment, yes, but they will improve with time, and other options for the user interface are already available if you look at the user apps, for example llink, SwissCenter, and the three different movie jukeboxes.

Have you tried those out at all?

No, I haven't tried these. Thanks for your help.
I'll take a look.

[zsilak]

Ok, I looked at it. But what is the point of the NMT if I have to keep my PC running to be able to use the swisscenter? I thought the whole idea bhind the NMT was to eliminate the need for a PC running for bittorrent and media server. Can't see why not just use the PC to play the media then.

[truxntrax]

I kind of have to agree with this guy...

Why do we need user generted apps to make the interafce look half decent?

I'm happy with the playback of hi-def movies and this is why I I bought the popcorn. I also kind of hoped I would be able to retire the old xbmc but it looks like the ugly black and green box will be under my tv for some time. This wasn't my primary reason for buying the pop but it would have been nice to get something with a jukebox/ gui that was not a backwards step.

BTW - picked up another xbox for £6.50 on ebay yesterday just in case the old one dies.

I've read all the posts stating why the popcorn is how it is and where it's strengths are but there is no shying away from: the music/jukebox side of it is crap, the web apps are hardly worth bothering with and the interface is average to poor.

I'm sticking with the pop and have recomended my friends buy them too - but as an addon to there current setups - not a repalcement for anything they have now.

Still happy with what I have got for the money but just my 2p!

(pocorn and xbmc connected to hacked dns 323 nas box running debian linux including llink)

[jesperl]

truxntrax Wrote:Why do we need user generted apps to make the interafce look half decent?

Maybe because we all have different opinions about what a "half decent" interface looks like? Some people just want to play movies without any GUI bell and whistles, and in this case the PCH interface is fine.

The main advantage of the PCH, IMHO, is the ability to play HD sources, including Matroska (MKV) containers. There are only a couple of media players that can do that. XBMC is not one of those.

[truxntrax]

Half decent....

The standard interface is not.

Everyone likes the xbmc interface.

Functional for movies which I agree is great for playing .mkv files but the pop could be a lot more. Like I say when I can get rid of the old ugly xbox it will be a good day.

Until the pop does it's other functions well phot's/ jukebox/ web access which includes a decent UI it will always be compared to the XBMC.

People can make there own UI's for XBMC but I cannot say I have seen anyone who does it seriously as the default works so well.

It seems we agree.

[pjdaley]

I just replaced my XBOX and XBOX 360 with XBMC with this, and it was the best thing I have done. Before in order to even play high def content I had to convert it from the mkv container to another one, and then strip the 5.1 channel to 2 channel. This took for ever. I can now just stream virtually any video format, no stuttering, pause mkv's, fast forward, etc... and even have the ability to change subtitles when I need it.

I am actually so impressed with this little device that I put a hard drive in, that I am going to buy 2 more. One for the bedroom, and one for my office.

I just think you do not grasp the idea of a media server ( your computer ) you can turn your computer off all you want, but good luck trying to get streaming content from it. Put a hard drive in the a-100, then you can use bittorrent on it, and stream from IT to your PC if you wanted to. I would suggest you look through all teh FAQ's, user manuals, etc... before ranting becuase it will answer all of yoru concerns and problems.

[zsilak]

Yeah, I pretty much bought this thing for the bittorrent ability and that it can include the HDD and that I don't need a computer running to watch my shows, play my music. I am just stunned how annoyingly slow it is and the lack of basic stuff like shoutcast.
And I really can't see why it has to download it's interface from the net. This is the 21st century. Why make something that is sluggish and ugly?
Why make something half way good when it could be done right the first place?
When someone comes out with a similar gadget that does have a decent interface and plays music fine everyone will ditch the nmt.
I don't understand why everyone gets so defensive when I'm just pointing out obvious shortcomings.

[truxntrax]

I guess you get a little linux box to be able to run things like bit torrent etc but for me funtions like that are best done by a headerless file server running a proper Linux distro. I have debian running on my nas box that does bit torrent and an nzb downloader. Heck why not get an xbox and put a Linux distro on it aswell as xmbc and set It up to do your downloading and be a file server too! Ideal solution for me would be an xbmc running on an xbox with a fast enough chip to play hi def. Xbmc plays mkvs but hasn't got enough grunt to process the hidef video.

Xbox is ugly. Pop has a ugly disfuntional interface. You win some you loose some!

[pjdaley]

I am not sure if I am following either of you. The interface is clean, you choose where your media is, and then click the button and it plays. No problems, no sluggishness, nothing.

On the topic of it being ugly, look at the original xbox, it well, sucks. It looks like a giant piece of shit sitting in my living room. This took it's place and is the size of an external drive box.

There is an xbox that plays high def, the 360. Feel free to blow $200+ on it, and then not always be able to play 5.1 channel, dts, ac3, etc... Yes it plays high def, I used to use it for that, but this just makes everything easier. One click on the file, it plays it all, thats it. It even played DTS to my reciever from the mkv. This thing blows xbmc and the 360 out of the water, only thing better would be to build your own HTPC and that would be more expensive.

I still do not see anything on teh a-100 that you are both complaining about.