adding 2nd tv to HTPC by DLNA?

[gilwood]

Currently I have an HTPC connected to a flat panel led tv by hdmi cable. Ive been using it for years and I'm up to 8tb of space. I want to add a bedroom tv. Which makes more sense: buying a tv with dlna or buying a tv and wd tv? I dont know anything about dlna. Will I be able to browse my collection remotely? Does it work with multiple formats? Can I just add a tv with a 1tb hard drive and play by usb? I dont know the capabilities of modern tvs.

[yoda313]

buying a tv with dlna or buying a tv and wd tv?

Personally I'd go with a physical unit rather than wifi based. Even though wifi n can stutter free for hd material it introduces possible hiccups and dlna doesn't have as far a range of compatibility as a hardware unit would (my understanding, a wdtv will have wider compatiblity than streaming via dlna).

Can I just add a tv with a 1tb hard drive and play by usb?

not necessarily a good idea. Tvs are like bluray players in that they don't have a wide range of compatibility like a settop unit like the wdtv. You might get away with it on a certain group of files you have but another group might require a reencode. Where as a settop unit like the wdtv will virtually play anything.

I'm not saying you can't stream its just you have more possible limitations with it then a hardware unit. Even more limitations with settop tv/bluray players.

Not saying they don't play stuff its just not as much as a unit like wdtv.

also you'd probably want to get a wifi booster if you have spotty wifi reception in the room you want to go to. No such problem with a direct physical connection.

Also you might look into pricing a used computer to work as a second htpc. You could probably get away with a dual core and a hdmi video card with h264 decoding. But you'd probably want a quad core or better for piece of mind that you won't have stuttering issues.

[Krispy Kritter]

It will largely depend on the file types on your HTPC.

Most of the TV and DVD/Blu-Ray based players don't get good reviews. Another option would be a unit such as the Roku 3. I've heard good things about them. But, as noted above, a unit such as the WD would likely have the best support.

[yoda313]

Another option would be a unit such as the Roku 3

I don't know personally about the roku3 but the earlier roku's only had token support for file playback. Read the specs CLOSELY before choosing any roku model. Also I think I mentioned it the early roku models were 720p only. The newest is 1080p if I remember correctly.

If you go the box route look into a wdtv or possibly a boxee box. Just read the specs and reviews first to know what you are getting into.

[usually_quiet]

Another option would be a unit such as the Roku 3

I don't know personally about the roku3 but the earlier roku's only had token support for file playback. Read the specs CLOSELY before choosing any roku model. Also I think I mentioned it the early roku models were 720p only. The newest is 1080p if I remember correctly.

If you go the box route look into a wdtv or possibly a boxee box. Just read the specs and reviews first to know what you are getting into.

Samsung acquired Boxee a few months ago. Boxee products are no longer manufactured, and Boxee's Cloud DVR service was shut down. This probably doesn't mean Boxee Boxes won't work as streaming media playesr, but it is hard to say if access to paid services like Netflix or Vudu will continue to work in the future.