Need a new stream MKV file viewing alternative.

[StumpedTechy]

Okay I have the following setup.

Hundreds of my own Blue-rays I have ripped to 10gb files. With the following format MKV containers with H.264 mpeg 4 video and with AC3 audio.
All on my 8TB NAS Synology DS412.
I am running all Gigabit wired and I have a gigabit switch.
I then have used WDTVLive units on 3 different TVs over all the years.

The NAS was a newer addition but this setup has been for years to some kind of storage and it works pretty flawlessly.

We have lovingly called it FamillylastnameFlix.

Now what is occurring is the WDTVlive units are starting to show their age they will freeze n the middle of movies, they will stick at power on whenre i have to reset it by power cycling the entire unit. They will sometimes freeze scrolling through selections.

I need to replace them.

At first I tried to circumvent needing to buy new hardware by using the Synology NAS and their DS Video on the smart TVs we have here but due to the larger file types they stutter HORRIBLY and i was told due to the file size and the fact smart TVs still only run 10/100 and not gigabit AND that they do not have dedicated decompression processing that say the stand alone devices do, the only thing I will get out of them is at most lower quality 1080p that is much more compressed than the 10GB I have now.

This means I need new hardware. I want something that is good and robust. Something I can throw any file type, something that can link to my home NAS to get all the files I have on it. Something that is replacing the VERY reliable but long in the tooth WDTVlive units. I have been looking around a bit and I saw the Minix.

Would this be a suitable replacement device? I know that I want wired and not wireless. I know it has to support the above configuration but I also want something that will in general play anything I put on it. I would also like something that was smart enough to be able to pre-manage all the video library stuff I have because with the WDTVLive I had to do alot of manual manipulation of things to get the right layouts and so on.

[Cornucopia]

IIWY, I'd get an Intel NUC, put in max RAM and the fastest M2 SSD, install a lean OS and boot straight into KODI as the shell. It can be a streamer and a DLNA client. Then output that to the TV via HDMI.
If you can afford it, you will not be dissatisfied.

Scott

[_Al_]

I found old WDTV LIve Plus units 100% reliable (have two of them) as oppose any models that were released before (had one) or after (have one, but already got rid of one) ....