wdtv replacment for old TV Setup

[victoriabears]

Will a android box or other suggestion please to do the following:

"Stream" an ISO from a Synology NAS to my non smart but 16x9 1080 TV? It has HDMI

I cannot use miracast, it doesn;t work on my current technology, I have a Roku just fyi, I am simply seeking a modern version of WDTV as it shows its age when compared to roku/plex speed and smoothness.

I just want the ability to play ISO's and not convert to MP4 et al, as some DVD's are best enjoyed using the menus and extras etc.

Thanks so much, something like this but with ability to play off network? like Plex can play MKV etc from my networked nas?

https://www.amazon.ca/AGPtek-Multi-YbrPr-Media-Player/dp/B01CCRYIQU/ref=asc_df_B01CCRY...07788239&psc=1

[lingyi]

Plex and most streaming software won't stream .ISO. Mezzmo is supposed to be able to, but when I tried it a long time ago, it didn't work well. Don't remember exactly what was wrong other than it didn't stream subs correctly, an issue with most streaming software.

Edit: I think the menus didn't work correctly or at all. This is a bigger issue with Blu-Ray, which uses Java for its menus.

http://www.mezzmo.com/wiki/doku.php?id=streaming_dvds_and_dvd_isos

[victoriabears]

Plex and most streaming software won't stream .ISO. Mezzmo is supposed to be able to, but when I tried it a long time ago, it didn't work well. Don't remember exactly what was wrong other than it didn't stream subs correctly, an issue with most streaming software.

Edit: I think the menus didn't work correctly or at all. This is a bigger issue with Blu-Ray, which uses Java for its menus.

http://www.mezzmo.com/wiki/doku.php?id=streaming_dvds_and_dvd_isos

So any streaming box, ergo uses streaming software cannot play ISO's? , thats very sad, yes plex/roku is wonderful but as you say will not play iso.

I was just trying to get away from dvd player option which is obviously the simplest, would a dvd/blu ray player with network access ability stream the iso's ?

solution? https://www.dune-hd.com/products/dune-hd-real-vision-4k

[Cornucopia]

HDMI doesn't "stream".

Your older tv has standard AV inputs, including hdmi, and it may or may not have the following:
1. A network data connection (wired/Ethernet, or wireless/WiFi/Bluetooth)
2. An onboard (of the tv) general media player that supports streaming via #1

Without both of those, it is impossible to do it solely with a server and the tv. There are further complicating factors of compatible formats and protocols.

The next way to do it is via a dedicated general media player (one that fullfills the requirements above) that is hooked up as a source to your tv via those standard av connections. This device could be:
1. A roku/wdtv/appletv etc commercial box
2. A Raspberry Pi or other kit box
3. A full blown HTPC
4. A dvd/bd player that has those features.

Note: in all these instances, iso is usually a local file or a served file (here defined as a local file you are serving to a client as a streaming stream), not a client stream/remote file. "Streaming", in realtime, realistically requires the bits be ordered in a manner that things can be decoded & displayed as they arrive. An ISO is a disc image, and while the media of dvd/bd discs is structured in a manner that a local player uses similar to streaming, it still isn't close enough, and doesn't include features for accommodating bitrate and reception timing fluctuations.

Scott

[Cornucopia]

My suggestion is that you go one or both of 2 ways:
1. Extract/Convert your ISOs to mkvs and locally play and/or stream those.
2. Keep you ISOs as is and use them solely with an HTPC.


Scott

[victoriabears]

My suggestion is that you go one or both of 2 ways:
1. Extract/Convert your ISOs to mkvs and locally play and/or stream those.
2. Keep you ISOs as is and use them solely with an HTPC.


Scott

Thank you, Dune HD Box?, any opinions.

[usually_quiet]

I have a Chromecast With Google TV that has the Android version of Kodi installed on it. I don't have a NAS, but using that combination of hardware and software, I was able to play a DVD ISO, including menus, stored in a shared folder on a PC in another room via a wireless network.

[victoriabears]

I have a Chromecast With Google TV that has the Android version of Kodi installed on it. Using that combination of hardware and software, I was able to play a DVD ISO, including menus, stored in a shared folder on a PC in another room via a wireless network.

Thank you, yes I may be appriaching this expecting a complicated answer rather than just replacing my wdtv, (the remote access and speed of navigation are annoying after using roku/plex) , with just a solution as you describe.

[Cornucopia]

I consider a Dune as a blend of 1 (commercial) & 2 (kit). I have only used it once and while it was decent, it doesn't meet my needs so I didn't pursue it further but went with an HTPC, which I find to be the most versatile of all.
Maybe I am not the best at recommending your options if you have budgetary or other unsaid constraints.


Scott

[victoriabears]

I consider a Dune as a blend of 1 (commercial) & 2 (kit). I have only used it once and while it was decent, it doesn't meet my needs so I didn't pursue it further but went with an HTPC, which I find to be the most versatile of all.
Maybe I am not the best at recommending your options if you have budgetary or other unsaid constraints.


Scott

Thanks Scott as always.

Space and an easy remote , just like the WDTV. What needs of yours did the Dune not satisfy>

I just want something which the WDTV does, plays ISO's, if it can also do what Roku/plex does , thats also great but not a necessity.

[Cornucopia]

I wanted mine to be able to do it all (all filetypes, all codecs, virtual image mounting, streaming + local, menus...). Only an HTPC handles that in one box. How many boxes can handle unconverted DV files? (I have hundreds - too many to convert)

Scott

[usually_quiet]

I have a Chromecast With Google TV that has the Android version of Kodi installed on it. Using that combination of hardware and software, I was able to play a DVD ISO, including menus, stored in a shared folder on a PC in another room via a wireless network.

Thank you, yes I may be appriaching this expecting a complicated answer rather than just replacing my wdtv, (the remote access and speed of navigation are annoying after using roku/plex) , with just a solution as you describe.

I do have a relatively fast Wi-Fi connection. My wireless router, PC and Chromecast With Google TV all have the ability to connect using Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). If you have a PC that you can use to run Kodi for test purposes maybe you could try playing a DVD ISO remotely with that set up to see how it works for you before buying anything.

[Edit]The Chromecast's remote is very simple. If you find that you need to type letters and numbers often, you might want to get an Android-compatible Bluetooth keyboard.

[jack_666]

What about if you install VLC Media Player on your Roku device, connect to your NAS via the VLC Player and play your ISO files?

[victoriabears]

What about if you install VLC Media Player on your Roku device, connect to your NAS via the VLC Player and play your ISO files?

Wow if that worked-I will try later.

[victoriabears]

I wanted mine to be able to do it all (all filetypes, all codecs, virtual image mounting, streaming + local, menus...). Only an HTPC handles that in one box. How many boxes can handle unconverted DV files? (I have hundreds - too many to convert)

Scott

Yes it can be daunting , for your DV question mine is DVD, and its amazing how fast a project goes if you just leave it running when away from the location, however that arises.

[lingyi]

Looks like the Dune will play ISOs correctly.

https://www.avforums.com/threads/dune-hd-streaming-devices-for-iso-movies.2400094/

Like you, I loved my WDTVs and tried Roku and Android. Neither was as easy and intuitive as the WDTV. I've switched to a HPTC, actually just a PC with PotPlayer and am completely happy. At first, I missed having a remote and tried several keyboard/remotes, but now use a Logitech K400 wireless keyboard and actually prefer that over a remote.

[ConsumerDV]

Thank you, Dune HD Box?, any opinions.

I bought a Dune HD box on a whim after reading a couple of glowing reviews. It did not play ISO images for me, neither did it play DV-AVI files. The UI is horrible and disjointed. Different formats are played with different modules, and there is little if any integration. The very first minute I connected it, it required internet connection and started installing additional modules. I don't recommend it.

My ASUS O!Play plays DVD ISO images.

[jagabo]

"Stream" an ISO from a Synology NAS to my non smart but 16x9 1080 TV? It has HDMI

If you can a set up a network share on you NAS and access it via WiFi you should consider Google's Chromecast with Google TV (US$50, often on sale for US$40) with the Kodi app (available from the app store).

https://store.google.com/us/product/chromecast_google_tv?hl=en-US
https://kodi.tv/

It's far better than the WDTV. It plays pretty much everything including DVD ISO files, MP4, MKV, AVI, TS, M2TS, etc. Video codec support is very wide with h.264, h.265, Divx, Xvid, VP8, VP9, MPEG 2, MPEG 1. About the only thing it doesn't support well is AV1. It doesn't have a hardware decoder for that so it uses software -- but the CPU isn't powerful enough to play much over SD resolutions. The remote control it comes with is pretty minimal. I would prefer a remote with dedicated transport buttons. If necessary, it can be expanded (more internal storage, Ethernet, USB thumb drives, keyboard, mouse, etc.) with a USB C hub with power delivery.

Even the ultra cheap ONN Android TV player (US$20) is better than the old WDTV:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-Android-TV-4K-UHD-Streaming-Device-with-Voice-Remote-Co...able/636597403

It's not quite as good as the above Chromecast but close second. I have both (connected to different TVs) and am quite satisfied.

Beware of a lot of "Android TV" devices sold at Amazon.com. They don't use the real Android TV OS but rather the Android OS from a touchscreen device (smartphone, tablet). Since they don't have touchscreens the interface doesn't work well.

[victoriabears]

"but the CPU isn't powerful enough to play much over SD resolutions", I do not think you mean it cannot play HD?, just cannot play avi's well. I would really only use it to play iso. As I have my plex all set up on roku with it working well, I use a PC for plex as the PC transcodes brilliantly. Thanks so much. The PC acts a the plex server accessing my nas storage as the nas cannot run plex well or transcodes (IT chokes) The PC is another room, the NAS is right under the TV, its all connected to the home network hard wired in case any of this prompts anyone to make a suggestion to play ISO somehow from the PC I could run a long HDMI cable but practically its not good as the remote control aspect doesn't seem workable.

[jagabo]

"but the CPU isn't powerful enough to play much over SD resolutions", I do not think you mean it cannot play HD?, just cannot play avi's well.

I was speaking specifically about videos encoded with the AV1 codec (Aomedia Video One):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AV1

not AVI (Audio Video Interleave) the container:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Video_Interleave

Pretty much every other common codec and container plays up to 4K at 60 Hz. Including high dynamic range videos.

[usually_quiet]

The PC is another room, the NAS is right under the TV, its all connected to the home network hard wired...

If you must use the Chromecast With Google TV with a wired network you'll need Googles's Ethernet adapter or a compatible USB C Hub with Ethernet + a higher wattage power adapter (to power both the hub and the Chromecast With Google TV).

[victoriabears]

The PC is another room, the NAS is right under the TV, its all connected to the home network hard wired...

If you must use the Chromecast With Google TV with a wired network you'll need Googles's Ethernet adapter or a compatible USB C Hub with Ethernet + a higher wattage power adapter (to power both the hub and the Chromecast With Google TV).

Cheers, just ordered the Chromecast with google TV and the ethernet adaptor can$107.50 in all, so happy with that, and will put kodi on it and hope I am home and dry, thanks so much for the direction, be fun to have a new toy. I actually got the wdtv working, it has been cranky since new isp router but it is laboured compared to the Roku, but pretty good for old technology. I am not a fan of wi fi and avoid it if I can , despite all the lauding of it.

[jagabo]

I am not a fan of wi fi

I'm not either. But the Chromecast cat get better throughput with WiFi than with wired Ethernet. Neither will be a problem for DVD ISO. Some very high bitrate 4K HDR videos will have problems with both.

[victoriabears]

I am not a fan of wi fi

I'm not either. But the Chromecast cat get better throughput with WiFi than with wired Ethernet. Neither will be a problem for DVD ISO. Some very high bitrate 4K HDR videos will have problems with both.

Doubtless once I see 4K HDR I will be hooked but we typically watch old stuff like Upstairs downstairs, although modern dramas like Succession and the staircase have us hooked ! Thanks for all your help

[sharer777]

https://osmc.tv/vero/

I'm using this one for about 1 year and never had any problem.

[victoriabears]

https://osmc.tv/vero/

I'm using this one for about 1 year and never had any problem.

Looks interesting, and it plays ISO's?

[jagabo]

I used to use an older Raspberry Pi running OSMC and Kodi. I was very happy with it but being older it didn't support the some of the newer codecs like h.265 and VP9. I eventually upgraded to a "fake" Android TV device with Kodi. Then Chromecast+GTV and ONN player (on another TV). It looks like the Vero 4K is a newer Raspberry Pi (at least the same chip and similar design) assembled and with all the software installed for you.

[sharer777]

https://osmc.tv/vero/

I'm using this one for about 1 year and never had any problem.

Looks interesting, and it plays ISO's?

I have only tested DVD ISo's and it plays them correctly...no chance yet to test BD or 4K Iso's.

[Cornucopia]

I don't know of ANY non-licensed software on any platform that correctly & fully plays BD/UHDBD ISOs. Some may play simple M2TS files, etc, but not menus, and not the navigation. It just hasn't ever been fully reverse engineered yet (at least without incurring the wrath of the BD companies).
Licensed BD/UHDBD software is like Cyberlink PowerDVD ($).

Scott

[usually_quiet]

I don't know of ANY non-licensed software on any platform that correctly & fully plays BD/UHDBD ISOs. Some may play simple M2TS files, etc, but not menus, and not the navigation. It just hasn't ever been fully reverse engineered yet (at least without incurring the wrath of the BD companies).
Licensed BD/UHDBD software is like Cyberlink PowerDVD ($).

Scott

As far as I know, this is true. Kodi and VLC can provide only limited BD and UHD BD playback even if the disc is decrypted.