New AV Setup for New Mancave

[Superfly Guy]

Its getting there.
Panny CTX 50 CX 802B 50" 4K TV
Q Media M4 Soundbar
PS4

[lfcrule1972]

Looking v good now, you can't grumble at a dog kiss when you're working lol

Quick Q - can iTunes play mkv files ??? I've been converting them for ages and now wonder if I've wasted my time

[WTF]

Photobombed by the dog!

Looking awesome so far!

[Superfly Guy]

Quick Q - can iTunes play mkv files ??? I've been converting them for ages and now wonder if I've wasted my time

No it cant but VLC can. What you could do is use Handbrake to batch convert them into MP4 files which itunes will recognise. Converting can be CPU intensive so time taken depends on CPU speed and number of cores.

[Dangerousfish]

No it cant but VLC can. What you could do is use Handbrake to batch convert them into MP4 files which itunes will recognise. Converting can be CPU intensive so time taken depends on CPU speed and number of cores.

Have you thought of installing something a little less intense like Kodi or Plex? Both have a windows server client and will auto generate all your cover art, subtitles, categorise them, etc..

Also makes it much easier for streaming whilst out and about. You simply browse to www.plex.tv, login and it'll access all your libraries for streaming.

Happy to offer any advice if you drop me a pm.

[Superfly Guy]

Photobombed by the dog!

Looking awesome so far!

They are being spoilt at the mo, they don't know whether to go in the conservatory and what the landscapers, look out the front and bark at the horses walking past of lick my face vying for attention.

This week is a three pronged attack, get the house ready for the party (inc supplies), sort out the front room with new Av kit and furniture and then the mancave with painting, new furniture, Av stuff.

[lfcrule1972]

No it cant but VLC can. What you could do is use Handbrake to batch convert them into MP4 files which itunes will recognise. Converting can be CPU intensive so time taken depends on CPU speed and number of cores.

Thanks I have a couple of conversion programmes for the Mac, I tend to list up a batch and let them run through I was hoping that ipads etc could play MKV's and I'd been wasting my time to date....

[Superfly Guy]

Have you thought of installing something a little less intense like Kodi or Plex? Both have a windows server client and will auto generate all your cover art, subtitles, categorise them, etc..

Also makes it much easier for streaming whilst out and about. You simply browse to www.plex.tv, login and it'll access all your libraries for streaming.

Happy to offer any advice if you drop me a pm.

Thanks Fish but I'm not a fan of cloud based storage. I have a central back-up on two 3TB drives. I then have all my music and video media on the mainroom server/laptop (Pics and Docs stored separately. I have a selection of stuff on my work/gaming laptop and zero on my gaming PC, The the mancave media machine mirrors the mainroom lappy. Also I'm not sure of the storage limit by I have close to two TB of music, my internet when I'm away is pretty poor with streaming impossible (although a new line of sight microwave link to the city has improved things).

I have just removed Kodi from a laptop, had a play around and realised its not for me. However il give you a shout if I look to move in that direction.

[Superfly Guy]

Thanks I have a couple of conversion programmes for the Mac, I tend to list up a batch and let them run through I was hoping that ipads etc could play MKV's and I'd been wasting my time to date....

There are 'drag and drop' progs that work with the iPad which allow you to 'psudo play' MKV files but in reality they convert the file just the same. I just have a folder with converted MKVs on an externat HDD, when I want something to watch on a flight I just convert it.

[lfcrule1972]

Yeah I store all my mp4's once converted in case I want to add them to the Vita or iPad again. The new iPad is 128gb so plenty of storage (even allowing for the actual 114gb or whatever it is I get )

[Superfly Guy]

Mine iPad mini is just 16gb, ive no idea why i didnt get a bigger one as i got it in the PX for a steal at the time.

[Dangerousfish]

Thanks Fish but I'm not a fan of cloud based storage. I have a central back-up on two 3TB drives. I then have all my music and video media on the mainroom server/laptop (Pics and Docs stored separately. I have a selection of stuff on my work/gaming laptop and zero on my gaming PC, The the mancave media machine mirrors the mainroom lappy. Also I'm not sure of the storage limit by I have close to two TB of music, my internet when I'm away is pretty poor with streaming impossible (although a new line of sight microwave link to the city has improved things).

I have just removed Kodi from a laptop, had a play around and realised its not for me. However il give you a shout if I look to move in that direction.

Before you make up your mind, setup an account on Plex and I'll share my library with you. It'll give you an example of the potential it has.

Homeserver (old bits and pieces I "borrowed" from work in a 1U case) is set up in the kitchen with access to my NAS which holds around 2TB of media, not including stuff on DropBox and other storage devices that you can attach to Plex.

Using that I have access to it from: Xbone, SmartTV, PC's/Mobiles & access from anywhere in the world via the website. It's made organisation of my media so much easier and the ability to share libraries with friends means all in I have access to ~12TB's worth of movies, music, etc.. Well worthwhile if you're dealing with lots of data, which it sounds like you are. It's also a lot prettier than Itunes

[Superfly Guy]

@ Fish, and there you have it, I removed my dropbox account and all other cloud type accounts (exept iTunes and the odd other) after I saw how easy they are to hack, I no longer have a Skype account and nothing in my house (AV or white goods) connects via the tinterweb (TV, PS4 etc etc unless I manually do it for updates etc. Its not that I'm paranoid or loving George Orwell, its just ive seen how easy it is to exploit these system so choose not to use them. Samsung TVs sending voice captures unencrypted back to a central server springs to mind.

[Dangerousfish]

Fair shout. In my case it's literally media streaming that's available. The server doesn't have permission to access any of the devices on my network so if it was compromised further down the line the only thing I'll be concerned about is somebody leeching movies that I haven't given permission to xD

That or Microsoft watching me pick my nose through the Kinect.

[Superfly Guy]

The server doesn't have permission to access any of the devices on my network so if it was compromised further down the line the only thing I'll be concerned about is somebody leeching movies that I haven't given permission to xD.

Movies legally acquired
Like i say, streaming isnt an option for me for 9 months of the year. hence why i load up my external 2.5" hdds before i leave.