2023-10-27, 04:32 PM
(This post was last modified: 2023-11-06, 08:13 PM by Revv23. Edited 1 time in total.)
Hey all - trying to flesh out the absolute best way for JF and my TV to get along, and haven't been able to wrap my head around it.
I'm currently running Roku's, and while they work fine (thanks roku team!) they are feature limited. No previews, no suggestions, etc.
I look at android solutions it seems to me they are mostly spyware boxes these days, including the nvidia sheild?
Apple i've heard works OK but I am not the apple type
As far as I can tell the absolute best client is the Jellyfin media player on windows/ linux desktops. so OK perfect, I'll get a few mini PC's! Heck I could even use them for some other homelab stuff... Awesome. Except...
How to control it? I could use a bluetooth game controller but then having to wake & pair every time we turn the TV on? Does jellyfin even support controllers? I'd probably have to run it through steam? I can handle that but my family not so much. So I'm back to square one
TL: DR -
1. Does anyone have advice for making a HTPC as user friendly as any other streaming box
OR
2. Does anyone recommend a different hardware setup that works like a roku/android but is open source & secure & a fully featured client?
Edit - I posted this later in the thread, but in case someone is coming in late - for anyone else going through the same thing. for anyone else going through the same thing. I have since tried an android streaming device and it has same feature limitations as Roku, on the whole Roku is a better experience than android TV app.
* This means that the only clients that I know of that are fully featured are the following:
1. Desktop Client
2. Web Client
3. Android Mobile Client (Not android TV)
4. IOS client (Haven't verified Apple TV)
My only Unknown is Apple Client, I haven't tried it and its my understanding you have to subscribe to other software to get it working.
I'm currently running Roku's, and while they work fine (thanks roku team!) they are feature limited. No previews, no suggestions, etc.
I look at android solutions it seems to me they are mostly spyware boxes these days, including the nvidia sheild?
Apple i've heard works OK but I am not the apple type
As far as I can tell the absolute best client is the Jellyfin media player on windows/ linux desktops. so OK perfect, I'll get a few mini PC's! Heck I could even use them for some other homelab stuff... Awesome. Except...
How to control it? I could use a bluetooth game controller but then having to wake & pair every time we turn the TV on? Does jellyfin even support controllers? I'd probably have to run it through steam? I can handle that but my family not so much. So I'm back to square one
TL: DR -
1. Does anyone have advice for making a HTPC as user friendly as any other streaming box
OR
2. Does anyone recommend a different hardware setup that works like a roku/android but is open source & secure & a fully featured client?
Edit - I posted this later in the thread, but in case someone is coming in late - for anyone else going through the same thing. for anyone else going through the same thing. I have since tried an android streaming device and it has same feature limitations as Roku, on the whole Roku is a better experience than android TV app.
* This means that the only clients that I know of that are fully featured are the following:
1. Desktop Client
2. Web Client
3. Android Mobile Client (Not android TV)
4. IOS client (Haven't verified Apple TV)
My only Unknown is Apple Client, I haven't tried it and its my understanding you have to subscribe to other software to get it working.