DIY Home, yea I guess

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
OOPS. FULL manual ( online only) says the TOSLINK is 5.1. That works. It has no HDMI output.

I wonder, it has enough inputs if I should not totally reconfigure my system using the TV as the control and AVR as an amplifier.
 

bowman

Board of Directors, Webmaster
Neal
Staff member
Corporate Member
depending on your receiver, you should be able to configure the TV audio out over TOSlink as PCM or Dolby
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
It seems one HDMI is ARC, so I should be able to send TV audio back to the AVR. Going to test that before I order a toslink cable.
 

PeteM

Pete
Corporate Member
Seems to me you're going out of your way, overthinking, to make this way more complicated than need be.
It's unclear (at least to me) exactly what you're trying to accomplish. Like you're looking at various hardware and/or apps and trying to figure out what they do and how they do it. I try to approach it by defining exactly what I want to accomplish and then figure out the best way to accomplish it. I have a Roku Ultra and an old iMac as a media server running the free version of Plex. For audio, I just have an old Yamaha receiver connected to an old Bose surround sound setup. Nothing special but it does everything I need. Seems you need more options but I'm not sure what for. Just my 2 cents.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
OK, one more hint. You need a computer to run as a PLEX server. Even that was not clear. I know Mac is better that PC for audio. Never had a Mac so know little about them for other uses. I am an old Unix guy.

I want my remote to work correctly all the time. As an IR based remote only assumes the state, with no feedback, it can get confused. Ethernet or serial resolves those issues.
I can't program the keys exactly as I want. Limitation of the remote or instructions, I do not know. i.e. fixing mute and volume to AVR only.
I want to buffer/record from any of my sources in advance. That may mean switching several devices back and forth.
I want a TV guide for my sources
I want to load my DVD's onto a server. I understand with PLEX, I can edit them to show the movie, not 6 previews every freaking time.
I would like to quit paying a fortune to Spectrum for sports I never watch. They have some piece meal selection, but their staff is incapable of assisting.
I am not sure my Harmony 665 is smart enough to one-button switch AVR based input to the TV input, changing both TV and AVR settings at the same time. Again, it might be, if the instructions were more than a quick start assumption of the most basic config.

Fooled myself. Can't get ARC to work yet. Still fiddling.
 

PeteM

Pete
Corporate Member
OK, one more hint. You need a computer to run as a PLEX server. Even that was not clear. I know Mac is better that PC for audio. Never had a Mac so know little about them for other uses. I am an old Unix guy.

I want my remote to work correctly all the time. As an IR based remote only assumes the state, with no feedback, it can get confused. Ethernet or serial resolves those issues.
I can't program the keys exactly as I want. Limitation of the remote or instructions, I do not know. i.e. fixing mute and volume to AVR only.
I want to buffer/record from any of my sources in advance. That may mean switching several devices back and forth.
I want a TV guide for my sources
I want to load my DVD's onto a server. I understand with PLEX, I can edit them to show the movie, not 6 previews every freaking time.
I would like to quit paying a fortune to Spectrum for sports I never watch. They have some piece meal selection, but their staff is incapable of assisting.
I am not sure my Harmony 665 is smart enough to one-button switch AVR based input to the TV input, changing both TV and AVR settings at the same time. Again, it might be, if the instructions were more than a quick start assumption of the most basic config.

Fooled myself. Can't get ARC to work yet. Still fiddling.
That's quite a list! I dropped Spectrum long ago. My TV/audio needs are much simpler than yours. The ROKU remote controls channel switching, volume and has voice search. I don't watch any network TV shows or sports. Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and some other less mainstream sources give me more than enough to watch or listen to. I keep my movies and my music library on the server. I'm sure you'll get it all sorted eventually. Or, you could just spend less time watching TV and more time in the shop!!! ;-))
 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
You can run a Plex Server on a lot of devices. When I first started experimenting I installed Plex Server on a Lenovo TS-140 Thinkserver running plain old Windows 10. When I outgrew my Netgear Readynas Ultra 2-bay NAS, I replaced it with a Synology DS-920+. Plex Server can be installed/run on both the Readynas and the DS-920+. I have it running on the DS-920+ as well as the Lenovo Thinkserver.

I have since added a couple of Netgear Readynas Pro6, 6 bay nas which are also very capable of running Plex Server. These units are pretty standard hardware that can be fairly cheaply purchased (think eBay)and upgraded. I have swapped out the cpu on both of these to Intel Core2 DUO E7600 at 3.06Ghz. One has 4Gb (2x2Gb) of ddr2 ram, the other has 8Gb (2x4Gb) of ddr2. The Pro6 also supports some quad core processors and some Xeon dual and quad core. All of these cpus are pretty cheap on eBay. 2x2Gb of ddr2 also cheap on eBay. 4gb ddr2 that works is a bit harder to find and usually pricey. I found a couple for $10/each.

The Nvidia Shield can also run Plex Server and Plex client. I had Plex Server running on the shield for a time but then removed it. Don't need three Plex Servers running, don't really need two but I haven't decided which one to keep yet.

In my family room I have the Tivo Bolt and the Nvidia Shield connected to a Denon SS receiver via hdmi. Hdmi out from the receiver goes to the TCL Roku TV. Whichever source device I decide to use, the remote for that device takes care of all functions. I use the Shield most. Press the Shield remote button and the Shield turns on, which then sends a signal to the Denon receiver to turn that on and switch to the correct input. The Denon then sends a signal to the TCL tv to turn that on. Everything works from the one Shield remote. Same thing for Tivo, only using the Tivo Remote or the Roku TV using the Roku remote. It just depends on which source device you are more comfortable using, for me it's the shield, for LOML, it's the Tivo. We very rarely use the Roku tv for anything other than display.

You can remap some keys on the Shield remote, more if you use Button Mapper app from the play store.

With Plex Pass and a network tuner you get a full function DVR with 'season pass' recording capabilities, etc. We practically never watch live tv. I have a pretty extensive library of movies, tv shows and music that are all setup in Plex Server libraries and can be played on any device with Plex client installed.
 
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tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Visited a few places today.
Well, PLEX can't do Blu-Ray, only DVD, so useless as a library. You can buy streaming for all the movies you already paid for and a monthly fee for the cloud serving; good luck if that service changes. Now, to use it as an OTA DVR, maybe useful, but I very rarely watch the broadcast channels. Most NAS can support it, even a Raspberry.

The Contro4 will do the remote control I want for but would be about $3500 total including an iPad remote. My TV may not have discrete codes so that could be an issue. ( Excuse for OLED TV) BUT, if IP controlled, when your router reboots, DCHP may change the IPs and it then requires dealer service! So only safe way is to put in a bridge with private LAN.

A Universal remote, IR based, can at least lock the volume control to the AVR, for about $800 and again, I can't make any changes. $110 an hour for service and unless the store sells the exact equipment you have, they can't verify the setup without a service call. Figure 3 hours. Funny, the STB remote I had in MD could!

Neither guy was surprised I could not get ARC to work. Seems it was very flakey on early systems. Clean reboot ( loose all config) sometimes works. I think I'll spend $9 on a TOSLINK cable. I plugged my TV into the net this morning, and it just told me it did a firmware upgrade, so will try again.

Sony and LG OLED TV's are impressive. Newer up-scalers have improved. Legit upgrade.

For my living room, neither guy was surprised at my disappointment with my Parasound 2140 amp ( one was a dealer). I guess I need to re-cap my old amp and go back to it. Still tempted buy both Schiit amps. Both suggested the baby Marantz integrated as just as good DAC and good amp, but like a lot of things, backordered. Chip backorders, shipping backorders, and rolling blackouts in China are drying up everything. So electronics are as bad as woodworking machines.

Well, will hit the shop tomorrow to finish up my new center channel and work on re-cabinet my mains to build them into the walls lower. Excuse to play with veneering some more.
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
After reading all this I am glad I have reached my current level of not caring about the screen on the wall. After years of high-tech I am very happy with a couple, maybe three, tv channels and a decent Bose sound system. Much prefer a good conversation, a good paper book or time in the shop
Just a satisfied dinosaur I guess
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
We like to prop up in the TV room and watch a movie together in the evening over dinner.
I would argue with the "good BOSE" audio. :)

What is frustrating is I understand the underlying technologies that I know what I want is possible. It was years ago! Really bad GUI designs are a big issue. Not allowing me to configure my own system may be a exclusion.

For instance, there is no reason a media server can't cache the encryption codes from BDs and then cache the files encrypted. There is no reason my Harmony remote can't "fix" the volume control to the AVR only.
 

Charlie

Charlie
Corporate Member
After reading all this I am glad I have reached my current level of not caring about the screen on the wall. After years of high-tech I am very happy with a couple, maybe three, tv channels and a decent Bose sound system. Much prefer a good conversation, a good paper book or time in the shop
Just a satisfied dinosaur I guess
I agree fully!
 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
"Well, PLEX can't do Blu-Ray, only DVD, so useless as a library."

Not sure I understand what this means. I have about 1200+- movies on my NAS from all different sources and Plex can play them all. Mp4, MKV, .ts, etc.

Are you trying to get Plex to play directly from a BluRay disc? Never tried that. You probably have to rip the video from the BluRay and save it to whatever hard drive or NAS or other storage and then point Plex to that storage.

Listen, you are welcome to stop by my place if you want and I can show you how I have all this stuff setup. It shouldn't cost $3500 just to watch some movies or TV shows. I have a ton of stuff here to do this and didn't spend any where near that.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Hmmm. Two of the "professionals" said you can't rip a BluRay to a NAS. But I just searched and found several applications that claims to allow it. Defeating encryption claims to be illegal, but not sure if there are conflicting laws. I have little patience for this kind of stupidity when I BOUGHT the disk.

Complicated subject for sure. Looks like a two stage process. The NAS/media storage and playback and then the automation integration. I would rather to the automation first, but changes to it cost dealer service charges. They charge by the hour so you have no control over what it may cost. I have been warned, some issues can take many hours to resolve. If on-site issue, that means at least 2 or 3 hours service charge.
 

Dee2

Board of Directors, Vice President
Gene
Staff member
Corporate Member
Could you guys just speak 'wood', please?
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
WHAT!!! Logitech has stopped production of Harmony remotes.

Well, I did post this in DIY HOME IMPROVEMENT, and actually, I have gotten more helpful information from our members than I have from several AV centric sites!
 

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