Portable Box to play back SageTV files (.ts, .mpg)

[brianblank]

I'm hoping you all can help,,,

I am going to be travelling a lot for work and want to take my SageTV recordings with me to watch on my laptop on the plane and on the hotel TV at night.

Some ground rules: I don't want to transcode the files, I just want to copy them off the server and go. And I don't want to plug my laptop into the hotel room TV. Placeshifter isn't an option either, the hotel internet is spotty at best.

Can anyone recommend a box with an internal HDD or USB port (USB HDD or USB Flash) that I can hook up to the TV via HDMI that will play the .ts files from my HDPVR that Sage has recorded?

I've tried the Micca Slim HD, it works but freezes up frequently.

I just stumbled across the Firecore software for Apple TV that might work, but there are several people in the forums complaining that they can't play .ts files.

Thanks in advance,
Brian

[PiX64]

Just responded to your g+ post...

[MattHelm]

I used a Western Digital Live (the one without a HD) to do this. You would need to "Share" the video from the laptop. Of course, depending on the laptop, you could just hook the laptop to the TV, couldn't you?

It is bigger than most newer system, but will play almost anything.

[brianblank]

Matt - The WD box looks like the solution I'm looking for. Do you have the newer or older version? It looks like either will do the trick. I just wish it had internal storage, but a thumbdrive or wifi to the laptop should suffice.

I'd rather not plug the laptop into the TV so I can surf/work while I'm watching TV and not worry about the HDMI cable being strung all over the room.

[PiX64]

you could also use a SageTV Extender, and plug an HDD with your shows directly into it.... it will do the same thing as the wdtv live.

i personally like the plex / plexpass route and syncing shows to device(s). I mentioned htis over on the g+ post

the cool thing about plexpass is that you ca tell it to sync your content in such a way where you only have say the oldest 3 unwatched shows. once you watch one plex server will swap it out for a new unwatched one.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by brianblank

Matt - The WD box looks like the solution I'm looking for. Do you have the newer or older version? It looks like either will do the trick. I just wish it had internal storage, but a thumbdrive or wifi to the laptop should suffice.

I'd rather not plug the laptop into the TV so I can surf/work while I'm watching TV and not worry about the HDMI cable being strung all over the room.

I had the old one. Friend has it now, as I picked up a HD200. He uses it as his main TV playback device. Only real issue I ever had with it, was FF/REW was supper slow back then. (I think newer firmware fixed that)

Understand on the laptop.

[KryptoNyte]

I'm pretty sure WD makes one of these devices with an internal hard drive ...

[sflamm]

Zotac nano AD10 will do it flawlessly.

[sflamm]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856173047

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by brianblank

I just wish it had internal storage, but a thumbdrive or wifi to the laptop should suffice.

I'd stick a 20' Ethernet cable in the laptop bag, and read from there. Are you doing "work" that would use that much HD thru put? (just thinking on best for cost)

Or a large thumb drive. The large but USB 2.0 drive aren't too (?) pricey.

[KryptoNyte]

http://www.amazon.com/Live-Hub-1TB-M.../dp/B004GK0GKO

[brianblank]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The Zotac box and the WD TV Live Hub look like great solutions, but a little pricey. I picked up a WD TV Live at the local Best Buy, I tested it with about 20 minutes of a .ts file via thumb drive, portable HDD and this little microSD host (Meenova) that I sometimes use with my Nexus 7 on the plane.

I'll use the WD box over the next two weeks while I am travelling and let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[KryptoNyte]

The only filetype that I've ever had trouble with on the WD Live devices are the straight up DV-AVI, which probably requires some form of licensing that WD felt wasn't worth it.

[jchiso]

If the WD box does not work out for you, you could give the Mediasonic HomeWorx HW-150PVR a look. It's just $45 from NewEgg or Amazon and will capture (and even save and timeshift) OTA HD and play back various file types from a USB source ...

[brianblank]

I'm back home from my trip and the WD box worked great. Along with a thin Mediabridge HDMI cable and a Meenova microSD host it made for a great portable solution. I was able to watch .ts files that were copied off the SageTV server, .avi files and ripped DVDs (complete with menus, some Amazon commenters said that DVD menus didn't work).

Thanks again for the input.

Brian