I posted this on AVS Forum but thought folks here would have some insite:
We've decided to cancel DirecTV and go OTA only with maybe a Netflix subscription. I have recently bought a Mac Mini and have an Apple TV 2 (and two iPads in the house). I plan to get an HDHomeRun as well.
So I don't know what front end to use. I have been using PLEX for years and LOVE IT, but I need something with decent WAF that will allow me to view and record live TV, watch TV shows and movies I already have archived through PLEX or something like it, and also access iTunes content (and maybe Netflix). I am currently in the process of moving all my existing TV shows and Movies into iTunes (at least the stuff for the kids to easily move things onto the iPads), but the iTunes interface for movies and TV is lousy compared to PLEX (what is up with no FrontRow-like interface?). Is there not a Windows Media Center-like equivalent for the Mac? Would prefer to keep everything on the MAC and not have to build a HTPC.
My jailbroken AppleTV 2 is almost perfect as I can easily access iTunes content and browse for rentals and purchases, watch Netflix, and use PLEX to watch everything not in my iTunes ecosystem. The WAF is excellent, and it compact and doesn't consume a lot of electricity. The problem is that I don't get Live TV or DVR functionality.
Any help is appreciated! I have an AEBS but plan to wire the HDHomerun and everything else that I can (maybe using a powerline adapter). I have a DROBO wired to the Mac Mini only about half-filled (~6TB total storage right now).
EDIT - By the way, I do like using Remote Buddy and easily switching between apps like PLEX and EyeTV, but accessing the iTunes content is still really cumbersome. And you just don't get the same experience as on the AppleTV. Does anybody use the EyeTV parser through XBMC on an jailbroken Apple TV?
We've decided to cancel DirecTV and go OTA only with maybe a Netflix subscription. I have recently bought a Mac Mini and have an Apple TV 2 (and two iPads in the house). I plan to get an HDHomeRun as well.
So I don't know what front end to use. I have been using PLEX for years and LOVE IT, but I need something with decent WAF that will allow me to view and record live TV, watch TV shows and movies I already have archived through PLEX or something like it, and also access iTunes content (and maybe Netflix). I am currently in the process of moving all my existing TV shows and Movies into iTunes (at least the stuff for the kids to easily move things onto the iPads), but the iTunes interface for movies and TV is lousy compared to PLEX (what is up with no FrontRow-like interface?). Is there not a Windows Media Center-like equivalent for the Mac? Would prefer to keep everything on the MAC and not have to build a HTPC.
My jailbroken AppleTV 2 is almost perfect as I can easily access iTunes content and browse for rentals and purchases, watch Netflix, and use PLEX to watch everything not in my iTunes ecosystem. The WAF is excellent, and it compact and doesn't consume a lot of electricity. The problem is that I don't get Live TV or DVR functionality.
Any help is appreciated! I have an AEBS but plan to wire the HDHomerun and everything else that I can (maybe using a powerline adapter). I have a DROBO wired to the Mac Mini only about half-filled (~6TB total storage right now).
EDIT - By the way, I do like using Remote Buddy and easily switching between apps like PLEX and EyeTV, but accessing the iTunes content is still really cumbersome. And you just don't get the same experience as on the AppleTV. Does anybody use the EyeTV parser through XBMC on an jailbroken Apple TV?
