Techy advice needed

[Scott]

When viewing any video online (regardless of the type media player) the audio & picture quality are fine as long as I remain in the original small screen size. When I click on full screen there is a 2/3 sec delay where the entire screen goes black before appearing in full screen mode but with the audio out of sync and the picture a little jumpy.

Any suggestions welcome

[Jackal]

Hi. I'm having a bit of an issue with some computer stuff and wondering if anyone can help. I'm currently doing a thesis and I have to include maps in it. The maps I need to include are of the island of Ireland with the outline of the 32 counties and then I have to mark several points on it. I need to do three maps altogether. I'm basically wondering if there is anything on the internet that I can do this or anywhere that could assist me or if anyone has any advice. Any help or suggestions would really be appreciated!

[waterboy]

I'm looking to setup some sort of media streaming for my TV. Ideally this would be done wirelessly, with the streaming device upstairs beside the router keeping any noise from fans etc away from the living room. I have an old pc that could probably be used but would need a bigger hard drive and would probably cost a fortune to keep on 24/7?

I was thinking of using a NAS, this having the added benefit of being able to have a backup of all my files as well, currently I'm a hard drive failure away from losing all my pics/music etc.

Anyone any experience of using a NAS at home or any other recommendations for streaming media and having a backup of it all as well?

[mikerob]

I'm looking to setup some sort of media streaming for my TV. Ideally this would be done wirelessly, with the streaming device upstairs beside the router keeping any noise from fans etc away from the living room. I have an old pc that could probably be used but would need a bigger hard drive and would probably cost a fortune to keep on 24/7?

I was thinking of using a NAS, this having the added benefit of being able to have a backup of all my files as well, currently I'm a hard drive failure away from losing all my pics/music etc.

Anyone any experience of using a NAS at home or any other recommendations for streaming media and having a backup of it all as well?

All but the cheapest NAS devices can support at least 2 hard discs and can be configured so the information is duplicated across both, so the failure of one hard disc does not affect the NAS operation. However this isn't really a backup - if a file gets deleted or corrupted, then it is deleted or corrupted on both discs. A lot of NAS products will have a USB port so you can connect an external hard drive to them for backups. The NAS may come with backup software that it can use to backup itself or alternatively, backup software could be run on a PC that is also on the network with the NAS.

For streaming media, I use a product called a Squeezebox for music and I have 3 of them in various rooms, and I use an AppleTV for video. I keep all the music and video files on a NAS and an external HD is connected to the NAS for backup. Squeezebox software can run on the NAS for audio streaming, but the AppleTV relies on a Mac, which is on the same network as the NAS.

Unfortunately the Squeezebox manufacturer has announced they are no longer making them, so I can't really recommend them any more for music.

For streaming, in addition to the server, you also need a client device connected to the TV to display the video . The AppleTV is a client device but it needs a computer running - you can't use it with just the NAS.

There is an industry standard for media servers and clients called DLNA and the latest smart TVs have DLNA clients built into them as well as things like the Xbox, PS3 and other products and many NASes support DLNA server software. I have played around with the PS3 as a DLNA client and it worked, however I thought the user interface was clunky, and certainly not as slick as the AppleTV.

[waterboy]

Cheers for that Mikerob. I was thinking of using AppleTv as the client device but didn't realise it also needs a PC running at the same time to work, which is a bit of a pain. I have a PS3 so I can use that for the time being. The TV has been acting up a bit lately so will probably have to invest in a new one soon which would have DLNA, PS3 will do until then once the interface isn't too bad, can also use the phone as a remote for that as well so makes it a bit handier.

Good tip on having the external drive plugged into the NAS, I'd never have thought of that. If I go that route then I'd only need one drive in the NAS as the portable HD is then the backup?

I've been looking at Synology NAS boxs which seem to have decent reviews and can run most of the stuff I need on the NAS itself rather than on a PC. However when it comes to choosing harddrives for it there seems to be a fair bit of choice, can anyone recommend a particular brand. I was looking at WD Caviar Green drives?

[TerenureJim]

What freeware do people recommend to convert .mkv to .avi or .mp4?

[johng]

What freeware do people recommend to convert .mkv to .avi or .mp4?

The whole point of .mkv is high quality. why would you butcher it to change format? either download a lower quality .avi or use something like vlc to play the .mkv

[johng]

Cheers for that Mikerob. I was thinking of using AppleTv as the client device but didn't realise it also needs a PC running at the same time to work, which is a bit of a pain. I have a PS3 so I can use that for the time being. The TV has been acting up a bit lately so will probably have to invest in a new one soon which would have DLNA, PS3 will do until then once the interface isn't too bad, can also use the phone as a remote for that as well so makes it a bit handier.

Good tip on having the external drive plugged into the NAS, I'd never have thought of that. If I go that route then I'd only need one drive in the NAS as the portable HD is then the backup?

I've been looking at Synology NAS boxs which seem to have decent reviews and can run most of the stuff I need on the NAS itself rather than on a PC. However when it comes to choosing harddrives for it there seems to be a fair bit of choice, can anyone recommend a particular brand. I was looking at WD Caviar Green drives?

. cheap and not so cheerful. we use them in pcs. but nothing much else. not great for streaming media cause they go to sleep all the time. put one in my sky box. keeps dropping out when recording. NEVER put them in a server.

[TerenureJim]

What freeware do people recommend to convert .mkv to .avi or .mp4?

The whole point of .mkv is high quality. why would you butcher it to change format? either download a lower quality .avi or use something like vlc to play the .mkv

Hmm maybe I'm missing something here the files in question are ones I've attempted to lash onto a dvd to then watch on my PS3 (I have yet to invest in a decent mmultimedia HDD) but are noted as corrupted data when I try and access them on the dvd hense the thought to convert as both .avi and .mp4 have no issues

[waterboy]

Cheers for that Mikerob. I was thinking of using AppleTv as the client device but didn't realise it also needs a PC running at the same time to work, which is a bit of a pain. I have a PS3 so I can use that for the time being. The TV has been acting up a bit lately so will probably have to invest in a new one soon which would have DLNA, PS3 will do until then once the interface isn't too bad, can also use the phone as a remote for that as well so makes it a bit handier.

Good tip on having the external drive plugged into the NAS, I'd never have thought of that. If I go that route then I'd only need one drive in the NAS as the portable HD is then the backup?

I've been looking at Synology NAS boxs which seem to have decent reviews and can run most of the stuff I need on the NAS itself rather than on a PC. However when it comes to choosing harddrives for it there seems to be a fair bit of choice, can anyone recommend a particular brand. I was looking at WD Caviar Green drives?

. cheap and not so cheerful. we use them in pcs. but nothing much else. not great for streaming media cause they go to sleep all the time. put one in my sky box. keeps dropping out when recording. NEVER put them in a server.

Any ones you would recommend? don't want to break the bank but equally want to get something thats reliable.

[Dave Cahill]

What freeware do people recommend to convert .mkv to .avi or .mp4?

The whole point of .mkv is high quality. why would you butcher it to change format? either download a lower quality .avi or use something like vlc to play the .mkv

Hmm maybe I'm missing something here the files in question are ones I've attempted to lash onto a dvd to then watch on my PS3 (I have yet to invest in a decent mmultimedia HDD) but are noted as corrupted data when I try and access them on the dvd hense the thought to convert as both .avi and .mp4 have no issues

Quick teacher-y bit before I go on. MKV and MP4 are container formats that can hold a number of audio and video streams depending on whats required.

h.264 is a standard for video encoding, implemented in a number of ways, most popularly with x264.

So if your mkv file contains h264 video, you should be able to extract and rewrap it in an mp4 container without having to re-encode it (or the audio) which can take several hours depending.

I use Quicktime to do it on a mac, for windows, try MKVExtractGUI2 to demux the streams, then YAMB to put them into a MP4 containter

[mikerob]

Good tip on having the external drive plugged into the NAS, I'd never have thought of that. If I go that route then I'd only need one drive in the NAS as the portable HD is then the backup?

You could... however I'd recommend going with a NAS that can take at least 2 discs so you have the option of adding a second one if you want to.

[waterboy]

Oh yeah, the NAS I'm looking at is 2 bay so I can slot the second one in down the road when funds allow. Thanks for the pointers.

[johng]

Oh yeah, the NAS I'm looking at is 2 bay so I can slot the second one in down the road when funds allow. Thanks for the pointers.

These puppies are the ones for video and multimedia http://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-dr ... peline-hd/

Adding a 2nd drive to the nas at a later stage will mean having to wipe it and start again to mirror the drives. Not the end of the world but defo a hassle.

[johng]

The whole point of .mkv is high quality. why would you butcher it to change format? either download a lower quality .avi or use something like vlc to play the .mkv

Hmm maybe I'm missing something here the files in question are ones I've attempted to lash onto a dvd to then watch on my PS3 (I have yet to invest in a decent mmultimedia HDD) but are noted as corrupted data when I try and access them on the dvd hense the thought to convert as both .avi and .mp4 have no issues

Quick teacher-y bit before I go on. MKV and MP4 are container formats that can hold a number of audio and video streams depending on whats required.

h.264 is a standard for video encoding, implemented in a number of ways, most popularly with x264.

So if your mkv file contains h264 video, you should be able to extract and rewrap it in an mp4 container without having to re-encode it (or the audio) which can take several hours depending.

I use Quicktime to do it on a mac, for windows, try MKVExtractGUI2 to demux the streams, then YAMB to put them into a MP4 containter

All very true, but probably simpler just to download file types that your playstation can read in the first place. Rather than mess about with stuff like that. .avi s are smaller and will download quicker anyway.

Typical .avi of a 45min tv show is 350MB. Typical .mkv is over a GB (i.e 3 times the size)

He is right in that if you don't re encode the files you will not lose quality.

[Dave Cahill]

All very true, but probably simpler just to download file types that your playstation can read in the first place. Rather than mess about with stuff like that. .avi s are smaller and will download quicker anyway.

Typical .avi of a 45min tv show is 350MB. Typical .mkv is over a GB (i.e 3 times the size)

He is right in that if you don't re encode the files you will not lose quality.

Thats probably because people use MKVs to contain HD streams in the main whereas AVIs are generally used for SD.

On a like for like basis in terms of length, definition, bitrate etc there is no real difference in file size

[johng]

All very true, but probably simpler just to download file types that your playstation can read in the first place. Rather than mess about with stuff like that. .avi s are smaller and will download quicker anyway.

Typical .avi of a 45min tv show is 350MB. Typical .mkv is over a GB (i.e 3 times the size)

He is right in that if you don't re encode the files you will not lose quality.

Thats probably because people use MKVs to contain HD streams in the main whereas AVIs are generally used for SD.

On a like for like basis in terms of length, definition, bitrate etc there is no real difference in file size

That's a funny way of looking at it. One is higher quality than the other therefore the fact that it is 3 times the size means it is really the same size?

[blockhead]

Im looking to put an ariel and sat dish on my mobile holiday home down in wicklow. Any advice going on what types etc? The sat dish in lidl for E69, is that any good?

[Dave Cahill]

That's a funny way of looking at it. One is higher quality than the other therefore the fact that it is 3 times the size means it is really the same size?

Well yes, the higher quality is as result of less compression in the encoding process, so the standard is a bit rate of roughly 5000kbs for a 720p video (1280x720), where as the SD rips one finds online tend to have a bit rate of between 700 and 1500 kbs with a resolution of 624x352.

If one were to encode video at say 1000kbs with a resolution of 624x352 using the same codec then the mkv and the avi would be pretty much the same file size

[johng]

That's a funny way of looking at it. One is higher quality than the other therefore the fact that it is 3 times the size means it is really the same size?

Well yes, the higher quality is as result of less compression in the encoding process, so the standard is a bit rate of roughly 5000kbs for a 720p video (1280x720), where as the SD rips one finds online tend to have a bit rate of between 700 and 1500 kbs with a resolution of 624x352.

If one were to encode video at say 1000kbs with a resolution of 624x352 using the same codec then the mkv and the avi would be pretty much the same file size

Dave. All I said was that .mkv are normally 3 times the size of .avi All you said was that is because they are better quality. (Fine but they are still 3 times the size)

So we agree.