This is why Computers make me Cranky

[varjohaltia]

1) Signed up for Netflix!
2) Discovered that playback on my home theater PC (XP, Nvidia 8800GS on a 50" 720p plasma) has tearing so horrible it's unwatchable.
3) Searched the internets, found tons of threads on this, upgraded video drivers, forced vertical sync on.
4) Tried to find help at Netflix, but there doesn't appear to be any way to report trouble that isn't one of their check boxes.
5) Discovered that there is no vertical sync in Silverlight for XP, so no way to avoid tearing. Netflix won't let you play content on a computer any other way, though.
6) Upgraded to Windows 7, with the hopes that the improved APIs would fix that.
7) Discovered there are no drivers for my sound card, bluetooth adapter, remote, or NIC that will work with Windows 7.
8) Went to see how much a supported NIC and soundcard are, and bought a Sony streaming media box instead, since it was about the same price.

Comments

[elusivetiger.livejournal.com]

Also, here's a tidbit about Plex for the Roku: http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/2011/05/04/plex-for-roku-now-available-via-private-channel/

It is spectacular, and has handled every codec I've thrown at it so far. There may be something similar for your Sony in case a DLNA solution isn't handling those critical torrent streaming needs... (*cough* Top Gear *cough*).

[varjohaltia.livejournal.com]

My receiver's the $99 Overstock special I bought in 97 or 98 :-) Does Dolby Digital and the good old phase shift one. Video sources (DVR, Sony, computer) go directly into the TV. Audio goes to the receiver. I have a basic 5-channel set up, and aside from better bass I don't really care anymore either.

So far, the Sony's been pretty decent with all the .mkv's I've thrown at it, though the subtitling occasionally is ugly. However, I've had about 0 success in getting DLNA to work. My Nokia phone has a player / controller, I have the Sony iPod app, I have a Windows 7 machine, I've installed MediaTomb on the Mac, TVMOBiLi on Windows and Mac... And no two devices can ever see each other on the wireless, so I haven't even gotten to the transcoding issues. Maybe I'll get sufficiently cranky and bored to fire up wireshark one day and see what the heck they're doing.
The Sony does, however, read an external USB drive just peachy, so I'll just park a large one next to it, I suppose.

[elusivetiger.livejournal.com]

My experiences with DLNA were also underwhelming. I wonder if the discovery stuff (Bonjour maybe?) is being interfered with, though with a simple home network and single segment I can't imagine why.

Tech can be such a PITA. Even with the experience and means to deal with it it's just boring and tiring when all you want is a little entertainment. From that perspective I can certainly appreciate the value in, say, an Apple-only ecosystem.