LCD, LED, Plasma and then 3D what affects what?

[irneb]

It also allows me to run XBMC which I really like

+1 IMO it's the absolute best menu system for on-line/local fileserver based movies/tv series I've ever seen in any media device. It makes everything else look amateurish (at best).

[Marq]

The interface, speed and controls of my Samsung smart tv reminds me of windows 3 and dos scenarios.

This flashed to mind .
Who remembers the ZX Spectrum?

[irneb]

The interface, speed and controls of my Samsung smart tv reminds me of windows 3 and dos scenarios.

Ouch ... just OUCH!

Even something like OpenElec (Linux) installed on a Raspberry Pi (i.e. similar to the CPU/Motherboard of a smart phone of 5 years ago) and running XMBC as the media menu performs smoothly and without glitches. And it's not as if XBMC is a text-only menu system. Just take a look at some of its screenshots: https://www.google.co.za/search?q=xb...iw=948&bih=780

I generally prefer the Amber skin though. Love it's system of newest & recommended movies and TV shows: https://www.google.co.za/search?q=xb...icial&tbm=isch

This flashed to mind .
Who remembers the ZX Spectrum?

You mean this:

Yeah, that looks as if it just might be in the same class as my remote ...

[irneb]

Raspberry Pi (i.e. similar to the CPU/Motherboard of a smart phone of 5 years ago)

E.g. the R-Pi's specs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspber...Specifications

My old Android's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droid_2
the one prior to my phone the: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Droid

So Pi= 400MHz ARM-CPU + 256MB Ram, MotoDroid2 = 1GHz ARM-CPU + 512MB RAM, "Droid 1" = 600MHz ARM & 256MB RAM.

I wonder what idiotic hardware Samsung deemed sufficient for your TV? They must've specially made such inferior stuff - you can't buy it if you tried (not even second-hand).

[Marq]

Is this not similar to your new smart tv screen?
This is a Commodore64 geos screen from 1982.

[Marq]

These words could sum up the situation.
Even Larry the Lounge Lizard understood.

[IanF]

I got a raspberry pi for Christmas and have put on Xbian, I did have to get a class 10 sd card to stop the playback from stuttering.

I must look at new skins which ones do you recommend?

[irneb]

Yep, even on PC's it's recommended to have your HDD be something faster than an entry-level thing. They actually recommend a SSD to get the absolute best performance - though I think that's simply overkill to the greatest possible extent. It's mainly because XBMC is constantly reading/writing to its database. Else you can set it up to link to a server DB (Something like MySQL running on any PC in your network), but then your db queries are running across the network.

At the moment I can't say from my own experience.I'm using XBMC through an old laptop (Celeron 2.1GHz + 1GB RAM and Radeon card running Lubuntu and XBMC). I used this since it has its own DVD player/writer - which means it doubles as my DVD player. I'd have liked BD ... but ...

On this system it runs just perfect on the original 80GB 5400rpm HDD through an old ISA connection (not even using SATA). I can even get extremely eye-candy skins running smoothly on this (stuff like Aeon run without glitches), so I think the SSD advise is someone trying to over compensate for something else.

But for Memory Cards (like the SD you use as the Pi's "HDD") low rated means it's VERY slow (more like the speeds from an old floppy disc). As I said before, you need around 30MBytes/sec and you'd be good to go (most HDDs except those from the 90's can easily reach this), some SD's have difficulty reaching 5MB/s.

I must look at new skins which ones do you recommend?

Anyhow, from XBMC's forums the general consensus is that for Pi's you need a skin with as little as possible automatic movements. So the default Confluence is about right, others you might try: Metropolis, Quartz, Silk. Stay away from Neon, Aeon, and the like. Try something with less transparency if possible.

It's very easy to install and uninstall if you don't like it. You don't even need any restarting to change from one skin to another.

That's how I found Amber to be the one I like ... tried around 10 of those listed in XBMC's addon list. Some of them have awesome graphical effects (but I fear you need a GPU for those - so Pi's won't be smooth), others have huge quantities of extra features. Some are specifically designed for touch screens, while others work better with a mouse, and others better designed for remote / keyboard. It's all about the usability first, and then the eye candy 2nd - abverb: "Form Follows Function" needs to be adhered to:

1. First find out what the available features are, by actually testing the skin, seeing if it took away some function which you liked in another, or added something you might use often.
2. Only then look at which appears more pretty.

This is why I didn't go for Aeon or Transparency, nice to look at, difficult (or less easy) to use.

[Marq]

I got a raspberry pi for Christmas and have put on Xbian, I did have to get a class 10 sd card to stop the playback from stuttering.

Not sure what you have got here. From what I understand - a smart remote?

[irneb]

Not sure what you have got here. From what I understand - a smart remote?

You should be in standup ....

Sorry, the idea is the R-Pi is like a mini computer. You can actually use it like any computer. In fact it's a better and faster PC than the old Pentiums were. Only it fits on a space about the size of a credit card. This is typically how you can plug different things linking into it: http://blogs.it.ox.ac.uk/nexus/files...spberryPi1.jpg

You can add all sorts of extra expansions to it if you like, but default it has HDMI out, 2 or 3 USB2 connections and 1x 1GB/s LAN port. The motherboard itself (the green plate on which the components are plugged into has a space for a SD card (top of that image) - which becomes the PC's hard drive for installing the operating system and programs.

Then you buy a casing so it doesn't look like you're a PC mechanic with parts laying about your lounge: https://www.google.co.za/search?q=ra...iw=948&bih=780

Then you can use that as a replacement for the Dumb TV's menus, by simply leaving the TV showing just the R-Pi connection and having it show it's much nicer and smarter menus instead.

[AndyD]

How do you watch TV Wynn?
Do you have a bluray or DVD player that you use regularly?
Do you have a home network with movies/series stored on other PC's you'd like to watch?
How big is your lounge/TV room, how far do you sit away from your TV?
Do you have other devices you'd like to be able to plug into your TV such as a Madiator or portable hard drive or even a camera?
Do you currently have a separate sound system for the audio or do you just use the speakers in your old TV?
Do you just want to use your TV as a TV or would you like to be able to browse internet and skype etc.

[IanF]

Thanks irneb lots to think about. I use a 1tb drive in a dock to store the files.

[irneb]

Thanks irneb lots to think about. I use a 1tb drive in a dock to store the files.

No prob! I started with something similar - but ran out of space too quickly (what with full HD movies taking up so much space). Now have the 4 HDDs inside my Linux server/desktop PC (500GB + 1TB +2TB and yesterday replaced a 250GB with a 3TB), though there I'm still a newbie: had a stupid problem when I replaced the disc, learnt something new about Linux: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...el-4175496639/

[Marq]

I am learning stuff here - this is great - didnt know about R-Pi's before.
Thanks for the input.
I'll try not to include any Smart jokes.

[irneb]

I'll try not to include any Smart jokes.

No! Please don't ... please don't ... please don't STOP!