Best ways to store Blu-rays for playback?

[panteragstk]

I understand the Nvidia Shield was recommended for streaming.

Would the Xbox 360 be a great option as well?

I am asking because simply if I get the Nvidia Shield than I have to buy where the Xbox 360 I do not have to buy. My relative has an Xbox 360 he is not using and never will use and he will be giving to me for free. If it was me just like anyone else I would take the free and save my money for sure...

I think it should work OK. All depends on what apps it supports. I think there is a Plex app for the 360, but I've never owned one so you'll have to check.

You actually can use the shield for storage if you want. Some of the RAID type disk systems are USB which could connect right to the shield.

Of course, some of those systems can also support Plex which hosts all the movies you have and organizes them.

 

[pwlong]

I've no experience with either device (Xbox 360 or Shield) so I can't comment on how well either work for streaming. The Shield is one of the top performers for video playback, whether via streaming or local sources -- but it's a bit more expensive than a free Xbox 360

My 0.02 is, give the 360 a try and see how it works. If it works for your sources, sweet! You just saved a chunk of change. On the other hand, if the 360 falls short then at least you will know before you've bought the Shield.

Hopefully someone who has experience with both these devices can share their feedback.

 

[Gazoo]

Read up on future of Blu-ray Discs. As a mfr, it’s harder and harder to buy optical disks. You can expect that market to dry up just like cd, cassette, albums. The world is a stream. Only Kaleidescape can provide the quality of 4k and lossless audio. As example, a streamed movie might be 10gb on Netflix or prime (and marketed as 4k) whereas with Kaleidescape system, just the audio could be that size. A movie might be 60-80gb (and take a few hours to download depending on bandwidth. ) but it is the best quality avail. If yiu spend $5k or even $15k for a projector, why would anyone install an AppleTV as their main source? Maybe run both for when needed. It’s going to be an interesting next few years as home theaters grow in popularity! (Disclaimer: I work for Kaleidescape and this is just my biased opinion)

 

[BMXTRIX]

Only Kaleidescape can provide the quality of 4k and lossless audio.

While I agree with what you have to say, this one point is not correct.

Kaleidescape is an excellent solution, but has a specific target audience. Those spending $10,000+ on a custom installed home theater certainly are that target, but players like the Dune HD Pro 4K are capable of 4K UHD playback of movies with HD audio formats including Dolby Atmos for those in the DiY crowd.

IMO - Kaleidescape is best. I've seen it in action and it is the best movie playback device on the market. It does a better job than the competition by a mile. But, for the money, it darn well better. For those who just want to have access to their movies in the best quality and don't need the rest and are willing to setup their own NAS in their homes and jump through the hoops they must jump through to get it working, then products like the Dune can deliver the audio and video quality that they are looking for.

I've shown my buddy who is (was?) a dealer for Kaleidesccape what I have and we agreed that for the money it certainly delivers. But, it's not the same beautiful experience that Kaleidescape offers.

The question of legality of ripping discs you have purchased to a hard drive has also been a huge question mark and Kaleidescape has been fighting the good fight for years with two laws that are in direct contradiction to each other (DMCA vs. Fair Use). Still, I haven't heard of a single person who has ripped their own movies to be prosecuted for doing so when they are NOT sharing those movies online with others. There are certainly plenty of programs which make 1:1 rips possible from discs.

 

[ellisr63]

I rip all my Blurays to my UnRaid 25TB NAS, and will be streaming them through my new DuneHD Pro 4k player when it arrives. Meanwhile I use Kodi ion my Win7 PC. I decided to go with the Dune to be able to stream 4k without stuttering, and it reportedly will do that.