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Archive for the ‘Gadgets’ Category

For a while I’ve been using XBMC on an old xbox to stream media. The trials of installing and configuring I’ll save for another day but I had it setup to output 720p and all was hunky-dory.

But……the fan noise is really starting to get on my nerves and the lack of true HD is preventing the streaming of HD material so I started looking for an alternative. Hours spent browsing AVForums threw up some likely candidates and I eventually settled on the AC Ryan PlayOnHD Mini. Daft name but a great little box of tricks!

It has no hard drive so no fan, therefore it runs completely silent and cool……bliss! It was up and running in under 5 minutes and happily streamed everything I threw at it. All my media is on a HP MediaSmart Windows Home Server and the only niggle with the PlayOn so far is the slightly naff interface and the clunky way it deals with network shortcuts to access media.

YAMJ is due soon and this will transform the user experience so fingers crossed. I’ve also got my Logitech Harmony controlling it so happy days all round.

For 6 or 7 years I’ve used a Philips Pronto RU940 remote control for all our gadgets.  At the time it was pretty good but it was a right PITA to program and setup.  It also needed constant tweaking as you invariably found something that didn’t work quite right.  As more and more devices came with remotes that had a ‘joystick’ type arrangement it became easier to use that than the touchscreen of the Philips.

A few new purchases before Christmas meant our remote collection grew to 7 and I was getting sick of finding them down the back of the sofa and under magazines so I started looking for a replacement for the pronto.  The trusty AV Forums threw up the Logitech Harmony range and it quickly became clear that the ‘One‘ was the pick of the bunch.

Harmony One

Amazon had it for £88 and 2 days later it was in my sweaty paw.  What a fantastic device, it couldn’t be easier to get going, you just tell it what devices you have and it tells you what activities you might like (Watch TV, Watch DVD, Listen to CD etc) and off you go.  A bit of tweaking later and the addition of some fancy TV Channel graphics from Icon Harmony and the job was a good ‘un.

I was worried it wouldn’t recognise some of my devices but Logitech’s database is constantly updated and it had no problems with my Cyrus gear or my aging Yamaha DSP-E800 AV processor.  I thoroughly recommend this bit of kit.