home theater, cord cutting, video streaming, a/v tech, and more!

[AuthorTony]

Can’t really blame Google here.

In unrelated news, I’m not a fan of the new Kodi experience in terms of add-ons. I’m using the No Limits Magic Firestick Lite build, and while the UI is nice, god damn is everything slow. I used to be able to get from the Kodi launch to watching a video in under a minute. That time has easily tripled.

I gave up on Kodi many months ago. Not worth the hassle.

[Viva la Ben]

Amazon prime video is now available on AppleTV.

[Miami Vice]

Can’t really blame Google here.

In unrelated news, I’m not a fan of the new Kodi experience in terms of add-ons. I’m using the No Limits Magic Firestick Lite build, and while the UI is nice, god damn is everything slow. I used to be able to get from the Kodi launch to watching a video in under a minute. That time has easily tripled.

Are you using the default skin, or maybe even an older one like Confluence? That could impact speed.

[NTP66]

Can’t really blame Google here.

In unrelated news, I’m not a fan of the new Kodi experience in terms of add-ons. I’m using the No Limits Magic Firestick Lite build, and while the UI is nice, god damn is everything slow. I used to be able to get from the Kodi launch to watching a video in under a minute. That time has easily tripled.

Are you using the default skin, or maybe even an older one like Confluence? That could impact speed.

I'm using the default theme, and this after a 100% clean install. The only modification that I bother with is the video calibration to correct the overscan. Keep in mind that I'm still using a 1st gen Firestick, so this may not be as noticeable on a new Firestick.

[nocera]

Amazon prime video is now available on AppleTV.

**** finally.

[columbia]

thanks for that. will install, when I get home.

[count2infinity]

As soon as DirectTV starts carrying my local channels or I have an interface that I can view channels from my antenna on, I'm in... the fact that they could be close to getting AT&T sports pittsburgh, and they already have B1G network deals in place might make me switch sooner, but I watch a lot of local TV and don't like switching from device to device to see what's on those channels.

[Viva la Ben]

I looked into a Silicon Dust HD Homerun, and decided to just use the tuners on our televisions for locals, turned out being a good decision as I now have all the locals through DTVN.
With the amazon prime video app, the AppleTV is the only box that does all of the video streaming services(amazon, youtube, vudu, Hulu, Netflix, and iTunes). I can’t say enough how good that 4 month prepay of directvnow for a free 4K AppleTV is.

[columbia]

The Amazon Apple TV app is pretty clutch.

[NTP66]

Amazon is now going to sell both Apple TV and Google Chromecast. Look for the YouTube functionality to be added back to Amazon devices in the near future.

[DigitalGypsy66]

How about Amazon video functionality on Chromecast?

[NTP66]

Good question. My guess is that it may happen eventually, but probably not in the near future. Amazon tried to play hardball for a long time, so I don't think Google will be quick to add Amazon video services to Chromecast.

[columbia]

I have Dynex LCD tv, which is still kicking after 8 years.
Realistically, how long until it just croaks?

[NTP66]

There’s no way of knowing. Just knock it over and upgrade.

[columbia]

I don’t know if that factory in China still makes TVs, but I would definitely buy another one.

[NTP66]

Dynex was a Best Buy brand. Don’t think they make TVs anymore.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Coincidentally with the net neutrality news this week, I got the notice from Netflix that our rate is going up next month (it was announced back in October, the roll out just got to us).

[eddy]

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/1 ... eutrality/

The timing of this couldn’t be worse. But maybe that’s not a concern for major ISPs. Accordingly, at least three major ISPs have now announced rate hikes for 2018.

That is, January, 2018. So customers have very little time to react, modify their plans, or even cancel their accounts.

Just this morning, Karl Bode of DSLReports caught wind of numerous increases at mega-ISP Comcast. But that is simply the latest in a string of planned increases by the likes of Cox, Frontier, and even DirecTV and Dish Network.

[Miami Vice]

Mrs Claus' parents got me a Roku Premiere+ for Christmas. Never really used one before - I do so much local media playback and I know they're not strong at that. Still, with various streaming services discontinuing support for the Xbox 360 and the myriad of hurdles with the Chromecast and Nexus Player I was excited to try it out. I haven't got to use it much yet but I was really encouraged. Initially I was going to put it on a secondary tv but I think it's main home will either be my theater or bedroom.

The good: 24p Netflix. FINALLY! So few devices have streamed Netflix properly over the past 10(?) years. All of them take the 24 frame per second signal from Netflix and add blank frames to create a more jerky 60 frame per second signal. Almost nothing can output the signal correctly - not bluray players, not smart tvs, not game consoles, not other Rokus. I haven't tried out other apps beyond Youtube but I hope that 24p also works on Amazon.

The bad: local playback is still lousy. I knew Kodi wasn't happening, but Plex refuses to play nice with my DVR server on it. I was considering putting it in the bedroom (still might) but for now we can't easily watch DVR'd programming on it.

The ugly (literally): YCbCr output is the only format it seems to allow. While this is technically the correct output I've had better luck calibrating everything in my system to limited range RGB.

I'm out of things I can program on my Harmony 650 remote, so I was hoping to skate by using HDMI-CEC to control the Roku and not use the included remote. Not happening. HDMI-CEC is a mostly garbage standard anyway, and I get nothing buy a flashing black screen every few seconds when I tried enabling it.

[eddy]

Mrs Claus' parents got me a Roku Premiere+ for Christmas. Never really used one before - I do so much local media playback and I know they're not strong at that. Still, with various streaming services discontinuing support for the Xbox 360 and the myriad of hurdles with the Chromecast and Nexus Player I was excited to try it out. I haven't got to use it much yet but I was really encouraged. Initially I was going to put it on a secondary tv but I think it's main home will either be my theater or bedroom.

The good: 24p Netflix. FINALLY! So few devices have streamed Netflix properly over the past 10(?) years. All of them take the 24 frame per second signal from Netflix and add blank frames to create a more jerky 60 frame per second signal. Almost nothing can output the signal correctly - not bluray players, not smart tvs, not game consoles, not other Rokus. I haven't tried out other apps beyond Youtube but I hope that 24p also works on Amazon.

The bad: local playback is still lousy. I knew Kodi wasn't happening, but Plex refuses to play nice with my DVR server on it. I was considering putting it in the bedroom (still might) but for now we can't easily watch DVR'd programming on it.

The ugly (literally): YCbCr output is the only format it seems to allow. While this is technically the correct output I've had better luck calibrating everything in my system to limited range RGB.

I'm out of things I can program on my Harmony 650 remote, so I was hoping to skate by using HDMI-CEC to control the Roku and not use the included remote. Not happening. HDMI-CEC is a mostly garbage standard anyway, and I get nothing buy a flashing black screen every few seconds when I tried enabling it.

for better (and worse because it causes handshake issues for me everytime netflix autoplays a video once you hover over it), they added this feature where it can play native frame rate. You can also now switch HDR from 4.2.2 and 4.2.0 rather than going into the secret menu. For whatever reason I had many isuues with my Roku (so much that I went back to the native android tv app), but switching to 4.2.0 solved my purple error screen messages. The roku premiere + can also take advantage of HDR on the youtube app which has some incredible videos.

[Viva la Ben]

MSG and MSG+ now available on directv now....would be great if I was a Rangers fan. C’mon att sportsnet!

[Miami Vice]

I thought it strange that my Roku looked so bad. Granted I did calibrate my projector for a different color space, but the Roku blacks looked brown. I ran some test MP4s through it and I noticed my black level and color temperature were way off.

I knew my receiver had some minor picture adjustments that I could fiddle with. I got in there and realized THAT was the problem - that the receiver was set to try some kind of custom image enhancement on that HDMI input instead of passing it through untouched. Flipped it off and it was 95% of the way there.

So the lesson is check every step in your chain where you can screw up your picture and image quality.

[eddy]

Source of the post So the lesson is check every step in your chain where you can screw up your picture and image quality.

yep. I did the same thing with my AVR and TV. Switched to 4:4:4 4k/60 pass through and enhanced ports on the TV and all good!

[RonnieFranchise]

With DTV owned by AT&T wouldn’t you think AT&TSN on DTVN would be a no brainer?

Also they don’t have KDKA But I can get both that and WKBN -CBS Youngstown on rabbit ears.

[Viva la Ben]

If you are within KDKA’s market you should get it. Here in the burgh we have all the locals WPXI, WPGH, WTAE, KDKA, and CW.