Need an Xbox 360 without the gaming aspect! Need my fellow nerds' help!

[flyguyj]

My wife and I are looking for a device to hook up to her upstairs TV that is definitely capable of streaming Netflix, and movies shared on the networked computer (much like the capabilities of our Xbox 360, but it's hooked up to the big screen). As a bonus, we'd like Pandora too, but I don't think that's a deal-breaker.

We started off by looking at Rokus, but wouldn't give us the ability to watch movies on networked PCs. Anybody know of what we're looking for? I'm sure something exists ... we'd rather not buy an extra Xbox since they're expensive, and we don't need the Xbox aspect of it. Thanks!

 

[wa6rht]

Might look at the Western Digital WD Live TV box. I think it will do what you want..

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Apple tv would work great.

Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[DodgerKing]

If you are going to get an XBox to use for everything but gaming, then why not just get a PS3 to do the same? The PS3 can do more than the XBox outside of gaming and it has a BluRay player.

 

[chrisn]

I use an older Dell laptop with a broken screen for similar purposes. In another room, I ran 50 ft of hdmi from the LR to BR so I can use the one 360 in either room.

Also, I think a home brewed Wii would work and be less expensive.

 

[Ronnie-]

If you are going to get an XBox to use for everything but gaming, then why not just get a PS3 to do the same? The PS3 can do more than the XBox outside of gaming and it has a BluRay player.

I see the two as very similar with one unique feature between them (based only on what I use them for). The PS3 gives me blu ray. The 360 gives me ESPN3 access. Other than that both give me netflix, vudu, ect.

9 times out of 10 I find myself using the 360, I am just more comfortable with it, and I do game occasionally. The PS3 gets used when we watch Discs. Rarely used otherwise.

Edit: I havent fully explored the additions that the new software update gave the 360, but there seems to be some added capabilities.

 

[duckydan]

What about just a networked blu-ray player?

A lot of them now come pre-bundled with Netflix, Pandora, etc. I know that the Samsung and LG ones have software on them for media sharing too (Samsung I believe is called AllShare). Depending on the player it could be a lot cheaper than any of the alternatives mentioned above.

 

[meStevo]

I'd probably just get another Xbox.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[navychop]

You might want to look at the LG BD670. I think it has all you're looking for, and more, and costs a lot less than another xbox 360.

LG App Store
Netflix®
Vudu™
CinemaNow
YouTube™
Pandora
Picasa
AccuWeather®
MusicID®
Blu-ray BonusView
Blu-ray BD Live


Blu-ray™ Disc, BD-R/RE, DVD, DVD±R/RW, Audio CD, CD-R/RW
DivX®/DivX HD, MPEG4 AVC, HP@L4.1, MPEG2, HP@ML, SMPTE VC1, AP@L3, MPEG2, HP@ML, AVCHD, MKV

HomeLink playable: DivX®/DivX HD, MPEG2 TS/PS, MPEG1 SS, XVID, MKV, AVI, WMA, MP3, AC3, AAC, JPEG, PNG

I think HomeLink is their name for DLNA.

 

[osu1991]

I have a western digital wdtv live hub and the new wireless version of the wdtv live. Both do Netflix and pandora and have other services.

The hub has a 1TB hard drive built in, the live is identical but without the internal hard drive and the live is wireless too.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[ComcastOgre]

Don't Roku players do that?

 

[Teehar]

Agree with osu1991,if your not into gaming wdtv live hub or even live plus would save you some cash and can do everything you need.Has a nice netflix gui,blockbuster on demand,not sure if they have added hulu+ yet but they are supposed to.Also has pandora and several others.Can stream your shared network files as well.

 

[mattv]

appletv or appletv2

 

[DodgerKing]

What about a Boxee?

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[osu1991]

Agree with osu1991,if your not into gaming wdtv live hub or even live plus would save you some cash and can do everything you need.Has a nice netflix gui,blockbuster on demand,not sure if they have added hulu+ yet but they are supposed to.Also has pandora and several others.Can stream your shared network files as well.

They have added Hulu + to the wdtv's. I have a sub for Hulu +. They've added a lot of streaming apps in the last update. SEC digital networks, Spotify, Vudu, Vimeo, Shoutcast and some others. The wdtv's play every video file I have thrown at them too, avi, mkv, mp4 etc... I have 3TB of video files so the wdtv's get used a lot.

 

[Teehar]

They have added Hulu + to the wdtv's. I have a sub for Hulu +. They've added a lot of streaming apps in the last update. SEC digital networks, Spotify, Vudu, Vimeo, Shoutcast and some others. The wdtv's play every video file I have thrown at them too, avi, mkv, mp4 etc... I have 3TB of video files so the wdtv's get used a lot.

I gave my wdtv live plus to my daughter for christmas (she loves it btw).Thats why I was unsure if they had added hulu+.I ended up with a cheaper Patriot Box office as I didn't use netflix etc that much.For the price you can't beat the streaming capabilities of the wdtv media player.

 

[flyguyj]

Awesome guys! Thanks for all of your replies. Looks like the WD TV Live is just what we need. Placing our order right now! I knew I could count on SatelliteGuys for reliable info!