Media Streamer to work with unRaid?

Not sure if I am posting this in the right spot, but here it goes!

I am looking to shut down my HTPC and build an unRaid server to work with Media Streamers hooked up to each of my TV's, but I cannot really seem to find any threads where people discuss both unRaid and which Media Streamers they use. So I would love to get some feedback and make sure whatever I do buy, it will work with unRaid.

For my personal needs...

- The entire house is networked, so I have no need for wireless

- my unRaid server will pretty much be playing JUST divx encoded movies. I plan on ripping my DVDs and encoding them to 700mb-1.5gig.

- I will not be using any HD material, so I am not interested in that at all

- I prefer that the media player not require an internal Harddrive. I would like to play all the media over the network.

- It would be nice if the media player supports gigabit speeds. Seems like most are 10/100

I use a pair of AlTech MG-35 Media Players.  They handle Divx just fine.  I use ISO images for my movies and keep my original DVDs on my shelf.  They do not have 1Gig lan connections, They have 100 Meg lan connections.

They have no fans and are completely silent if you do not mount a hard-disk inside.  They will upscale to 720p or 1080i component output. I have hard-disks in both mine but the disks go to sleep (spin down) after idle for a bit so it is fine, even in my bedroom where one of the MG-35s is located.

They do not need an internal HD but will work with one if you decide to add one.  I have a disk in both of mine. 250Gig inn one, 350 in the other.

They do not have a fancy menu, but instead a file-explorer type of interface. It can play media available via Windows Network shares or Samba shares from a linux based server. As you might expect, my unRaid linux based server with 2.5 Terabytes of storage in the basement is used for bulk media storage of my Movies.

There are many media-players that will do the same, the MG-35 I use is a few years old at this point and has had a series of software releases for its firmware.  I use an older version as all newer versions since that point are unable to keep up with a few of the high-bit-rate ISO DVD images (newer versions stutter when playing) and the new/fixed features are not anything I use. (playlists for MP3, screen saver are in newer firmware.)

Joe L.

I use XBMC (Xbox Media Center software) running on an original Xbox.  I looked for a media streamer for years - waiting for them to evolve.  While I'm certain there are probably good ones now available, for sheer usability I don't think XBMC can be beat (it can't do HD, which you don't want anyway).  It's quite, the picture is great (using HD component pack (don't buy an aftermarket one)) and with skinning options easily changed to suit your own taste, it's a dream.  One of it's best features is the "library mode" using a db.  Every single movie can be set-up to your tastes (including the last played position, contrast settings, subtitles etc + a heap of others) and XBMC can play virtually every format thrown at it. Movie/music info is d/l'd and stored locally.  It does movies/music/photos/weather/scripts(appletrailers etc) - and plays Xbox games (+ more I'm sure)

But the best thing is that it's cheap, is easily modded and there are lots of knowledgeable people out there for help.  I can't rave about it enough.  I'm extremely happy with my set-up and I did it all myself with very little knowledge about any of it (I did get it professionally modded with a chip tho).  In fact, I'd never even seen an Xbox until I brought one specially for this purpose.

Anyway, I think I've said enough

PS For HD, a linux port of XBMC is currently being worked on.  I hear it is very good, even though it isn't fully completed.