Popcorn Hour Owners Thread (All Models)

[GeorgeO]

OK. I share all my devices incl my PCH, ReadyNAS Duo and three computers( one is wireless).That way I get to optimise use of 8TB+ of HDD capacity.

 

[manny9]

Hi George, what is your PCH setup like? are you using USB stick to install NMT apps or you have a internal HDD in PCH? As you know I'm getting a NAS and don't feel the need for installing a internal HDD in PCH. For apps I was thinking of getting 8 GB USB drive, what do you suggest?

If you are using internal HDD please let me know the make and model...also if you are using NTFS or EXT3...

Thanks a lot for your inputs...

 

[GeorgeO]

I have a 1.5 internal that I have allocated for this , but never got around to putting it in-I use it via a Thermaltake USB dock connected to my PCH instead. Its a Samsung Spinpoint. I havent installed any apps yet, plan to figure out how to use the Jukebox app to access my NAS and play audio-right now I listen to music it via my SqBoxes. Over time I expect to be getting a couple of 2TB internal HDDs to supplement my existing storage capacity, especially since I plan to rip DVD audio discs. I am getting 12 from the US next month and I find that these take up 3-4 GB each.

 

[manny9]

Thanks for the input George. From what I read from PCH forums I think if we put the HDD in, PCH automatically formats in to EXT3 and you need some linux drivers to access from a PC. I think it would be better as Venkat said do a format to NTFS using a PC and then instal it in PCH. There is also an option to have a internal HDD with NTFS partition for your media file and have EXT3 partitions for NMT Apps (in the same internal HDD). Its bit complicated. I'm thinking of having a 8GB USB drive for the apps and internal hard disk for the media files in NTFS. This way I can swap HDD without worrying about reinstalling the apps all over again.....My PCH A-210 is shipping on 12-May

 

[soundbar]

I managed to get my HDD formatted to NTFS, was able to see the files in the PC as well as PCH.

Just when i thought everything is fine, when i played a movie, only Video is displayed, but THERE IS NO AUDIO. i tried various file formats, music, movie etc but no audio. This problem is only when connected with HDMI cable, i tried with RCA and sound/video is coming.

What could have gone wrong.

 

[GeorgeO]

Yes PCH automatically formats the HDD once you put it in. I did it for an earlier PCH A110 that I had, before I upgraded.

 

[venkatcr]

Just when i thought everything is fine, THERE IS NO AUDIO. I tried various file formats, music, movie etc but no audio. This problem is only when connected with HDMI cable, i tried with RCA and sound/video is coming.

This could be more an issue with your AVR rather than your PCH. Just check the settings in both to ensure that audio is also transmitted through HDMI. Many players and AVRs allow you to send video through one connection and audio through another.

Cheers

 

[soundbar]

This could be more an issue with your AVR rather than your PCH. Just check the settings in both to ensure that audio is also transmitted through HDMI. Many players and AVRs allow you to send video through one connection and audio through another.

Venkat, I still have not connected thru AVR, there is no sound even while connecting to the TV directly thru HDMI.

but there is more to it, i then connected the PCH to another Sony TV thru same HDMI cable and bingo, both Audio and Video plays well.

I have to debug now the problem with my Samsung TV, it was playing audio earlier. Actually, i did a firmware update on the samsung tv amd it is after this update the audio run into a problem thru HDMI.

Let me do another round of reset on the tv and will update today.

 

[soundbar]

Finally, everything turned out well. It was a long struggle, got obsessed with the device to make it work and in the end, well, its worth it.:clapping:

The mistake i did was, when i connected the PCH - AVR - TV, i was connecting it to a HDMI port 4 in the tv, since the TV was wall mounted and this port 4 was in the side of the TV.

I removed the tv from wall mounting and tried to conect thru the other HDMI ports. When i connected to Port 3 and tested, the sound came with the video. I now connected PCH - AVR - TV but no response and PCH not visible in TV.

Then i saw, HDMI/DVI in port 1, don't know what made me to do it, but replugged into this port and voila, the PCH - AVR - TV worked absolutely fine. Finally, i was able to connect my PCH - AVR - TV.

Coming to the hard disk, i formatted to EXT3 format using the PCH itself. Then i downloaded the Ext2fsd softward to my laptop, installed it.
Connected the PCH to laptop and was able to see the 4 partitions thru the Ext2fsd software. Now removed the linux partition and recreated the partition in NTFS mode. So i now have 3 partitions of Linux and 1 NTFS partition.
The Internal HDD problem is also resolved.

Thanks to Venkat and George for helping me out.

ps: what is the significance of the DVI mode?

 

[naviworks]

. For apps I was thinking of getting 8 GB USB drive, what do you suggest?

If you are using internal HDD please let me know the make and model...also if you are using NTFS or EXT3...

well, for apps 8 GB PD is gud idea bcos later if u want ur harddisk to be connected to a window based computer u have to all the way format again and lose all the data. am using sandisk 8GB pd formatted in EXT3 for apps (and still got around 4 GB left after installation) and for media, am using 1TB internal harddrive formtted in NTFS.

 

[HTuser]

How many HDDs we can install inside a C200?

What is the maximum capacity supported? is it 2TB?

 

[reachbennym]

mmm.. more questions on PCH

Anyone using PCH for playing music? how to select multiple songs to be played in sequence or make PCH play from a playlist?

 

[GeorgeO]

Thats a problem for me-streaming audio is ok but not playing from the collection.They have an app called Jukebox for this, though I havent done anything about it.

 

[gurucahaithanya]

Hi all,

I am thinking of buying Popcorn Hour A-210 from US. One of my friend who is currently in US is willing to bring it for me.

Except for the official site, is there any other site/place from where I can purchase Popcorn Hour Media players ?

Total price coming up from official site is $239.44:
Subtotal : USD 199.99
Salestax : USD 19.50
United States Shipping: USD 19.95
Order Total : USD 239.44

Approx Indian price: Rs 11280

Is it worth to spend this much?

Thanks & regards,
Guru Chaithanya

 

[GeorgeO]

Its only available on their site or EBay, (I think). They dont have dealers.

 

[gurucahaithanya]

Its only available on their site or EBay, (I think). They dont have dealers.

Thanks George,

I have changed my mind and planning to buy A-200 instead from Amazon for $139 (including everything).

Only differences between A-210 and A-200 is A-210 has fan-less and aluminium body design.

 

[govi]

Guys, this is a great thread. Thanks a lot, I gained lots of info through this. Tell me, is this media player capable of playing 3D bluray movies?

 

[manny9]

I spent sometime yesterday on my PCH-A210...I have a 2TB NTFS HDD in my PCH and have a 8GB USB for NMT Apps.

- My first problem was that PCH was using my USB as the default share folder since Apps are installed in them. Luckily this can be changed... Setup>Maintenance>NMT Setup Wizard>Media Select>SATA_HDD_A1. As per their Wiki its good to name the internal NTFS HDD as SATA_HDD_A1...now if I download they will go directly to my 2TB HDD

- Once this done I copied all my movies into video folder and I was able to access them in file/folder mode and they all played perfectly

- Music , I had the same problem George and others have. It played one song at a time. If you want to play all the songs in the folder you should use the PLAY key (|>) and not the select key and it played all the songs in the folder. I had couple of flacs and they sounded wonderful....

- For creating playlist you need to use Network Media Jukebox (NMJ) or Music Jukebox 8. Yet to try them

- I did use NMJ for the movies. Once you're in the media drive press the Red button. NMJ will build the database by scanning through the drive. Please make sure you keep the internet on , it will get the movie images and synopsis from IMDB. Do make sure the movie names are the same as in IMBD and remove all unwanted stuff in the folder/file names. I had around 15 movies and PCH was 100% accurate....The final "Wall" display looked wonderful...but even better juke boxes available....

Yet to deep dive into other furthers of PCH....if anyone has done network share or any other stuff please share...

 

[deepakgang]

Can a Squeezebox access the hard disc of the PCH to play music..if so I could copy all the music and movies to the disc, play movies from PCH and music from Squeezebox rather than keeping a computer up and running all the time

 

[srinisundar]

Can a Squeezebox access the hard disc of the PCH to play music..if so I could copy all the music and movies to the disc, play movies from PCH and music from Squeezebox rather than keeping a computer up and running all the time

Nice question.. Look forward reply from somebody