You need to start off with the right TV. I chose the Samsung UN55C6500 . At $1550, it does not break the bank and it has all the features that you will need to have a great media center including Samsung APPS & ALL SHARE which is DLNA Certified, (Digital Living Network Alliance), meaning that all DLNA devices (TV's , DVD and Blu-ray Player,Game Console , Photo Frames, NAS Storage PCs and much more) play nice together most of the time.
If you chose to go with a 3D TV, I would suggest the Samsung UN55C8000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D LED HDTV
it has all the same features like APPS and the ALL SHARE but it add 240 Hz, 3D and a few other features.I would also suggest a Samsung HW-C450 Soundbar Speaker
to get the most sound from your TV without have speakers all over the house It comes with a wireless subwoofer and Virtual Surround sound. This can be hidden behind a couch or entertainment center.Media Players
Second, you will need a media player. There are so many on the market these days but most of them are missing the point of what a media player should be. So we turn to the real guru's and that leads us to XMBC. I have been using XMBC for years and it hits the mark in every category. XMBC is only the software portion or the media center and for the hardware.
There are a couple of options but the best one is using and Apple TV Gen1($60 to $70) or Apple TV Gen 2 $99 but it does require some modifications.
Here are some helpful links on how to install XMBC on the Apple TV Gen1. Install XBMC on Apple TV
Here the link for the Apple TV Gen2. Install XBMC on ATV2
But if your are not the technical type, I would highly recommend the Boxxe box for around $200.00 (Boxxe box is basic uses XBMC software). It will stream Video (1080P) picture music from your home network. You can also use apps that include Netflix, Facebook, flicker, Pandora which lets you stream music from the internet right to your TV. It comes with a remote and a keyboard on the backside.Roku XDS Streaming Player 1080p
is also a good option it goes for $99 and all you need is a internet connection and you can start streaming Netflix ,Amazon VOD, Pandora, Flickr,MLB.tv and Hulu Plus.
Then you have Google TV it will run you around $300. But it does not have the option of streaming home video or photos from your home network yet! I assuming it will in the future via updates. What google TV does is it converts you TV to a web browsing and media finding device and searches you DVR for recorded shows and local listing to find what you want to watch including searching the internet. It also comes with a wireless full size keyboard and doubles as a remote control. There also is a feature that can handle 720P video conferencing but you will need to purchase Logitech Web Cam it goes for about $150.
Third, The heart of the media center the NAS (Network Attached Storage)
No media center is complete without one of these, The Buffalo Link Station. This NAS comes in 4 different favors 1TB 2TB 3TB and 4TB. I would recommend the 2TB. This comes with 2 drive running Raid 1 which gives you 1TB of space which is protected from drive failure. RAID1 means that both drive are constantly coping each other data, so if one drive fails your data will not be lost.
Putting this all together you got a kick ass media center where you can sit back and enjoy movies, photos and music all from comfort your couch. But no media center is complete without a subscription to Netflix for $7.99 a month you can stream thousands of movies and TV show from your TV ,Ipad, Iphone, Itouch and most game consoles also.
If you have any questions or need installation help feel free to email me @ Anything Computers or leave a comment. I can also offer home installation, configuration and computer repairs only in Staten Island, NY.
