r/htpc • u/synthetikv • 1d ago
Build Help Thoughts on streaming device
Recent lg shit has me paranoid about spying.
I trust Apple more than lg, google or fire tv. Sure they’re spying too but at some point I have to accept that a company is looking at what I’m watching. My trust may be misfunded, I dunno. Convinced me otherwise.
I have a jellyfin home media server, and want steam streaming as well (preferably 120hz hdr capable). Is Apple TV the easiest path forward and if so which device?
Have an lg c4 and c3. If a custom Linux or android box is the better move I’m all for it (and already have a mini pc sitting on a shelf waiting for testing). But I keep hearing AppleTV is the way to go. Especially since I’m in the ecosystem already(iPhone, Apple Watch, MacBook Pro) Thoughts? Recommendations?
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u/Swede318201 1d ago
I picked up a used HP prodesk micro pc on marketplace for $40, installed Debian Linux with plasma Bigscreen desktop environment, use KDE connect as my remote for now until I pick up a 2.4ghz air mouse remote, run jellyfin mpv shim as my client app as well as YouTube and steam link streamed from my main pc. Works great for what I do (jellyfin, YouTube, steam). Doesn't do well if you use streaming services like netflix/Disney+ as there's no native client desktop app and the web apps/browser versions don't work well with remote controllers for input, so you have to have a mouse and keyboard, which I try to avoid for tv use case. But if you don't subscribe to those services or don't mind having a wireless mouse in the living room, it's great and fully private and entirely in your own control.
Plasma Bigscreen is in beta, so there are some little quirks here and there to work with, but so far nothing use breaking for me in the last month of use.
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1d ago edited 23h ago
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u/Swede318201 1d ago
No problem. Here's the main things I've found that you might run into with it, just to give you a headstart if you give it a try:
- Plasma Bigscreen just recently began seeing development again after being dropped years ago. This means, at least on Debian, it's not in the stable branch for installation. I had to go up to Debian testing branch (beta branch). Not sure what base OS you like to use, so not sure if this is something you'll have to do or not.
- There is a toggle in settings for an "on screen keyboard" but the actual on screen keyboard is not installed by default. You have to go to install it via apt or KDE discover store, then go to the full desktop settings, go to keyboard, and set it to open on mouse and keyboard interaction. I don't remember the exact steps but there are some recent YouTube videos reviewing Bigscreen that show how to do this.
- The biggest challenge is finding desktop client apps that navigate using the arrow keys of a remote (or KDE connect app TV input in my case). Using arrow keys will act 2 possible ways: either scrolling the page which sucks, or moving between interactable items like other tv streamers which is what you really want, kind of like using tab key to jump between items on a page. That's why web apps suck on it, because since they're just opening the browser, the arrow keys act as scroll on the page. For jellyfin, the best I've found is a package called "jellyfin mpv shim" (which might be a flatpack, I can't remember right now, so you may need to enable flatpacks on whatever base distro you use as well). Close runner ups were Fludder (cross platform client built in flutter language) and Switchfin (nintendo switch client) but each had reliability/crashing issues. For YouTube, there is a github called "YouTube TV" which loads YouTube as the TV version of the UI rather than the desktop UI and works correctly by remote arrows. For steam obviously just use big picture on launch setting and it works fine.
- The YouTube app had issues for me not opening full screen automatically, but this was easily fixed by tweaking the default window behavior for that app.
- You can use a game controller as a remote control too, but it's a touch clunky. To use it on the home screen you have to open the little sidebar that pops in from the left and turn on "gamepad input capture" but once you get into an app, like steam, if that toggle is on it records 2 clicks for every 1 press of a controller button, so you have to pop that menu open again once inside an app and toggle it back off. Then back on again when you go back to the home screen, etc. Useable, yes. Streamlined, no.
That's all I can think of for right now. Hope it helps.
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1d ago edited 23h ago
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u/Swede318201 1d ago
Like I said, I use the KDE connect app on my phone right now which has a TV input mode after you connect to a computer running Bigscreen. Gives a basic tv remote interface (dpad arrows, home, back, voice, close all). Works well enough for me right now that I haven't bothered ordering a remote.
When I do order one, I'll be picking up a 2.4ghz air mouse remote with IR blaster. They're pretty cheap and look like a regular remote, but come with a USB you plug into the pc and its basically a miniatureized keyboard with buttons like "home" bound to "meta" keyboard input, or "back" bound to "backspace" keyboard input (though each key binding is customizable if you need to change them). The air mouse part of it uses an internal gyroscope to act kinda sorta like a Wii remote to move a mouse cursor around in case you need that. Most come with a miniature keyboard on the back of the remote for quick typing as well. And if you get one with an IR blaster in it, you can program it to control the TV power and volume just like other remotes.
Here's a link to one that seems to have all the features you'd want, but there's tons of different brands of these, pretty much any of them would be fine.
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u/gribbler 1d ago
Nvidia Shield pro. I resisted one for years, always convinced that as soon as I buy one they'll come up with a new version as it's currently from 2019. I bought one 6 months ago and it's terrific. Replace the launcher and remove some buttons from the remote. it's great.
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u/extremesauce2468 1d ago
I use a I3-14100 ,16gb, IPGU. Cost me 300 bucks to make ( counts the 50 dollars micro-atx case and 50 dollar asrock power supply). I have 3 of these computers, 1 per tv. You can do anything with a desktop
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u/Tequilaphasmas 23h ago
just so you know and everyone is aware; LG still captures hdmi input so only reliable way is removing the wifi board from the tv
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u/Uncle_Slacks 1d ago
You're in /r/htpc my guy. The only answer is to use a PC. I don't fuck with streaming devices. A PC will do everything you'll come up with later that you want to do.
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1d ago edited 23h ago
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u/fella_stream 1d ago
You may have to try some things out. Ubuntu plus Kodi works great for me and my requirements, but you maybe different. I use a cheap remote from Amazon. YT plugin for Kodi work pretty well.
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u/Uncle_Slacks 1d ago
Windows 10 IoT LTSC. If your family can't click on the jellyfin icon I don't know what to tell you.
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u/Responsible_CDN_Duck 1d ago
2nd gen 4k Apple TV will do HDR10 and Dolby Vision and 120hz. The 3rd gen adds HDR10+.
Both have colour calibration options that use your phone.
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