QQ Media Player NUC Buyers Club - Discussion

[timbre4]

Joining this discussion as requested. I don't see myself getting to this for a couple months, using the tips that occur between now and then.

 

[HomerJAU]

I am a Mac user without access to a windows machine. I want to use the features of MMH as well, so I need to figure out how to do this best (purchase windows laptop, use Parallels, etc?). I’m going to be busy over the next few weeks I see…

You can buy a smallish external USB drive, create ‘WinToGo‘ disc image (a Windows disc image), transfer the image to the USB drive, and when your new NUC is off, insert that USB drive and the NUC boots to Windows. Your NUC is now running as a Windows mini PC.

While in Windows mode, install your Windows apps, MMH etc, do your conversions in Windows. At any time shutdown Windows, remove WinToGo USB drive, restart the NUC and you have your Media Player again. Do that prcocess at any time, convert one day, play next, convert one new disc, play 3 albums. Easy, right? Expensive, no!

For best performance in Windows mode you’d want an NVME SSD in a USB NVME adapter rated 20Gb/s. Both these can be found on Amazon. In US that’s about $65 or 70USD total I think. A 500GB NVME 4.0 M.2 SSD is min size for decent performance, the bigger the faster. The USB connection is the limiting factor for NVME drives unless you use the thunderbolt port.

EDIT: But in any case NVME SSDs out perform SATA SSD by a larger factor, and kill spinning HDDs by a mile. Don't even think about spinning HDDs if you are converting many BDA, BDV audio and video blu-rays.

 

[Trubbaman]

Ive been a Kodi user for maybe 5 years or so now. Ive tried other media players during that time. But kodi is the only one that stuck.

Im kinda doing this with you. The kodi version im currently using is probably 2 years old. Ya know if it aint broken....

How many of you are 1st time kodi users?

First timer for Kodi here.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

First timer for Kodi here.

Be sure to read through the thread linked in the 1st post.

 

[mandrix]

I rip to .iso. I can play .iso just fine on my pc. What is the benefit of further ripping? Storage is cheap enough.
If ripping, tagging, and graphics are your thing, or maybe you prefer to have playlists, that's cool.
I prefer to have a 1:1 copy of the disc in .iso container. I already have the software and hardware for playback, I can't see spending more money and all the extra effort personally...and if the disc goes bad, and it does happen, has happened to me...you can recreate the disc with a .iso file if you like for a physical copy.

I have tried Kodi. It's not for me. If it works for you, that's great, and I'd be the last one to tell you how to enjoy your music. I just don't get it, is all.

 

[HomerJAU]

I have tried Kodi. It's not for me. If it works for you, that's great, and I'd be the last one to tell you how to enjoy your music. I just don't get it, is all.

Seriously? There's a name for these type of posts.

• I know you 'don't get it'
• It's obvious Kodi works for well over 10,000,000 other users worldwide
• You know it works for me and other QQ members.

You don't need to come here and tell us anything. Do it somewhere else on QQ. No grudges or wars, this is just not this forum to preach your methods

This project is an attempt to take the 'DIY' out of getting Kodi running and configured. It’s not easy for first timers and non-experienced PC builders.

Paul and I are busting our guts to help our members here. There's no money in it for us. We just want fellow QQrs to experience Kodi done right.

Why don't you contribute something to our community: A 'How To' showing members how to do it your way? Let them choose, but not in the Media Player Forum please.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I rip to .iso. I can play .iso just fine on my pc. What is the benefit of further ripping? Storage is cheap enough.
If ripping, tagging, and graphics are your thing, or maybe you prefer to have playlists, that's cool.
I prefer to have a 1:1 copy of the disc in .iso container. I already have the software and hardware for playback, I can't see spending more money and all the extra effort personally...and if the disc goes bad, and it does happen, has happened to me...you can recreate the disc with a .iso file if you like for a physical copy.

I have tried Kodi. It's not for me. If it works for you, that's great, and I'd be the last one to tell you how to enjoy your music. I just don't get it, is all.

Its all about the interface. The artwork, scrolling lyrics, the presentation, its just a better experience IMO

 

[mandrix]

Seriously? There's a name for these type of posts.

• I know you 'don't get it'
• It's obvious Kodi works for over 100,000 other users worldwide
• You know it works for me and other QQ members.

You don't need to come here and tell us anything. Do it somewhere else on QQ. No grudges or wars, this is just not this forum to preach your methods

This project is an attempt to take the 'DIY' out of getting Kodi running a configured. Its not easy for first timers and non-experienced PC builders.

Paul and I a busting our guts to help our members here. There's no money in it for us. We just want fellow QQrs to experience Kodi done right.

Why don't you contribute something to our community: A 'How To' showing members how to do it your way? Let them choose, but not in the Media Player Forum please.

I have always appreciated your efforts to help our community, I think you know that. But sure, OK. I'm not blasting anyone, just asking why.

 

[HomerJAU]

Its all about the interface. The artwork, scrolling lyrics, the presentation, its just a better experience IMO

Don't go there Paul. I'm going to delete any posts in this thread not related to NUC buyer/Kodi use or NUCs. Start another thread to argue pros and cons etc

 

[Davey-J]

You can buy a smallish external USB drive, create ‘WinToGo‘ disc image (a Windows disc image), transfer the image to the USB drive, and when your new NUC is off, insert that USB drive and the NUC boots to Windows. Your NUC is now running as a Windows mini PC.

While in Windows mode, install your Windows apps, MMH etc, do your conversions in Windows. At any time shutdown Windows, remove WinToGo USB drive, restart the NUC and you have your Media Player again. Do that prcocess at any time, convert one day, play next, convert one new disc, play 3 albums. Easy, right? Expensive, no!

For best performance in Windows mode you’d want an NVME SSD in a USB NVME adapter rated 20Gb/s. Both these can be found on Amazon. In US that’s about $65 or 70USD total I think. A 500GB NVME 4.0 M.2 SSD is min size for decent performance, the bigger the faster. The USB connection is the limiting factor for NVME drives unless you use the thunderbolt port.

EDIT: But in any case NVME SSDs out perform SATA SSD by a larger factor, and kill spinning HDDs by a mile. Don't even think about spinning HDDs if you are converting many BDA, BDV audio and video blu-rays.

Very helpful and thanks for the guidance. I am going to order a SSD and an adapter to be ready when the NUC arrives. I have been anxiously awaiting to use MMH for a long time, while hoping a Mac OS version could arrive, but this seems so easy and cost effective I’ll go with your suggestion.

As always, appreciative how people support each other in this forum. Thanks.

 

[humprof]

As always, appreciative how people support each other in this forum. Thanks.

Second that. For all that I've been indulging anxieties and misgivings on this thread, I'm still excited about embarking on this project, and I really appreciate how @HomerJAU and @LuvMyQuad have responded with patient, cheerful, and often detailed answers. Don't mean to brown-nose, but you guys are busting your humps here--the very souls of magnanimity. (And between this and MMH, I don't know when Garry, in particular, finds time to sleep. Have y'all seen even just the manual for that baby? Holy cats!)

 

[LuvMyQuad]

GARRY SLEEPS?

 

[jefe1]

I'm really appreciative of everything that Gary has been doing here!

Imagine my surprise when Gary offered for an extra fee of $25 to come over to my house set up my new NUC fine tune my surround system and help me digitize my collection.

What a great guy!

 

[HomerJAU]

That was just me sleep walking (or is it sleep working?). Just ignore me between 10pm and 4am when I dream about coding.

 

[HomerJAU]

Attention ALL NUC Buyers:

State of the Union:
This thread now joins Round Ones, Round Twos and some Late to the Parties into a single location for communication.

The initial separate Group PMs I started should only be used to keep your private info, PayPal details, email addresses, names etc to off the public forum. Everything else, post here.

Project Update:
All Intel NUCs are ordered and shipping to NY. Paul is about to be snowed under (literally, snow everywhere already)

All Remotes are ordered: I just got an email saying the first remote order (30, spares as backup for DOAs) has arrived and cleared customs at LAX and now heading to Paul. 2nd order has not shipped yet! I will contact the wholesaler in China today. The good news is actual delivery time is shorter than the quoted delivery time (for R1).

All NVME SSDs will be ordered today. We were trying to get better pricing ,but right now, that’s not going to happen. This is now the critical path blocker for R1 so we order.

I uploaded all the software/firmware for Paul last night (today in the US). Paul has can now build a NUC, when they arrive this week. I am documenting the procedure to update bios, set bios as we want it, update HDMI firmware, clone my a LibreElec (Linux) disc image, install the NVME SSD and a test run, pair a remote to each NUC. Paul and I will video chat and I will show what I do.

If a NUC is DOA, we return for a replacement/refund at this point.

The final LibreElec disc image will be ready in a couple days, there is still something I want to tweak, the one Paul has allows a test run and check on the first NUC. @leeting has already tested this Paul’s version.

Shipping: Paul will buy small boxes and bubble wrap to protect each NUC and Remote, we can then get pricing to ship out and send buyers shipping price for payments, via PayPal again.

ROUND ONES ONLY:
Please PM me your full shipping address, including name (and contact number, I presume USPS wants that?)

Do not post this detail here or on the initial buyer group PMs if you want privacy. PM me, I will compile list of shipping labels, and send to Paul to print and attach to your shipment. Only Paul and I will have that info. It will be destroyed once we receive your confirmed delivery notification.

Bad news here, I didn’t include the AAA batteries in our budget and as is now, we are *very* close to the wire. Are you guys ok if we don’t supply AAA batteries for the remotes? It needs two. I know it may be a little inconvenient but this will help us out.

User Documentation :
I will create another series of posts here to cover:
Initial setup (first use)
Getting Kodi to ‘scan’ (read) your tagged files into its music library (music database)
Then something to cover daily use (Kodi Playback), UI features etc

I may eventually do a how to customise UI but not now, sorry.

THX
Garry

 

[reedfoot]

I have plenty of AAA batteries here. Save the shipping weight.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I thought some of you guys might like to see this. I got the first shipment of BEHs. I love how small these things are. Here's one next to a CD for size comparison

 

[jefe1]

And thats the large NUC......

 

[reedfoot]

Good thing we have Garry and Paul helping us instead of Curly!

 

[humprof]

Good thing we have Garry and Paul helping us instead of Curly!

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose brain goes straight to Curly (so to speak) every time I see "NUC"!