RASPBERRY Pi 2

[n660075]

Hi Jchoong,

Sorry to bother you but I am interested to purchase and setup my own RPI 2.
I have seen some of the Youtube videos on the setup and installations.
But those I have seen are overseas setup videos and was hoping if you could share some of your experiences on your setup(since we are on Singapore network).

In addition, may I trouble you to advise if you are on any Wifi dongle for connections?
If you are, may I know which brand you are using?
I saw a video(by Richard Smith) that shows the nano wifi dongle does not really support 1080p streams very well(am asking due I will need to be on Wifi mode).

I am only on Singtel 200mbp fibre and maybe you can advise if its sufficient for 1080p streaming via Wifi?

Appreciate your kind guidance and advise whenever you are available. Thanks.

Regards
Jonathan Sim

 

[gregory_choo]

Hi Jchoong,

Sorry to bother you but I am interested to purchase and setup my own RPI 2.
I have seen some of the Youtube videos on the setup and installations.
But those I have seen are overseas setup videos and was hoping if you could share some of your experiences on your setup(since we are on Singapore network).

In addition, may I trouble you to advise if you are on any Wifi dongle for connections?
If you are, may I know which brand you are using?
I saw a video(by Richard Smith) that shows the nano wifi dongle does not really support 1080p streams very well(am asking due I will need to be on Wifi mode).

I am only on Singtel 200mbp fibre and maybe you can advise if its sufficient for 1080p streaming via Wifi?

Appreciate your kind guidance and advise whenever you are available. Thanks.

Regards
Jonathan Sim

Most of the hd streaming video from internet need only less than 5Mbps for 1080p video. I used to watch 1080p streaming video on XBMC with 3Mbps ADSL.

 

[jchoong]

Most of the hd streaming video from internet need only less than 5Mbps for 1080p video. I used to watch 1080p streaming video on XBMC with 3Mbps ADSL.

You said you "used to", but have you recently actually stream Kodi successfully with a 5Mbps line? Perhaps you want to share with us what speed you are currently subscribing with your local telco? I am on 300 Mbps service.

 

[jchoong]

Hi Jchoong,

Sorry to bother you but I am interested to purchase and setup my own RPI 2.
I have seen some of the Youtube videos on the setup and installations.
But those I have seen are overseas setup videos and was hoping if you could share some of your experiences on your setup(since we are on Singapore network).

In addition, may I trouble you to advise if you are on any Wifi dongle for connections?
If you are, may I know which brand you are using?
I saw a video(by Richard Smith) that shows the nano wifi dongle does not really support 1080p streams very well(am asking due I will need to be on Wifi mode).

I am only on Singtel 200mbp fibre and maybe you can advise if its sufficient for 1080p streaming via Wifi?

Appreciate your kind guidance and advise whenever you are available. Thanks.

Regards
Jonathan Sim

Jonathan, let me try to answer your questions; I have to openly declare that I am no expert - more like a beginner as I only started playing with the Pi 2 only recently - like 2-3 months ago. I am excited and continue to be enthusiastic because of the low cost of entry.

Firstly, I should say that with the 200 Mbps fibre service, you have more than adequate data speed.

If you are using the Pi 2 as a media player, i.e. installing OpenElec/Kodi, then it does not matter if the Youtube videos you have watched pertains to USA, Europe or Asia - they are the same in terms of installation and setup.

My Pi 2 is connected to my home Lan via homeplugs. Wifi should work well too assuming wifi dongle is not too far from your router. I have tried using a wifi on my Pi 2 and it ran OK.

Go get the Pi 2 and play with it; its well worth the money. But do bear in mind that you do need to purchase (unless you already have them around) the ancillaries required - power supply, HDMI, wireless remote or keypad/mouse, SD cards, etc. These items can add up to be more expensive than the Pi 2.

 

[gregory_choo]

You said you "used to", but have you recently actually stream Kodi successfully with a 5Mbps line? Perhaps you want to share with us what speed you are currently subscribing with your local telco? I am on 300 Mbps service.

Yes, able to stream. I only changed it 3 months ago

I am using 100Mbps now. 3Mbps ADSL served my very well for last ten years. The reason for the change is because I want to let all my family members to use 1080p hd streaming at the same time.

My intention was to change to 25Mbps cable plan @$29. It would give me the ability to streaming 5 1080p video on 5 devices at home at the some time plus some other background activities. But Starhub sales countered offer me, 100Mbps fibre @$29, with many goodies like a free ac1750 rounter.

The speed requirement for hd streaming will be lower in future becasue of more efficient coding. At the moment, 3Mbps is the speed for properly encoded video. In next year or another year later, the speed requirement for 1080p will be less than 2Mbps because H.265 will be more popular than.

 

[jchoong]

Greg,

Thanks for sharing. A few more questions please.

1) What media player and device are you using to stream 1080p?

2) How is the device connected? Wifi? Wired Lan? etc

3) What/where is your source of 1080p streams?

Interesting for me as previously I was on 100 Mbps line with Starhub and I get all sorts of trouble streaming from Kodi, and even from my NAS at times. No question that the media boxes and sources contribute to the problems, but since I upgraded to 300 Mbps, the problems are essentially gone.

Thanks in advance.

 

[n660075]

Guys(Gregory + ichoong), thanks for your kind advise on my questions. I have yet order the items(but had downloaded the Openelec to my SD card). I will try to have it ordered by today and hopefully I can have it up and running by the end of this week.

Meantime, may I know which platform you guys are on? Openelec or Raspbmc?
Asking because I have seen a video comparing Openelec and Raspbmc and seems Openelec is slightly faster in the test, but Raspbmc actually has a function in its platform to search for their latest updates.
Also, as I previously mentioned I have to be on Wifi(3m away) and intend to get the Adafruit dongle(any feedbacks?) from E14, may I know if on both platform the additional of wifi dongle is the same? ie, go program add-on to look for network manager and scan for my home network after that.

 

[ArcticCheetah]

OSMC is better because it is a base Linux system loaded with Kodi so you can install other Linux server software to overload it.
While OpenElec is dedicated system not designed to install additional packages

Guys(Gregory + ichoong), thanks for your kind advise on my questions. I have yet order the items(but had downloaded the Openelec to my SD card). I will try to have it ordered by today and hopefully I can have it up and running by the end of this week.

Meantime, may I know which platform you guys are on? Openelec or Raspbmc?
Asking because I have seen a video comparing Openelec and Raspbmc and seems Openelec is slightly faster in the test, but Raspbmc actually has a function in its platform to search for their latest updates.
Also, as I previously mentioned I have to be on Wifi(3m away) and intend to get the Adafruit dongle(any feedbacks?) from E14, may I know if on both platform the additional of wifi dongle is the same? ie, go program add-on to look for network manager and scan for my home network after that.

 

[ArcticCheetah]

I am using Odroid C1 with OpenElec.
Connected via LAN to my OpenWrt Router to 25Mbps Cable.
Usually bottleneck is at Server side.
Odroid C1 pwn PI and PI 2 no joke.
Remember PI NIC is connected over a USB bus while ODroid C1 has dedicated internal bus.

Greg,

Thanks for sharing. A few more questions please.

1) What media player and device are you using to stream 1080p?

2) How is the device connected? Wifi? Wired Lan? etc

3) What/where is your source of 1080p streams?

Interesting for me as previously I was on 100 Mbps line with Starhub and I get all sorts of trouble streaming from Kodi, and even from my NAS at times. No question that the media boxes and sources contribute to the problems, but since I upgraded to 300 Mbps, the problems are essentially gone.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ArcticCheetah]

Having used the Pi 2 with KODI installed for a month now, my opinion is that is much more stable than any of the Android boxes that I have owned - even those that cost 4x more. It is a small humble looking box with cables attached to it but it works wonders with KODI.

Cos Android boxes run under a jvm like Dalvik while Kodi runs Native on Framebuffer.

 

[n660075]

Hi ArcticCheetah,

I am lost with your both paragraph. But anyway, I Googled for it to check out those terms.
May I ask if a wireless keyboard + mouse is necessary? or just a wireless mouse is sufficient? I was thinking of purchasing one of those airmouse, ie Rii X1 RT MWK01 from video pro. Thanks.


Regards

 

[ArcticCheetah]

Hi ArcticCheetah,

I am lost with your both paragraph. But anyway, I Googled for it to check out those terms.
May I ask if a wireless keyboard + mouse is necessary? or just a wireless mouse is sufficient? I was thinking of purchasing one of those airmouse, ie Rii X1 RT MWK01 from video pro. Thanks.


Regards

You can try HDMI-CEC using your TV remote to control RPi 2
RPi supports HDMI-CEC if your HDMI TV vendor implements HDMI-CEC correctly

 

[jchoong]

OSMC is better because it is a base Linux system loaded with Kodi so you can install other Linux server software to overload it.
While OpenElec is dedicated system not designed to install additional packages

Arctic, welcome to this thread; and looking forward to have you share your expert knowledge with us.

I believe Raspbmc is not supported anymore.

I concur with what you said about OSMC and OpenElec. I am not into Linux at all, so uses OpenElec/Kodi as a dedicated entertainment system.

 

[jchoong]

Guys(Gregory + ichoong), thanks for your kind advise on my questions. I have yet order the items(but had downloaded the Openelec to my SD card). I will try to have it ordered by today and hopefully I can have it up and running by the end of this week.

Meantime, may I know which platform you guys are on? Openelec or Raspbmc?
Asking because I have seen a video comparing Openelec and Raspbmc and seems Openelec is slightly faster in the test, but Raspbmc actually has a function in its platform to search for their latest updates.
Also, as I previously mentioned I have to be on Wifi(3m away) and intend to get the Adafruit dongle(any feedbacks?) from E14, may I know if on both platform the additional of wifi dongle is the same? ie, go program add-on to look for network manager and scan for my home network after that.

OpenElec/Kodi can also set to auto update, which is actually very handy.

The wifi dongle should work fine.

 

[jchoong]

I am using Odroid C1 with OpenElec.
Connected via LAN to my OpenWrt Router to 25Mbps Cable.
Usually bottleneck is at Server side.
Odroid C1 pwn PI and PI 2 no joke.
Remember PI NIC is connected over a USB bus while ODroid C1 has dedicated internal bus.

Yes, I understand Odroid C1 is very well thought off too. Only a few days ago I read a comparison between the C1 and the RPi 2.

Of course its best to use cable Lan; my router is quite a distance from my TV, so I use homeplugs instead. They do a decent job actually.

 

[gregory_choo]

Yes, I understand Odroid C1 is very well thought off too. Only a few days ago I read a comparison between the C1 and the RPi 2.

Of course its best to use cable Lan; my router is quite a distance from my TV, so I use homeplugs instead. They do a decent job actually.

C1 can run H.265, RPi2 cannot.

 

[jchoong]

For those who are interested, here's the comparison between the C1 and the RPi 2.

http://www.lilliputdirect.com/odroid-c1-raspberry-pi-hardware-comparison

 

[ArcticCheetah]

I hope you guys already know Kodi host a webserver with Remote Control.
Connect to your WiFi then go to http://<your RPi IP Address>

 

[ArcticCheetah]

1Channel
Genesis
Icefilms
NaviX
azdrama
Viki
SugoideasV2
AnimeHighway
Also Google XBMC Chinese add on.
Find the Github site and install the add on
PPTV, Sohu LeLeTV
Also set the font to Arial to display Chinese Fonts
Install Subtitle service subscene, Open subtitle, subom

 

[gregory_choo]

Greg,

Thanks for sharing. A few more questions please.

1) What media player and device are you using to stream 1080p?

2) How is the device connected? Wifi? Wired Lan? etc

3) What/where is your source of 1080p streams?

Interesting for me as previously I was on 100 Mbps line with Starhub and I get all sorts of trouble streaming from Kodi, and even from my NAS at times. No question that the media boxes and sources contribute to the problems, but since I upgraded to 300 Mbps, the problems are essentially gone.

Thanks in advance.

1. Minix X6, himedia H7, and a old 5 year-old UHOST1.

2. Use wifi. I make sure the wifi can support at least 10Mbps.

3. From a few good kodi addons, like the mutt nuts, hd-trailer.net, genesis.

I have started a facebook group, many of the members are sharing their experience on tv box, and applications including kodi. May be you want to join and share your experience on Pi2.
At the moment we have 3000 members.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tvboxsg/