Home Theater/Game Room Thread

Can I ask what problem you are trying to solve that requires a standalone digital media player running VLC as its operating system?

Only ever heard of VLC as a multiplatform app. You could try having it load at startup on your OS of choice in some sort of kiosk mode maybe. I think Win 11 has such a mode built in now, can configure per user.

There could also be better tools for the job, hardware and software wise, depending on your use case.

TheNozz said:

Trying to watch an anime (SDF Macross) i have in MKV format. Plays fine on my PC, but not on my living room TV's media player (it's never had an issue with other MKV files).

I suppose it doesnt have to have VLC as its OS but what would be a very good standalone digital media player, one i could just insert a flash drive?

Click to expand...

Ah ok. Could be a codec thing. For example your living room TV's media player might not like x265 mkv files but might play x264 mkv files just fine.
If you can find another download of the same thing it might make a difference, otherwise you could re-encode the downloads using something like Handbrake
But who has time for that

If you are willing to pay for an upgrade, knowing anything you download will work, buy a Nvidia Shield Pro and be done with it.
It's an Android box with a Nintendo Switch CPU, giving it enough grunt to play the 80gb to 100gb "2160p remux" downloads of 4K discs I throw at it.

I like that I get the read out on my A/V receiver and OLED that it's passing through Dolby Vision / Atmos from the Shield.
I know I'm getting an uncompromised experience for the movies I watch, whether I've bought them on disc and watch on the Panasonic UB820 or downloaded them and watch on the Shield.
There is no difference in quality between the two methods at this point.

I shelled out for lifetime Plex so use that as the app and interface to navigate hard drives / usb I plug into it, but the VLC app is a good back up and has worked well for me too.