I’m currently using:

Kodi → MPC-BE → LAV Filters → madVR

The picture quality is excellent, especially for HDR tone mapping on my Epson LS12000, but the external-player setup is becoming frustrating. Resume and watched status are not always reliable, and the whole chain feels more complicated than it should be.

How are other people handling this today?

Are you still using Kodi with MPC-BE as an external player, or have you moved to a different setup? Do you just accept the limitations, use another frontend, or launch files directly?

I’m also interested in the newer DSPlayer fork:

https://github.com/tiben20/xbmc

Has anyone used it recently as a daily driver? How stable is it, and does resume and watched status work properly? I’m also wondering whether the project is still actively developed, since there has not been a new release for quite a while.

The other option I’m considering is Jellyfin Desktop 3.0 with mpv/libplacebo. That seems like a much cleaner setup with an integrated player, proper Jellyfin resume support and fewer moving parts.

Has anyone compared current libplacebo tone mapping directly against madVR on a projector? With an Epson LS12000, what differences would I be most likely to notice in real-world use?

I’m mainly looking for the best compromise between picture quality, reliability and a comfortable living-room experience.

Hi all,

I'm running NextPVR in Docker with /timeshift bind-mounted to /dev/shm.

After watching live TV, the live-*.ts timeshift files remain in /dev/shm even after the client disconnects (for example, after turning the TV off). Over multiple sessions they accumulate and /dev/shm can reach 70–99% utilisation. Restarting the NextPVR container immediately removes all of the files and returns /dev/shm to 0% usage.

Is this expected behaviour? Should the timeshift files be removed automatically when the client disconnects, or is there a timeout before cleanup occurs?

While this is happening I occasionally see Unable to get shared memory! during Writer::Create(), followed by the client reconnecting. I'm trying to determine whether these two observations could be related.

TIA

Hi all. I am curious if anyone uses an audio interface like a Focusrite for their audio from their PC. I have an extra one and thought about using it for a set of speakers.

Would I just be better off buying speakers designed for HDMI audio? or is the use of an audio interface common?

I’m looking to get a prebuilt htpc in place of the new steam machine and was wondering if ppl have recommendations for good prebuilt htpcs. It’s gonna be mostly to run steam games but i have a big library so I definitely need good storage. I also would prefer to not hear fans running when in use. As for budget I’m willing to spend up to $2k but ideally would like to pay less.

HTPC HDR Washed-Out Colors – Troubleshooting Summary
Hardware
HTPC
Windows PC (always on as a Plex server)
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (Blackwell)
NVIDIA Studio Driver 610.62
AV Receiver
Denon X4800H
Display
LG OLED65C4 OLED TV

HDMI Wiring

HTPC (RTX 5070)
│
▼
Denon X4800H
HDMI 4 (Game 1)
│
▼
Denon Monitor 1 (HDMI)
│
▼
LG C4 HDMI 1 (ARC/eARC)

Software
Windows 11
MPC-BE x64
madVR HDR beta renderer
LAV Filters
Windows HDR = OFF
madVR performs HDR switching automatically

Normal HDR Operation
During successful playback:
Windows desktop is SDR.
MPC-BE opens HDR movie.
madVR switches display to HDR.
LG displays HDR badge.
TV changes to HDR Filmmaker Mode.
HDR picture looks correct.

Failure Mode
Intermittently:
LG displays HDR badge.
TV switches into HDR Filmmaker Mode.
madVR reports HDR.
Windows behaves as though HDR output is active.
However:
Entire image becomes washed out.
Desktop is washed out.
Video is washed out.
Colors appear low contrast and desaturated.
When HDR playback stops:
TV exits HDR.
Desktop immediately returns to normal SDR colors.

Important Observations
SDR is always correct
Windows desktop looks perfect.
Only HDR mode is affected.

TV recognizes HDR correctly
The TV always reports:
HDR badge
HDR Filmmaker Mode
Therefore HDR signaling is occurring.

Desktop is also washed out
Not just the movie.
This strongly suggests the issue occurs somewhere in the HDR output pipeline rather than only in madVR’s video rendering.

Windows reboot fixes it
Restarting Windows immediately restores proper HDR operation.
This suggests some state inside the Windows display stack or NVIDIA driver is reset by rebooting.

Startup timing affects behavior
Successful sequence:
TV ON
Wait ~30 seconds
Denon ON
Wait ~30 seconds
HTPC is already running and desktop appears automatically
Start HDR movie
HDR works correctly
This points toward HDMI negotiation timing influencing the problem.

Settings Verified
Windows
HDR OFF
Desktop SDR

NVIDIA
Output configured as:
RGB Full
10-bit
Multiple output format variations have been tested previously without permanently resolving the issue.

madVR
Returned to known-good baseline:
Delay playback until renderer queue is full ✔
Use Direct3D 11 for presentation ✔
Present a frame for every VSync ✔
CPU queue = 16
GPU queue = 12

LG TV
HDR Filmmaker Mode
Game Optimizer not being used.

Denon
HTPC connected to HDMI 4 (Game 1).
Output via Monitor 1 ARC/eARC.

Things Already Tested
madVR
Presentation options
Queue sizes
HDR settings
Various renderer options
Returned to baseline
No setting consistently fixes the issue.

Windows
Restart
HDR Off
Desktop SDR
Restart reliably restores proper HDR operation.

NVIDIA
Multiple control panel adjustments
RGB vs YCbCr experiments
Color depth verification
Refresh-rate verification
No permanent fix.

HDMI
Verified cables
Tested startup order
TV-first startup improves reliability

Current Working Theory
The evidence suggests the issue is not simply a madVR rendering bug, because:
The TV enters HDR mode correctly.
The Windows HDR desktop is also washed out.
Exiting HDR immediately restores normal SDR colors.
The most likely area is the interaction among:
NVIDIA RTX 5070 driver (Studio Driver 610.62),
Windows HDR output pipeline,
HDMI handshake/EDID negotiation through the Denon X4800H to the LG C4.
madVR appears to expose the issue by requesting the HDR mode switch, but the symptoms affect the entire HDR output rather than just video rendering.

Current Baseline (Do Not Change)
Windows HDR OFF
NVIDIA output: RGB Full, 10-bit
madVR:
Delay playback until renderer queue is full
Direct3D 11 presentation
Present every VSync
CPU queue 16
GPU queue 12
TV-first, then Denon power-on sequence before initiating HDR playback

Denon hdmi 4 at 8k enhanced. HDMI control and arc are off

Lgtv all Cec options disabled , 4k deep color enabled game optimizer disabled on tv and v sync disabled NVIDIA

HTPC stays on as plex server. Wake up order I’ve tried Denon first 30 sec LG 40 sec then HTPC visible and try hdr file.

That didn’t work as regularly so I swapped. Now lg on first 30 seconds then Denon 30 seconds and into windows and hdr file open.

If hdr plays well it’ll wash out if I move the cursor working the playback window and return to full color once I stop.

If it’s washed out from the start I often have to restart HTPC to fix it

Yesterday I did face mode Ddu uni
Installer and then clean installed a new NVIDIA driver 610.62

Ideas for how to proceed from here?

Thanks

Since there are many questions about MadVR settings lately, I decided to make a small example of how it should (or may) look like in the end.

First screenshot is from a 4K HDR movie. Second one - from a 1080p SDR movie with upscaling to 4K. The third one is from an old DVD with interpolation deinterlacing from 576p 25i source to 4K 50p.

As you can see, with the correct settings we can match the refresh rates of the movie and TV to minimize judder and dropped or repeated frames to an absolute minimum. For the HDR content it is advised to use a 10bit output instead of 8bit or you won't get the benefit of a wider color palette with better gradients. Note, that with HDMI 2.0 GPUs like the one I have - it is not possible to use 10bit output in 4K 50p or 60p. Only lower frame rates like 24/25/30hz have enough bandwidth for that. (Not a problem for HDMI 2.1 GPUs + TVs) So make sure your automatic switcher is set up correctly.

I will not discuss a lot of other settings here, as they may vary a lot from setup to setup. For example - I don't use tonemapping, as I'm fully satisfied with the processing of my Panasonic OLED. Or the different upscaling options will depend on your taste and hardware capabilities.

Hey everyone; I am new to this sub and I have just finished building my HTPC for the purpose of using it as a media player and MadVR dynamic tonemapping to my Epson 5050ub.

I download K-Lite Code Pack which includes MPC-HC and MadVR. I have followed a lot of different guides to configure my MadVR settings. However; I don't notice any difference when I play a 4k remux through my HTPC with MadVR enabled and directly through my Nvidia Shield Pro with no MadVR and letting the 5050ub handle the DTM.

I just want to make sure I actually have MadVR DTM configured properly and enabled. The photos I attached are all my MadVR settings. I made sure to turn off HDR in the Epson 5050ub itself so that the HTPC can handle the DTM.

HTPC Specs:

-Intel 14600k

-Geforce RTX 2070

-32gb DDR5 ram

-1 TB SSD

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Does anybody have any insight into whether devices like this one are worth it? I'm looking into an alternative to my current air mouse remote, and I'm wondering if trackballs like this are the way to go.

Using an old ATI HD2400 GPU with TV output via component. Works fine with Windows 10 but I’m looking for a media center experience with 10 foot interface and remote support.

The media player also needs to render directly to the GPU in order to support true interlaced content. (As far as I know the windows desktop is limited to 30fps progressive so anything rendering inside a window won’t work)

Mostly playing dvd’s I ripped from my collection. (ISO and MKV)

I’m considering using windows 7 with WMC but is that my only option? Is there anything modern that will work?

Specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D, 5070ti, 32GB DDR5 ram, latest nvidia game ready driver 610.74

LG G4 connected to PC via HDMI 2.1. Separate HDMI 2.1 cable connecting LG G4 to Samsung HW-Q600F soundbar using earc.

I've been having some issues with stutter but only when watching videos on YouTube on Firefox and on VLC. The stutter seems to happen every few mins or so and only causes the audio to drop out for a second, with video staying intact. I've also been playing games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Persona 5 Royal and there's no stutter in those games at all.

I've tried many things such as:

- Turned off power saving features in device manager, LAN properties

- Set minimum power state for cpu to 100%

- Disabled unused WiFi adapter in device manager

- Disabled HPET in device manager

- Ticked on MSI for HD audio x2  in MSI util

- Set GPU interrupt priority to high in MSI util

- Set HD audio x2 interrupt priority to high in MSI util

- Set vlc video output to dx11

- Disable MPO in registry

- Rolling back to the previous game ready driver

- Used DDU to uninstall driver and then reinstall driver

But the stutter still remained.

The ONLY thing that has seemed to work is setting the Power management mode for VLC and Firefox to "Prefer maximum performance". So I suspect that the GPU is down clocking too low when videos are playing. It also explains why games have been unaffected.

So my question is, how can I fix the actual problem and not rely on this workaround? Any ideas would be appreciated!

Keeping size and functionality as similar to this thing is pretty important. This one in specific is kinda ass tho, constantly disconnecting/reconnecting, has an awful sleep mode that activates every minute and that can only be woken from by pressing a key. the trackpad is also super NOT sensitive so trying to click on small things is a pain.

Hey guys,

​I’m slowly going insane trying to fix this. I have an RTX 4090 hooked up to a Hisense U7NQ using a 15m RUIPRO fiber optic HDMI 2.1 cable.

​The issue: I keep getting random black screens for a few seconds. The worst part? When the picture comes back, the TV has completely forgotten my picture settings (reverting from Dynamic HDR to standard, for example). It basically forces a full HDMI handshake reset every single time.

​What I've already tried (none of it worked):

​Dropped the resolution to 1440p (so it's 100% NOT a bandwidth limit of the cable)

​Disabled G-Sync/VRR completely

​Turned off Windows Auto-HDR and tested pure SDR

​Forced 10-bit, RGB, and YCbCr 4:2:2 in NVCP

​Set Nvidia power management to "Prefer maximum performance"

​My old 15m copper cable worked totally fine, but obviously only did 4K@60Hz. Since the new RUIPRO fiber cable still drops the signal even at 1440p, I'm guessing the active chips inside the AOC cable are somehow messing up the EDID/handshake with the 4090 or the TV.

​Has anyone dealt with this exact handshake nightmare? Are there any active DP-to-HDMI adapters that actually re-clock this mess, or maybe a hidden TV service menu fix?

​Any ideas are welcome before I just give up on this setup. Thanks!

I’ve been trying to get a HTPC up and running for a while, and I’m close, but I still can’t enjoy using it because of a noise issue.

The build is:

Asus Rog Maximus xi hero
Asus Rog Strix 2080 ti
I9 9900k
Windows 10 pro
Nvidia 452.06 driver with 3D fix

The PC outputs to denon x3700h via hdmi, which sends picture to LG C2 most of the time. (Projector for 3D viewing).

I built it this way specifically to maintain compatibility with frame packed 3D mvc files, but playback also includes 4k movies with atmos, upscaled 2D HD content, etc.

I’m using Kodi to browse, but Kodi hands off playback to MPC-BE with LAV filters and MadVR rendering.

The playback chain is working “great”, in that MadVR is doing everything that I want it to automatically during playback.

The issue is that I’m also running into an unwanted rapid pulse/click sound that is loudest for the first few seconds of playback, and then quieter for the rest of the content. It’s almost imperceptible during regular volume scenes, but very distracting during quiet scenes.

The clicking sound does not change volume with the volume controls. If I change the renderer in MPC-BE from MadVR to something else, the sound goes away. If I play the movie back in another player like VLC, there is no clicking sound either. So it appears to me to be something that MadVR itself is triggering.

The control+J screen during playback looks good, and suggests the GPU has plenty of headroom at my preferred settings.

I’m already using ruipro AOC fiber hdmi between my htpc and receiver, which eliminated other noise issues, but not this one. Optical cable isn’t an option because I’m running nine channels plus subs and want bitstream.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar? What was the fix?

Update to my 2024 post "Dolby Vision (LLDV) now possible on Windows 10/11" — a few things changed since then, so the old guide no longer works as written.

What changed since 2024:

• The DV extension now checks for a DV-certified display — an EDID override (CRU, one byte in the Dolby VSVDB block) is now effectively mandatory before anything works. The old hidden extension didn't seem to care; the current one does, and Windows shows the certification state under Settings > System > Display > Advanced display.
• The Dolby Access app now has DV extension controls (DV color mode) — didn't exist back then.

The basic facts:

• Windows 11 does all DV processing on the PC (LLDV-style) and outputs plain HDR10 — so the display doesn't need DV support, any HDR10-capable display works once the EDID override makes Windows believe it's DV-certified.
• The usual way to use this is Energy player — fine for opening a file directly, but it breaks the normal HTPC flow: no library, no watched states, no Next Up, no remote, no media-server integration.
• This setup gets the same DV decode path working inside the stock Jellyfin web client in Edge instead — DV plays like any other title in your normal Jellyfin UI.

Guide + scripts (guided setup, userscript, optional auto HDR/refresh switching): https://github.com/Andy2244/dovi-jellyfin

What you get: P5/P8 direct-play with the dynamic metadata applied. Honest limits in the README (no FEL, no DTS/TrueHD bitstreaming, MKV audio-track quirks). Tested on Win11 25H2 + Jellyfin 10.11.x.

For the broader device landscape, RESET_9999's DV playback devices sheet (Win11 section): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15i0a84uiBtWiHZ5CXZZ7wygLFXwYOd84/

Before you spend money: check the certification line first — don't buy the HEVC Store extension until it shows (the README explains).

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1050 Ti
TV: TCL QM5 50"

I am in a bit of a unique situation, I purchased an arcade machine recently and had to replace the built in screen with a new television. This is the only community on reddit I could find that has dedicated discussions on the topic of CEC adapters.

Since the machine runs off of a PC the gpu output has no CEC module to communicate with the TV over hdmi. The original monitor accomplished auto power on because it was custom made to just turn on whenever it received electricity and display any input it received.

I need an adapter that can detect hdmi input, and just send a CEC power on signal to the tv, over hdmi. Failing that, an hdmi adapter that can take an ir input, and send that as a CEC power on signal over the hdmi.

I did find https://www.pulse-eight.com/p/104/usb-hdmi-cec-adapter but this requires me to install software onto the cabinet's pc which is not possible due to anti-tamper mechanisms that could be tripped by this installation. Would this work for my purposes as I do not need the tv to have any control over the computer, only the computer controlling the tv and exclusively to turn it on.

Hello! I recently built a new PC that will live at my LG C1, primarily for gaming. I'm using an old RTX 3070 for the GPU and currently running Windows 11 (for HDR and some specific game compatibility). All the cables are 8k Monoprice HDMIs. The HDMI switch is an OREI 8K 3-Port HDMI Switch.

The problem I'm having is with the HDMI switch. Typically everything works fine... I'm currently outputting 1440p at 120hz (though 4k output also worked), GSync and HDR work correctly, it's great. I also have a Nintendo Switch 2 plugged in as the other input and it also works completely fine.

Until, that is, I reboot the PC. At which point more than half the time after the Windows loading screen I get punted back to "no signal". Sometimes I can resolve this by changing inputs on the TV back and forth and sometimes I can't get it to resolve without physically unplugging the PC's HDMI cord and putting it back in.

I have no issues at all if the PC is directly connected to the TV.

Any potential things I can try? I would really really prefer to keep the PC in the HDMI switch so I don't have to rewire all my other connections.

I’m trying to figure out the best long-term living room setup and would love to hear from people who have actually tested it.

My situation:
\- Gaming PC with an rtx 5080
\- Everything connected via Gigabit Ethernet (no Wi-Fi)
\- LG OLED TV with HDR

Looking for the highest possible image and audio quality with the least amount of hassle.
The goal is to keep the gaming PC in my office and play on the TV as if it were a local console.

A few questions:
\- How good is the new Steam Machine as a streaming client?
\- Does Steam Remote Play now support proper 4K HDR with excellent image quality and low latency?
\- Can Steam Remote Play match Moonlight in terms of image quality, bitrate, HDR, and audio, or are there still compromises? If you’ve tried both, which one would you recommend for a plug-and-play living room.

Ultimately, I’m wondering whether this setup could actually become a better experience than buying most multiplatform games on a PS5 Pro, since I’d get the flexibility and graphical advantages of the PC while still having a console-like experience in the living room. The latest decision from Sony to ban physical media contributes to my target picture.

I’d love to hear your real-world experiences, especially from anyone using the new Steam Machine.

Hey everyone,

I'm absolutely done with webOS on my TV, might honestly be the worst smart TV OS ever made. I need a proper HTPC that can run Moonlight for game streaming and my media streaming apps (local files and stremio).

Since all my actual gaming happens through local streaming from my desktop PC, the HTPC doesn’t need any real gaming power. It just needs to output 4K120Hz and let me freely install whatever apps I want.

CEC support would be a bonus so I don’t have to manage a bunch of remotes and controllers.

I do have a Ryzen 5 7600x sitting around that I believe can handle 4K120Hz, but I believe a prebuilt would still end up being cheaper (DDR5 is insanely expensive) and simpler. From what I have read, getting CEC working properly on a regular PC with iGPU can be a real pain.

Any recommendations for budget friendly options?

I've had a PC in my home theater for some time, but i'm a console gamer by nature. I'm making the plunge sooner rather than later, but before I did, I thought i'd ask to see:

1: My setup is a 77' LGCX right next to two computer monitors/desk. If i plug an HDMI cable into my Reciever, it creates a third monitor that sometimes I want on, and sometimes I want it off without shutting off my whole TV. Is there something that can make this change easy?

2: I'm mostly using this for gaming and movies, and my current i9 will do most of the legwork, but I WILL need to upgrade my GPU. I could go for a regular 9070, but part of me does like the overkill of the 5090. Would it be worth saving for the extra cost?

3: As a console, Is there a good PC Controller to use? I don't want to mix it up with the PS/Xbox Controllers I already have, and the Steam Controller seems like it's launching in 2027?

4: Any other accessories/tips/etc to make life easier? I have a wireless KBM all in one on the list

Hello everyone,

I'm planning a dedicated home theater room (20ft x 15ft x 11ft) for my new house and looking for some feedback on my hardware choices and approach.

The Setup & The Dilemma

I originally demoed the Sony VPL-XW5100ES and loved the image in a completely black room. However, because I have a massive 180-inch wall-to-wall acoustically transparent 16:9 screen, I'm worried about brightness when watching sports or gaming with some ambient light on. After what this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYm788Ojiok), I'm now leaning heavily toward the Epson QB1000 paired with madVR for tone mapping.

Since a dedicated madVR Envy Core hardware unit is out of my budget, and I already need a NAS and a gaming console, I’m wondering if I can combine everything into a single, high-end HTPC.

Concurrent Usage Expectations:

• No Parallel Heavy Tasks: madVR processing and gaming will never happen at the same time.
• Plex/NAS Workload: The Plex server will stream to at most 2 devices concurrently, with occasional light remote file access in parallel.

Proposed HTPC Build Specs:

• Case: Fractal Design Define 7 XL (chosen for massive SATA HDD capacity)
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K / AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• GPU: RTX 5080 (Theoretically should crush madVR Envy Core performance)
• Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD (Boot/Apps) + 4x 16TB NAS HDDs (to start)
• RAM: 32GB or 64GB DDR5
• Software Stack: Kodi + Plex Media Server, MPC-HC with madVR

Rest of the Theater Gear:

• Projector: Epson QB1000 (likely) or Sony VPL-XW5100ES
• AVR: Denon X3800H / X3900H
• Audio: 7.1.4 KEF Architectural Speakers + SVS PB 2000 Pro Subwoofer
• Streaming: Apple TV / Nvidia Shield (for daily streaming apps)

My Questions for the Community:

Part 1: The HTPC & madVR Setup

1. Is this "All-in-One" approach a bad idea? Am I asking too much of a single machine by combining a multi-drive NAS, a Plex server, a 5080-tier gaming rig, and a real-time madVR video processor?
2. How do I keep it silent? The PC will live in the room. What cooling strategy (water cooling vs air coolers, specific quiet fans) should I use to ensure I don't hear fan whine during quiet movie scenes?
3. PC madVR vs. Envy Hardware: Does an HTPC with an RTX 5080 actually match or beat the dedicated madVR Envy devices in real-world image processing?
4. Case Alternative for Low Clearance: I only have about 2 to 3 feet of vertical space below the screen in my media cabinet. Considering the size of the Define 7 XL, what other horizontal or lower-profile cases do you suggest that can still hold a giant GPU and 4 (expanding to 8 or more) 3.5" HDDs?
5. Hidden Pitfalls: Are there any major HDR or other issues I should brace myself for with a Windows/madVR setup running to the Denon AVR?

Part 2: Theater Gear & Infrastructure

1. Gear Critique & Alternatives: What are your thoughts on this equipment mix (Epson QB1000, Denon X3800H, KEF/SVS) for a room of this size? Would you suggest any alternatives at a similar price point?
2. Power Backup / UPS Suggestions: What kind of UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) or power conditioner setup should I look at to safely protect this gear and handle the power draw during a brief outage?

Thanks in advance for any insights or critiques!

Hi All, I'm a long time HTPC user - about 20+ years now! My use case has always been a Gaming PC connected to my TV with a wireless Logitech K830. I've gone through various TVs over this time from Panasonic Plasma, two flagship 55" LED Sony TV and now a LG G3 77" when it released.

I've been really struggling with eye fatigue on my LG G3 77" in ways I don't think I was with my previous TVs. I've also gotten older. My configuration is CachyOS with HDR on calibrated to Peak Brightness at 1,500 nits and SDR paper white reference at 200nits. 4:4:4 chrome on. HDR tone mapping off. And HDR Filmaker mode at 80% brightness. I use CachyOS brightness slider down to 40% in night time desktop use. I sit about 6 - 7 feet away from the screen (2 meters).

What I notice is on both SDR and HDR content the brightness can be overwhelming. I was recently playing a game where the blue sky was massive and bright. My eyes just feel tired and drained and constantly squinting. And on desktop mode when I'm web browsing it can be rough.

What are the remedies here? I've fallen a bit out of the loop with HTPC so not up to speed on things.

Crazy to note that I know more recent OLED TVs are even brighter and LED are very very bright now.

hey all, after some googling think I’m in the right place but let me know if I’m not.

I have a picture in my mind of a home media tool that seems like it should be doable, but I lack the terminology and knowledge to be able to research how to go about creating it.

First, I’ll describe the experience I‘m going for.

My partner and I are tired of streaming services for shows and movies, losing access to our favorite media, etc. We’d like to create a system that mimics the simple experience of physical media like dvds: Select what you want to watch, put the media in the machine, turn it on and watch it. No log ins, no accounts, no internet. Ideally this would be portable enough we could take it to a friends house and hook it up to HDMI and go. It also should be something my partner can utilize without me so minimizing the amount of technical knowledge needed to get it working is ideal.

In my imagining it would look something like this:

A small device like a raspberry pi or similar hooked up through HDMI, and a collection of physical storage devices like SD cards acting like a game cartridge. You flip through your library, select your cartridge, put it into the device, turn on the tv and it loads up like a DVD menu that can be controlled by a remote. Watch the media, when you’re done pop out the cartridge and pick a new one.

It should have decent definition/sound but we aren’t the kind of people that care about the best visuals and audio. It playing smoothly and reliably with the least fiddling is the #1 priority. Ideally it can also have subtitles as we usually watch with those on.

As an alternative, I also had the thought that it could also be accomplished with NFC tags. The actual media resides on the device drive and you use NFC tags to tell the machine what file to play.

Barring any of that, a simple plug in no-server device with a streaming service style interface/library would also work well enough.

Any thoughts on where to begin?

I am what I describe as ‘medium techy.’ I’ve done enough weird projects that I’m usually confident in figuring things out. Ex, I used an esp32 device to make a custom game point tracker/timer once. I don’t know any coding languages, but I can sort of blunder through stuff like flashing to a device. I have 3D printers and can use CAD so I can create my own custom cases and such. I just don’t know enough of what I’m looking for to even start self educating on a project like this.