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Exodus
Your Daddy
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join:2001-11-26
Earth

3 edits

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Exodus

Premium Member

My Setup

I thought I'd share with everyone here my setup and how I accomplished it. It seemed like I couldn't find any one source to get everything up and running and I had bits and pieces everywhere.

Disclaimer: This guide should be intended for legal purposes, only.

The End Result:
I have a media center setup that allows me to stream TV/Music/Movies to my TV/Smart Devices. I can add content locally, remotely via PC or Phone (Android and iPhone).

The Setup
Because there's multiple hardware and software components to this, you can scale this a multitude of ways depending on your budget or your existing hardware.

SABnzbd: This is the guts of your operation. Everything flows into this one central point and the results are stored locally. SABnzbd is your downloader. It consumes .nzb files. These files can be fed to SABnzbd in multiple manners. SABnzbd runs as a self-contained web service that allows you to connect to your computer locally via a web interface. You'll also be able to connect to it remotely as well. More on that later. SABnzbd is free, but it needs to connect to a usenet provider. There are several threads here to evaluate usenet providers.

SickBeard: This software will allow you queue up TV series. It will automatically look up your show's information via a TV database and know when it airs. When it does, it'll routinely scour the intertubes for a copy. You'll want to configure it to communicate with SABnzbd via an API key. This is also a self-contained web service that runs on a separate port from SABnzbd. Free.

CouchPotato: Similar to SickBeard, but for movies. This operates in a similar manner to Netflix's interface. It will routinely check to see if a favorite copy of your legal-to-download movie is available and if it is, it'll communicate the NZB via an API into SABnzbd. Free.

An Indexer: More than likely, you're going to end up using an indexer site for more freedom. While SB/CP are convenient, they make a lot of decisions for you, which means you may not get exactly what you want. An indexer is required in order for your applications to work properly. Where else are you going to get an nzb file from? There are a large amount of providers and many discussions on which ones are the best. If you want to learn from my experience, if you want a FREE indexer that gives you API access, look at nzb.su. I registered with nearly a dozen sites only to find out that they required pay access to utilize the API key. WIthout this, none of your setup will automate.

Note: nzb.su will throttle the amount of queries on a daily basis unless you pay a full fee. There are better paid indexers out there. The going price for a paid indexer is approximately $10. This fee is either a lifetime fee or once every ten years. NZBmatrix is currently the most popular. Dognzb appears to allow for a remote push of NZB files to your machine, but is currently invite-only. nzb.su is great for testing your setup without committing to a price, however.

Dropbox (Optional): You can configure SABnzbd to automatically scan a directory for NZB files. You could browse your indexer's website at any machine, hook into dropbox at the same machine and place the nzb file in there. Your SABnzbd will pick up that nzb at home and begin downloading your favorite Linux ISO. Dropbox is free for a few gigs, which is more than plenty for NZB files.

Dynamic DNS via NO-IP: I find that NO-IP's dynamic DNS functioned perfectly for me and at a great price - free. This will allow you to connect to your media server from anywhere, without concern of an IP address change. It will also allow you to handle streaming to devices outside of your network.

Emit: I have tested a LOT of software for streaming and they all had a ton of headaches, overhead, issues, or limited functionality. I refused to commit to anything without testing it for free, first. Emit is a free piece of software that you install on your PC and any Android/iPhone devices (phones, tablets, etc). The PC service is a listener/encoder that runs on specific ports. It has the ability to take your HD copies of movies that are sitting at 10-20GB and encode them into significantly smaller copies on the fly and transmit them via the Internet to your device. I've tested it on 3G and it works well. Obviously, if you're in a car, it could be choppy as you move between towers. There is an option to encode movies and store them somewhere on the PC so you can download them directly to the phone if you don't want to stream. I encoded a movie. At 1hr44m, it was 400MB. You'll want to be cautious with your data plan here. Stream it via wi-fi or budget your data plan or hope you have an unlimited version. Software is free, but has "ad support". Not a big deal for testing. Paid version is approximately $3.50. I've heard of AirVideo being used for the iPhone, but it doesn't work for Android. Emit works for both.... and it actually works.

SABMobile: Android app. I haven't checked to see if there is an iPhone version since I didn't need it. I think I dropped $3 on it. Hooks into your indexer(s) and your home SABnzbd, allowing you to monitor the status of your downloads and queue up additional downloads anywhere your phone has access to the Internet. A web browser is included inside of this application to browse an indexer site directly and pull down NZBs. It also allows you to hook into your indexer's API and run its own searches in a mobile-friendly view.

VLC Media Player: Let's head back home a second. You've got all these various formats that you wish you could play, but Windows Media Player craps out on half of them. Get VLC. It'll play them all, flawlessly.

Device running XBMC w/ HDMI out: You've got your own computer covered and you've got your mobile devices covered, but what about your TV? If you have a device that can stream to your TV, fantastic. My current setup has a light-weight PC running XBMC. I intend to get a Universal Remote like a Logitech Harmony that'll let me control XBMC, my TV, my stereo, etc., from a single remote. If you have problems getting XBMC to work, you can always run VLC, or use a third party device like a Roku box, the "smart" streaming capabilities of your TV (if applicable) or other solutions.

Open Ports on your Router: For total remote control and connectivity, you're going to need to open up many ports on your router and forward them all. Make sure you set up appropriate authentication. You'll want ports open for all the various services that you set up. You'll have it open for SABnzbd, CouchPotato, SickBeard, Emit, RDP (if desired), etc.

Summary: It all seems pretty simple now that I've explained it, but it was quite difficult to find a place to get all this information without a ton of trial and error. My setup won't hand-hold you through your setup, but if you have questions, please read many of the other threads for answers or feel free to send me a PM.

darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium Member
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR
·Ziply Fiber

1 edit

darcilicious

Premium Member

Nice write-up!

This »lifehacker.com/5601586/h ··· le-steps provides more detailed steps for Usenet/sabnzbd+/etc

I went with Plex instead of XBMC, the former has a built-in streamer with Plex Media Server and I really enjoy the centralized content aspect of PMS. It also has clients for the desktop, iPhone, Android, Roku, and various smart TVs.

Looking forward to adding the Ouya into the mix

Exodus
Your Daddy
Premium Member
join:2001-11-26
Earth

Exodus

Premium Member

What is Ouya?

darcilicious
Cyber Librarian
Premium Member
join:2001-01-02
Forest Grove, OR

darcilicious

Premium Member

»www.ouya.tv/ will run XBMC and Plex on launch (so they say)

pr1mo
Premium Member
join:2003-11-12
Chicago, IL

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Awesome thread, thank you! I've been thinking about having this type of setup for a while now and this will definitely be THE step in the right direction. Thanks again!

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

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has anyone used NZB Unity for mobile control using Android? Helped a user out with it this week and it was the first I have heard of it. I suppose it is similar to SABMobile.

Ryan
Premium Member
join:2001-03-03
Boston, MA

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Also like to add if you have xbmc and a smartphone grab the offical xbmc app. Connects to your local wifi and you can use it as a remote control or even look through your library and what not. Works instant just like a real remote control.
sandman_1
join:2011-04-23
11111

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Great writeup! I wasn't aware of Emit, thanks for that! Gonna check that baby out...

My setup is a little different. I don't have Sickbeard or Couch Potato (Don't watch a lot of TV or movies and like to research them before hand).

1. Wake on Wan setup so machine can be remotely turned on and off from anywhere (Can be a pain in the arse getting this to work right but once you do, ahh it feels so good)

2. SSH server - WinSSHD

3. Port Forward RDP port on SSH server and remote in using Remote Desktop (More safe than just straight remoting into your machine, 1024bit RSA encryption and public/private key authentication)

4. Load up Newsbin Pro and upload nzb to the monitored folder for download

5. Once logged in, do as you please. No API's needed and all free, well except for Newsbin but could use Sabnzbd instead

EDIT: Local Steaming I use MPC-HC for video and Foobar for audio
knarf829
join:2007-06-02

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Thanks for this thread. Lots of great ideas and starting points.

jarablue
Always be true to yourself
join:2001-06-11
Worcester, MA

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Newsbin Pro has served me so well the past 12 years. Just thought I'd share. Such well spent money.

Exodus
Your Daddy
Premium Member
join:2001-11-26
Earth

Exodus

Premium Member

I glanced at the software's site. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Newsbin Pro appears to be fantastic if you're looking to use the software strictly on the PC. Can you integrate into your cell phone? Can you manage it via a web interface or other remote interface? I'm not seeing it there.
sandman_1
join:2011-04-23
11111

sandman_1

Member

said by Exodus:

I glanced at the software's site. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Newsbin Pro appears to be fantastic if you're looking to use the software strictly on the PC. Can you integrate into your cell phone? Can you manage it via a web interface or other remote interface? I'm not seeing it there.

They do have remote control features built in now for iPhone »itunes.apple.com/app/nbr ··· 599?mt=8. They are developing one for Android but I don't know how that is coming. They have I think published the API interface so anyone can develop an remote app for it.

Personally, if I am using my Android phone, I use ConnectBot and 2xClient to connect to my PC. I use ConnectBot to connect to my SSH server and to port forward 3389. I use 2x Client and have it set to localhost which ConnectBot forwards to SSH server port 3389 (ConnectBot acts like a proxy for 2xClient). I use Wake on WAN LAN to wake up my PC and use a shutdown script to turn off. Takes a little know how to set it up but works great once you do get it going. All free apps btw and you don't have to be rooted to set it up like I have.

El Quintron
Cancel Culture Ambassador
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join:2008-04-28
Tronna

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Just wanted to stop in and say, great writeup.

williamray507
No More Mr Nice Guy
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join:2001-10-04
Huntington, WV

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Might I also add the app MediaDog as an alternative to SABMobile, it will tie into SABnzbd, Sickbeard and Couchpotato:

»play.google.com/store/ap ··· Lmh1YiJd