Do You Prefer HT4 or Media Centre - Poll

I have been rather outspoken today regarding HT4. I don't use it preferring playback via Media Centre/Player. I just cannot understand the amount of time people spend on getting their posters just right. The number of threads and posts on HT4 amazes me and the Poll is to find out what certain people are suggesting, in that Im in the minority, if this is correct.

From my perspective if you Name and Storeon your system correctly, there's no need for HT4 with its fancy posters and info, which can of course be gleaned by pressing the remote's info button.

I'd be grateful if you could give a reason by replying to this thread for your vote, one way or the other.

Thanks

 

Always use Media centre myself, like you I label my NAS storage, Hard drives, directories and files the way I like them. I have used HT4 when I first got my unit and was impressed with it, a lot better than other media boxes I've used.

Now Media Centre does need some work, like it showing hidden directories, not being able to make a drive a favorite, random drive order and few other bits. Now if Zidoo could make it work like Dune's File manager I would be happy.

SMB needs some work too all those random number volume names does my head in but thats another issue.

 

Biggest reasons I moved to HT from MC:
1.In Media Center, you click left too many times, and hit enter afterwards - you now have "formatted"/deleted all data on your hard drive. With a kid in the house occasionally getting a hold of the remote, this was a big no no for me.
2. HT allows for all content to be shown in one single place whereas MC I have to sift through 4 diff. hard drives and soon to be 5.

 

I see Media Center as an area for Linear Thinking persons who know or have decided in their mind what they want to view. So the sequential text layout suits their personality type. For me I’m a Random Access Person notwithstanding my audio background I’m very much a visual person and much prefer a GUI than a command line when it comes to computers.
Generally I have no idea what I want to watch in most cases. HT presents material in a visual layout within rules but allows for apparent random choices. It appeals to most humans and the way we perceive the world. Media Center for me is almost a technical under the hood area for checking something actually exists where it is supposed to be. So my vote was for HT.

 

I use Media Centre when I just want to look at a network drive and play something that I will watch once and probably won't catalog. Otherwise I usually use Jellyfin.

 

The on-line HT App allows a user to modify the listing in HT via a PC or Mac. It is much, much simpler than using the remote...or even a wireless keyboard. Media Center (as a 'file manager') is helpful when HT and the on-line app simply refuse to recognize a title/file.

 

Same here, with Zidoo I use Media Center to look at one drive and my preference is Kodi for entire movie collection

 

Media Center here
I store everything on 2 or 4 Tb drives and have all my 4k movies 4k TV and 1080 tv in seperate books where i can alphabeticly search titles

Lol
Then theres 2 aluminium CD cases which store 2000 discs in each, both full of older 720p/1080p TV series
and thats after giving away prolly 1000 plus DVDs to an old folks home since id moved on to 4k

 

The poll lacks the option for ZDMC.

This is what I prefer, it works way better than HT 4 and has no issues!

 

Well only a few hours polling and its clear most prefer HT v4 by a mile off.

For eye Candy / inf / poster image / Actors etc just click & play H.T.V4 is the clear winner so far .

 

Voted ! Despite its slowness ......

 

Yes. I just wish those voting for it would provide reasons why - a few have but most have not. This was the purpose behind this poll to try and understand more. Those voting for the Media Centre by and large have given their reasons. And I'm sorry for not including ZDMC, KODI, Plex and Jellyfin et al but knowing about these was not part of my rationale.

 

Quite clearly - HT.
Because I can orientate myself much faster and better with poster viewers than when I have to read the film names. There are also films that are the same or have similar names, you can't keep that in mind, but they all have different posters! And with one click I can see more information about the film and watch trailers (if it works again). If I'm in the mood for certain genres, then I can sort out the corresponding films. And that is simply beautiful, in contrast to the Explorer view.
Mark has already written, it would not be good to watch Netflix (Prime, D+ etc.) with list view

Otherwise I would have stayed with the Oppo.

 

Of course HT! That's the whole purpose of media player to have posters, artwork, synopsis, ability to look up actors, directors in other movies, trailers etc. If I just wanted a list of files I could connect hard drive directly to my TV and use it that way. No need to media player.

 

Good idea, Start another Poll. I use both HT and ZDMC. HT has my preferred collection about 450 titles. ZDMC has all about 2K. There is good and bad abut both.

@Franconian, set up your poll and do 3 or 4 options if possible with HT, ZDMC, MC and combinations. I'm sure MC will be the lowest count

 

Plex with PlexToZidoo.

 

As mentioned guys I simply wanted to know if you prefer HT4 over Media Centre - I'm not interested in non-Zidoo apps. I certainly appreciate quite a few of you use these apps but for the purpose of this Poll, just HT4 vs Media Centre.

 

Not sure I can agree with you here as you are suggesting all the Zidoo is, is a Film encyclopedia!

 

At least have the courtesy of letting my poll finish (is a 7-day poll) before starting another, thanks

 

OK
I voted HT