So for the last few years we've been using a PS3 connected to the flatscreen TV to watch various digital media (mostly pics and videos). Then we got an MSS and we've been streaming from the MSS so that we can watch movies from the server on the TV.

The problem is - I've got my 2nd dead PS3 in 1 year and I'm getting fed up with going weeks at at a time unable to watch anything (no cable) as I muck around with repairing or replacing yet another PS3. I want some sort of small box I can put on the entertainment center and watch movies off the server, or browse pictures of our kid. I've just started researching "network media players" but the choice is almost overwhelming.

What I want is:
- Wife friendly interface!
- Plug it in, turn it on, use it - not have to constantly muck around with it.
- Ability to stream from MSS (DLNA) and watch files off a USB drive.
- Reasonably good format support (MP4, DIVX, MKV and MOV mostly), I'm tired of transcoding. I don't have any ripped DVDs at the moment, but you never know what the future might bring...
- Would be nice: support for Netflix (we're in Canada so I don't know if any devices other than PS3 are supported for Netflix here yet).
- Hopefully under $300.

Any suggestions?

Can't think of any canned boxes that meet the list, but:
I have a Sansung TV Plasma that does the (DLNA) and has netflicks built in along with other stuff.
Since it's all on the network it works.

Amen to transcoding, I have been ripping movies and converting them to MPG for size, it is a hit n miss deal. I almost wish I would have started with the larger rips and have been done with it but with 300 + movies and growing at 4+ gigs per, I opted for MPG at 1+ gig per. When you figure in duplcation thats 8-9 gigs for a movie or 2+ gigs for the MPG.

Anyway, with my Samsung and MSS we are set, The usb drive would need a little work, just have to move them to the MSS first.
$300 don't get ya much these days
Goodluck

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Check the Reviews section of the site, Damian has reviewed many of the most popular media streamers out there. He's seemed to be most smitten with the Dune devices lately. Most of them should fit your needs except for Netflix.

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I can't believe my sleep-deprived brain forgot about the Reviews section! Thanks for the reminder.

The Dune does sound quite interesting... I just wish I'd heard of any of the Canadian distributors... I'm not sure how I feel about giving my credit card info to "only the best electronics inc.com". Ah well, let the research begin!

The Boxee Box is probably the best media streamer out there right now since it combines local streaming and internet streaming. I tried the Dunes in 2009, then swicthed to the Popcorn hour products. And now I use several Boxee Boxes as my main media players. Very user firendly.
This website http://www.iboum.com/net-media-players.php also has some decent info about the majority of mediastreamers available

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Interesting, Damian's review of the Boxee made is sound a bit flawed, but it seems to have a better wife-acceptance-factor GUI and their website lists that Boxee Box Netflix support in Canada is coming "before the end of the year" (although I have no idea what year they mean...) that would be big. I'll have to do more googling to find out just how much "network" content is available up here, that's an interesting option given that we just cut our cable.

Am I reading things correctly that if you don't want to be bombarded with online content you just go to "Files" in the menu? "Movies" is for "everything including online" but "Files" is "just your drives and server"? Can I just shove a USB drive with content in, turn on the TV and watch it? Having to constantly sort through external content would be a non-starter and I was a bit confused by that point on his review.

You can definitely get everything on the list for under $300 (Dune and Popcorn hour streamers seem to be the most capble, I've looked into them but own neither, I would like one though)...to be honest you can get it for around $100 with the WD TV Live Plus.

I'm using the WD and a ps3 currently. The WD has played back everything I've thrown it at over the network, including 1080p blu-ray mkv backups. It can also play dvd iso's with full menu's, etc. There is Netflix (not sure about for you canadians). It's passively cooled so there is no fan and thus 0 noise. The remote codes pop up on my logitech harmony remote as a plus too.

The only thing I wish would be better is support for movie info and and sheets out of the box....currently you have to use custom firmware for that functionality and browsing when using movie sheets is a little sluggish. I've had no stuttering or slow playing/resuming times. The only thing I could mention is If I am streaming a higher bitrate video, fast forward and rewind at higher speeds lags what's displayed on the screen (it'll show a frame that was passed 1 min ago in the timeline for ex)...however it is FF and RW in the timeline properly and then takes a few seconds to resume playing.

FYI, I also have not heard favorable things about the boxee box...although I haven't used one myself, and maybe things have changed since launch.