[t2ffn]

total XBMC noob, been reading here there and everywhere, and watching youtube demos trying to see what it can and cant do.

I want to buy and set up an Asrock Ion with windows and XBMC.

I've downloaded the windows XBMC on my laptop, to see if I can configure it, well, after a few hours using Ember MM and Aeon skin, I still can't get it to look right, and can't see the NFO or trailers etc, but thats off the topic.

What file types can XBMC on windows play, without needing external software? (PowerDVD etc)

I want a one stop solution thats slick, and just "does it".

How easily can it be set up to play most files types (MKV, X264, M2TS, TS, ISO, IFO, DTS downmix, DD5.1 etc etc)

The youtube vids make it look so slick and exactly what i want, its just not working right on my laptop.

I'm currently using a WD HDTV which is a great one click solution, but I want more!!


Any kind advice?

Thanks

[tehsoul]

http://www.xbmc.org/wiki/index.php?title...eo_codecs:

i think it's supposed to play all of those. performance will depend on your hardware/drivers

[t2ffn]

Hardware, I plan to use the AsRock Ion, running either windows, or as I've been advised, XBMC Live with Ubuntu so dual bootable, so I can use hardware acceleration.

So from that link, it can play all of these formats from within XBMC, although some like MKV say playback is "1. Experimental, unfinished, unstable, buggy and/or limited" Is this up to date info?

A large amount of my files are MKV format

If I installed an external Bluray drive, how would this fit into XBMC, if at all? Would I have to boot it in windows and watch on PowerDVD or equiv.?

Thanks

[snoxbox]

So from that link, it can play all of these formats from within XBMC, although some like MKV say playback is "1. Experimental, unfinished, unstable, buggy and/or limited" Is this up to date info?

A large amount of my files are MKV format

xbmc will play mkv's no worries. There were issues with ASS subtitles. but they seem to be resolved. Bear in mind that you won't be able to play 1080p content in xbmc windows, you'll need linux ior live for that.

If I installed an external Bluray drive, how would this fit into XBMC, if at all? Would I have to boot it in windows and watch on PowerDVD or equiv.?
Thanks

If you're running linux or live, there's no way to play blu-ray's from the drive. The only way to play blu-rays directly from a disc in xbmc is to have AnyDVD HD running in the background (windows app that strips the DRM on the fly) and browse through the folder structure and play the largest m2ts file (which is the main feature in 95% of blu-rays). Of course, you won't be able to play blu-rays in xbmc windows on an ION, so it's a catch 22. You can always launch an external player like Power DVD or Arcsoft TMT.

Nvidia have released some drivers for HW acceleration in Windows, so sometime in the future we should be able to play 1080p on ION in xbmc Windows, but I don't think anybody knows how soon it will be working.