Hi, I have an LG 3D TV that does not play some mkv files, but does play others for some reason?
Anyway, I thought the quickest way to sort this issue is to plug my USB 3.0 harddrive into a mediaplayer that is connected via USB/hdmi.
Wifi is not necessary as I won't be playing files off my phones or laptop.
So what is the cheapest player out there that is a semi-decent quality?
MKV is just a container that holds the video file. The actual videos can be encoded with one of a multitude of codecs and your telly probably only has a decoder capable (or licenced) to decode some (or one) of them.
I wouldn't recommend the Raspberry Pi.. it's hard to set up and the hardware is low powered. It's a tinkerers toy that can be made into a, slow, Media Centre.
I second the MK808, but most media players these days ought to be capable of playing anything you throw at them.
So with these media players, how do I select the files/movies on my hard drive? Do I still need a mouse to select, or do I just keep using my TV remote like I do now?
they come with their own remote.
Ahhhh thanks for the info!
Assuming that you don't want to use your mentioned laptop or phone to play the movies, then the best option owuld be to go with a dedicated media player. The MK808 deal on the front page is a good option and while expired you can still get it from other sources.
if you want more flexibility you can use a Raspberry Pi device, which similarly priced offers a more complete experience. But is a bit harder to set up and configure, as there is no pretty interface at the moment.
Another option that seems fairly popular here is a micro server such as the HP N50L for around $200. which would give a complete computer setup with a windows interface.