Great write-up! Just set this up in less than an hour for an upcoming car ride with the kids. Used an old laptop and a couple of iPads with a TP-Link WR702N pocket router I had laying around.
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Ok, well now we need pics…
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This is a great write-up and approach! I’ve been a Plex subscriber for years and usually sync a few movies to the kid’s tablets before a trip. (Having that option on Netflix and Disney+ is also a huge benefit).
I’ve been toying with the idea of setting up a RasPlex server for road trips in the dad bus. In my tests the Pi 3+ would choke on multiple streams but the 4 should be better. You can also set up the Pi to broadcast wifi, so a separate pocket router isn’t required. However, a mobile battery would be needed to save the Pi from hard shutdowns that can supposedly corrupt the sd card.
Linking the servers like this is pretty slick to maintain history. I also like your idea of using a laptop. I have a Samsung NC-10 netbook running Linux Mint but it’s pretty slow…
Anyway, cool approach and I might give it a try!
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Just set this up for my travels this year. Awesome write up, thank you.
Share your setup with us!
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I was going to use my MacBook for this, since it’s not as bulky as my windows laptop. I don’t know if it’s the same type of setup, but if it is I’ll go ahead and set it up on my MacBook also.
Just had a test trip with my mobile media server, seemed to work well. Using a HP Envy360 as the server, GL.iNet GL-MT1300 pocket router, USB to Ethernet adapter, and a trio of Samsung Galaxy Tab As (8") as the clients.
Biggest issue is my almost-3-year-old keeps hitting the touchscreen and navigating away from her movie, lol.
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If it’s an android tablet, I wonder if you can install a module to lock the touchscreen so it only unlocks with a gesture or passcode.
I put together one of these with an old netbook and it works very well.
I also became obsessed with the GL.iNet routers after reading this post and now own 5 (soon to be 6) different ones (and want more!)
I’m working on something different but similar and this project came to mind.
I have a minivan with a RES (rear entertainment system) equipped with an HDMI input. I bought a Xiaomi Mi Box S that has a pair of 256gb usb sticks that I swap back and forth for media to be run on VLC. I also use Plex on it if I bring the laptop for a longer trip or to have more options (but that’s rare). Now that Plex brought back the HTPC client, I was considering replacing the Mi Box S with a mini PC that can run both as a Plex Server and Client (like this mobile media server). The main benefits of switching would be not having to lug the laptop to the car every time, not having to use the garbage interface that is VLC compared to Plex, and being able to serve media to more than just the RES without the laptop. I would still have to use the usb sticks to provide media for PMS (unless I can figure out a way to install a small UPS and deep sleep the pc to Wake On LAN when I want to remote into it to get it to download media; but that’s a bit crazy).
Can anyone suggest a low power cheap mini pc that runs on either 12v or 5v and can run Windows? I’d use a spare Raspberry Pi but from what I understand, only the windows Plex client allows for the media download option.
Thanks!
How low power / cheap are you wanting?
Assuming that old netbook won’t do the trick, I’d be tempted to use something like this Gemini Lake laptop along with a 12V laptop charger.
Speaking of which, 12V laptop chargers open up the option of old thin clients like the HP T630 - the vast majority run on 19V power adapters that are basically laptop chargers…