Intel Compute Stick STCK1A32WFC

[RyanM]

Would like to know how it handles video streaming services. From my own observations something like HBO Nordic (not sure what other countries have this), Netflix, and of course high quality YouTube videos are way more resource heavy then some 1080p video file in Kodi or some other player.

YouTube was a little heavier on the CPU, approximately 40% CPU usage, but there were no issues. The biggest concern for video playback, as I believe I mentioned in the article, is that if you're running something semi-intensive in the background it can eat into the CPU usage and cause the playback to skip and stutter. However, for dedicated streaming it works flawlessly up to 1080p, just don't expect to go any higher (1440/2160p) for example.

[RyanM]

Interested as a WMC user, as it is I use my movies and recorded tv HD (would recommend them both).

But also I use DVBLink which merges my Freeview HD/Freesat HD tuners but also makes them into virtual network tuners.

Currently my netbook and other PCs all use the network portion and then point at the the music/pictures/video/Tv folders on the main PC but the bedrooms use xbox 360s as extenders from the HTPC.

So in theory this could replace the Xbox but also have additional uses (browser, steam streaming) and of course leave more space for the wifes stuff on the side.

But what would be the cost of adding WMC as I guess it not already there?

It isn't there by default since the version of Windows isn't a full version, it's part of the licensing agreement between microsoft and small device vendors (stick computers, sub-15 inch laptops, tablets etc). As far as I know, and this sucks quite a lot, but you'd have to buy a full version of Windows 8.1 that has the WMC to access it legally, I think that's close to £100 ($150). This is, primarily, why it's better aimed at users of other streaming services like Plex.

[RyanM]

No mention of HDMI-CEC so maybe not as cool as first thought.

Interesting comment. I can check. How would one go about checking HDMI CEC compatibility?

[Percy1983]

Interestingly I have just got a dual boot (8.1/andriod) tablet witht he same specs for £82.

It does have HDMI out too so is bigger but so much more useful.