I'm a little behind the times when it comes to watching x264 files.

Basically, I burn the MKV as data onto a DVD (or copy to an SD card if it's something I'm going to delete after watching) and put the disc/card into a laptop connected to my 50" 1080p plasma. The laptop outputs 1920 x 1080 @ 60Hz through the VGA, and plays 1080p flawlessly using MPC-HC with DXVA.

There are certain drawbacks with this method, however. The TV does not support 50Hz input through VGA (and the laptop does not have DVI or HDMI output), so TV releases with a framerate of 25fps (ie Doctor Who) are not as smooth as they could be.

Also the laptop only has a analogue audio output (stereo jack). I have AC3Filter set up to decode Dolby Digital and DTS audio and output a DPLII downmix, which is then decoded by my home cinema system. The results sound pretty good, much better than using MPC-HC's internal downmixing, but obviously it's not the full digital 5.1.

So anyway, I want to hear what you guys are doing at the moment. I know many of you have network streaming to PS3s or WDTVs or Popcorn Hours or jailbroken Apple TVs and so on, but I want to hear the specifics - video, audio, hardware, and also if you have found any limitations in the performance of your setup.

I have a WDTV Live connected to a wireless bridge that allows me to browse my network shares on my PC. I only have a 720p TV so that's all I download and it streams those fine with a few exceptions (very high action scenes with tons of movement) where it starts to stutter. That's down to my shitty wireless bridge though as my laptop with built-in wireless can stream the problematic files out via HDMI into the TV fine.

:EDIT: ...ashamed to say that audio is through the TV. I'm not going to be spending money on new AV equipment until my front room is decorated so I can do the wiring around the room properly.

Original WDTV here. Official firmware. I either download to a USB hard drive (for keepers) or a USB stick (for deleters).
Audio is output via toslink to a Panasonic(?) home theatre DVD system which I picked up off flea bay for £25 as the bloke said it was faulty (I fixed it in 5 mins). No trouble with anything I've had from scene rips. I think the biggest 1080p file I have is a Transformers rip of about 25 gig which obviously has full DTS. That plays perfectly. Not that it makes any difference but the TV is a Samsung 40" Series 5.

So does anyone stream to a PS3? I know it won't play MKVs straight off the bat, but there are transcoding apps out there that allow them to be streamed in a compatible format. Or some people convert the MKV into AVCHD disc format.

Also recently bought a cheapo 42" plasma TV for the bedroom - it will play a variety of video formats off a USB device. Although it can play MKV, it unfortunately can't decode x264. It can however play Xvid-encoded HD content, which is a format used by some P2P groups.

^I wouldn't even consider a PS3 as my main movie player because of all the Cinavia bullshit (for starters).

Aside from the time it takes to boot the fucking thing, PS3 is just too picky about whether it will play whatever it likes so it can piss off.

I convert UKTV episodes from MKV to AVCHD (also from 50Hz to 60Hz) so a friend in the US can watch them on his BD stand-alone player or PS3.

The only drawback is a lack of decent menu system for selecting which episode to watch or which audio track to listen-to.

Thanks to Linnets and Vampire talk of the WD Live on here a few years back I got one as well. With the last few newest firmware updates it's worked flawlessly with everything I've thrown at it. I have it networked to all my systems though my main one is usually the where the source files are. Haven't burned a DVD/CD for personal use in almost 2 years (figured in the first 6 months, with my newsbin access, I saved the cost of the player in DVD blanks alone!) Same as Linnets I have mine connected to my optical audio input on my Kenwood receiver through the toslink and the audio works great as well through my surround sound (blurays are usually in DTS). This is hooked to my older 65" hdtv through the DVI connector and even with this older tv (which I will be replacing soon lol) 720 and 1080 rips look great. Can't say enough good things about it (though it was a bit dodgy at times until a firmware update back in January and more recent ones that fixed all the issues I came across)

Short version: Get one fucker!

I use a Xtreamer v1 and i haven't had anything that it couldn't play so far.
I believe it even supports BD menu with the latest FW.
I know there is allot of bitching about the player on several forums but that's mostly about delayed delivery for early adapters and the fan of the first version was noisy but that is fixed in later versions.

It's a good and nice looking player for a very decent price if you ask me.

http://www.xtreamer.net/