first htpc build advice.

.:SAmSuNG:.

.:SAmSuNG:.

.:SAmSuNG:.

Soldato
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Ok so I've just got a new tv and it is abit flaky playing back some mkv files. So I've decided to put together a htpc to run all my movies over.

My questions:

1. I have a asus 1155 itx board. Would any of the cheaper processors that fit it be fine? I wont want to add a graphics card.

2. Does xbmc have to run on windows as I would like to avoid the cost of windows. Just don't want it too complex to set up like what I had a few years ago with Linux and loads of code adding for stuff to work. I just want it to play back it smoothly without faffing around.

3. Would 2gb of ram be enough for it to be snappy with a small ssd? Everything will br networked via my synology server.
 
i3 is good, although you are wanting cheaper go for something like a intel pentium 1155 CPU should be fine.

XMBC runs on multiple OS's see here: http://xbmc.org/download/

2GB should be good enough, you're only watching movies, if you need anymore just buy some? :D
 
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Yes they do, I used a Celeron NUC which use the low powered cpu for MKV playback without issue.

I used OpenElec.
 
XBMC will run even on a Raspbery Pi. It ain't the best experience, though.

If you've got a server already, then the XMBC fork PLEX is the way to go IMO. You can pick up clients for £10 in the form on NowTV boxes (rebadged Rokus).

PLEX will transcode the stream into a suitable format for you player, be it PC, phone, tablet, RasPi, Mac, Roku, whatever. It will also keep track of what you've watched no matter which device you watch with - a trick XBMC has requited MySQL for up 'til now. Started watching a movie in the lounge but feel sleepy and want to carry on tomorrow? No problem. Wake up early and want to finish watching it in the bedroom? No problem, it'll pick up where you left off (assuming you have hardware there of course!)
 
.:SAmSuNG:. said:
What would people recommend for a sat receiver card I can use to watch freesathd over?
Click to expand...

I'd say that depends partly on what OS you're planning to run. Windows will have drivers for most cards, however if you decide to run a Linux distro then driver support for some cards isn't as good.

I've got an old Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T 500 PCI and it fortunately does have driver support, but it was a bit of a faff to get it working properly in Lubuntu with Tvheadend.

Tvheadend is a backend for XBMC which allows me to have the Tuner in my NAS box that's always on, so it can handle recordings whilst my main PC is switched off. It allows for a very thin, silent client at the TV end.
 
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Hmmm maybe its worth me upgrading my main pc to win8 and stick my win7 on the htpc. So will a faster of the ivy celarons be fine then? Just want to double check before I buy one.
 
As Nemesis said any of the i3's or even the 1155 Pentiums should be more than sufficient for your needs.

However this is very popular for HTPC's due to it's slightly lower power requirements (55W vs 77W), which means less heat and noise, and the fact it has a high performance integrated GPU in it (HD4000) same as you get in the higher spec i5's and i7 Ivybridge CPU's.

YOUR BASKET
1 x Intel Core i3-3225 3.30GHz (Ivybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor (55W) - Retail **High Performance IGP** £109.99
Total : £109.99 (includes shipping : FREE).

 
Yea I thought as much. I have my 2500k to stick in it to do the bios update. Just need to find a case now.

Really like the streacom F7. Evo but not coming with a psu really is a pain on the wallet so looking for other options.
 
I think unfortunately any of the half decent looking cases are generally fairly expensive, I think we're still paying a bit of a premium for ITX sized cases because the small size complicates the design.

Personally I'd quite like to get a cheap ugly case with VESA mounts and just mount the PC to the back of the TV, the problem is this only works if you TV is on a stand and mines wall mounted. The one I've looked at is the M350 but OcUK don't sell it. It's completely vented which means that it could possibly be run passively for media centre duties with a low enough TDP CPU and a good low profile heat sink.

m3501.jpg


m3502.jpg
 
Thanks. My sony is on a stand but to wall mount it you actually use part of the stand so its not VESA compatible i dont think.

Looking at motherboard it says in the link you provided its 2nd Gen i series compatible but I think Ivy is 3rd gen.

How I think it is:

i5, i7 on the 1366 socket is first gen. Nelhams or whatever it was called.
Then Sandy bridge is 2nd Gen
Ivy is 3rd.
Haswell is 4th.

Im gussing I may be limited to Sandy. The link to that mobo above is for the LX version of my mobo which mine is the non LX. Will ask in the CPU section.
 
.:SAmSuNG:. said:
Thanks. My sony is on a stand but to wall mount it you actually use part of the stand so its not VESA compatible i dont think.

Looking at motherboard it says in the link you provided its 2nd Gen i series compatible but I think Ivy is 3rd gen.

How I think it is:

i5, i7 on the 1366 socket is first gen. Nelhams or whatever it was called.
Then Sandy bridge is 2nd Gen
Ivy is 3rd.
Haswell is 4th.

Im gussing I may be limited to Sandy. The link to that mobo above is for the LX version of my mobo which mine is the non LX. Will ask in the CPU section.
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't even see the LX when I looked at that, the standard board, i.e. non LX, lists the 3225 as well. So it should be fine.
 
Damn sorry mate, how many versions of that board are there :rolleyes:

Looks like you're right they don't list support for that processor on the I model.

I'd probably look for an i3-2120T it's a low power model, only 35W TDP, so it'll produce very little heat, I'm pretty sure it should be possible to run it passively for HTPC work if your case and motherboard can support a decent size heatsink. You will probably need 1 fan just to cycle a small amount of air through the case.
 
Thanks. Im really leaning towards the streacom FC8 EVO at the moment which should work great with that 2120T. Just need to convince the wife and decide on black or silver.
 
That'd certainly make one quiet HTPC with a Nano PSU and fanless AC Adapter.

The website says it can handle 95W TDP in a room with good airflow and a low enough ambient temperature so it should certainly have absolutely no trouble with the 35W. The only thing I think you have to watch with completely fanless designs is the temperature of the motherboard components and ram.

Also does the case have a compatible board list, with these case as heat sink designs certain boards can have problems with the location of various components.

It looks as though 1 or 2 of the heat pipes will go above where your chipset heat sink is, though there should be enough height by that point to clear it, and you have all 4 sata ports directly under where the heat pipes will go as well. So it's possible you may only be able to use the ones further away from the CPU and/or you may need right angled sata cables.
 
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